The others arrived before she woke, trying their best to be discreet.

Emphasis on trying.

I had no doubt that Grisia had reminded them that her presence had to be a secret, because the ways they entered the room were just… bizarre. Earth was the first, and by far the most normal of the lot. He threw open the door, running in with a big grin on his face. He was also carrying a loaf of bread.

I'm… afraid to ask why.

Seeing that she was still sleeping he silently sat at the end of the bed, nodding in greeting to me and still holding the loaf of bread. The urge to ask why he had it with him grew, but it was promptly interrupted by Storm jumping through the window.

Isn't this… on the second floor…?

They filtered in, one by one. Ice was disguised as a cleric. Stone came in exclaiming loudly to himself about 'How stupid' he had been to 'leave his sword' here. Metal strode in calmly, wearing a big black cloak that only made him look more suspicious.

I get you're all trying not to make a fuss by storming into the Sun Knight quarters, but seriously… this is more suspicious. By far. I'm surprised nobody has sent a report to the Pope about all the Twelve Holy Knights going nuts yet.

Eventually nearly everybody was present, all bar Cloud. I looked around in confusion, counting the members again in case I had just missed him. He was usually very punctual, claiming he didn't want to cause bother for anybody.

"Does anybody know where Cloud is?" I asked the group quietly. I was met by a chorus of shaking heads.

"I'll go look for-" I stopped suddenly when a small sound sounded from behind me. Turning around slowly, and with a growing feeling of dread, I was met by Cloud.

He smiled apologetically, "I'm here."

I didn't even see him…

"You're late," Metal said in a friendly manner, patting Cloud's shoulder.

Clouds frown turned confused and he said slowly, "I was here before you."

…

"When did you come in?" Metal asked, looking uneasy.

"Probably…" Cloud looked thoughtful before he nodded to himself, saying surely, "A couple minutes before Earth."

Cloud Knight's are creepy. Way too creepy. Are you sure you're not a ghost?!

I sat down, repressing a shudder. Cloud had always been quiet, but sneaking past me like that… I definitely don't want to make an enemy of him.

"What now?" Ice asked curiously, sitting on the edge of the bed and crossing his legs.

I didn't have the answer, and the three devils had already left. I frowned, wondering what the best course of action was.

"Let's hit him till' he wakes up," Metal said helpfully, cracking his fists.

…

Scratch that. As the Judgment Knight, I think I'm going to have to protect her from everybody. Foe and comrades alike.

Sigh.

"You can't do that!" Earth exclaimed with wide eyes. I felt like sighing in relief until he added, "He'll get cranky!"

Really? That's why we're not going to beat a comatose person? Because they might get angry?

"Ice, you brought sweets, right?" Leaf asked with a hint of malice.

Ice nodded, his face completely blank as he pulled a package out of his Cleric uniform, "Yes. Strawberry flavoured biscuits."

All of the Knights in the room recoiled a bit at the sight of the package, but Ice didn't seem to notice. Leaf, in an uncharacteristically cheerful voice, suggested, "Pop some in his mouth! Maybe the taste of food will wake him!"

Ice was poised to cram the food into Caelan's mouth until Cloud quickly shouted, "Ah! Y-You can't… Feed a sleeping person! He'll choke!"

"Pour some water on him?" Storm asked softly, tilting his head to the side, "Then use some Lightning magic to shock him awake?"

"That won't work, Storm!" Earth said while shaking his head, "None of us know Lightning Magic!"

"I do," A new voice mumbled, sounding extremely annoyed, "And if you don't all shut up, I'd be glad to demonstrate it!"

"Caelan!" Earth shouted happily, a reaction shared by several of the other knights, "You're awake!"

Leaf turned away, muttering bitterly under his breath, "Tcht. I was so close to making him eat Ice's sweets…"

To think… The Sun Knights most hated person, the Judgment Knight, is going to have to protect him from one of his best friends, the Leaf Knight… I wonder what the citizens would do if they knew?

