"I'm not going, so shut up about it already!" Sheena yelled at the redheaded male, topaz eyes blazing with fury as her hands shook at her sides. Zelos had already danced away out of her reach, once again taking refuge behind Colette, who this time looked completely mystified by the argument. "There's no way in hell you're going to get me to go to some stupid party!"

"But you have to go, everyone was invited and if you don't show up, it'll look like a direct insult to the royalty of Tethe'alla!" Zelos attempted to wheedle, but it only succeeded in annoying the female further. Peeking over the blond's shoulder, he continued pathetically, "Besides, you're the Chief of Mizuho, do you know how bad that'll make your village look if you just don't show?"

"Successor, I'm not Chief yet!" Sheena corrected him angrily, raising her fist as though she wanted to strike him, but it fell limply to her side when Colette shot her a pleading glance. Cursing under her breath, she glanced hopelessly at Raine, who was busy attempting to hide her laughter to the argument. "Raine, c'mon, help me out here! I don't have to go, do I!?"

"I will not lie to you, I'm not pleased with having to dress up and consort with the high society, but in order to continue our journey as smoothly as possible, we have no choice but to keep our ties and strengthen them if need be." Raine explained in a calm and logical voice, though her disdain was obvious as her hands plucked at the hem of her robe almost unconsciously. "This is a necessary activity that we must all endure."

Sheena groaned in defeat, falling onto the couch and hiding her face in her hands to avoid showing the remaining team members her embarrassment. She was glad it was just her, Colette, Raine, Zelos and Presea, along in the mansion, she didn't want to think about how Lloyd would have reacted. Regal, Genis and most importantly, Lloyd, had left to fetch supplies for the journey to Heimdall that was to take place in only a few days time. Which gave her ample time to try to weasel her way out of the huge party. "I won't go, I just won't..."

"I do not understand Sheena, it is simple a gathering of high society members, isn't it? What is it that is making you protest so strongly?" Presea questioned, raising both eyebrows and looking curiously at the grumpy summoner. The young women said nothing, so she turned her head to Raine and asked aloud, "Are these sort of gatherings unpleasant, Professor Sage?"

"Well, I suppose it would depend on the person to judge if they were unpleasant." Raine answered wryly, though she could easily have told the hunter a lie to make her believe so. The half-elven woman had no desire whatsoever to go anywhere near a dress or anything that remotely resembled one, but her logic, as always, beat out her discomfort. She waved a hand at the basically bouncing Chosen and continued flatly, "Ask him about it, I've never been to something like it, so I'm not much of a help."

"Zelos...?"

"Well, see, they're kinda like huge meetings but instead of getting together to talk about important stuff, the royalty get to schmooze with other high-class society members." Zelos explained cheerfully, jumping over the end of the couch to land between Sheena and Presea. The ninja threw him a dirty look and immediately switched positions to sit next to Raine while Colette promptly took her place. Zelos continued as if he hadn't noticed, "It's basically a time to hang out, gossip, get drunk, eat and meet women. There's nothing truly important about a party but showing up and letting people know you're important enough to have been invited."

"I see, a useless gathering then. Frivolous." Presea confirmed her suspicions aloud, noting that Raine had began to laugh quietly in her hand at her explanation. Not understanding this either, the hunter sighed and asked wearily, "Did I say something wrong Professor? Why are you laughing?"

"I'm laughing because it's true, you hit the nail on the head quite aptly, and I find that to be humorous." Raine explained through her quiet giggles, and she found herself wishing that the duke was here to see the conversation. Waving a hand almost as if to dismiss the thought, she continued wryly, "It is frivolous and rather gaudy, but we were given invitations anyway and it is our duty to go and show the royalty of Tethe'alla that we acknowledge our presence among their class."

"I see, so while you do not like it, we shall go anyway. It doesn't make sense completely, but I understand." Presea turned to Sheena, who was still letting loose curses in a different language under her breath, and cocked her head to the side curiously. Her expression was dangerously angry, but there was something else in her eyes, almost a fear. Once again feeling that odd warm ache she was almost getting used to, the tiny hunter outstretched her hand across the space between them to touch Sheena on the elbow. "Sheena, you still do not look well. Is there any reason in particular you do not wish to attend?"

Zelos opened his mouth instinctively to comment, but he swallowed his words when he felt Colette gently nudge him in the side. Looking at her, she shook her head once, a small smile playing around the corners of her mouth. Sighing, Zelos closed his mouth and sank back into the couch, his left arm lazily finding its place around the angel's shoulders. She blushed pink but made no move to remove him, instead she shyly leaned closer, muffling a soft giggle.

