Sheena bit her lower lip nervously, pacing in front of the door with a grunt of annoyance. 'I've been here for fifteen minutes and haven't been able to get the courage to go inside. This is nuts!' With a softly uttered curse, she threw her hand at the doorknob and wrenched the door open with much more force than was probably necessary. She took a step inside and slammed the ancient wooden door behind her, huffing another curse at her weakness. "Bloody stupid piece of wood!"

She had barely finished her sentence when she heard an excited squeal of her name. Looking up, the startled ninja only got a glimpse of a blond-haired blur before something solid slammed against her mid-section and through her back against the doors that she had just entered from. "Oomph!"

"Sheena!" The blur squeaked excitedly from somewhere around her middle, two strong arms wrapped tightly around her stomach, squeezing off her air supply. "I'm so glad you're here, I've been worried!"

"Angel, I think you're making it hard for Sheena to breathe." Zelos called from the couch, having seen the entire thing play out with great amusement. The moment Colette had seen the door open, she had flown off the armrest that she had been sitting on and tackled the poor summoner. He couldn't disguise his chuckles as Colette stared up in horror, releasing the gasping Sheena almost instantly.

Disoriented, Sheena placed her hands on her knees as she struggled to breathe, feeling a ringing pain at the back of her head. Straightening with a muffled cough, she tried to touch the spot but drew away gingerly with a frown. 'Ouch... I must have hit my head...' Looking around now, she took a full stock of what had just happened. Colette stood right in front of her, her sea blue eyes wide with horror and apology, her hands clasped together tightly in what could easily have been mistaken for prayer.

"I'm sorry, I was so excited to see you, you're not hurt are you?!" Colette asked worriedly, nearly bouncing up and down in her agitation. Sheena just shook her head to ward off her worry, and with a bitten lower lip, the blond stood still, watching wearily. "I'm sorry Sheena."

"N-Nah, it's alright... I'm just a little... breathless." Sheena managed with a weak smile, hating to see the young angel with anything but a smile on her face. The familiar pain she had been battling for the past few hours was already back, bubbling angrily in her blood and turning her cold despite the warmth of the mansion. 'Dammit...' Forcing the dark emotions into the corner of her mind, she smiled at Colette and told her pleasantly, "Seriously, I'm good, you just caught me off guard, that's all. I wasn't expecting a flying tackle the second I had my foot in the door."

"I was worried..." Colette began nervously, chewing on her lower lip before she glanced almost automatically behind her. Zelos hadn't moved from the couch, but she saw him move his head just an inch to each side, silently warning her. Taking a deep breath, the tiny angel continued in a much more weak tone, "But... Y-You're okay, right?"

'No, I'm not alright.' The words were practically a scream in the ninja's head, and she was shocked by the strength it took to keep her mouth closed. The jealousy, anger and most of all, pain, were nearly impossible to keep locked away in her head. Her hands curling at her sides in her attempt to keep the dark emotions at bay, she answered with forced cheer, "Yeah, I'm fine. The night away from everyone cleared my head. You look good too, I'm glad to see that you're feeling better." 'Liar.' "I'm still a bit tired, I'm going to head up to my room for a nap, alright? I'll see you later..." She gently ruffled Colette's hair as she brushed past her, biting her lip in an attempt to hide her scowl. 'I'm so... dirty.'

Zelos said nothing as Sheena passed him to get to the stairs, but he saw the crystal-like tears beginning to form in the corners of her bronze eyes. She was nearly glad for his wise choice, but she made a mistake of her own by glancing over her shoulder to see Colette before she disappeared. The blond girl had her head bowed, but even with her hair covering her face, she saw the tears trickling down her face. 'Dammit!'

She raced up the last few steps, dodging past a completely bewildered Presea before she threw herself into her room. Slamming the door behind her, she only made it a few steps before her legs collapsed underneath her and she fell to the carpet. Her entire body shook, and her tears flowed unheeded down her face. "Dammit! Dammit, dammit, dammit!"