"Of course I'm awake," Caelan grumbled with a yawn, sitting up and blinking around at us blearily, "How could I sleep with all this ruckus? You're all so- Ah! Don't cry!"

Big tears had already begun to stream down Earth's face, and when he spoke it was halted, "I-I'm so gl-glad you're aw-awake!"

Caelan smiled softly, patting his head, "Glad to be awake," Caelan looked around the room, her smile replaced by a confused frown, "Ice, why are you wearing a Cleric's uniform? And Metal, what's with the cloak? And Earth…" Her eyes rested on the loaf of bread, staying there for a few moments, "… I'm not even going to ask."

"Grisia told us to be discreet," Metal said sheepishly, unclipping the cloak and hanging it over the back of one of the chairs, "After all, we're the only ones who know you're back, so all of us coming to this room looks suspicious…"

"I'd love to chat and reconcile," Moon said suddenly, looking serious, "But that brings up some work that needs to be done. We'll have to tell the public about you being… back. What do you plan to do?"

"I…" She frowned, running a hand through her hair absently, "Don't know."

"What a half-asked Sun Knight…" Leaf muttered.

"Hey!" Caelan complained, "It's not like I can just casually walk out into the streets and shout out "I'm home!"…" She drifted off, looking thoughtful before mumbling, "Or maybe I could…"

"Of course you can't, idiot," I sighed. Then I froze, realizing that I had said it out loud.

Heads swiveled around to me, several looking shocked that I was still there.

"You come up with a plan then, genius!" Caelan grumbled, throwing a pillow at me. I caught it deftly and flung it back without thinking.

"Will you stop throwing things at me?" I snapped, irritation overriding my embarrassment. Snow, mud, pillows… Try communicating with words, stupid.

"Stop being annoying, then," She retorted with a little 'hmph'.

I didn't reply, simply raised an eyebrow in the way I knew she hated.

"How about we celebrate, first?" Earth said with a smile, "It's almost nighttime, and I bet Caelan hasn't eaten yet."

"Now that you mention it…" She frowned softly, "How long was I out?"

"Out as in Kadence, or out as in asleep?" Metal asked.

"Out as in asleep," She said wryly, the side of her mouth twisting into a pained smile.

"I can't help you with that one," He said with a shrug.

"Well?" She turned to me, tone inquisitive, "How long?"

I couldn't help but feel embarrassed when their surprised faces turn to look at me, again. In a hesitant voice I said, "Um… Probably… I don't know."

"Hey wait…" Suspicion began to bloom on her face, which quickly turned to outrage, "Don't tell me… You left?! You buttface! You promised you would stay!"

I dodged another pillow, wincing slightly when it knocked over one of the teacups. In a defensive voice I snapped, "I was here the whole time, damn it! Stop throwing things!"

"Prove it!" She growled angrily, half-kneeling on the bed and looking dangerous, pillow in hand.

"Who do you think was in there, idiot?!" I snapped, grabbing the pillow that she had thrown and preparing to use it as a shield, "You're so aggressive!"

"Oh!" It was her turn to look embarrassed, lowering the pillow and sitting back down on the bed, "I thought that was in my imagination…" She drifted off, frowning and looking at the pillow in my hands, "What happened?"

"Not much," I said cautiously, "You were there for most of it."

"I meant to your hands, dummy," She rolled her eyes.

"I forgot about that," I mumbled, frowning down at my sore hands, "Grisia left before he could heal them…"

"I'm clearly missing something very interesting," Metal said slowly, looking extremely confused, "But before you share the story, you should probably go get that healed."

"I can help with that," Caelan bounced up from the bed, Holy Light beginning to glow from her hands, "Hold your hands out, dummy."

… Was that last part necessary?

Still, I held them out obediently. The soft golden glow of Holy Light enveloped them, an instant relief.

