******
Filia was dusting some pots when she heard the door open up front. She trotted out to meet her customer.
"V-valteira!" She ran to the familiar silhouette and threw her arms around her son. She squeezed him until his back cracked and smothered his face in kisses. Then she checked for injuries. "Oh, Valteira, I'm so glad! Wait until Grabos and Jiras hear-"
"Mom, I need to tell you something."
His solemn voice stopped her. She turned to him, and saw the hardness in his gold eyes.
"I know about Valgarv. Lina had to tell me about it, after my dream...."
"Valteira-"
"No, Mom. Don't. Don't... think about it anymore. At all." He smiled, a grin that split his face and made his cheeks dimple. "I love you. For everything. You believed in Valgarv. I think, he could have loved you. The way I do." He folded her into his arms and held her close.
"That's so sweet! Oh, Zel...." Lina's voice came from the door. "I'm so glad!"
Filia flushed bright red and ducked out of Val's arms. "Lina, Zelgadis! Come in, come in!"
"What about me?" Xelloss asked as he teleported in.
"No!" Lina shouted before Filia could even begin a scream of "Namagomi!"
"We still haven't forgiven you," Zelgadis explained.
"Forgiven him for what?" Filia's brow furrowed. "What did you do this time, Xelloss?!"
"It's my job! You understand, Lina. I have to follow orders after all."
"Even when those orders include killing Val?!!"
"WHAT!?"
Filia's shriek nearly blew the roof off the shop. Val could see the timbers strain to keep it on. The glass in the door cracked, certainly.
Lina and Zel dove behind the counter for cover as Filia screamed Xelloss's name and whipped Mace-sama off her garter. Valteira bolted for the kitchen. Closing the door behind him, he watched as the ruckus in the next room shook the wall, knocking down a small sign. He bent to pick it up.
"Home Sweet Home," he read, and smiled. "No kidding."
***
"NAMAGOMI!!!"
*********
the end.
Finally. This last part was just a cute little scene to wrap things up and get Filia more screen time ^_^ And of course she had to get the last word in.
Please direct all comments to Elise (eigwayne@hotmail.com) until Linatachi get their own emails ^_-
And believe me, this is not the end for our group. It's really just the beginnning.
Special thanks and love to all who reviewed on ffnet or wrote to me about Retry!