The pain was nearly unbearable, every fibre of her being was on fire and being electrified at the same time. But beyond her guilt and anger, there was an even darker emotion swirling in her chest and choking at her heart. Satisfaction. Some demon inside her stomach was dancing in glee at the pain she had caused the blond angel, and she was disgusted with herself. 'What the hell is wrong with me?! She's my friend, how could I ever be happy with hurting her!?'

"For Martel's sake Lloyd, go and see her! I know you want to, stop wasting time here! Just go!"

"I... I wanted him to stay with me..." The tears came even more fiercely as she whispered the words to herself, and she didn't try to brush them away. They fell from her face to the carpet, darkening the crimson rug underneath her knees. Her body shook as she sobbed uselessly into her hands, crying out softly in the silence, "I wanted him to be with me!"

"Sh-Sheena...?" A soft voice made her look up in complete alarm, and she was overwhelmed with a shocking wave of relief when she saw the blue eyes framed by long pink ponytails. Very slowly, the axeman approached her, kneeling beside her on the carpet. She didn't speak though her face was hesitant and unsure, and after another moment, she placed her small hand on top of Sheena's.

The ninja, barely able to see through her tears, stared in bewilderment at the little girl, unsure of how to react. When Presea nodded her head once, she felt the cords unravel. With a strangled cry of anguish she collapsed into the little girl's arms and let herself cry for what seemed like the first time in centuries.

As startled as she was with this violent show of emotion, Presea forced herself to sit still and gently wind her arms around the crying summoner. Her tears soaked her skirt, but she found herself not caring, focussing all of her attention on trying to keep the ninja together. 'She feels as if she will fall apart if I let her go... Like right now, I am the only thing holding her together. That is... a frightening thought.'

She heard Genis' voice in her ears then, his warm tone bringing some sense to her confusion. "Sometimes... Sometimes words aren't needed when you're with a person. You can have a conversation without speech, you can imply your feelings and thoughts through gestures..." The pink-haired girl smiled to herself as she allowed Sheena to unburden herself in her arms, thinking silently, 'So this is what he meant about a conversation with no words... Strange... I will need to thank him later...' She could feel Sheena's violent trembling beginning to lessen, but she didn't dare release the physically older girl, too concerned. 'I have no idea what I would do if she truly fell apart right now. I do not think Lloyd, or myself for that matter, would be able to handle another loss.'

"I-I'm sorry Presea... I... I don't know what came over me." Sheena muttered gruffly, drawing away from the girl's thin arms, brushing her hand angrily over her face. She felt embarrassed but most of all ashamed. The tears had somehow lessened the knot of emotion in her chest, but the pain was still there, gnawing away mercilessly at her heart.

"Do not apologize, I followed you here because I was concerned for your well-being. I fully anticipated something of this magnitude." Presea answered simply, smoothing out the creases in her skirt before she lifted her eyes to Sheena's. Cerulean met topaz, and for a moment, the little hunter had to stop her mind. A warm emotion she was very unfamiliar with was gently raging through her body, telling her to hold the summoner's hands again though she had no reason to do so. She recognized the warmth, it appeared in her every time she was in the company of Lloyd or Genis, and now it had made a third appearance with Sheena. Confused by the pleasant heat, she decided to follow her instincts and gently settled her smaller hands over the summoner's, adding quietly, "You looked as though you needed someone to cry to... I... I can understand that."

Sheena silently accepted the tentative overture, knowing that Presea was awkward with her newfound emotions. A simple smile was a gigantic leap for her sometimes. The words spilled from her mouth, unbidden, and she could feel the tangled emotions loosening with each word she spoke. "I made Colette cry downstairs because I was cold. I felt... happy, disgustingly happy with making her feel pain after everything that happened in Luin. I'm disgusting, dirty, sick. How could I want to do that to my friend? After everything we've been through, I was pleased with causing her pain? What sort of person am I?"