"Thanks," I murmured quietly, rolling my wrist. The bigger wounds had healed, leaving only small cuts and bruises. Which I preferred, by far, over the broken wrist I had been sporting.

"Bring out some wine, too," Caelan grinned at the people around us, "I don't feel thirsty, but help yourselves."

They did just that, and soon everybody was talking loudly.

Doesn't making a bunch of noise defeat the purpose of sneaking in here?

I didn't say it out loud, instead leaning back and watching them all with amusement.

I'm more tired than I thought I was.

I yawned, rubbing my eyes and sinking further into the chair. When I opened my eyes Caelan stood in front of me, wearing a big smile. She had removed the wig, and her short, gold hair was catching the light. In her hands she held a loaf of bread, broken in half.

Is that some kind of fashion? Seriously. What's with the bread?!

"Earth brought it," She explained, sitting in the seat next to me and passing me one of the halves, "You haven't eaten either, right?"

"I haven't," I said quietly, taking the bread, "Thanks."

We sat quietly for awhile, watching as Blaze began telling a story loudly, hand gestures included. A moment later the group broke into loud laughter, including the usually quiet Cloud.

"So what are you planning to do?" I asked, tearing off a piece of the bread and popping it into my mouth.

"I don't know," She sighed, her eyes distant, "Have you ever screwed up everything so badly, that it's like there's no way out? Like no matter what you do, it's too broken to be fixed properly?"

I watched the other Knights quietly, nodding. That was exactly what I had done. I had spent my whole life distancing myself from everybody, turning down every chance of friendship I had gotten. It was all my own choice, but where had it gotten me? That was the hardest part. When it was all your own fault.

"Really?" She sounded surprised, "I thought you did everything right… I mean, you're good at everything. It's kind of annoying, actually."

"Thanks," I said wryly, resisting the urge to yawn again.

"You look tired," She commented, just as Blaze came to the climax of the story with a loud "ROAR!". Everybody leaned forward, including an almost-crying Earth.

"So do you," I replied, raising an eyebrow.

She poked out her tongue, stuffing another piece of bread into her mouth but remaining silent. Her amused look slowly faded, and she sighed softly, "I don't want to go to sleep."

"Mhm," I smiled as Metal started telling the next story, his face grim, "This is fun."

"That's not it," She shook her head, "I know it's pathetic, but I'm kind of… scared, I suppose. Like I'll get trapped in there again."

I knew the feeling, but in a very different sense. Of descending into the blackness every night, surfacing every morning with the gut-sinking feeling that I was back there again. On the streets, battered and bruised. No family or friends to call my own. Nothing to call my own, really. Not even a name.

"Try not to worry too much," I said softly, setting the bread to the side and yawning, "If you get trapped, I'll just break you out again. I promise."

She smiled, looking relieved, "Well then, if you ever get trapped, I'll break you out. It's a deal."

I looked at her in surprise.

Maybe I've been thinking about this all wrong. I kept thinking 'I'll protect her' just because that's what Teacher said. But that's wrong.

Isn't it that we'll all protect each other?

The end of the night found ten of the Twelve Holy Knights preparing to leave the Sun Knight's quarters. Several adjusted their attires, poised to leave inconspicuously (Most out of the window, though that was bad judgment on account of several being drunk).

In the corner, curled up on chairs, were two enemies. They slept soundly, and the groups only response to the image was a quick, exchanged glance of amusement.

The Sun Knight was hugging her legs, head resting on her knees. From what the group could see of her face, it was peaceful and still. The Judgment Knight was similar, his arms crossed and his chin resting on his chest. His lips were curled up into a small smile.

The Earth Knight, in his usual kind demeanor, draped a blanket of the two silently. And, leaving their leaders sleeping deeply, the Knights left quietly.

Sorry it took me so long to update! Last week was hectic… But this week should be really relaxed, so I should be able to pump out a few more chapters.