Author's note: I don't know what happened the previous day, but many people updated their stories, and particularly Atlantis stories. So here is my own update. This is the last real chapter of this story. As the African saying goes: everything has an end, except bananas which have two. But you can expect an epilogue to that story. I've still got one little character to introduce! My apologies for the riviews I did not respond to. As a little gift, this chapter is much longer than usual. Enjoy your reading as much as I enjoyed my writing - come on! You always wanted to see Kida jealous! You know you do! -, and, well, reviews are always welcome!

Oh and by the way, since I just learned I'm going to have a niece or a nephew, this chapter is dedicated to him or her! =D

Milo adjusted his tie and looked at his reflection. It felt extremely strange to wear a suit again. And it brought back memories he did not wish to remember right now. The last time he had dressed in a similar way, it was the evening when Lisa McGrath had revealed her true intentions. Milo sighed deeply. He wasn't sure whether he really wanted to go to the inauguration of Atlantis's Gates or not. The thought of seeing Mr. Harcourt and his colleagues again was not a happy one. But this was the deal he had made with them. He knew there was no turning back. Hopefully everything would be alright. Milo was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear the three knocks on the door. Kida softly opened it and looked at her husband, who had apparently not noticed her presence.

"Milo? Are you ready?"

He turned round to look at her, and she was somewhat surprised that he had not been startled by her sudden appearance. For a second she wanted to tease him by telling him that he had improved, but she dropped the idea as soon as she saw the way Milo was staring at her. His eyes were wide and his jaw dropped. She smiled. He swallowed, and she peered at his Adam apple – Milo had never explained to her why it was called that way; she would have to ask him someday – while he did. A few minutes passed in silence. Milo humorously thought that he was just experiencing what Prince Paris must have felt when he had seen the goddess Aphrodite for the first time. He chuckled, remembering that, according to the legend, Aphrodite was born of sea-foam. Kida was a daughter of the sea, and as such, she was just as wild, free and beautiful. The Queen stepped forward, closed the distance between them, reached out for his hand and cocked her head. He chuckled again.

"What is it?" she questioned him.

"Were you born of sea-foam?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Forget that. What I mean is that you look divine."

"Thank you. You look handsome too."

"You know what?"

"No, but I think you are going to tell me."

"I am the luckiest, luckiest man in the world."

She smiled and gave him a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Mr. Whitmore wants you to know that he is waiting for you. As are the others. Are you ready to go?"

"I guess so. But before we leave…"

"Yes?"

Milo suddenly rubbed his neck, then ran his left hand through his hair and looked down at his feet, though still smiling. His right hand dove into his pocket and surfaced moments later, cradling a small box. Slowly his fingers opened it, and two small crystal earrings appeared.

"Are they for me?" Kida asked softly.

"Actually, no, but since you're here, you can have them."

Kida poked him in the ribs. He laughed and she gave him a radiant smile.

"Thank you very much. They're beautiful."

"Not as much as you are. Merry Christmas, Kida."

And Milo climbed down the stairs without waiting for her. He didn't see her either when she extended her arm in an attempt to stop him or when she bit her lip, silently cursing herself for not having seized the opportunity to tell him about their child.

The Queen looked down at her stomach, and brushed her fingers against it.

"Merry Christmas, Milo", she whispered, and the words tasted sweet on her tongue. She would tell him tonight, she decided, and would wait all night long for the right moment if it was necessary.

It was half past ten in the evening when Mr. Whitmore's car stopped on the front of Atlantis's Gates. When the millionaire, Kida, Milo and the others got out of the vehicle, they were immediately greeted by Rick Chesley himself.

"Welcome! It is such a pleasure to see you again, your highnesses. I hope you will enjoy yourselves tonight and that Atlantis's Gates will not disappoint your expectations, which may rightfully be high."

Strangely, neither Milo nor Kida replied anything. They both briefly nodded and walked past him, entering the newest wing of the Smithsonian Institute.

Lisa McGrath frowned. She was wearing a scarlet dress – one of her own personal favourites – and golden jewels. Her long raven-black hair fell graciously upon her bare shoulders. Wherever she went, all men forgot what they were talking about and their eyes hungrily followed her figure. But she was a picky woman, and wasn't the kind of person who'd choose just any man. She was a goldsmith of her own, and only picked those whom she thought were interesting enough to distract her correctly. What her standards were was a very well kept secret, and although she knew she had the reputation of a man-eater, she did nothing to deny it.