"I... I think, admitting your emotions, admitting that you feel sickened with your behaviour... Is something that proves that you know it is wrong." Presea said slowly, blocking out the rational side of her mind that told her it was of no importance. Selfish emotions were part of one's humanity, to feel a sick pleasure for someone else's suffering after so much pain was natural. 'But...' "If you did not feel sickened, if you didn't care about your actions and their consequences... Then you would truly be a person that is full of darkness. But you feel pain for hurting Colette, for feeling satisfaction. You are not a horrible person Sheena, you are good, kind, that is what I believe."

Sheena allowed herself a tentative smile at Presea's flat diagnosis, but some part of her that had fallen into the shadow was slowly being brought back into the light. The satisfaction was already gone, replaced with the angry disgust, but even that was weakening. 'I needed this...' Shaking her head once, she asked softly, though she wasn't sure she truly wanted to know the answer, "Where is everyone else?"

Knowing that she meant Lloyd most specifically, Presea took a moment to organize her thoughts. 'Hmm...' She answered quietly, her eyes drifting to the ceiling before back to Sheena's tear-streaked face, "Professor Sage is at the King's library, Genis left because she forgot to bring Gald to pay for her lunch, and he does not trust her with the ingredients she left with to cook." At this, Sheena laughed softly, and Presea allowed herself a brief smile though she didn't understand the humour. She continued carefully, knowing that her words could give a negative impact on the still fragile Sheena, "Regal and Lloyd left again for the Fooji mountains quite early this morning, I believe they are training again with Regal's new weapon."

"Of course." Sheena replied in a monotone, forcing her emotion out of her voice though it still screamed inside of her body. 'I wonder if he's angry with me again... I mean, he has every right to, I basically told him I didn't need him..' She flinched. 'How much of a lie that is... I need him like I need to breathe... Dammit...'

Sensing the summoner's train of thought, Presea interrupted softly, "It is true that Lloyd has been upset, but I do not think it is with you. He only spoke to Colette briefly when he arrived yesterday, after that he went to the coliseum and did not return until nightfall." Sheena looked up sharply at this information, and the hunter continued placidly, "He was quite alright, I believe he finished the Advanced level with ease. Though he did not speak to anyone after that. He retired to his room, then was gone before I awoke."

"I see..."

"Sheena, there is something I think you should know before you jump to conclusions about Lloyd's behaviour." Presea began, but she stopped herself before she could continue, startled with herself. 'Why am I saying these things? It isn't my place to make assumptions about their relationship, especially considering how little I know of such attachments.' When she looked up into Sheena's wide topaz eyes, something in her heart ached with a warm pain she recognized. 'Sympathy, again I feel sympathy. She is hurt, and she is indeed in love with him. I cannot continue to stand by and watch her suffer. She is my teammate... and my friend.' Taking a deep breath to steady her suddenly frazzled nerves, the pink-haired axeman explained slowly, "He is angry with himself, very angry. He has repeatedly expressed that he should not have left you alone in Luin, regardless of what Colette and the Professor said."

"W-What? Colette told him that he shouldn't have run after me?" Sheena asked with raised eyebrows, startled. 'That's not like her.' She knew that Raine was much more sensitive to her emotions than she would have liked, and could very well imagine her trying to explain it to the swordsman without hinting at too much. 'But Colette...'

"Colette said that you needed time." Presea explained, putting an emphasis on the last word. It had been something the professor and Colette had agreed on most fervently. While she wasn't exactly sure why such a thing was needed, putting the emphasis on the word seemed proper now. "She also told Lloyd that she felt bad for ruining your time, and she also called Lloyd 'dumb' though I'm not entirely sure why... But regardless, Lloyd is not angry with you, he is upset at himself."

"I... I see..." Sheena swallowed dryly, aware that she was sitting up straight for the first time since she had arrived. Something was being eased in her stomach and shoulders, allowing her to sit taller without being weighed down. "I'm so... stupid..."