"I just don't like those things, that's all." Sheena shook off Presea's question, not interested in speaking her real reasons to anyone. She saw Colette tug at Zelos' sleeve and then she whispered something in his ear, and for a moment, she nearly smiled. She had watched with some surprise as the redheaded Chosen had slowly softened his antics, and she had wondered if it had been Colette's doing. Seeing the way they acted together now, she was almost completely certain of it.

"We could make a day out of getting ready though, it'd be so fun!" Colette announced cheerfully, her smile so bright that both Raine and Sheena knew they had little choice but to follow along with whatever her plan was. Turning towards them, nearly bouncing up and down with her growing excitement, she exclaimed, "If we get our outfits early enough we can shop in Meltokio for some other things, then go to the hot springs to soak and relax, then we'll have the rest of the afternoon to get ready! It'd be like a girls' day out!"

Raine saw Sheena's eyes turn to the ceiling as though she was praying, causing the professor to nearly lose her composure and start to laugh uproariously. She wouldn't lie, the idea of spending time with her female companions was enticing, they rarely got the chance even since they had entered Meltokio, but... 'We're all too busy with our partners it seems... Of course that means we'll be away from them...' "I think it's a good idea, we should definitely do it tomorrow, unless there are any objections...?"

"I'll go, it would be... fun." Presea volunteered first, much to her, and everyone else's surprise. She smiled weakly, her face pinking in embarrassment but she nodded once to reassure herself, and them. "I have spent much of this week with Genis, and while his company is pleasurable, I would enjoy spending time with yourself, Sheena and Colette as well."

Sheena felt herself sigh, unconsciously fiddling with her sleeve as she thought of the entire day she would be away from Lloyd. 'That's one day I lose with him... I don't want to go...' When she snuck a peek of her companions however, their smiles broke down her last defence. 'Oi vey... I'm sorry, Lloyd...' "Oh alright, I'll go too... Who knows, it might actually be fun to just be us girls this time, no peeping toms."

Colette nearly squealed in delight, pouncing out from underneath Zelos' arms to wrap her arms snugly around Sheena, giggling happily as she did so. Sheena laughed sheepishly and returned the embrace, ruffling the blond's hair affectionately. "It'll be so fun Sheena, a girl's day out!"

"That leaves me alone with the guys..." Zelos sighed in regret, though when he saw how pleased Colette was over the idea of spending an entire day with her girlfriends, he let himself smile. She took the smallest things and made them something to celebrate. 'Maybe that's why I like her so much...' However, she had glanced at him with wide and shocked eyes, and he immediately realized what she had taken from his words. "It's alright, I'll just bug the heck outta Genis, that'll keep me amused for most of the day."

"Yo, we're back!"

Sheena was on her feet the moment she heard Lloyd's cheerful voice calling from the doorway, and ignoring the snickers from Zelos and Raine, she bolted to the front hallway. He saw her from the doorway and grinned, arms open in an invitation that she immediately took.

Lloyd chuckled, winding his arms tightly around her, burying his face in her neck. She giggled this time, ignoring the laughter from Regal and Genis behind her. Lloyd smiled pleasantly as he drew away, pressing a tender kiss to her cheek before asking warmly, "Did you miss me? I was only gone for a little."

"I missed you." Sheena answered positively, a faint dusting of pink colouring her cheekbones. Lloyd's grin at her answer knew he was pleased with the information, and without hesitation she cuddled close into his arms and muttered, "I don't like being away from you."

"I don't like it either." Lloyd replied truthfully, rolling his eyes when Genis nudged Regal and whispered something to the tall man. Whatever the mage said had both of the males laughing as they left the two in the hallway. Finally alone, Lloyd promptly kissed her properly, the embrace short and sweet. "How are you?"

"I'm good, though I've got something to tell you that might disappoint you." Sheena replied regretfully, watching his face fall immediately. Not liking the saddened expression, she raised a hand to brush her fingers across his lips, waiting for him to smile. It only took a moment and then his mouth quirked, and he pressed a tiny kiss to her fingertips, waiting patiently for her to continue with an explanation. "The girls are heading out for a girl's day out tomorrow to get ready for the party, it's supposed to be fun."

"Fun, huh...? Well, I guess it'll be okay, you girls are tough enough to watch your own backs..." Lloyd pretended to be thoughtful and earned a gentle slug to the stomach. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he grinned cheekily and continued as though nothing had happened. "So, where will you be going off to?"

"Shopping in the city, then a visit to the hot springs... We'll be back in time for the party, but we'll be gone all day..." Sheena confirmed regretfully, watching his face fall slightly in disappointment. She noticed how his arms became just a little tighter around her, as though he was daring the others to attempt to take her away. Smiling just a little at this, she let herself relax against his chest and asked quietly, "You don't want me to go either, huh?"

