~~~~ Next Day ~~~~

"Where do you suppose we go now?" Ailith asked, swinging her feet idly. Leon sighed. "I...really don't know. I overheard rumors about a place all the way up in the mountains but...gosh, I don't know how we can get there."

Just then, Amilia came into the room. "Guys...I heard of a possible lead. It's just a canoe ride away. Come, I'll show you the way."

Everyone remained silent and was hesitant to get up. Amilia sensed their obvious hesitance and sighed. "Guys...look, I know it's difficult but...we can't reach our next possible destination without finding some way to get there first. And to find a way...we need to explore our options right now, which...well..."

"Yeah, yeah. We get it." Leon sighed and Amilia was taken aback by his tone. He glanced at her and sighed. "Sis, I'm sorry. I just...I didn't-"

"Shaken...I get it. All of you are...but you're not the only one who's shaken." Amilia sighed and left the room. Leon groaned and dragged a hand over his face. She was just trying to do something and he had to go and snap at her like that because of personal reasons? Yeah, real smooth hero.

"Get changed guys. I'll come back when we're ready." Leon said and got up, chasing after Amilia.

~~~ The Middle of Town ~~~

"Look Amilia, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound like that." Leon said and sat beside her on the bench. She sighed and closed her eyes. "I know...and I'm also sorry I walked out like that but...I was just...all this time and I thought you both'd be happy to see me at least..."

"We've looked for you...everywhere...and only now you show up? Because what?" Leon said and sighed, he sensed the tears forming in her eyes. Everything he said just hurt...but what did she expect? She was being looked for, practically everywhere and yet she only shows up now? Both Leon and Saria knew what this meant. "Don't think I'm stupid Amilia. I know you've been hiding from us."

Amilia looked like Leon had just committed a crime against her. "...Leon that's not-"

"No Amilia, it is." Leon stated blandly and just hated the look she was giving him right now. Eyes with the look of betrayal, mouth open, tears streaming down her face...it made him want to just hug her. "So just tell me...just tell me what it is."

"Leon..." Amilia covered her mouth and shut her eyes. Leon only sighed. "I understand...perhaps it's something you can't say. Fine."

"Thank you for understanding..." Amilia let a long sigh escape her lips. "...I...you don't know how difficult this whole ordeal was for me..."

"Ordeal?" Leon asked, raising an eyebrow. Amilia smiled at him apologetically and Leon frowned, nodding. "Oh right...keep quiet, I see."

"Thank you for understanding." Amilia said and gave a lighthearted laugh. Leon leaned on the bench and looked towards the sky. "All this happened...and yet I still find your laugh so...so adorable."

"I missed you too Leon. You and Saria...and you can't fathom how much." Amilia said, smiling slightly. She put her hand on Leon's and he gave her a hug, trembling into a sob in her arms. No matter what he did...No matter what distraction presented itself to him...to them, it never went away. That same damn feeling. "It'll be okay...Somehow...it'll be okay."

"I'm...I'm really scared Amilia." Leon sobbed in her arms and she just frowned. Amilia sighed, she had known this sadness and fear a long time ago the moment she chose to leave her siblings behind and joined Claude. The moment she left and took Garland's offer to save only one of the four.

"I know. I know Leon but whatever happens...I promise I'll die before I let anything happen to you." She said and that made him look at her with a sadness that nearly pierced through her soul. Never before had Amilia seen him like this. Leon gulped down and just stared at her, before finally saying something. "I know...you've done it before...right in front of me...and because of what Claude showed me, I already have a gist of the secret you're not supposed to talk about."

"Leon..." Amilia was left wide eyed and shocked, and he looked at her. "I may act like one all the time but you know better than to take me for a fool. You're going to lead us to him. You're going to lead us to our deaths."

"Leon, I-" Amilia tried to make her point, but was cut off by Leon. "Why? You didn't do this before so why?"

"Because..." Amilia was at a loss of words. What was she supposed to say? This...this she did not anticipate him to remember so much. They weren't supposed to find out yet...they did. They knew...or, at least, Leon did. Knowing this, Garland would surely take away her chance to let one of them live with her beyond the cycle. To save one of them from their inevitable deaths...even if it was just for one lifetime. And that was why she hated herself so. She remembered everything and recognized the four as her close friends...as her family. Yet she was still so cowardly as to stay back and take Garland's hand. To take his offer and choose between those she loved the most instead of fighting to the very end.

She wasn't supposed to spill anything, lest Garland see and doom them all yet again. But what would it matter? Leon wasn't supposed to know...yet he did, and Garland was already watching. He's already seeing everything. So...here goes.

"Yes...I am doing that. But please just trust me...I won't let anything happen to you...you or Saria, or Ailith, or Erick. I promise you Leon." Amilia said and sighed. Garland surely saw that. She just hoped to hell that whatever Claude was planning would work. 'Damn it Claude...what are you doing!? You set this up perfectly. The way you played it...it was inevitable they'd find out but...Garland would take away our chance...I thought you said we'd be saving them together at our expense but at the rate that this is going...Garland won't allow that. You're dooming us all again but...I don't have a choice but to trust you, do I? Is this what you meant last time?'

"Then I trust you." Leon said and Amilia looked at him with wide, unbelieving eyes. "Leon. That's-"

"There's not much we can do anymore. This has been happening time and time again...but if you say that you actually have some way to save us...then I'll fight for it. I'll hang on to that hope and keep the others standing." Leon ran a hand through his hair and ceased his crying. "Even if it turns out that we really can't be saved...I'll fight on. It's the only thing we can do right now."

"You can't be serious..." Amilia laughed sadly, patting Leon on the head. "You're so...courageous and I'm such a coward...I truly have no right to be the sister of someone with the likes of you."

"Let's go back when you're ready. They'll be waiting for us." Amilia said and Leon stayed on the bench for a bit longer before getting up, washing his face and wiping the dried tears away. Amilia smiled at him and got up, taking his hand as they walked back to the Inn.

~~~~ Back at the Inn ~~~

Saria paced around as she waited for her siblings to come back. She wanted to apologize to Amilia for her actions and it pained her greatly to know she put that upon her sister.

"Saria, relax." Erick said and gently a hand on hers. Then, he pulled her down gently so that she was seated next to him. "Relax."

"How can I when I helped make her so sad? I was...argh!" Saria sighed and plopped down on the bed. Then, when they finally did come back into the room, Saria jumped when the door behind her opened.

"We've got a lead. Let's head out, guys!" Leon stated and threw his arms up, Amilia nonchalantly moving her head to the side while rolling her eyes to avoid Leon's hands to her face. The three of them laughed and the mood became better slightly upon seeing Leon so...enthusiastic.

"Well you're in good spirits. This is reliable I presume?" Erick said, smiling under the shadows of his clothes. Leon looked at Amilia, who gave an ever slight smile, and looked to Erick. "Yeah, I can assure you we'll be getting somewhere with this."