"Being blinded by one's emotion does not make you stupid." Presea shook her head, slightly startled by her own words. 'Where are these words coming from?' The image of Genis' smile and Lloyd resolved face flashed in front of her eyes, and her shock softened. 'Them... Of course...' "It gives you strength, reason, and clarity." Her voice softened, worried that she may tread too far into this dangerous territory, "You are in love with Lloyd, you care fiercely for him, and I believe he cares very intensely for you in return."

"How do you know that...?" Sheena asked quietly, unsure of the hesitation. Her logic told her there were so many hints and clues, but her heart was too engulfed in doubt and agony that she couldn't bare to follow them. Too much hurt had brought up her shield again, had made her frozen to the pleasant heat of love and kindness. "How can you...?"

"He spoke to you in Flanoir, your words strengthened his resolve again." Presea explained with a slight nod, the memory causing her to smile very gently. She continued, knowing that somehow it wasn't enough, "When you fell in the tower, his anguish at your apparent loss was so great I feared he would lose the will to continue. Your reappearance, our reappearance, you remember his face, don't you? The way his eyes lingered on you out of everyone, the smile he wore when he realized you were truly okay... He cares for you Sheena, deeply."

Sheena said nothing, letting her mind slip back to that moment. It had been nothing short of desperation that drove her back to the peak of that infernal tower after her rescue, to him. She could see him now in her mind's eye, his brilliant smile and look of relief when his eyes finally met hers. 'He was happy... But was it really me...?'

"He looked for you first and foremost when he saw us, that I believe with my entire soul." Presea explained with a small smile, slightly amused that she had to explain this. 'They both seem so blind yet they are so keen-eyed in every other situation they are in. This is truly what love does to a person... I will need to ask Genis later about this, he knows much more than I about emotion...'

"Thank you Presea... I think I needed this more than I wanted to admit."

"I may not be the best person to speak about feelings with, however..." Presea felt a rush of blood in her face in response to the embarrassment, and with some difficulty she continued, "You... You are my friend. I... I wish to help my friends, as they have helped me. It seems only fair that I try in what meagre ways I can. You have done so much for me..."

"It shouldn't be obligation that drives you to help people near you." Sheena gently scolded the hunter, a small smile gracing her tear-stained face. She knew already that it wasn't guilt or apology that fuelled Presea's desire to stick with them, and she gently set her hand on top of her head. "You're kind too, Presea. You want to help your friends because you care about them, at least, that's what I believe."

"Th-Thank you...?"

An animalistic roar shattered the calm of the mountains, followed by the clang of metal on crystal and the laboured breathing of the two combatting males. Lloyd jumped for Regal again, his throat sore as he yelled again, bringing the Angel's Tear down with impressive strength. Regal lifted his right leg calmly, letting the blow glance off of his new greaves with a solid pinging noise. Lloyd jumped backwards with a curse, slamming one sword into the dirt as he fell to his knees, gripping the hilt to steady himself as his right hand dropped the second sword.

"Perhaps it is time to retire...?" Regal suggested slowly, knowing that Lloyd had chosen him again to vent his frustrations. He had come back barely winded and scraped from his bouts at the coliseum, the fighters there had barely been able to contest his strength. He had barely broken much of a sweat himself even though they had been sparring for nearly two hours, though he attributed it to Lloyd's erratic behaviour. 'He's simply swinging his sword like a madman... He has no set focus. His anger is clouding his judgment.'

"No, I can still go." Lloyd answered harshly, his voice thickened with rage as he recovered his blades and once again got to his feet. Sweat had dampened his hair and collar, he'd already shaken off his jacket and now was clad only in his pants and his thin black undershirt which stuck to his hot skin. He found it so much easier to channel his rage into his hands as he sprang for Regal, but the man was too quick.