But tonight, her target was different. She was a predator, and he was her prey. He belonged to her. He had always belonged to her. He had escaped her claws once. And it would stay that way. He would not escape again. Tonight, she would make Milo's heart bleed like he had done years ago to hers. Tonight, he would pay.

She took a glass of Champagne and drank it slowly, sip by sip. Suddenly, she spotted him. He was talking animatedly with the Atlantean woman she had seen by his side at the art gallery. Lisa McGrath clenched her teeth. But she didn't have to have to wait until her anger was boiling inside her; Milo had just left the Atlantean woman to get a closer look at the commemorative plaque of stone that was hanging on the entrance wall.

Lisa McGrath smiled sinisterly. While the musicians began to play Bach's Prelude Ave Maria, she finished her glass of Champagne, casually tossed her hair behind her face and made her way towards the King of Atlantis.

Milo read the words that had been carved on the plaque of stone for the umpteenth time. In the name of Thaddeus Thatch. The scholar sighed deeply. It was over. He had definitely cleaned his grandfather's name and nobody would be able to insult his memory again. The Atlantean section of the Smithsonian Institute would be there to prevent it from happening. From the corner of his eye, Milo glanced to Kida who was chatting with Dr. Sweet while lifting a glass of Champagne in front of her curious blue eyes. She was probably asking the doctor where the bubbles in her drink came from. It is said, Milo remembered, that Champagne was a drink which was not expected to be fizzy at first, and that the first monk who tasted it – since, of course, it had been created in a monastery – came running in the courtyard and shouted: "Brothers! I have drunk stars!"

But Milo did not have the time to remember the details of that story, for someone's hand had just touched his shoulder. He turned round and froze. A drop of cold sweat immediately formed itself and travelled down from his forehead to his neck. He had expected everything but her. She was the last person he wanted to see.

"Good evening, Milo James Thatch."

"…"

"Surely you haven't forgotten how to be polite, have you?"

"I do not want to talk to you, Lisa."

She leaned forwards and put her rubicund lips close to the King's ear.

"Oh, Milo, those are such cruel words! Especially when the one who utters them was the same man who kept telling me that he loved me…"

"I said: 'I do not want to talk to you.'"

"Well, unfortunately for you, I do. Mr. Chesley told me you had found Atlantis. Congratulations."

"Thanks." Milo replied icily. "Let me guess; he's also the one who invited you here, isn't he? How much did he pay you to ruin this evening?"

Lisa smiled and innocently placed her forefinger on her chin.

"I'm afraid this is a confidential piece of information."

"Which means 'yes' to the first part of my question."

"Rick also told me you had become Atlantis's King. So let me turn your question round. How much did you pay for that?"

"How dare you?! I never wanted to become the King! I only respected Kida's father's last will!"

"Ah, so her name's Kida. I do not understand what you see in her."

Milo felt fury surge to every part of his body at once. He could bear to be insulted, ignored, and considered a laughing-stock, but he could never bear to hear someone insult Kida.

"Maybe that's because you never loved anyone."

Lisa McGrath ignored his remark. Lisa began to get closer to Milo while walking in circles around him. She was a raptor, a seductive vulture, and he was her dinner.

"So I take it she's a princess. I never knew you were such an ambitious man, Milo, but it makes you all the more…attractive."

"Stop it immediately. She's my wife!"

"My point exactly."

"Wh-What?"

"She's your wife. You're her husband. Congratulations. This museum is dedicated to your grandfather. He must be very proud. But you don't think you have forgotten to thank someone else for your, let's just say, wonderful destiny, do you?"

"What do you mean?"

Lisa McGrath smirked wickedly.

"I heard that more than two hundred people died on their way to Atlantis."

Milo's eyes went wide with realization and shame.

Doctor Joshua Sweet sighed, intensely relieved, when Kida left his side to speak with Preston Whitmore. Sure, she was adorable and he respected her deeply, but having to answer her never-ceasing questions constantly was a job he had not applied for. Milo had. The massive doctor watched as the Queen of Atlantis walked away from him, radiating an aura of elegance and kindness. He was very proud to be the one who would probably medically look after Kida's pregnancy.

Preston Whitmore was admiring the aquarium below his feet when he heard an exotic voice calling his name softly. He could recognize that voice anywhere.

