A.N: Well here it is. Chapter 21. The chapter of truth. Hopefully it won't disappoint.

Enjoy!

Relationships

Two weeks.

Raine looked at the calendar as she walked out of the bathroom, towelling her dry after her shower, white robe tied firmly about her.

The picture above the calendar, a sunlit beach scene peppered with families smiling and enjoying themselves in the sun, made her frown.

Why had she bought this particular calendar again? Hell, the one with puppies on would've been better.

Her eyes strayed down to the circled date, snorting at the irony that she had something so grim noted on it beneath such a happy picture,

July 15th. The day of her rescue. Exactly one month after her kidnapping on June 15th,

One would assume that being rescued from the hell hole of Saloth'sar would be a good day to remember, but of course…most people didn't get shot down by someone they loved on such a day. A typically day of rescue would be filled with the handsome knight fighting off the monsters to get to the princess.

Which of course he had.

Then the prince would rescue the princess and lead her safely from her long imprisonment, saving her heroically from her captor along the way.

Which again, he had.

Then the handsome noble man and the beautiful princess would share a passionate, romantic kiss.

Which they sort of had.

Then the knight would fall down on one knee and ask the princess to carry him. She would say yes and he would whisk her away to his castle to be married. And they would live happily ever after.

Which they hadn't. Even in the vaguest sense.

For two days after the rescue, Raine had aided with the rescued half-elves, barely seeing hide or hair of Kratos until Lloyd had, in an extremely bold not to mention slightly stupid moment, turned on her and snapped at her to go home, rest and come back to help when she was ready to.

He had been fervently backed up by Kratos, who had stood behind him, arms folded across his chest, nodding slowly in agreement.

So for just under two weeks she had been here. Home. With nothing to do. At all.

Zelos and Sheena had dropped in a few days ago, having also been thrown off the rescue committee due to their 'need' to recuperate from their ordeal but apart from them, she had only seen Genis and heard gossip and news off Regal, Presea and Lloyd, usually in the form of letters.

Kratos, though it would have been unlikely for him to have written or visited when he was busy in the first place, had remained silent. He had even been excluded from the letters the others had sent her, presumably at his request.

He probably figured that she would get over it if he avoided her long enough.

As for he himself, well…he wantedto suffer. Because that made him the tough, broody, mysterious, broken-hearted martyr, didn't it?

Wandering over to the window, she opened it and leant out, smelling the slightly salty air of Sybak, looking over at the university over the other side of the town.

She had not been allowed to return to work yet either and Raine was left feeling completely and totally useless.

Frustrated by boredom and Kratos' attitude she stood suddenly and dressed, heading out of the house and slamming the door behind her, not knowing where she was going to go, but not particularly caring either. Just so long as she wasn't in that damn house.

She wandered out of town, nodding to a few half-elves she recognised from Saloth'sar as she did. They smiled warmly in return, knowing just who she was and what part she had played in the escape. Without her, they would all be dead by now.

Raine wasn't sure how long she had walked, in her absent-mindedness she had lost track of time and direction. She found herself meandering aimlessly thorough a thick forest, wishing she had her staff with her when she heard a branch crack in the distance.

She settled for picking up a thick branch instead, hoping she wouldn't have to try and use it as a weapon.

As she travelled further into the forest, thin beams of sunlight striking through the leaves like a minute version of the judgement spell, she crouched, finding a short sword standing upright in the grass.

She pulled it out slowly, noting that the grass where it had cast a shadow was withered and yellow. It had been there for a few weeks at least then.

Walking deeper into the labyrinth, wondering whom had left the sword and why, she found more weapons littering the ground. Staffs and swords and bows and arrows. A variety of weapons scattered here and there, lying aimlessly around the dense forest. Until suddenly, the wall of trees stopped and she found herself in a small clearing, a ramshackle cottage shaded by a cliff just up ahead.

The grass in the immediate area was trampled flat by a multitude of feet, more weapons lying scattered around the area, gouges in the earth where they had sunk in.

Grass grew over some however, nature already claiming its forest back.

Even the cottage, surrounded by its black, wrought iron fence was being overtaken by plants, ivy curling up over the building. Rust corroding the iron, turning black to red.

The lawns inside the fence were mown, recently too though, a log bench sat under a boarded broken window, a multitude of weapons sitting neatly upon it, as if the owner had gone around and picked them all up, trying to tidy the immediate area.

