Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Saving Grace ❯ Talking with Mia ( Chapter 2 )

Arigatou to Wildefyre, Lonely Soldier, Nasuti-san, Lady Dragon Heart and Nightfall. Wildfyre, there is definitely more to this story. Blushes at the nice comments everyone is giving her. Lonely Soldier, I am so glad you are hooked. ^_^ Nasuti-san, I don't know about a sequel to this one. I was mainly writing it to wrap up loose ends but if a lot of people ask, then perhaps. Lady Dragon heart, thanks for the suggestion. Nightfall, I hope this chapter is as good as the last one. Enjoy.

Chapter 2:

Sage walked down the hall to Mia's room and knocked gently. After a minute of silence, he knocked again, this time twice in a row, the signal that it was urgent. A soft thump was heard through the wooden door and then feminine laughter. Sage blushed scarlet realizing just what he was interrupting. He took a hasty step back from the door as if sensing the fire that was aimed there.

Ryo, clad only in a pair of black silk boxers jerked the bedroom door open with a surly expression on his face. "This had better be damn important to be interrupting. . . so. . . early. . . Sage? What's the matter?"

Sage sighed as he watched his leader's ire vanish like an ice cube that has suddenly melted. "Ryo. I'm sorry to interrupt but. . . I need to speak with Mia."

Ryo looked over his shoulder at the darkened bed that shifted slightly. "Sage, she's not exactly ready for visitors. Can't this wait?"

Sage shook his blonde head, his eyes intense. "No. It's about Rowen."

Ryo's eyes immediately widened. He was about to say something to Sage about his inopportune timing when Mia's voice made him freeze.

"Let him in Ryo. I too have been concerned over Rowen's behavior in the last few weeks."

Ryo nodded and promptly pulled his fellow swordsman into the room, shutting the door firmly behind him. "What is going on?" he asked irritated at being rudely interrupted. "And this had better not be about some lover's spat," he muttered under his breath.

Sage flashed him a look that purely said, 'I heard that.'

Ryo just shrugged his shoulders innocently as Sage smiled at him.

Going over to the vanity, Sage sat gingerly on the stool, carefully averting his gaze. He wasn't exactly comfortable with Ryo parading around in near nothingness and Mia still seeped in shadows. He swallowed nervously until he heard Mia laugh faintly.

"Close your eyes, Date. I'll put a robe on so you won't be so embarrassed and Ryo dear, where are your manners?"

"Manners?" Ryo asked confused as he moved towards his soon to be wife.

Mia shook her head slightly and pointed downwards.

Ryo looked where she was pointing and his face flooded with so much color that he almost matched his armor. Hastily grabbing a pair of jeans off the dresser top, the bearer of Wildfire pulled them on. "Uh, sorry man. I wasn't thinking."

Sage waved him off just as Mia said, "all right. You can open your eyes now."

Sage did so and smiled at the two in the room with him. Mia was now wearing a soft blue robe that belted at the middle with a golden sash. Sage blinked as he stared at the robe, surprise evident on his features.

"Sage?" Mia asked concerned.

Sage shook himself out of his stupor and looked at Mia. "Hmmm?"

Mia looked at Ryo in confusion. It was not like the other warrior to be so scattered. "Sage, what is it?" she tried again.

Instead of answering her, the warrior of light asked his own question. "Mia, where'd you get that robe?"

"This?" she asked in surprise. "I don't know. I just found it hanging there in the bathroom one day. Why?"

Sage pointed to it. "Because it has Rowen's kanji embroidered into the sash."

"What?" She looked down and twisted the golden sash up so she could see it. Running through the gold was several threads of blue that she had never really looked at up till now. Gasping, she raised her eyes to meet Sage's. "Oh my. What does this mean?"

Sage shrugged. "My guess, it has something to do with you, Rowen and that Temple we visited a few weeks ago."

"The Temple? But we never went in Sage."

Sage shook his head sadly. "No, you're wrong Ryo. We did go in and that's what has been eating Rowen alive for these last few months. He remembers what happened while the rest of us were in limbo. But Mia here, she shared Rowen's memories or most of them. He needs her, Ryo. He's falling apart without her."