"Not really." Lloyd admitted sheepishly, watching her smile shyly in return to the words. Absently raising a hand to brush his thumb against her cheek, he muttered unhappily, "I don't want you away from me for any amount of time... But I guess that's just selfish of me, you need to be able to relax with the girls too, right...?"

"Yeah, I guess..." Sheena blushed self-consciously, though she leaned into his hand and sighed quietly to herself. 'It's just for one day, I'll be okay... Won't I?' Loosening her hold on his waist, she took him by the hand to lead him back to the living room where the others were. "We'll be leaving tomorrow morning."

"Ah, alright, so that means I still get you all to myself for tonight." Lloyd remarked slyly but cheerfully, leaning down to nuzzle against her neck as she giggled at his playful actions, trying to swat his wandering hands away. He'd settled for simply holding her by the shoulders when they entered the larger room, taking stock of where his friends were sitting before he flopped into a chair, pulling Sheena down to rest in his lap. The ninja made a little fuss of trying to escape but it only took a gentle kiss to her cheek before she settled.

"So, as I'm sure you know Lloyd, we will be going off on our little 'girl's day out' tomorrow. We will leave in the morning but be back in time for the party at approximately eight p.m that night." Raine explained, shooting a sidelong glance at Colette so her student would know who cooked up the scheme. She smiled slightly when she saw Sheena idly fixing Lloyd's sleeve as though it was her own, the intimacy of the action not lost on the half-elven professor. 'Hm... So we were quite correct...' "Anyway, because we don't want you boys to feel left out, we were wondering if you'd like us to schedule a time when you could visit the hot springs as well."

"That sounds pleasant, would you mind doing that for us Raine?" Regal asked after a quick glance around at the rest of the males, noticing their grins at the idea. Though their last trip to the springs had ended in something quite close to disaster, with the team separated into two, it had a much higher chance of going smoothly.

"Yes of course." Raine nodded, making a mental note of the things she had to do while they would be off. She smiled wryly to herself as she saw the other members of the party joking and laughing with their significant other. 'I wonder how we'll fare being apart for so long...? It will be a first since we came to Meltokio and even then... How close have we all gotten in such a short time...?'

"Well, if that's all, we're gonna get going." Zelos announced, getting to his feet with Colette jumping to her own immediately. Her smile was even brighter than normal, her small hands clutching at Zelos' sleeve as she nearly began to bounce up and down on the spot. "There's this dog show in the centre of the city, figured I'd take the angel to go see it." He noticed Presea swing her head around to face him at the mention of the animals, and with a grin he asked, "You two wanna come too? Sure there's plenty of seats still available."

Presea looked over at Genis, silently requesting his thoughts on the invitation. He was grinning from ear to ear, but not at Zelos, at her, and the simple action sent a rush of that strange warmth through her tiny form. Immediately charged by that strange emotion, she looked at Zelos and asked as calmly as she could manage, "Would we be allowed to... play with the dogs?"

"Pretty sure I could arrange that, it's no fun to just look at them, right?" Zelos replied with a mild shrug, earning two brilliant grins from both Colette and Presea. Presea all but dragged Genis from the couch and out the door, the two Chosens of Mana following behind with loud laughter echoing in their wake.

"I wouldn't be surprised if your little brother did not have his arm by the end of today, Raine." Regal commented with some amusement, watching as Sheena and Lloyd quietly made their exit as well, leaving the two adults alone. Almost as if he could relax now that the younger ones were gone, he leaned back entirely into the couch and asked casually, "So, it seems we have the mansion to ourselves, while the others have seemed to find something else to do. Is there anything you would like to do today?"

"To be honest, not really... I think I've done pretty much all I can do here, which isn't such a bad thing in all hindsight." Raine remarked with a laugh, shaking her hair from her eyes and glancing up at the ceiling to avoid seeing the smile she knew the duke would be wearing. "There's only so many days you can keep yourself busy before you need to relax... How about you, Regal? So far you've just been tagging along with me, isn't there anything you'd like to do?"

Regal shrugged his shoulders, sneaking a sidelong glance at the half-elven professor. She wasn't meeting his eyes, a faint hue if pink colouring her face which left him mildly confused. Turning fully to face her, he couldn't keep the curiosity from his voice when he asked, "Is there something embarrassing you, Raine?"

"H-Huh? Embarrassing? N-No, of course not, whatever gave you that impression?"

Regal felt his mouth twitch, and despite himself, he grinned outright. Raising his hands, he let his fingertips brush casually along her cheekbone, tracing the pink hue from start to finish. Her face reddened further under his touch, something that gave him a very mannish burst of pride. "Well there may be the fact that your face has turned quite an attractive shade of crimson... Also that you are refusing to meet my gaze is yet another clue..."

