Author's Note: Thank you for the continued support. I hear that you're getting anxious for some action so here's the start of some. Please enjoy.

NNN

"I promise you, as your servant, I will protect you with my life."

(Archer's POV – Present)

I wasn't quick enough to dodge Caster's shadow trap and stand trapped in a circular barrier.

"Archer?" Rin looks back quickly to see why I've suddenly stopped.

"Keep going!" I yell to her, taking my twin blades I start to try and break the barrier. "Lancer, get Caster!"

"I'm on it," declares our new ally.

Lancer leaps past me with Gae Bolg ready in an offensive position, dodging Caster's magical attacks.

"Get going, girl!" He orders Rin as she chants a spell and a blinding light of magic appears to distract her opponents.

I continue to put all of my strength into destroying the barrier, yet with every attempt to break it, it quickly regenerates.

"Damn it! Break, damn you!" I curse, yet my attempts are unyielding.

Rin takes the opportunity that she was given by both Lancer and her magic as she succeeds in knocking Sakura out of Souichirou's grasp in an all-out attempt to free her sister. Lancer quickly jumps to catch the falling girl (who has been made incapacitated by Caster's spell) and takes her a safe distance.

Caster turns knowing that she's lost the upper hand and targets Lancer. I'm about to release a noble phantasm and suffer the damage when suddenly my world stops. Rin lets out a cry of pain; my enhanced senses catch the sound of bone splintering as Caster's master sends an enhanced fist into her solar plexus.

"Damn it," Lancer exclaims in astonishment for neither of us could have foreseen the end result.

"Rin?" I call out to her, her eyes clouded with tears, blood trickles out from the side of her mouth as she slumps forward over that bastard's arm, "Rin?" I'm left to helplessly stand there and watch that horrid pained expression on her face as Souichirou calls out to Caster.

"No my master, I need her alive."

"You should consider yourself lucky, girl." Souichirou regards Rin who can no longer move her body due to the pain.

"Lancer? Do something, you bastard!"

I visualize my bow and arrow and watch as they appear in my hand.

…Lancer parries blows with Caster…

"Archer…"

Her weak voice enters my mind and I can't stand what happens next.

"Rin, don't worry. I'm coming." I try to be reassuring, steading the arrow and aiming straight for Souichirou's heart.

"Please don't blame yourself."

We're so closely linked that I can feel the pain she's experiencing and the anger inside of me arises. She watches me with no sign of fear on her features.

"Shh…I'll be there in a moment, after I kill that bastard."

"I'm so happy that I was able to save Sakura…I was finally able to do something for her."

Pain, that's all I feel as it flows into my body. More tears cascade down her cheeks, hitting the pavement. She manages a small smile.

"I trust you…"

I let the arrow fly as it breaks the barrier, locked on target. My eyes widen as a black form engulfs her.

"No!" I rush forward and see her hand weakly outstretched in my direction.

Lancer's Gae Bolg appears; yet neither it nor my arrow hit anything, for Caster, her master and Rin are gone.

I stand in shock for a moment…my mind trying to wrap itself around the situation, but all I can see is her accepting expression in my mind.

NNN

(Yesterday - Morning)

(Rin's POV)

I just can't bring myself to officially get out of bed. Therefore, I continue to finger the mana compass and watch as it reacts to my magic, a small smile appearing on my face.

"Are you going to stay in bed all day?"

I frown, yet continue my antics and reply disdainfully, "Do you ever knock?"

My gaze shifts to my servant as he sits in the chair against the wall; arms crossed, one leg propped upon the other as he regards me.

"I've had your tea ready for you for nearly an hour."

He sounds sincere, but I can't shake this feeling that there's something that is postponing me from getting out of bed. It's almost like a warning going off in my brain that I should stay home today.

"I'll be down shortly," I announce, pulling the covers up over my head in the process.

"You'll be back asleep within five minutes. Is there a reason why you're prolonging getting out of bed?"

I answer with a muffled sound, "No."

Unfortunately he doesn't take the hint and pulls down the covers. Archer looks at me with a quizzical expression and his next action causes my eyes to widen and a blush to appear on my face.

"Wh-What are you doing?"

"Checking your temperature," he responds, his wrist resting on my forehead, before regarding me as an idiot.

"I'm not sick," I haughtily declare and fix him with a glare to conceal the blush, "I'm just tired. Can I not be tired?"

"You can be tired," he concedes and removes his wrist from my forehead while I take the opportunity to replace the covers over my head and sigh. "I'm going to go scout the area. Lancer should be reporting back to us later today."

"I'll be ready when you return."

Silence.

I grin and close my eyes. Just a few more minutes…

"Lancer already has an interest in you. I could always send him to your room to wake you."

I quickly sit upright in bed and angrily grip the covers at his remark.