Regal danced out of his reach, allowing himself a brief sigh. Lloyd was already half-crazed with exhaustion, the duke knew it would only be a matter of time before he could barely lift his head, let alone his blades. 'The longer he bottles his emotions, the worse he will be... Though this vacation was used to calm all of us, it only seems to have made a tension between Sheena and Lloyd. It certainly is not healthy, but the physical exertion seems to be the only thing to ease Lloyd's frustration.'

"I don't need this kind of chivalry, I'm no damsel in distress Lloyd."

Her words were echoing in his head like a snake's hypnotic hiss, making him see red. Adrenalin surged through his body as he leapt for Regal, his hands so tight on the hilts of his swords that they were trembling with the effort. He brought them down again only to have the blocked by a simple kick. Regal moved swiftly, his leg lashing out with surprising force as it sunk into his unprotected stomach. With a gasp of pain Lloyd was sent flying backwards and into a boulder, the rock cracking around his back as he hit it. He didn't allow himself time to feel the pain, he jumped through the dust and back into the fray with a snarl.

Regal was ready for him, moving backwards and away from Lloyd's wild swings, his calm clashing with Lloyd's rage. His moves were smooth in comparison to the choppy swordplay his younger ally used, but Regal exploited his weaknesses anyway. 'He won't learn.' Raising his leg, he lashed out in a quick kick intending to disarm and hopefully knock some sense into the tired boy.

Lloyd raised both blades immediately to defend himself, the kick sending him back a good foot even though he had braced himself. He barely had time to lower a sword before Regal jumped forwards lashing out with his left leg, his Crystal Greave shrieking as Lloyd's Angel Tear struck out at the same time. Sparks flew from the weapons as both warriors moved away, circling slowly like animals, wearily watching their opponent.

Her voice came to him again as he dove back into the fight, dodging Regal's well aimed kick and slicing angrily at his chest. His shirt opened almost mockingly, revealing that he had barely even grazed the duke. He saw her in his mind's eye, turning away from him to hide her tears, her words a scream in his mind.

"I don't need a guardian!"

"Then why do I want to protect you!?" Lloyd screamed aloud, his hands shaking as he ducked Regal's attack and head-butted the unweary duke in the chest before he turned his shoulder to knock the man further off balance. Something shifted in his mind with a sickening thud, and his body moved on its own. He set one foot on the fallen duke's chest, pointing his left blade at Regal's neck while his other pointed at his knee, ready to break his leg if he attempted to escape.

Regal didn't dare move, knowing that crazed look he saw in the young man's eyes. He had seen in many times while he had been in prison, and it never resulted in anything pleasant. Many inmates had acquired that look before their death sentence was carried out, it was the look of a man consumed by a black rage that he finally was going to release. For a rare moment in the man's long life, Regal felt a true spark of fear. He had seen men with that look break down the iron bars that held them, kill guards with their bare hands even though they had been half-dead themselves just moments before. There was a reason why the look was likened to that of an animal.

Lloyd slowed his breathing, his hands still trembling at his sides as his vision sharpened. It was as though Regal had disappeared seconds before, and his opponent had morphed into someone different. 'My... Wh-What...?' He stepped off of the man, sheathing his blades with a dull click before he extended his hand to help his friend to his feet. He muttered a gruff, "Sorry..." as he pulled the duke to his feet.

"Do not apologize, you unmanned me fair and square." Regal said with a mild shrug, shaking off the surge of fear and adrenalin that had paralysed him for a moment. The look was gone from Lloyd's face as quickly as it had appeared, and the duke let himself sigh again. "However... I do have to ask, you screamed before you finished me, may I ask what those words meant?"

Lloyd didn't answer, running back through his frayed mind to find the words he had yelled as a battle cry. 'I said that out loud...?' With a weary sigh, Lloyd brushed his gloved hand over his forehead, brushing the sweat away. 'Damn.' "It's... not that important..."