"I am n-not avoiding anyone's eyes." Raine stammered through the lie, though she knew he could read her as easily as she read any other book. Stubborn to protect her pride, she looked up only to feel his lips pressing gently against her own. Without a thought she pushed back, closing her eyes and allowing the mind-rending sensations to take control as they had been aching to do since the moment he first touched her.

He nearly groaned when her fingers wound themselves in his hair, pulling her body flush against his own as the kiss intensified. Every spot where she touched him burst into flame, and it was all he could do to stop himself from simply tossing her down and having his way with her. She had successfully reawakened urges that had been dormant in his body for what seemed like centuries, and each surge of desire was as if he was experiencing it for the first time.

Raine felt her control slipping from her hands as he tongue lazily entered her mouth, bringing on another wave of pleasure that left her reeling. He had leaned back onto the couch to allow her to slide into his lap, pressing herself as close as possible against his shackled arms. She squirmed slightly as the pleasure began to tighten the muscles of her stomach, and she pulled back for a gasp of air as her chest cried out.

Regal didn't seem to want to pull away, but he made do by breathing in short bursts and lowering his mouth to her neck and brushing aside her hair to have better access to her skin. She let out a sharp gasp of astonishment that left him smirking and continuing with the touches. She stiffened against him, her entire body tensing and that only fuelled him on, eager to see how much she liked what he was doing.

His hot mouth on her skin was driving her crazy, she could barely think, let alone speak coherently. His hands casually were undoing the front of her robe and pulling it away from her shoulders so he could better kiss her, and she was well aware of an alarm bell ringing in the very back of her clouded mind. It whispered something that she couldn't hear in the ringing, couldn't see in the haze of sensation.

His lips were roaming over her neck and jaw, slowly bringing themselves back to hers before they were once again locked in the passionate embrace. Neither of them could tell where the one ended and the other began, too lost in the dizzying exhilaration of lust and love. Her name left him in what could have been nothing but a soft exhale, but her ears were keen and she heard him. "Raine..."

The name, her name, froze as it reached her ears. She knew he had spoken to her and not to anyone else, her brain was far too logical to ever make such a simple mistake. The haze lifted as suddenly as it had fell, and the warning bell that had been triggered now screamed in her head. His caress, his words, the heat he had instilled in her, she became numb to them in a moment of frozen clarity.

Alicia.

She wasn't aware of pushing herself from him so suddenly, all she felt was the stinging pain of her elbow hitting the coffee table as she fell to the ground. She stood too quickly for Regal to help her, and she could feel hot blood trickling from the gash that had opened in her arm. Holding the wound numbly, she gave him her back, not wanting him to see the tears that were forming in her eyes. 'No... No, no, no... No!'

"Raine...?"

"I... I'm sorry... B-But, I... I can't... I can't do this." She heard the clinking sound of his shackles moving as he raised his hands to reach for her, and with more speed than she knew she had, she bolted away from him. He didn't move form where he sat, something she was grateful for as she sped up the stairs, trying to stifle the sobs that ripped at her throat and tore apart her soul.

The door shut behind her, the gentle click was like thunder in the professor's ears and with a ragged sigh she leaned her head back against it. The tears trickled silently down her face, and she laughed bitterly as she raised a hand to clear the tears. She could feel something warm spread on her cheek as she tried to brush the tears away, and in confusion she looked at her hand to see the blood. Droplets of the crimson liquid splattered from her fingertips, having already travelled down the length of her arm underneath her sleeve.

"I took the life of the one I love. These are the symbol of my crime, as well as my punishment."

His words had struck her intensely when she stood silently behind the others, watching the scene with numb shock and a mix of disgusting fascination. There had been such devotion in his words, a pure and honest passion that left her both speechless and wanting at the same time. That all flooded back to her now, drilling another hole into her heart that bled guilt. 'I...'

'How can I... ever... be satisfied with making him go back on his word...? He's clung so tightly to his promise for all these years and I... I...' The tears mingled with the blood and she couldn't find the strength to wipe the mixture away, her hands hanging limply at her sides. 'I'm so... disgusting... I can't... I just can't do that to him... He... He means too much to me... I... I love him...'

"PYRE SEAL!"

Lloyd barely had a moment to regain his feet before Sheena sent him flying into the grass with one well-aimed strike. Landing with a loud gasp, he rolled to the side before she had a chance to attack again and quickly jumped to his feet as she dashed in. The sun was setting behind them, casting an ethereal sort of glow about Meltokio and the surrounding plains as they battled.