"I'm up! You, happy?"

NNN

(Rin's POV)

It's been a while since I've been down here. I blow on the cover of a dusty old book and feel my nose wrinkle before letting out a huge sneeze. I used to spend a lot of time in this basement with my father, back when he used to teach me the basics of jewel creation.

My eyes start to scan the pages. Not that I would ever admit it, however, I've still got a lot to learn and anything that I can do to strengthen the barrier around the mansion would be helpful. Father had one in effect when the fourth war started, but I haven't been able to duplicate his. I'm hoping that he referred to one of these books.

I finger the penchant around my neck as I read.

(Earlier)

"Stupid Archer," I grumble getting out of bed and heading to the dresser. "Stupid drawer!"

The damn thing always sticks. I pull harder and manage to knock off my jewelry box in the process.

"Damn it!"

I sit on the carpeted floor and start to collect the items before my hand finds the penchant that I had used to save Emiya Shirou's life. I blink in confusion because I know that I left it in the school, because back then I couldn't take a chance of him waking up and seeing me.

I stand with the precious jewel in my hand; the one my father gave me before he died, only to be used in an emergency. I blush and then shake my head, "God I am hopeless!"

Sighing I place the penchant around my neck and quickly grab some clothes to wear.

The mana compass on the table reacts to that horrid book on the shelf. I should really get rid of that thing or send it to someone that I hate as a holiday gift. Having your worst enemy get sucked into hell could have its advantages. I swear at it in German and continue onto another book, taking some mental notes.

NNN

(Archer's POV)

I appear in Rin's room…just to be sure that she isn't asleep…before reappearing in the study. Hmmm…not here either. I start my search tracking her mana and come to the basement door. Following the stairs that lead down I come to find Rin sitting in amongst a pile of books, her back resting against a bookcase and an old looking book open on her lap. Her eyes are closed, a jewel in the center of her cupped hands as her blue mana encircles her while she chants.

I watch her and realize that a smile has crept upon my face; well maybe smirk is a better word because I don't really smile. It always amazes me that my fowl mouthed, opinionated and short tempered master can be tranquil and enticing like this. I watch as her eyebrow arches.

"Archer, welcome back."

"Hn. You're perceptive as always."

"And you're as flattering as always."

She opens her eyes and I watch as the blue energy of her magic is reflected in those orbs as she smiles.

"I see that you found something of interest?" I question.

"This jewel will be placed in the center of the grounds and will supply us with enough energy to protect us from any attack."

I whistle and she frowns. "Impressive. And you learned all of this from a mere book?"

Rin points her index finger upward, "Not just any book. It's my father's personal spell book."

"And does it have any way to guarantee that we will defeat our enemies?"

I watch as she rolls her eyes toward me. "That's your job, remember?"

Rin's playful banter brings back memories of a former time; a habit that is happening more frequently. I had an opportunity for happiness with her, yet my ideals got in the way of that. My ideals got in the way of a lot of things. Watching my self, as I am now in this timeline, I'm appalled that someone like me could even exist…what an idiot. If I had been smart I would have stopped Rin from reviving me with that penchant and could have saved everyone a lot of trouble, but hindsight is 20/20.

"You have that face again."

Her statement returns me to the present, "And what face is that?"

"That face, the one that says you're not really here with me. Are you thinking about your past?"

"Yes. You remind me of someone at times."

God, I'm slipping. Don't honestly answer her, lie you idiot…too late now.

I watch as she blinks. "I do?"

I resume my casual demeanor. "Yes, she was a lot like you."

A playful grin appears on her features, "Oh? It was a she, hmmm?"

"Don't read into it any more than necessary," I caution, before taking a seat on the floor next to her and thumbing through one of the nearby books, "She was someone who I found it easy to talk with. However, like you, she was short tempered and often didn't think things through."

Rin follows my lead and resumes her book, "And you were friends?"

I avoid her gaze directly and appear to be involved in the text before me, "We were friends at first, but then my ideals ruined that friendship."

"Why didn't this short tempered girl try to talk you out of those ideals?"

I smirk nostalgically, "She did…but it was too late for me to listen when I had come to my senses, because she was already dead."

I watch as her breath hitches and her hands grip the cover of the book, "I'm sorry."

I sigh and close the book with one hand, "It was a long time ago, Rin."

"Still, if it's something that you regret, Archer. It must be painful."

It's easier than you think. Things haven't exactly gone as planned; I'll never have the opportunity to make it up to you in this lifetime once my goal is accomplished, but ensuring that you're safe in this future is payment enough to follow through with this plan.

My eyes catch sight of the penchant around her neck, yet I'm too slow to avert my gaze under her ever observing eyes. She wraps her hand around it.

"Did you take this for me?"

