Disclaimer - I do not own DGM

Chapter Twenty-Three - Plans for the Future

"So how productive was your little talk with the hot-head?" Nicholas questioned as Lyssa came to meet him, as always following along behind Timcanpy. This had become fairly routine for the pair of them at this point, not that it really seemed necessary after their relationship had been discovered by the red haired menace to society that Lyssa called master. This question was posed calmly enough but there was an underlying tone to the voice of the Musician that promised great bodily harm to the Exorcist should it turn out that the talk wasn't productive.

"He actually took it fairly well, by his standards at any rate." This said Lyssa fixed Nicholas with a pointed look. "Like you didn't know that already… you did send Tim to spy on us after all."

For a split second Nicholas debated denying this accusation but in the end decided that it wouldn't really be worth his while. Shrugging his shoulders the young Noah walked over to the young Exorcist, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into an embrace. "Guilty as charged… but in my defense I just wanted to make absolutely certain that Marian didn't flip out after learning about our relationship. I'm not entirely sure that he's completely sane after all."

Laughing slightly Lyssa shook her head as she returned his embrace, kissing him lightly on the cheek. "Like you're really one to be talking about not being sane Nicky."

"I resent that remark," Nicholas said, arching one brow as he pretended to look offended by her statement. In actuality he was rather amused that she had the guts to say something like that to him but since he was adept at hiding his emotions there wasn't really any danger in her picking up on this fact.

Not that it mattered much.

"No," Lyssa said, a small smile still on her face. She wasn't fooled by the act, knowing that she hadn't really offended him. "You resemble that remark."

At this point Nicholas actually lost the battle to remain stoic, a smirk appearing on his face. "You are so mean to me…"

"You deserve it," Lyssa said, snuggling against his chest and just enjoying the feeling of being held safely within his arms. For some reason, despite the fact that they were technically supposed to be enemies, she found herself feeling safer than she had since she had been a little girl living with her parents. There was just something about him that radiated safety to her.

"Perhaps I do," Nicholas conceded, resting his chin on her head lightly as she placed her head on his chest. Reaching up he ran one hand through her soft hair, which she had pulled back into a low ponytail, enjoying the silky softness of it. "So have you came to your senses and decided that marrying me isn't such a good idea?"

This was said in a joking manner but there was an underlying tone that lent credence to the fact that the Noah was at least a small degree concerned that she may actually be having second thoughts. Not that he could really honestly blame her if that were the case. After all he was a monster who represented everything that she was fighting against… what girl in her right mind would marry such a person?

"Not on your life," Lyssa said, nuzzling against his chest.

"You're a brave soul indeed," Nicholas said after a brief moment, placing a gloved hand to her head and running his fingers lightly through her hair. "So then I suppose well have to figure out how this is going to work… seeing as my 'family', and I use that term loosely, can't know about your existence."

"I'm sure we can come up with something," Lyssa said, noting that something hard to identify had entered into his voice as he had said the word family. This, in turn, had made her recall something that she'd often wondered about him and it was in this moment that Lyssa decided to ask. "Nicholas… do you have any real family anywhere?"

Lyssa wasn't sure if it was the loss of her own family at such a young age that had made her ask the question of whether or not he had any but, now that the words had been spoken, she couldn't take them back.

Nicholas was silent for a moment, a far away expression appearing in his eyes. "I have an older brother… but I haven't seen him since I joined the Noah. He's a much better soul than I myself."

Lyssa was slightly confused by these words, surprised that he hadn't seen his brother since joining the Noah. "But… don't you ever want to see him?"

"Of course I want to see him," Nicholas said, the hint of remorse held within his voice. "He practically raised me but… by the same token I don't want to risk anything happening to him because of me." This revelation caused another thought to enter into the mind of the Musician and he suddenly pulled away from Lyssa. "And I'm only being selfish when it comes to you… I can't go through with this and put you into harm's way just because I don't want to be alone."

"Hold it right there mister," Lyssa said, walking over to him and capturing his chin with her fingers, forcing the man to look into her eyes. An amusing sight actually considering the fact that he was taller than she was. "I don't see it that way and I bet if you gave him the chance your brother wouldn't see it that way either… I'm marrying you because I love you and no amount of danger is going to make me change my mind. And it isn't as though I don't already have a target on my back since I work for the Black Order. Life is to brief to waste on what ifs and what could bes. I learned that a long time ago." Having finished her lecture she released her grip on Nicholas' chin, allowing him to turn away if he so chose. The Noah was too stunned to do so however and continued to stare at her even after he had a choice in the matter. "You asked for my hand in marriage so I'm afraid you're stuck with me now Nicky-pet."

"I can't believe you actually just lectured me," Nicholas said, blinking a couple of times as he tried to make sense of this girl who had captured his heart.

"Well you deserved it," Lyssa countered, wrapping her arms around him in an embrace. "And you'd better plan on seeing your brother again because if we ever have children I want them to have a family."

"C-c-children," Nicholas stuttered, this thought having never even entered into the equation. His eyes had grown slightly wider than normal as he heard this and he couldn't keep himself from blinking a couple of times in stunned confusion.

"We'll talk about that later," Lyssa said simply, smiling softly as she touched her lips to his in a gentle kiss. Pulling away she laughed slightly. "I can see you're not ready for it now."

"Nor am I sure that I ever will be," Nicholas said quietly before leaving things at that. "But aside from that, are you planning on remaining with the Black Order after we're married?"

Lyssa shook her head, somewhat sadly. "I think that would be too dangerous for all concerned. "Having an alliance with a Noah is one thing but actually marrying said Noah… that's a bit on the extreme side and I harbor no illusions of the higher ups of the Order being understanding."

"I'm sorry," Nicholas said quietly, easily picking up on the note of sadness that had appeared in her voice and feeling guilty for being the cause of it.

"There's no reason for you to apologize," Lyssa said, smiling softly at him. "This is my decision to make and it isn't as though I can't continue to be an Exorcist on my own… Considering who they stuck me with, life might actually be easier with this course of action."

Nicholas smirked. "I'd definitely choose solitude over being stuck with Marian… How you tolerate that man is beyond my ability to comprehend."

"It's a learned skill," Lyssa joked easily.

Leaning forward Nicholas captured Lyssa's chin in much the same manner that she had done to him before. "Are you sure that you want to do this?" Both his tone and expression were serious as he sought to make absolutely certain that she was one hundred percent sure that the choice she had made was the right one.

"I'm sure," she told him without even a second of hesitation.

"Very well then," Nicholas said with a nod. "I suppose the only thing left to do is go through with it then."

A/N - Short little chapter setting up for the wedding chapter! I'm excited about that one and hope that you are too, assuming that anyone's still reading.