Sheena barely managed to hide her grin as she danced out of Lloyd's reach, his wooden swords dangling loosely in his hands as he circled her, trying to find an opening. They had been training for a good few hours already, but their pride refused to let either of them back down. She let him make the next advance, keeping herself on the balls of her feet to move as quickly as possible.

"I hope you're not going easy on me." Lloyd teased as he watched her take her stance, her posture more defensive now that he was to be making the attempts. He circled her slowly, watching as she moved minutely to correct the angle between them. She was a surprisingly good sparring partner, and though he would have preferred to fight Zelos in order to train for Kratos, Sheena's speed and tactics had given him a good place to begin.

Sheena smirked as he circled her, knowing he was teasing to lighten the serious mood. They hadn't spoken much about the upcoming battle, and while it was true they had been rather preoccupied, the winding of the clock was getting dangerously close to them now. She knew he was worried, there were the subtle signs in his normally cheery mood that she picked up on, especially now. He simply refused to talk about what was going on, instead he immersed himself in the trivial in order to get his mind to where it should be.

"DEMON FANG!"

Sheena whirled, pulling her arms tightly to her chest to escape the shockwaves of energy he sent at her with a strong slashing movement. He charged in, catching her off guard and he sword lashed out to catch her in the shoulder. The wooden blade numbed a blow she was certain would have taken her arm off if she hadn't been wearing armour and he had a true blade. Stumbling backwards, her hands tightened on her card and with a muffled grunt she slammed it with all her might into his stomach.

The blow would have knocked Lloyd into the air if he hadn't moved his blade a fraction to the left to absorb the impact. It was enough to send him staggering, but to his surprise she didn't attempt to close the gap between them. Instead she leapt backwards, her left arm hanging rather limply at her side while her right hand moved fluidly into signs that were vaguely familiar.

"I call upon the maiden of the mist..."

He realized what she was doing just a fraction before Undine's energy began to radiate from the summoner's body and with a startled yelp he leapt backwards. He was lucky, the summon spirit appeared in front of him and he could feel the grass below his feet shaking as she willed the water in the ground to shoot up at him. He knew better than to relax when he narrowly avoided the first jet of water, and letting his instincts guide him, he threw himself to the left this time just as another geyser erupted where he had been standing just a moment before.

'He's faster than before, he couldn't dodge Undine the last time we sparred...' Sheena thought with a little smile, watching her swordsman's progress as he literally danced around the several columns of cold water Undine sent after him. She could feel the weariness in her fingers that the summoning had cost her, but she ignored it, focussing hard on Lloyd's movements. Though she had next to no magical skill like the two half-elves she travelled with, she had hoped to use her summoning abilities to make up for it in training with Lloyd.

Though she wasn't entirely sure about it, she had an odd feeling that Kratos meant what he had said before leaving them in the Tower, there would be no mercy this time. He planned to unleash every bit of power he had at his son, whether he hoped to kill him or be defeated, Sheena didn't know. Her teeth grit automatically at the thought, and she could feel the mana welling in her arms as she prepared herself for another summon. 'Dammit Kratos, what are you planning for your only son?'

"Son of a–" Lloyd couldn't finish his curse, distracted by the last geyser that had nearly caught him. He could see the glowing form of Undine disappearing through the wall of water, and even as it rained down on him he was looking around for another surprising enemy. He couldn't see Sheena, and he knew that would only bring more trouble considering she was a ninja in all senses of the word. 'Dammit!'

"GNOME!"

Lloyd felt his stomach drop out from his torso at the call of the name, and he knew there was little escaping the earthquake to follow. "Oh you have got to be–" He was stunned however when a sharp and jagged rock exploded from the ground at his right foot, slashing a hole clean through his left shoulder. Blood sprayed from the wound but he paid no heed to it, ducking down as a second and third rock sprang up in a circular pattern around his feet, intent on slicing him clean through.

"Gnome, I told you–!" Sheena began to growl but her words were lost on the huge spirit looming overhead and she could only watch as Lloyd hit the dirt to escape the attack. She grit her teeth, knowing that unless he was injured he wouldn't take the training seriously, and despite all her faith in him... She was terrified. 'Kratos is skilled with magic and the sword, Lloyd isn't that type of fighter... Martel only knows how much I can help him...'

"TEMPEST!"

She watched with some surprise, and relief, as he flipped over the rocks to freedom, but her relief quickly turned to horror when she saw the blood flowing down his arm. Resisting the urge to curse, she watched Gnome send another devastating round of shudders through the ground, rocking Lloyd off of his feet in time for yet another attack of sharpened stones. She couldn't help it, a startled yelp began in her throat as his name froze on her mouth, and out of instinct she found her feet trying to move forward from her hiding place to go to his aid.

'Move Lloyd, move!'