"Yes, Queen Kida?"

"Have you seen Milo? I just cannot find him."

"Wait a second. I think I saw him somewhere over there…Ah, there he is! And he's with…Oh, no."

Kida looked in the direction the old millionaire had indicated and felt as if her blood had turned cold. She recognized the woman she had only made out at the art gallery, and instantly added her to the list of the rare persons she hated. How did that woman dare to be coming on to Milo while she was there?!?

When she spoke again, all warmth had left Kida's voice.

"Who is this woman?"

Preston Whitmore looked suddenly very embarrassed. But he could not lie to Kida, especially when she was in such a mood. He certainly didn't want her to pour her wrath on him.

"Her name's Lisa. Lisa McGrath. Has Milo ever mentioned her to you?"

"No. Should he have?"

The millionaire closed his eyes for a moment and sighed regretfully. He could not blame Milo for having kept this part of his life out of Kida's reach, but now it all seemed like it had been useless. And Kida had the right to know.

"Lisa McGrath and Milo briefly dated in January 1905. When I say briefly, I mean 22 days. You have to understand that Milo was still a very young man then. As you may have guessed already, Lisa McGrath does not love men. She collects them. And, well, Milo was not able to resist her charms."

Kida, as huntress and warrior, had slain on sight many intruders during her centuries-long life. But she had never wanted to make their blood flow. She had just obeyed the law. But at that precise moment, she had had to restrain herself so she wouldn't cut Lisa's throat straight away.

"What happened between them?" she demanded coldly. Another sigh escaped Mr. Whitmore's lips.

"Thaddeus did not like Lisa, since he understood what she was after, and he made a point of telling Milo so. I think it was the first and only time when Milo and his grandfather had an argument. Milo refused to listen to Thaddeus and he was of course heartbroken when Lisa finally proved him that his grandfather had been right all along. Your husband, Queen Kida, turned Lisa McGrath down immediately and fell into a depression. It's always difficult when you think you were in love with someone to admit that it wasn't true. Milo eventually got over it, but I am almost sure he never forgave himself for having hurt Thaddeus."

"Very well. Thank you."

"Queen Kida! Wait! Where are you going?"

"Where do you think I'm going?" She replied, her voice already fading as she walked towards Milo and Lisa McGrath.

Preston Whitmore stared at her back for a moment, then turned round and found himself a comfortable armchair. The musicians played Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. The Symphony of Fate.

Milo wanted to disappear. Lisa was right. More than two hundreds people had died because of the Leviathan. They were simple people who had only done their jobs and knew nothing of Rourke's plans for the Heart of Atlantis. Didn't they deserve to be remembered as well? But he had forgotten about them. He could have ordered the members of the Board to dedicate Atlantis's Gates to them as well as to his grandfather. But he had not. He had only thought about Thaddeus Thatch and the humiliation that had crushed him. Milo felt lump rise in his throat. How could he have been so selfish?

Lisa McGrath savoured the look on the King's face. Once again she walked around him and leaned against his back, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"Revenge is best served cold, Milo. You seem to have forgotten that." She whispered suavely, and her words leaked like were poison in Milo's ears.

Slowly, she extended her forefinger and let her nail brush against the scholar's neck. He shuddered.

"And I, Milo, am everything but cold, if you know what I mean." She added suggestively. "I wonder if you have improved since the last time…"

But before he could reply anything, Lisa let out a sheer cry of pain. Her arm had been firmly seized and twisted in her back. The spell she held on Milo was immediately broken as she tried to see who was responsible for it. She turned her head and was greeted by a very unwelcome sight.

"I may know little about you, but it seems like you have not improved at all, Lisa McGrath."

"Let me go!" The American woman ordered.

"As you wish."

Lisa's eyes widened. This was not the reply she had expected. But she didn't have much time to think about it as she was violently thrown up against the wall. The glass she had been holding exploded into a zillion pieces. Suddenly the crowd in the museum became very quiet. For the first time of her life, Lisa McGrath felt very afraid. And it didn't felt any better when the Queen of Atlantis grabbed her by her dress and pulled her up again. The raging fire that was burning into the deep blue eyes that looked into her own terrified Lisa.

"How do you dare to make overtures to my husband while I'm here?!" The Queen demanded, her teeth gritted and her fist lifted in the air, ready to deliver the next blow.

Lisa hesitated for a moment, and then decided she had nothing to loose.