Gods, had someone trained an army here?

She wandered over to the fence, hands curling around it as she looked at the picturesque little cottage, eyes scanning it.

It looked a mess but…with a little work; it could be fixed up nicely. It reminded her of a cross between Altessa and Dirk's house. Maybe in a few hundred years she would buy it, if no one lived here already and she could use it as a retreat for the holidays.

Or maybe she and her partner would live here if they decided to start a family.

But...it was a little early to be thinking about that. After all, she needed to find someone she was interested in first.

True, she had. He was just too uptight to do anything about it.

"It takes most people at least a few days to find this house," a low, familiar voice commented "and that's with directions."

She turned slowly, trying to make it appear that he hadn't caught her off guard,

"Well then, I must have a natural affinity for old ruins."

"In more sense than one." Kratos commented, stepping past her and into the garden, wandering to the log bench and dumping an armful of weapons on it.

She raised an eyebrow before getting his meaning.

"You would describe yourself as an old ruin?"

"I would describe myself as ancient. Most people who know me would describe me as being ruined."

She should have been angry with him, given his treatment of her the other day, but she could only feel pity and longing for the seraph as he wandered back towards her, resting on the fence as it nothing had ever happened between them.

And at his cool exterior, anger suddenly rose.

"Another reason for me to avoid being with you?"

"Only if you see it as one. It depends largely on whether you think I'm as broken as everyone else seems to."

She snorted, changing the subject, not wanting to discuss this right now.

"I haven't heard from you since I left the camp."

…well it was a slight shift anyway.

"I've been busy. I was called to the Renegade base when they feared he was about to die."
Raine started, suddenly wary of his tone.

"He hasn't…?"

Kratos harrumphed. "Hardly. He went into a coma for a few days and then woke up…"

"So why were you gone for two weeks?"

"The Renegades seem to have the impression that since Yuan and I have known each other for four thousand years and have been friends for much of that time, we want to spend every waking moment with each other."

"You and Yuan seem to barely tolerate each other at the best of times."

Kratos shrugged. "Exactly. Although…we do interact better than we would have most people believe."

"Why?"

"Force of habit. When Yuan, Mithos, Martel and I were travelling together, I would spend most of our time we spent in town with Yuan while Mithos and Martel would rest in the inn. Since we were a human and a half-elf being seen by the other public would we mock them by making jibes at each other. Unfortunately, as time has worn on and we've got older and…less patient, those jibes have become…more real."

"That's…"

"Besides, Yuan has never been one for showing sentiment…and I am much the same, either by nature or the passage of time."
"And you're ok with that?"
"It is what our friendship is based on...to change that now would be to change the nature of a relationship older and stronger than you can imagine. It is the fact that we can jibe that proves we know each other well and are comfortable with one another.

I would not make such personal…teasing to a person I did not feel that bond with. It would seem inappropriate to me."
"Would you treat everyone that way? IS that how people know that you like them?...should that ever occur."

A wry smiled twisted his mouth.

"No. Different forms of relationships call for different behaviours, as you well know. I would not even consider behaving like that towards Lloyd, for example…although it's unlikely he would understand if I did and would probably take offence anyway."

"I see."

The seraph nodded and the two stood in silence for sometime.

"I've been contemplating…" Kratos stated suddenly, causing Raine to look at him, turning her gaze that her turned distant in him.

"Yes?"
He gave a quick smile, something she was unused to seeing on him and straightened.

"Would you care to join me for a walk?"

"I…uh…yes."

Another smile and it was softer, lasted for a second longer this time. She flushed under the expression, falling into step beside him and holding her head down until the blood receded from her cheeks.

Again she was confronted with the knowledge that she should be angry at him; that she should walk off to prove a point, not follow him like some wayward puppy.

But…he was offering something of himself to her, and surely that was worth staying for?

He led her on a meandering path through the woods, up a small mountain trail that looked like it had not been used for some time, until they reached an isolated plateau that overlooked the forest.

Raine wandered to the edge of the cliff, looking out over the expanse of trees below, just able to make out the angular lines of Sybak in the distance.

Kratos wandered to her side, staring out across the view with her.

"I didn't realise I had walked so far from home."

The seraph made a slight gesture that might have been a shrug.

"Your mind was clearly on different issues."

"You're not going to tell me that I should be home, resting and recovering from my ordeal?"

Another smile tugged at his lips.