Lloyd grit his teeth tight as he watched as a stone thrust itself from the ground and moved up, in exactly the same pattern as it had the first time. Moving carefully, he ducked down then swiftly dodged left as another rock burst from underneath his feet, missing him only by a hair's breadth. His sleeve was caked with blood and he was absently aware of the dull throbbing in his shoulder, but he ignored it.

The rocks formed a cage around him and he could hear something shifting beneath his feet, 'Another one...?' Without a second thought he braced his uninjured shoulder in the direction of the wall and began to focus. 'Just gotta break it enough to get out before I get shish-kabobed...' His legs pushed from the ground and he roared like an animal as he spun and slammed his good shoulder into the rocks with incredible force.

It gave way with an ominous crack, and he could feel the ground shudder under his foot as the last rock surged upwards, cutting clean through his belts as he narrowly missed getting impaled. He could feel the light gash the rock had opened in his back, impairing his movement as he ducked forwards and out of range. He could no longer feel the ground moving underneath him, and though he knew it wasn't entirely wise, he let himself relax for a brief second.

'Dammit Sheena, that was rough...' Lloyd chuckled weakly, squeezing the injury to halt the blood flow, knowing he had lost a fair amount already. His fingers felt numb, and with a grimace he flexed them, searching around idly for the woman he had been sparring with. 'Where'd she go...?'

"Are you alright?" Her voice came from behind him, and he barely had time to turn before she embraced him, arms wrapped tightly around his waist while she buried her face in his chest. Surprised but never put off, he hugged her back with his good arm, letting her know he was still there. "I'm sorry.. I didn't know Gnome was going to be such an ass about it..."

"It's okay, I'm fine. A shot of First-Aid and I'll be hacking down trees with this arm again in no time." Lloyd replied with a hearty smile, hoping to see her return it, no matter how weakly. She looked up with an exasperated expression, and smiling he kissed the tip of her nose before ruffling her hair lovingly. "Wanna go visit Raine then?"

"No, I'll bandage it, you can't go into the city bleeding like crazy everywhere." Sheena explained with a vague wave of her hand, indicating he was to sit down. He followed her instructions obediently, shrugging gingerly out of his jacket to let her have a good look at the injury Gnome had inflicted. She made a soft huffing noise under her breath as she found a roll of bandages and a spare gel in her pack, motioning him to come closer.

Lloyd closed his eyes as her hands gently probed his wound, carefully removing any debris from his escape attempt with a surprising tenderness. He made no noise of protest as the gel was applied to his wound even though it stung, and he waited patiently for her to bandage his shoulder. She made quick but efficient work of it, signalling that she was finished by kissing his cheek gently. Smiling ruefully when she examined him, he nodded to his back and explained wryly, "I got cut back there too... Think there's anything you can do?"

"Let me take a look at it and I'll decide from there." Sheena pretended to grumble, though she was smiling when she saw his obviously pleased expression. He took off his shirt entirely, and she let out a soft sigh of relief when she saw the gash. It was thin and small, but enough to require a little attention so it didn't become a bother. Absently fixing the bandage, she commented softly, "I'm sorry about Gnome..."

"Don't apologize, it was a good technique. I saw Kratos do something like that too while we were fighting, did you get Gnome to try it out?" Lloyd asked as casually as possible, but his voice betrayed him by tightening on the name of the man who was his father. Sheena paused her tending, and he grit his teeth angrily at his slip, wishing he could reach and snatch the angel's name back. 'Dammit... She's not supposed to worry about me...'

"You don't talk about him. You haven't said a word about him since we got here." Sheena murmured in a voice barely higher than a whisper, flinching when she saw his muscles tense in his back in response to her words. Swallowing her anxiety and mustering her courage, she finished with the last of the bandage and continued flatly, "I know you're... I know you're worried about fighting him, or else you wouldn't be training so hard... I know you don't want to kill him either. He came to our aid so many times before and after he betrayed us, and despite how much we both hate traitors... He's still your father."

Lloyd was silent for what seemed like forever, wincing at the urge to pull himself away from her warm hands and to walk away by himself. His selfish side was telling him to leave, to abandon the woman who had become such a centrepiece in his life, and though his legs nearly made to lift himself up, he couldn't move. Quietly, almost bitterly, he whispered, "It's... It's hard to imagine him as my... as my dad... The man who put us through so much hell... How could I...? I don't want to be related to him... I can't imagine it..."