"If you believe so, I will not ask any further." Regal answered politely, though his frown remained. He was glad that Lloyd wasn't looking up to see his expression, the swordsman was too busy rummaging through his jacket to find his wing pack. 'He was thinking of Sheena... He always is it seems... What was meant to be a vacation has turned into a tension filled week between two young potential lovers...' He followed Lloyd's lead almost mechanically, ignoring the surroundings as they fled through the sky.

Lloyd didn't speak as he wandered into Meltokio, his mind already back at the mansion. His chest felt empty, as it had been ever since he had left Luin. 'I haven't seen her for almost a full twenty-four hours... Martel only knows what's she's been doing by herself...' He barely noticed Regal following silently behind him as he wandered inside, his gaze moving automatically around. He froze then, his breath leaving him in a sharp whoosh as his startled gaze met familiar topaz. 'Sheena.'

She locked eyes with him, her entire body tensing on instinct. Presea, who had been sitting beside her, looked up also, her eyes widening just a fraction before the girl relaxed her defensive posture. The little axeman allowed herself a rare smile, getting up from the couch and nodding politely towards Lloyd. He didn't even return the gesture, his eyes glued to the stunned summoner who sat as though she had been frozen.

Regal coughed once to announce his departure, gesturing for Presea to follow him. The hunter followed without a word, sharing a secret smile with the blue-haired man as they climbed the stairs to leave the two young warriors in peace.

The two didn't move from their respective positions for a long time, both unsure of how to begin the jumble of words that filled their minds. Lloyd opened his mouth to speak but no words seemed to want to flow and with a grunt of frustration he shut it again. 'Damn... Why is it suddenly so hard to say something to her...? It's always been so easy to talk to her before.'

'Martel, I feel stupid...' Sheena grumbled inwardly, chewing on her lower lip as she wracked her mind for something, anything to say to him. She had spoken to Presea for nearly an hour, finally glad that someone was listening as she spoke. It seemed that it was all for nothing, as everything she had said before was lost in her mind now that he was there. 'I can't find my words... And there's so much I want to tell him, so much I have to tell him...'

"I missed you." Lloyd spoke quietly, as though he wasn't aware that he was speaking aloud. His eyes were on the carpet, his hands balled into tight fists as the same ache he had been living for the past few weeks grew louder in his ears. Closing his eyes, he stumbled clumsily over his words, hating each mistake he meant as he stammered on, "I... I r-really missed you. I know you weren't gone for very long, and you had good reason to stay in Luin, but I missed you all the same. It... It just doesn't feel right when you're gone away from us." He flinched, mentally kicking himself for the plural use. 'Dammit! Why am I so stupid right now!? Is it honestly that hard to put my feelings into words?! It's her for Martel's sake, I can tell her anything!' He still couldn't look up at her and attempted to recover in a louder stammer, "I mean... Yeah, on a team basis it feels strange when you're not here, but that's not what I meant. I meant it doesn't feel right when you're away from me."

"R-Really?" Sheena asked with surprise, her face reddening in a mix of pleasure and shock. He still wasn't looking up from the floor, but she could see his face darkening in colour until it matched his clothes. 'It's hard for him to say this, isn't it...?' Feeling the familiar wave of guilt and shame in her chest, she too looked at the floor and murmured a quiet, "I'm sorry for leaving things like I did, it wasn't fair of me..."

"I'm not going to lie, I don't get why you needed time so badly, but..." Lloyd paused, checking himself to make sure he didn't slip his words. He snuck a glance up at her, immediately disliking the look of shame she wore. 'She feels bad...' He took an instinctive step closer to her, continuing softly, "But if it's what you needed, I'm glad I didn't chase you down. But there's something I want you to know."

"What?" She looked up, curious, then drew back in alarm. He had closed the distance between them with surprising speed, and now he was on his knees in front of her, her hands clasped in between his. She knew she was blushing fiercely, but she didn't have the will to pull away, lost in the adust eyes she had come to love. 'They're so soft...'

