7/8/14

Ah Eryth, how do you annoy me? Let me count the- WATER! WATER EVERYWHERE! NOOOOOOOO!

So this chapter here is, well, pretty fluffy and a sort of seg-way between this story and two other stories. You'll see.

New Year

Melior

"I'm glad you've been having so much fun in Melior with Heather, can't wait for you to come home, miss ya sis. Nell and Nora."

"You're family cares about you a lot." Heather stated as she put her boots on.

Nephenee nodded "Especially my mom…her letter was…well…"

Heather looked at her and raised an eyebrow, shaking her head Nephenee just smiled "Your mom is doing well; they've been takin real good care of her."

"That's great to hear. Any other letters?"

Nephenee put down Nell and Nora's letter near the one from her mom, there was also a letter for Heather from Sigrun and Tanith, the pair, though mostly Sigrun was wishing them well. Another letter from Ilyana was telling of her travels, the Merchant Convoy has been in Begnion for about a week now.

"Ah, one from Mia. How did I miss this?"

As Heather stood and began messing with her hair, Nephenee's eyes flew across the letter.

Hearing a small gasp, Heather turned questioningly "What?"

"It's Mia…she says, on Christmas mornin…Soren went and kissed her."

Heather tilted her head "What? Really?"

Nephenee held out the letter for Heather to take it and read it.

"Well…good goin Charmer. Have to say, didn't think he had that forward motion in him."

The pair's stay in Melior was coming to a close, as Heather folded the letter up and put them away she wished there was more she could do with Nephenee before they went home.

However, every time she talked to Nephenee or just looked at her, her eyes went to the charm hanging around Nephenee's neck and she smiled and realized she'd done everything to tell Nephenee how much she loved her, the country girl wouldn't forget any of it any time soon.

As they stepped onto the streets of Melior a cart came up to them and they loaded their stuff, "Would you mind waiting at the main gates for fifteen minutes?"

The man nodded and swung the reigns, causing the horses to neigh and trot away.

Nephenee followed Heather silently, looking around she recognized the area.

"This is where…"

Heather nodded "Where I got you that cake, it seems like forever ago doesn't it?"

Nephenee smiled as the pair reached the tree they sat at, where Nephenee at her cake and she remembered Heather taking the bit off her cheek and licking it off her finger. Once again it reminded her of how long the rogue held any sort of feelings for her.

"Heather…"

"Yeah?"

Unable to think of something to say Nephenee just moved to Heather's side and took one of her hands in her own.

Looking at each other, they smiled. Everything seemed to be right with the world.

Ohma

"Nephie!" Nephenee laughed as her brothers practically tackled her. Nell and Nora approached far more reservedly as they greeted Heather.

"I imagine you two had a lot of fun." Nell stated.

Heather grinned "Of course, much more than you could ever imagine."

Nora laughed "Oh, you mean like that?"

Heather turned away "Not telling."

"Nell, Nora, great to see you." Nephenee embraced her sisters as Heather tapped each of the smaller boys' heads.

"You three behaved?"

She got three answers of yes, no and maybe causing her to laugh and shake her head.

Nephenee's House

"Hello Ora."

"Heather, don't you look well and good…and clearly very happy." After the pair shared a quick hug Heather turned towards Nephenee's room "Yes Heather, she is still here."

Smiling Heather entered the room "Hey ma."

"Heather…don't you look wonderful."

"I feel wonderful, I trust Ora and her kids took good care of you?"

"Yes…and…the one you love."

"…what?"

"What was her name…the one you love, she took very good care of me."

"Mom, Neph was with me in Melior."

After blinking a few times her mother nodded and smiled "Right it was…her sisters…her sisters that were here. Yes. They took good care of me, a very kind family they are."

Heather smiled and embraced her mother "Are we going back home now?"

Heather shrugged "I would assume so…unless you'd really rather stay here."

"I wouldn't want to be a burden."

Before Heather could speak, Ora appeared "You wouldn't be Glae, we'd be thrilled for you to remain here, the kids love you."

Glae looked at the other older woman then at her daughter "Is that fine with you? I couldn't bear the thought of you living alone."

Heather smiled "I'll be fine. If anything this would make me even happier having people I know, love and trust watching you."

After a few moments Ora asked to have a word with Heather, the two left the home and stood on the dirt roads of Ohma.

"Heather-"

"I didn't do anything, I swear!"

Ora smiled "Whether you did or you didn't…there is something important I have to tell you."

"What?"

"It's Glae…I know what has stricken her, I've seen it before with my husband…and from the time she's been with us…I've seen it grow worse."

Heather shook her head "That's impossible…it shouldn't be getting any worse for another month or two."