"You told Colette before that she is who she is, even if she became an Exsphere. Her parents, her being an angel, everything, it didn't change who she was to you. Who your parents are, what you think of yourself, that means nothing. You're you regardless of who your parents are." Sheena explained in a murmur, gently threading her fingers through his own, glad to see that he didn't wince away from her touch. Shuffling a little closer, she kissed his cheek and continued in a low whisper, trying to fight the jealousy that cooled her blood and made her flinch in true pain, "I'm... I'm envious of you. I... I didn't know my parents... I... When I tried putting myself in your shoes, thinking about if my mother or father betrayed me but still came to my aid... I got really confused. I know where you're coming from, but at the same time, I don't get it at all... I... I wanna understand too, Lloyd... I want to help..."

"Sheena..." Lloyd grunted, pulling her into his arms with one swift tug, ignoring the jolt of pain the movement send from his shoulder. She managed a muffled squeak before he covered her lips with his own, then all he heard a moan of surrender as her fingers curled into his hair and she pulled herself against him. When he lifted his head for air she looked rather dazed, and despite the hunger that lazy smile she was wearing sent through him, he managed to control himself and rest his forehead against hers. "You don't need to do that for me, Sheena... I didn't know you were trying so hard to be in my shoes. I should've talked about it, that's my fault... I'm sorry..."

"Don't apologize, just tell me what's on your mind, dunce." Sheena answered ruefully, swatting him above the ear in a lovingly exasperated gesture. He held her close, nuzzling into her neck and she allowed herself a moment to relax. His breath was heavy on her skin, and despite herself, it sent shivers of want through her body that were surprisingly difficult to ignore. He allowed her to arrange herself into a more comfortable position in his lap, and softly she explained, "I love you, Lloyd. I want to be there for you when you need someone to talk to and sit with, but you know that already. So please... Just tell me when there's something wrong, alright?"

"...Okay..." He was silent for what seemed like forever, holding her close and listening to her steady breathing. Her mere presence was a strange comfort for him, he felt at ease the second she was near him, even more so when she was curled in his arms the way she was now. Even though the nerves has been in him for what seemed like forever, he couldn't feel the anxiety. It was replaced by a warm headiness that only Sheena could invoke. "I don't know why but it still seems so hard to call him my dad... It's like it hasn't sunk in or anything... I know it probably is true, all of the signs show it, but... How...?"

She listened, not speaking. Though she knew she would probably never truly understand, she tried anyway to replace him and think of how she would feel if she was him. She could sense his confusion and hurt, but on top of that, there was a wanting in his eyes, a longing that was achingly familiar to her. 'He wants his father's recognition...'

"He held back so many times before with me, I know he's stronger than he lets on and I... I don't know if I'm as strong as he is." Lloyd grunted, trying to keep his fury from levelling off to the point where he knew Sheena wouldn't be able to keep him calm. Her hands squeezed his tenderly to let him know she was still there, and he sighed gratefully. Resting his head on her shoulder, he continued wearily, "I know I've improved but... Kratos... He's on another plane than me. I don't know if he's serious about actually... I don't know if he seriously wants me to kill him, I don't even know if I have it in me to actually do it either. He doesn't seem like he's really my father but he still was my companion, I learned a lot from him and I... I did look up to him..."

"You don't have to kill him if you don't want to, forget what he tells you and go by your own instincts." Sheena told him flatly, watching him turn his head to stare at her in confusion. Smiling gently, she raised a hand to touch his cheek then explained in a much more tender tone, "You wouldn't be the Lloyd I loved if you listened to everything everyone told you. You admired Kratos, grudgingly at best, but you still cared enough about him to make this decision difficult, even if he wasn't your father. You need to do what you want to do, and I know you're not a murderer, even in the heat of a battle. If you don't want to kill him, it's simple. You don't. No one will contest what you decide to do."

Lloyd wasn't sure how it happened, but he found himself beginning to laugh and before he knew it, he had let her go to cover his face with a hand. His entire body shook with mirth, and he knew she had to be staring at him like he had lost his mind. Perhaps he had. 'Heheh... Haha!' Knowing he was confusing her but unable to stop himself, he managed to say between laughs, "You're... You're right... I'm sorry, I can't... I can't stop laughing..."

Rolling her eyes fondly, she wound her arms around his shoulders and pulled him down to kiss him. He stopped mid-chortle and kissed her back, his hands finding their customary place on her waist to pull her into a better fit. Pulling away before either of them could get any ideas, Sheena smiled and traced the outline of his grin with her index finger. "It's okay you dork..." She glanced up at the sky, taking in where the sun now was, nearly gone behind Meltokio as the night began to creep in on them. Tugging once at his sleeve, a mischievous smile curving her mouth, she asked playfully, "Wanna head on back? The hotel's still booked."

Laughing at her playful smile, he allowed himself a moment to breathe in her heady floral scent before he released her, clambering awkwardly to his feet. She smiled and rose with him, twining her fingers again into his. Smiling back weakly, he kissed her temple then glanced back uneasily at the long distance to Meltokio. "You didn't bring your Rheaird with you, did you? I really don't wanna walk back..."

