Thanks to the site's new "Reader Traffic" option, I can now see how popular I am in the month of September. 86hits and 51 visitors for this story alone! Thank you to all my readers! Hope you enjoy the last few chapters...

Bitter Sweet Remorse Meets Tender Love

Spring had arrived, bringing with it warm sunny days and light showers. Trees budded and flowered, migratory birds arrived in large flocks, and newborn animals frolicked in fields alongside their mothers.

Rolan sat at the table reading the job listings of the local newspaper. The window was open slightly to allow the sounds of birds and the aromas of flowers to float into the room with the soft breeze. He glanced out of the window. A flowering cherry blossom tree sat in view, its pale pink blossoms falling like snow. It had been four months since Alviss had found him in the graveyard. He owned everything to the man. He was now sane, fit and healthy. What he could've been if left alone a few more days, he shuddered to think.

Alviss strolled into Rolan's thoughts, yawning and stretching off a good sleep. They hadn't 'gone all the way' in that sense, but had made vigorous love frequently - last night was a fine example.

"Looking for a job?" he questioned as he sat down. He stared bleary-eyed at Rolan, trying to blink the sleep from his eyes. Rolan folded the newspaper and placed it on the table in front of him. Using a red marker pen, he circled a promising job description.

"Sort of. There isn't much in here though," he explained. Plus, I doubt any of them will employ me, he added sourly in his mind.

"Bummer," Alviss replied. They lapsed into a companionable silence. Rolan waited for his love to speak. Silences like this usually meant that the blue-haired man was in deep thought about something that he wanted to discuss seriously. Last time, it was about sex. Alviss had explained in full depth that, even though he loved him more than anything in the world, he wasn't ready to 'go all the way' with him just yet. Rolan respected his choice, finding how he couldn't say the word 'sex' adorable.

"Rolan?" Alviss spoke. Rolan glanced at him. His voice had a peculiar edge to it that he had never heard before. "Will you come with me somewhere?"

"Where?"

"It's... kind of a surprise," Alviss explained nervously. "Be ready in ten minutes and bring flowers." He then got up and left in a hurry.

Rolan was curious, but also apprehensive. Where is he going to take me? Why was he so nervous? he thought.

Ten minutes later, Rolan stood at the door with a bunch of freshly-picked flowers in his arms. Alviss strode stiffly down the hallway.

"All ready?" he questioned curtly. Rolan nodded, almost dying of curiosity. "Good. Follow me." He walked out the door and dawdled down the driveway, Rolan following.

They walked for only a few minutes. Once out on the street, Alviss crossed the road and turned left. Rolan stopped stock-still. They were walking straight into the graveyard.

"Please, Rolan." Alviss halted, turning to face him. Rolan shook his head.

"You're not taking me back there."

"Rolan, it's been four months..." Alviss started.

"Who cares? I don't."

"You need to see him..." Alviss continued. Rolan stamped his foot and crossed his arms, looking like a spoiled brat. He pouted.

"No! You can't make me. I don't want to see him," he whined.
Alviss sighed, moving to him to comfort him.

"Please... For me?" he pleaded softly. He stroked Rolan's silky hair. This always calmed him. Rolan leant against him, his body relaxing. He breathed deeply.

"OK then," he said quietly, allowing Alviss to lead him through the rusty gates. The graveyard was exactly like Rolan remembered; empty and silent, with dead trees and cracked tombstones.

And now they stood in front of a fairly new stone. The weeds and dead leaves choked the earth below, moss was beginning to crack the tombstone, but the engraved name was still readable. No flowers sat in vases, no sight of burnt-out incense or candles nearby. Phantom's grave was lonely and neglected.

Rolan clung to Alviss, his heart beating painfully fast in his throat. He was afraid that he would have a terror again. Why did Alviss take him here of all places?

Alviss knelt suddenly. He bowed his head in respect. Rolan watched, confused and interested all at the same time. Alviss rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a candle; which he lit with a Fire ARM. He placed the flickering flame on the stone just under the tombstone.

"Why are you...?" Rolan asked, kneeling down next to him.

"I'm paying respect," Alviss replied. "I'm paying respect to a great leader."

"A... huh?" Rolan's mouth dropped. "I thought you hated him."

"He was a bastard, alright. But at the end of his life, he showed me that he was really human himself; capable of love and humility."

Rolan smiled sadly, realising that tears were flowing down his cheeks.

"If it had worked out differently... He would've been a wonderful, loyal friend to all of us. If only he hadn't been so cruelly punished... If only his parents hadn't died when he was so young... If only he hadn't been totally brainwashed by Diana and the Orb..." Alviss put an arm around the weeping man, tears coming to his own eyes.

"You were my father, my entire life," Rolan croaked at the stone. "And I still miss you."

"You taught Rolan well, and I'm jealous," Alviss said quietly. Rolan overheard him and believed him. After all, who tells lies over a dead man's grave? Rolan went quiet. Last time he sat here, his heart ached with longing and he was on the cusp of a major breakdown.

Now was different. It felt good to be comforted and share his pain with someone. He put the flowers in the chipped vase, arranging them lovingly. He proceeded to clean up the grave, pulling out weeds and removing dead leaves. Alviss helped him.

Before long the grave was immaculate. With Alviss's finishing touch of burning incense, Phantom's grave was unrecognisable. Rolan wondered if, somewhere up there, Phantom was seeing this and feeling proud.

"Have I made you proud?" he whispered to himself. Alviss's gaze fell on him, but he said nothing. He stood up, pulling Rolan up with him and wrapping his arm around him.

"Do you feel better?" he asked Rolan quietly. Rolan nodded and smiled a tear-stained smile. "Let's go home then." He led him home in silence, feeling that the day had been a success.