So, I've missed two Fridays. Sorry. I'd shoot an excuse your way, but I don't feel like it. So, yeah...

~Mikael~

"I'm really not sure about this plan," Mikael said, "I was willing to go along with it last time, but I don't like this."

"I don't either!" Rin insisted.

"Stop being idiots," Grace grumbled, "We don't have any other choice."

"There's got to be another way!" I practically shouted. Grace eyes me and frowned.

"If you come up with one, you're free to speak your mind." I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. She'd stumped me.

"I'll do it! I don't want you to—"

"And I don't want you to!" she yelled back. Rin froze and then his eyes clouded with anger. I was hesitant to step forward and stop them. Something told me that this wasn't something I should intrude on. The tense feeling in the air told me so.

"Besides, he doesn't want you as much as he wants me," Grace said, crossing her arms.

"I don't care," Rin growled.

"You should. If this doesn't work, we won't be able to help Scarlet," she said.

"You mean Jude."

"Don't, Rin." Grace was serious about this. I didn't like the idea at all, obviously. I wanted to find some other way, but as far as I could see, there wasn't one. The two were silent for a long time. I finally sighed and stepped forward.

"I guess…I understand," I said quietly. I clenched my fists and glanced up at Grace. She was smiling at me.

"Thanks." I nodded, but couldn't bring myself to return her smile. The danger that Grace was putting herself in was staggering. Judging by the condition she'd come back in, this could go horribly wrong. Not to mention that…dark Grace that we'd met.

Rin closed his eyes and walked towards her. All at once, he seemed to lose his energy. He slumped forward and resting his head on her shoulder. She smiled and held his head. I awkwardly looked away.

"I'll be alright." She was speaking softly as if she was afraid to upset him but at the same time wanted to comfort him.

"I don't want to give you back to him," Rin said, his voice pained. There was a moment of silence.

"I know. To be honest, I'm afraid. I don't want to go back. I have to, though. For my friends. For the good of…well, every world in existence, I suppose."

"Why did it have to be…you?"

"There isn't an answer to that question," she replied, "But you shouldn't worry. I'm stronger now, after all."

"I don't care if you're stronger. You're still the girl I love and I'm still going to worry about you!" he shouted. He'd lifted his head and stared her in the face. She only smiled in return.

"I love you, too," she said. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek, "But I'm tougher than you are."

"Hey, that's not—"

She laughed, "Don't even try and say that it's not true!" She pointed at him. "You're weaker than me and you know it!"

"Am not!" he protested.

She held out her hand and a shining blade appeared. She was right about be stronger than she used to be. It was much brighter than how I'd seen it before.

"Wanna test me?" she taunted.

Rin shook his head and smiled, "I'll see it for real soon."

"Yeah, and I'm going to beat the shit out of Satan."

"With my help," he added.

She grumbled her response, "Yeah, with your help."

The two were really a strange couple. They argued with each other constantly, yet even when they were mad with each other, I could still tell that they loved each other. It was clear in the way he looked at her and the way she looked at him. I guess I worried a lot about her, about whether or not it was alright to be with a demon. Seeing them together like that seemed to lessen my worries, though.

"Hey, we're not weird!" Grace shouted.

"Oh, did I say that out loud?" I asked, surprised.

"Yeah, man. You did. Now she's going to kill you," Rin said with a cruel grin. Instead of attacking me, Grace elbowed Rin in the rib cage.

"What was that for?" he protested.

"I don't just go around hitting people because they call me weird," she said, turning up her nose.

"Oh, right. You only hit them when they call you short or cute," Rin mumbled. She elbowed him again and he grunted.

"No, I stab them when they call me cute or mention my less-than-satisfactory stature," she hissed.

Rin laughed, "You really are weird." As soon as he said that, the door slammed open.

"Princess, it's about time to prepare for our departure," Elijah said. I looked to Grace. She'd suddenly lost all of her playful demeanor. She now looked completely composed and regal. It was strange watching such a transformation.

"Of course it is," she said, "I'll be out in a moment. Give me a minute." Elijah nodded, glancing annoyed at Rin before he shut the door gently behind him. Grace took a deep breath and walked up to me.

"Mikael, I'm counting on you today. I'll really be needing you," she said. She looked up at me and I saw strength in her that wasn't there before. I nodded, "Just stay alive, ok?"

She smiled and watched me as I walked towards the door. Before I left her, I turned and took one last glance at her. We were about to go on a very dangerous mission, and it was possible that she'd get hurt or even lost her life. I didn't want to think about that, though. Instead, I filled my head with more optimistic thoughts. She was the most powerful out of all of us, except for maybe God himself. I had to trust in her strength. I had to trust in her.

"You, too." I smiled. With her on our side, I doubted that we could lose.

~Grace~

I turned back to Rin who was slumped against the table at the center of the room. The geometrically patterned tiles that he stood on were shining in the dim light. "You know, you look different right now," I said. It was true. His blackish hair blended with the darkness of the room. His slumped posture looked almost majestic; it occurred to me that called your boyfriend 'majestic' was a bit odd, but I didn't care. He looked it, so I thought it.

"What does that mean?" he asked, raising his head slowly.

"I don't really know," I answered, walking towards him.

He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. When I reached him, I leaned into his chest. He sighed and took me in his arms. "I know this isn't a very manly thing to say, but I'm afraid," he whispered to me. His arms tightened around me slightly.

"Me too, so I don't find you any less manly for saying that," I whispered back.

"We should go," he said.

"Yeah," I responded. We were quiet, both understanding each other. Neither of us wanted to leave in the slightest. I knew I had to and the burden of that knowledge weighed me down. It nagged at the back of my mind, but I managed to forget about it for a few moments. I lifted my head and looked at Rin. Really looked at him. He did the same.

I sighed and placed my hand on his cheek, his hair brushing softly against my fingers, "I'll be seeing you."

He turned his head and kissed my palm, "Yeah." I couldn't stand it any longer. I arched my neck and stole a kiss from him. It didn't last long, but it was enough. "That'll tide me over until next time," I said with a forced smile.

"It won't tide me over," he said. With that he pulled me against him and enveloped me in his warmth. My whole body buzzed with his closeness and fisted his shirt tightly in one hand. He whispered my name in between kisses. It was as if he believed that if he said it enough, he wouldn't have to let me go. A knock on the door interrupted us and I pulled away. I held his hand at a distance.

"Good enough?"

"Yeah, that'll last me," he said, "Probably." My hand slid from his and I was all too aware of the shocking cold that the distance left me with. I didn't hesitate as I strode towards the door. I grabbed the handle and pulled it open. Several soldiers included Elijah, Kain, Leoric, and Yukio were waiting for me on the other side. I took a deep breath and stepped into the light.

They all looked to me and for the first time I really felt the weight of what we were doing. We were about to charge into Gehenna and launch a full frontal attack. It was dangerous and stupid, but it was going to work. It had to work, because if it didn't, everything we knew would be destroyed. Our pasts, presents, and futures would vanish. I wasn't going to let that happen, so I would lead them. I would be strong in the face of danger so that our worlds, all of our worlds, wouldn't disappear.

I had only two words. "Let's go."

Soon, you will find out about Rin's plan. Look forward to it. Leave me a review?