Lloyd struggled for a moment to find the words he wanted to say, feeling his heard throbbing its wild rhythm against his ribcage. The want he felt was unfamiliar, but at the same time he knew it was alright, it just felt natural to hold her hands in his own and look up into her surprised face. He could see the nearly invisible shadows under her eyes from lack of sleep, and he was overcome with the urge to touch them with his fingertip. Speaking slowly to make sure he said everything he felt, the swordsman began quietly, "I want to understand everything about you Sheena, everything. When you're sad, when you feel troubled... I want to know what's going on because I want to help you. I care about you Sheena, more than I've ever cared about anyone. I need you to be okay because if you're not... I... I don't know what I'd do with myself."

Sheena was no longer blushing, she was staring at him in outright shock. She slid one hand out from under his, pinching herself hard on the arm. He was still kneeling at her feet, his eyes wide and oddly hopeful, his expression warm and if she wasn't mistaking it, full of affection. 'This isn't a dream... He's really saying this to me.' Her eyes stung and with a shaky laugh she bowed her head to hide the oncoming tears she knew she would shed.

Lloyd jumped in alarm, his stomach falling out from his torso. 'Out of every reaction, that was not expected!' He was on his feet immediately, leaning down to cup her face in one hand, his other hurriedly moving to brush away her tears as her body shivered slightly underneath his touch. "Sheena, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry..."

"You idiot, I'm not crying because I'm sad, I'm crying because I'm happy!" Sheena burst out in a shaky voice, sniffling softly as she let him brush her tears away. Just as he had once brushed away her fears and held her frozen heart to the flame of his soul. She lunged at him, hugging the stunned swordsman close, burying her face in his chest, not caring about his shock. She felt his arms wrap around her almost automatically, and she laughed softly again, the sound mingled with a hiccup as her tears flowed even more quickly. 'I'm not dreaming, this is real... He actually...' "You stupid, stupid, swordsman..."

"I know I'm stupid..." Lloyd muttered into her hair, closing his eyes as he pulled her into a better fit against him. She moved swiftly to sit in his lap, her arms wound tight around him, face still pressed against his jacket. He could feel her quick breathing on his neck, and a pleasurable shiver raced down his spine as he inhaled her scent. 'Flowers... She smells like flowers...' "I know I'm not the smartest guy in the world, and I mess up a lot but... I care about you, Sheena... If you want me, I'm yours to have." She just gave him a nod and another soft hiccup to tell him that she heard and accepted his offer.

"Of course I want you, you Martel-forsaken dork..." Sheena muttered into his shirt, taking the moment to truly digest what was happening to her. Pure delight was surging through her blood at top speed, giving her the impression of being terrifically weightless. His heart thumped steadily against her cheek, giving her the dose of reality she knew she needed. Peeking up at him through her bangs, eyelashes still spiky with tears, she asked him sarcastically, "Who else would I want? Zelos?"

To her surprise, and his as well, Lloyd found himself frowning and his hold on her tightened impulsively. She didn't struggle, merely looked up at him in confusion. He noticed something then, the way her mouth curved and the slight pout of her lower lip at her confusion. The hunger he had felt the last time she was in his arms was back, this time with an undeniable scream in his head. He lowered his head and his lips brushed against hers, overwhelmed with a mix of wonder, hunger, and pleasure. He didn't know why it felt so right at that moment to do it, why his body did it without letting his mind know, but by the time it caught up with him, it was too late.

Sheena managed a muffled squeak of surprise as Lloyd's mouth touched hers, her body tensing almost instinctively as her hands flew up to push him away. She couldn't manage it however, instead her arms wound around his shoulders as she pulled herself up against him to get better leverage, moving her lips hungrily against his own.

'That feels good.' Lloyd found himself thinking as her fingers twined in his hair, pulling him down again as the embrace intensified. She was leaning back against the couch and he followed her down, feeling rather than hearing as she purred very softly to tell him she was enjoying this. His lungs cried out in his chest, demanding air, and after a grudging moment did he pull away, breathing heavily.