"Tell me, your highness," she replied, smirking, "Is your husband more efficient when it comes to love you than he is when it comes to remember those who died so he could find Atlantis?"

Kida could not believe what she had just heard.

The crowd erupted into laughter. Turning round without releasing her grip on Lisa, the Queen saw Mr. Harcourt and Mr. Chesley laughing so hard that they needed to support themselves. The musicians had stopped playing any music. From the corner of her eye, she noticed the mortified look that was spreading on Milo's face. He remained silent.

With a lightning speed, Kida's hand cleaved through the air and slapped Lisa McGrath's cheek so hard that the American woman fell to the ground. She shook her head twice, trying to regain her composure, but when she met the Queen's eyes again, she knew she had gone too far. Kida lifted her fist once again, and Lisa closed her eyes, waiting for the impact, but nothing happened. Absolutely nothing. So she opened her pupils and was surprised to see that Milo's hand had grabbed Kida's wrist to prevent her from delivering the blow.

"Don't. She is right, Kida. I had no right to forget all these people who died when the Leviathan attacked the submarine."

"She just insulted you! Twice!"

"Yes, I know. But she is right. I've been selfish."

"No, Milo, my dear boy, you have not."

Milo, Kida and Lisa McGrath whirled around to see Preston Whitmore. The millionaire joined the three of them and put his hand on Milo's shoulder, his touch and gaze comforting.

"You have never been selfish, Milo. You just wanted to defend your grandfather's honour. As for all the people who died in the submarine, I personally looked after their families and made sure that each and every name has been written down on that plaque over there. Sweet, if you please."

Joshua Sweet made his way towards them, carrying a large commemorative plaque of stone that listed indeed all the names of the people Mr. Whitmore had hired for the expedition. Milo gazed at it intensely, as did Kida, and then looked at Preston Whitmore again.

"So you see, my boy, you did nothing wrong."

"Thank you, Mr. Whitmore. Thank you so much. Thank you so much." Milo repeated, truly touched by the old man's consideration.

"Anything for my best friend's grandson."

A few minutes passed in silence. The only things moving were the fishes in the aquarium. Kida suddenly giggled. She returned her attention to Lisa McGrath, who was still lying on the floor, and crouched down to her level, smiling pleasantly.

"Since you're dying to know, Milo is far from being bad when it comes to love me."

Lisa's jaw dropped. Milo's cheeks turned to balls of fire. Audrey began to laugh uncontrollably. Joshua Sweet and Preston Whitmore smiled mischievously. Vinny said something that sounded like 'boom'. Mrs. Packard kept chatting with her friend Marge. And Kida turned to Milo again.

"Sorry. I could not resist the temptation." She confessed to him.

"I-I guess so…"

"I wanted to wait for a more appropriate time to tell you this, but I think now is a good moment after all."

"To tell me that you couldn't resist the temptation?"

"No. To tell you this."

The Queen gently took Milo's hand and put a shard of crystal in it. Milo stared at its glow for a moment, then looked at his wife, incomprehension weaved on his face.

"I already have a crystal." He pointed out to her.

"I know. It's not for you. It's for him." She set Milo's hand on her stomach, and the crystal's light made her belly glow under his palm.

Milo swallowed. Time had stopped its race for a second, and when he lifted his eyes, they were brimming with tears. Kida lifted her hand to caress his cheek..

"We're having a baby?" Milo's voice asked, suddenly very shy and shaking slightly. Kida gave him a radiant smile and cupped his face in her hands.

"Yes, Milo, we're having a baby. We're having a son."

"How do you know?"

"Sweet told me so this morning."

"I'm going to be a father?"

This time, Kida laughed.

"How many times do I have to repeat it? Yes, yes, yes, and yes, you're going to be a father. Merry Christmas, Milo."

And Milo let his tears run free down his cheeks. When he kissed Kida to seal that very special moment, he thought only that:

It does not matter if I'm not remembered. It doesn't matter if you're not remembered, Grandpa. You're having a great-grandson. I'm having a son. And that is all that matters in the world.

Behind them, Lisa McGrath lifted herself from the floor, stared at Milo and Kida while they were sharing a passionate kiss, his arms wrapped around her waist and hers around his neck, and shot a deadly glare to Rick Chesley and Mr. Harcourt. She would deal with them later. And then, she simply went away.

Your turn to write! Many thanks!!!