I play it off nonchalantly as ever, "I couldn't see it staying there with that idiot; why did you even bother to save him? It's obvious that jewel was important."

Her hand tightens around it before looking at me with a determined expression, "Because I couldn't stand to see someone so kind die because of my inexperience. My father left me that penchant to use when I felt it truly needed to be; I didn't want that boy to die because of me."

My breath catches for a moment, yet I cough into the side of my fist, "Honestly, Rin."

She puffs out her cheeks in exasperation, "You asked."

"You're too kind of a master."

"Huh?" She fixes her gaze on me.

"Forget it."

I arch an eyebrow as her hand takes hold of my own, "Yes?"

She glares at my response and then explains, "I want to replenish your mana for our upcoming battle against Caster."

"Very well," I consent as she sits in front of me, holding my hand in her own and leans forward to place her free hand on my shoulder. The closer the contact the better the transfer of mana will be.

I sigh and watch as she closes her eyes as the energy passes between us. My back rests against the wall, my body remains still, yet my mind wanders.

I've said too much and lowering my guard against Rin wasn't a good idea. I shouldn't have held onto the penchant, yet it was the only way that I could guarantee that if I ever was lucky enough to be summoned to this time then the catalyst would be in place. Besides, it was a memento of her. She was the second person to believe that my life was worth saving.

"Your life has worth."

Oh hell…

Rin and I share a strong telepathic link to begin with; during the transfer of mana of course she would be able to pick up on my mood.

I need to harden my exterior around her like I did when I first was summoned. "That's debatable," I retort, "Enough about me for a while."

"What did you learn from Lancer?"

Ah, yes…I did meet with that idiot didn't I?

"Caster wasn't at the temple grounds."

She breaks the point of contact and opens her eyes.

"I'll send a familiar to track her and once found we should confront her before she has the chance to gather anymore power."

NNN

(Rin's POV)

This shouldn't be happening…

Telephone Ringing

"Tohsaka residence," my eyes widen at the sound of the voice on the other end, "Emiya-kun? What? Slow down…you're not making any sense…."

Archer appears at my side as I try to convey the words from the other end.

"I'll find her. Please…come to the temple as soon as possible. Emiya-kun…this isn't a fight that can be won where both sides benefit, please remember that."

I know that my voice sounds hardened as I explain the current situation. Archer judges my expression and already knows that something is wrong even before I hang up the phone.

"Caster has taken Sakura," my voice sounds as though it belongs to a stranger, "she'll use her as the vessel of the grail, unless I trade myself."

He doesn't try to argue with me, merely resides himself to the idea, "What do you want to do, my master?"

"I don't know how Caster traced Sakura to me, but Sakura isn't like me. She never asked for any of this, so no matter what, we have to save her. She's our priority. Even if it means killing Caster's master, we save Sakura."

I grab some of the precious jewels that I had creating for this moment and put them in my pocket along with the mana compass.

"If Caster moves, I'll track her with this."

"Let's go, Rin."

…But it is…

Caster's waiting for us and my hand clenches into a fist at the sight of Sakura in Souichirou's arms.

"I am a woman of my word," Caster tries to reassure us, "merely hand yourself over and I will let this girl go free."

"Saber and Shirou should have been here by now." I mentally communicate with my servant.

Judging by Sakura's appearance she's under the influence of some heavy magic and I can't risk Caster double crossing me.

"In other words, we're on our own."

Archer interjects, summoning both blades into his hands.

"I'm sorry but I can't do that," I declare, hoping that I sound as confident as I am trying to be.

"That's fine with me. I fight better when the odds are stacked against us," declares Lancer who appears next to me with a smirk.

"L-Lancer?" I stutter for he's taken me by surprise and ruined my 'I'm a confident Master Moment', "Where's Assassin?"

"I handled it, my wonderful lady," He's all compliments with me, and gives me a toothy grin, "So who's killing who?"

NNN

"Shirou, stay back!" orders Saber, taking in her opponent, "Appearing on a street, regardless of the time when anyone could see…Illyasviel must be desperate."

"I've grown bored over the past few weeks and Berserker needs someone to play with," Illya casually explains the situation, "You understand, right?"

Shirou's stance changes, he's seen that childlike smile before on this master's face.

And that sweet voice gives out an order, "Berserker, kill them."

NNN

(Present – Archer's POV)

"I'll get my master to assist us in tracking her," announces Lancer with a stern look.

"Take Sakura home. I made a promise to Rin, I'll start tracking her myself." I inform before taking off into the night sky.

"Oi! How are you going to track her when Caster's erased -

I don't care to hear the rest of his sentence; I have to try before Caster erases Rin's magical essence from this world.

NNN

Alright…action, adventure and fluff? Well maybe not in that order, but good enough for a review?