"Wow." Sheena breathed, untangling one hand from his hair to press her fingertips against her lips. They tingled with electricity, as did her entire body as she lay completely underneath him. He smiled at her then, leaning down to gently touch his nose against hers, adust eyes dancing with the delight she too felt. She couldn't help herself, whispering softly against his mouth as he leaned down to kiss her again. "What was that about...?"

"You're mine Sheena." Lloyd replied in a voice that was much more like a growl, pulling away so she could read the full force of the emotion in his face. He welcomed the irrational anger and annoyance, the possessiveness that made him hold her all the tighter as he sat up. She did this to him, he knew that much, and he welcomed it. Against everything he knew about her, despite how tough he knew she was and how fierce she could be in battle, this was one he knew he would win. He knew the words he was speaking were arrogant, and sounded strange coming from his mouth, but he said them anyway. "I won't let anyone else have you. Not Zelos, not Noishe, no one but me is allowed to have you."

"As much as I want to tell you I'm not some trophy, I really like hearing you say that." Sheena admit with a sheepish smile, the pleasure back in full force. She pressed herself against his chest, nuzzling into his neck as she continued quietly, "And the same goes for me Lloyd... Nobody else is going to get their claws into you but me, and that's not a threat, it's a promise. The first person to touch you is going to be the last, you better believe it."

"I believe it." Lloyd chuckled quietly, kissing the crown of her hair. He knew she meant her words, despite her soft tone there was the same anger he felt in her words too. A possessive quality that only made him want to kiss her again and perhaps this time not stop. He felt her wilting in his arms, and quickly he looked down in concern to see the hesitancy in her face. Not liking this, he pressed his nose against her cheek, the physical touches carrying the words he didn't know how to speak.

"Lloyd... Do you... Do you mind me asking you something?" She asked in a low whisper, glancing up into his kind eyes as she bit her lower lip. He touched his forehead against her own, telling her without words that he was listening. She asked softly, her voice weak and weary, "Colette... Were you... I mean, did you... Do you...?"

"She's important to me." Lloyd answered her simply, pressing his lips against her forehead, smiling at her stammers. He continued quietly, knowing that she was incredibly sensitive, "She's one of my best friends. But I told you before Sheena..." He raised his hand, brushing it along her face then using his finger to trace the shape of her lips, "I've never cared about anyone the way I care about you. Never."

Sheena sighed in relief, feeling the worry, jealousy and pain slip away from her like a snake-skin. She hugged him close, nuzzling against his chest and hiding herself there in his arms. She knew some part of her should be awkward at the sudden physical contact they had, but she couldn't find herself to be. It felt natural, as natural as breathing to let him touch her, to let his hands wander over her bare skin and feel his breath on her neck. 'I've already given the idiot my heart, letting him touch my body isn't much of a leap I guess...' She smiled then, letting herself sink into a fog of happiness she hadn't felt for what seemed like forever. 'I can't believe this... I'm so scared it's a dream... But... It just feels so good...'

AN

Hehehe... (runs off because it's natural impulse) The fangirl side of me is now loose and I feel like a complete idiot XD (sigh) I better go get her now... Toss me a review if you feel the need!

PS: Anonymous... From what I've gathered, the only reason you're reviewing this fic is to comment on the little blurbs I have left on my profile, and as much as I like hearing feedback on anything, I really don't appreciate the remarks on things I never said. It's not my sole goal in life to make people laugh and I really don't like words being put in my mouth. Sorry if this seems abrasive, but I was kinda annoyed. If you'd like to talk to me, I have no problems with being pmed or anything.

PPS: Brave Soul... Oh my god! I sound like Colette!? (takes a moment) .... What do you know, I do apologize that much. Yikes! I gotta cut back on that! XD Hehehe, honestly I was stunned for half a second then I started giggling to myself because I know it's true. At least I can acknowledge these things about myself...? XD

Sky