"I would not have lead you out this far if I thought you needed to recuperate further. Besides, a woman with such a strong personality as yours is unlikely to follow that advice."

"Strong personality?"

"You know your own mind, and I think that that is perhaps an understatement."
"Hmm."

"I would guess from that tone that you don't appreciate the idea."

"I've been told it's…unbecoming of a lady." There was a harsh, almost spat edge to her tone at that.

"Perhaps some would think that. I personally find it a rather attractive quality in a woman…"
"Really? Why? Most men hate women who argue with them."

"Well for a start, I am not most men. Secondly…I don't see why the idea of someone with no spark, no fire in them is attractive. I'm not saying that I want to argue with said person all the time but…"

His eyes caught hers.

"I've been told by many people that I need to be with a woman who can put me in my place."

Raine smiled at the idea, a laugh rising in her throat.

"Like anyone could do that."

"There are a select few who can, believe it or not."

"Anyone in mind?"

He turned fully to face her. "I think you already know the answer to that."

"So you finally decided that your sins aren't worth atoning?" She intended for the comment to be hurtful, for a reason she didn't quite understand. Perhaps it was for his rejection of her two weeks ago. In any case, it got the desired result, and he turned away, a pained guilty expression on his face.

"No…I…"

He turned back to her a second later, as if it would vindicate whatever he was about to say.

"I just realised that…there are some things that are worth more. Besides…perhaps true atonement is beyond my reach."
"Is that so bad?"

Staring squarely into her eyes, the answer came without hesitation.

"No…it isn't. Not if I have someone who can put me in my place."

Raine rolled her eyes, smiling and shaking her head at the same time.

"You're so romantic."
"I try."

"Was that a glimpse of a sense of humour?"
"I believe it was."

She grinned…but the expression faded a moment later as she considered the situation,

"Raine?"

"I need something from you before this;" she waved a hand vaguely "will work."

"And this is going to be a case of 'No, I can't tell you' isn't it?"

She nodded.

"Then…" he took a step forwards and slowly took her hand "Firstly, I apologise for my reaction to you when you admitted your feelings to me. I understand how much courage that takes…and how much it hurts to be rejected."

He took a breath,

"And I apologise for not having the gall to do this sooner, more precisely, for trying to make you wait though I already knew the answer to what you were saying.

Most importantly… I apologise for not doing this sooner."

He took a step forwards, so that he was mere inches from her. "Forgive me…" he breathed.

Lips were pressed gently against hers an instant later, curled fingers catching her beneath the chin to gently tilt her head up.

For a moment, Raine contemplated pulling away, or not responding at all…just as he had done to her. But of course, that would be spiteful and childish and…if she was honest, feeling Kratos' lips pressed almost nervously against hers, showing a side she wasn't aware he had was too good to refuse.

She leant into the kiss just as he started to pull away her hands winding around his back, pulling him back towards her.

He gave a surprised groan, apparently not expecting the movement. From the way he pressed himself more firmly against her though…she guessed he was enjoying it.

Eventually, after an immeasurable amount of time, they separated, taking an opportunity to breathe.

"I guess this means we're…involved?" Raine asked, sounding almost like a shy, teenage girl.

"Unless you see a problem. Personally, I don't have any."

She shook her head before rolling her eyes up to the sky.

"How long have we been here?"

"…I would say it's midday. So…an hour at most."

"I should head back to town."

The seraph nodded, stepping back from her, eyebrows lifting a little in surprise when she slowly slid her small hand into his.

He closed his own around hers gently, feeling soft, smooth skin beneath calloused fingertips.

"Care to join me for lunch?" Raine asked.

Kratos smiled.

"Would this be a date?"

"If you want it to be. Although I'd hope we're past that stage already."

-"We are but…are you refusing to let me buy lunch for you?"

"..In that case, this isa date."

The seraph snorted, a low chuckle escaping his throat and though it was not the first time she had heard it…it was the first time she realised how much she loved making him make that particular noise, knowing that there were few people in the world that could provoke such a reaction in Kratos Aurion.

With Raine tugging on his hand gently, the two walked through the woods together, heading back towards town. As a couple.

So there it was. Hope you liked it.

And now we come to the rather (to me at least) saddening fact that this is the penultimate chapter. Or ultimate, depending on how you look at it. I will be doing an epilogue just to round things off.

However, if you're interested, I have plans for another Kraine fic which shall be started very soon after this one is finished.

Anyhoo, as always, please review.