Ora smiled sadly "I'm afraid…these things just aren't predictable no matter how revered the opinion you received was."

Heather sat on a bench with Ora joining her shortly.

Heather: …I don't want to lose her.

Ora: No child should ever want to lose their parent…but…these things…they happen. One day or another they happen to everyone.

Heather: Growing worse…that means-

Ora: Heather.

Heather: That means…there could've been a chance that she…left while I was gone.

Ora: She didn't.

Heather: But she could've! And I wouldn't have been here!

Ora put an arm around the younger woman and smiled "You can't think about things like that…in the end you came back to her, you saw her…I'm sure she'll be around as long as she can. One thing is for certain, you love your mother and she loves you. No time is ever right for her to go but I'm certain she knows she'll leave you in good hands…even in her condition she seems to understand best that you are in love and happy."

Despite the older woman's words and the truth behind them, Heather still found herself wanting to cry. Before Nephenee it was just her and her mom, because of…how she was she didn't make many friends and the few she did make turned on her. She wanted to believe that she would be fine with Nephenee, that her mother passing wouldn't affect her too much. But it will.

"Its fine child, you have us." Ora stated as she wiped a tear from Heather's cheek.

Nephenee looked out the kitchen window to see Heather and her mother talking. She wasn't sure what about but that sense she relied on during the war came back to her. It was something bad but she couldn't quite pinpoint how it would affect Heather or herself.

"So Nephie…"

Snapping back to reality Nephenee turned to her sisters who were sitting on the table watching her closely.

"Yeah?"

Nell smirked "Did you two…do something special?"

"W-well we went to Elincia's Winter Reception for the people of Crimea…it was just a…really big party with friends n all that."

Nora pointed at her neck causing Nephenee to blush "Oh, this was a gift…from Heather."

Nell and Nora smiled at each other before looking to Nephenee "Anything else?"

Nephenee coughed and excused herself as Nell called out "A yes or no would tell us all we need to know!"

Hey Neph.

I know I sounded super excited over…you know…it.

I really thought it meant something but…now it's almost as if it never happened…I don't know what to do or say to him.

I keep thinking that to him it was a big mistake…I haven't spoken to him in quite a while. Either I freeze up or he avoids me. I know you're doing great and I'm glad, I just wish I was as lucky. Anything you can think of to help would be…greatly appreciated.

-Mia

Hey Mia

Powerful bad to hear that. I never figured Soren as someone who doesn't take everythin into account when doin somethin. He had to have known that kissin you wouldn't be a one-time thing. Though I don't rightly believe Soren's ever been in a relationship before. Maybe he needs help understandin how it works and figurin out his feelings. I know when I started feelin for Heather I had to do a lot of talkin to myself about what my feelins were. Was I really in love with another woman? What did that mean about me? Maybe Soren's just confused is all, give him a hand, whether he knows it or not he needs it. I couldn't have gotten through my issues without you or Ilyana.

Really hope everything works out.

-Nephenee

Nephenee,

Thanks for everything, after some discussion it seems like we can finally talk to each other again though there is some awkwardness but I'm working to help him out.

Only time will tell but I'm honestly hoping for the best. Who knows? Maybe in the future we can all go out on a double date! Just wishful thinking, but I'd rather write as my positive self than that last pessimistic letter I sent you.

Anyway, my birthday is comin up soon, super excited to see you and Heather again, had a visit planned but we got swamped with some work, which I suppose is a good thing for the money side of it.

Can't wait, see you then!

-Mia

"Double date…that does sound nice."

Nephenee smiled as she folded the letter.

The woman found herself strolling through Ohma just breathing in the fresh and cool air. Every once in a while her hand came to the charm hanging around her neck and her smile grew even bigger.

"Neph? Whatcha doin out here?"

Turning to Heather, Nephenee shrugged "Just thinkin…peace time leaves a lot of time for it."

"About what?"

"Everythin…nothin…" With a small blush Nephenee added "You."

Heather breathed in deeply and looked out over the horizon.

Noticing the sun's placement, Nephenee turned to Heather "You want to come over for dinner?"

Laughing, Heather replied "Why in the world would I say no to that?"

For people who have been fans of my stories or who have read my stories you know what that moment was referencing.

For those who don't, the Soren and Mia reference was pointing to my oneshot Define Christmas, originally written as standalone I am incorporating it into this 'universe' of sorts so I can write a sequel-shot.

I had some ideas to go rewrite portions of Define Christmas to better link it with this story but after some debate (among me, myself and I) I decided to leave it as it is and just focus on the new oneshots on the horizon.

On a totally unrelated note: I got Paper Mario! YAY!