"Sorry, I didn't..." Sheena laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment. She found herself missing Noishe, the playful protozoan had never been far from her, but as of late she had been spending most of her time with his master instead. 'Now I feel bad... But... He has been kept company by Presea, the little thing loves him...' Turning to look at the resigned swordsman at her side, she gently set her hand on his uninjured shoulder and commented wryly, "Looks like we're walking anyway. It'll just be us, it'll be fun."

Lloyd couldn't help but grin when he saw her pleasure at this newfound revelation, and when he looked back at the city he found himself remarking inwardly how much closer it suddenly seemed. 'So is this what's gonna happen when it's just me and her going around the world in search of the Exspheres...? Everything will seem so short...' He chuckled and wound his good arm around her waist, ducking to press a kiss to her hair again. 'I guess this is what happens when you're with the one you love... No amount of time is ever long enough... Maybe it doesn't matter... I have forever if I want it... And I do want it...'

AN

I'M ALIVE! (winces and dodges flying debris) I promise I will never take that long of a vacation ever again. I don't wanna be shot. (sob) Exams are done, school is out, so that means summer vacation and more updates from me XD I planned to have Jealousy finished by the end of June, that one totally went out the window with the writer's block, now didn't it? Gah ha, lol. So yeah... XD No and wouldn't forget the review replies, lol, though this seems like I'm way out of touch with myself, ughn... (Evie: Who's fault is that now...?) Begone evil plot-fairy from hell. Haven't you ruined me enough? (Evie: Nope... We have many years together, meheheh...) See what I do to myself? XD

Also, shameless plug-in that I nearly forgot because I'm dumb XD When Jealousy is done, I have several different projects that I may or may not post... I have a poll going on that you can visit at my profile, and I was wondering if there's anything in particular my readers my want to see me do. Don't vote unless you want to, but I'm asking for votes because I honestly have no idea which of my projects I'll be doing XD Figured it'd be best to poll the crowd that actually reads what I do. (constantly stunned that people do read) XD Thanks.

Li-Chan: Yes, yes it was hard. (Laughs) Thank you though, you made it easier for me, so tis why I dedicated the chapter to you, silly, lol. Yay I gave you an ego boost! XD

Lloyd Irving Aurion: Am I even doing okay at this point? XD Feels like I haven't written for years, I actually feel dusty. Dusty... Hehe... Thank you though for your kind words, I can't begin to tell you how much they mean to me. I'm glad to have you as a reader.

Maurice A. Nigma: Once again a long and very kind review, I'm looking forward to them at this point, lol. XD Yeah, despite the smut, there wasn't actually all that much smut. Is that weird...? Hehe, it seems backwards to me, but enough so that it makes me giggle whenever I think or type something about it. I blame my fangirlness that still seems to be stuck in my very young years were sex was something to laugh about with your friends. XD Btw, where is that quote from at the bottom of your review? It seems very familiar, but I'm not sure where... But it seems like something you'd say too XD

Sychotic: I want to give you an apology for my last two updates, lol, writing through block tends to make everything really messy and I know how badly things turned out in that case. Bleh. I'm hoping that this chapter kinda makes up for the failure of the other two, and if not, I hope there's something I can do to make it up to such a faithful reader like you. I don't like to disappoint, so if there's anything you'd like to see, please don't hesitate to ask, I'm always up for requests!

Brave Soul: Two questions, lol. One, are you a girl or a boy? And two... Can I PLEASE glomp you? Heehee... You turned me as red as a rose when I read your review, I have to tell you I've never heard something so sweet before. No one's ever called me a goddess in any use of the word, so I kinda had to pinch myself to make sure I was reading properly. And defending me from flamers? That is very sweet of you too, not to mention brave. (Grins) Is that part of your name for a reason? And no... It's not strange to hear someone say that. I know all of my readers simply by how they write their reviews and pms, you can give a lot away simply by your writing style, and I can tell you're a sweet and honest person and that makes me like you already. Your best friend? (Giggles and blushes) Thanks. I'd love to get to know you more, you're welcome to pm me if you'd like, though you don't seem to have a fanfiction account. You're welcome to my email if you'd like too. Thanks again my friend!

Okay, ahem... This chapter is dedicated to my new (yet not to new it seems, lol), friend Rayokarna-Blaise aXcess. Thanks a lot for your helpful ear the past bit, I've needed someone to listen and you did it for me even though I'm a ranter. I really appreciate your kindness, so for my thanks, this chapter's all for you. I hope you enjoyed it, my friend!

Sky