.

Ryo blinked several times, not understanding and Sage didn't have the time nor patience to explain it to him. Turning to Mia, Sage asked almost pleadingly, "will you help me help him?"

Mia looked between Ryo and Sage, uncertainty evident in her clear blue eyes, but she slowly reached out to take Sage's hand. "I will do my best."

The blonde smiled in relief. "Thank you Mia. Come on. I have an idea on how to get you to remember."

Mia allowed herself to be led down the hall to Rowen's room before she pulled the swordsman up short. "But will I want to remember?"

Sage bit his lip as he regarded her. "Mia, Ryo, I won't lie to you. Things are not going to be pleasant but know this, you saved Rowen when he most needed saving. He would have completely self-detonated if not for you and your warmth and caring. Mia, you and he were lovers for a very brief time."

"WHAT!!"

Sage winced at Ryo's shriek. He could almost see smoke pouring off of the fiery tempered Ronin. "Ryo, please. It was a one night thing as far as I can tell and it only happened because they were both desperate for human contact and because well Rowen he. . ."

"Spit it out, Sage!"

Sage glowered at his leader's tone. "He tried to kill himself, Ryo and I fear he may again without Mia's support. We don't have time for this. . . Mia please, if you're gonna help, it has to be now. Today."

Mia blinked. "Today? But why?"

Sage shifted uncomfortably. "Because today is the anniversary of his attempt and your saving grace."

Mia swallowed nervously and nodded. "I told you I want to help and I meant it. Just tell me what to do."

Sage smiled and hooked his thumb at a seething Ryo. "First calm him down while I go tell Rowen you're here."

Mia nodded and went over to calm her fiery lover down.

Sage watched the two of them for a moment before quietly entering Rowen's room. The room was dark and a chill seemed to seep into Sage's bones. He saw Rowen was still in the window seat, his forehead resting against the cool glass, a warm blanket pulled up around his shoulders. "Rowen?"

"Yeah, Sage?" the archer asked tiredly, never moving.

"I brought Mia with me. She wants to help."

Rowen swung around from the window and stared. "No. I don't want her to remember. I don't want her to go through the Hell I am in right now. Forget it Sage. I will just deal with this on my own."

Sage shook his head. "No you will not. If she can help, then let her. Please, Rowen." A slight note of pleading entered the young man's voice. He was becoming terrified of what Rowen might do to himself if his fears began to spiral out of control.

"No, Sage. She doesn't need this, not with her wedding to Ryo coming up soon. Leave her out of this. I don't want her here!!"

"Shouldn't that be my decision, not yours?"

"Mia!! I didn't see you come in."

"Obviously. Rowen, please let me help you."

Rowen shook his head and moved away from her. "No! I'm not worth saving."

Mia froze, her whole body rigid. "What did you say?" she finally asked in a voice that sounded strange to everyone's ears.

Rowen regarded her carefully, "I said I wasn't worth saving. . . Oh damn!!"

"Damn is right, Hashiba!! What did I tell you the last time you got like this? Huh? You can't give up!! You have Sage now, all you've ever wanted!! What are you doing moping around?" She strode over to the windowsill and sat down next to him, placing a gentle hand on his knee.

Rowen turned away from her and looked out the window. The storm was starting to abate but his feelings were still in turmoil. "Mia, I. . . I know I should be happy, but you seemed so different after we came back. You didn't remember anything and that hurt Mia."

Mia pursed her lips in a scowl. "Well I remember some if not all now. You Rowen Hashiba were a mess."

"Gee, thanks a bunch, Mia."

Mia smiled and opened her arms up to him. Rowen took one look at the invite and seemed to melt like butter into those arms. He held her tightly and breathed in the scent of her strawberry shampoo.

"Gods, I've missed this. I've missed you."

"And I you, Blue Boy. I just never realized how much till this moment. Guess the old adage is true, you can't miss what you never have and up till this point I didn't know we had any other relationship besides friendship. Rowen, I am so sorry that you have been going through all this alone. You should have told me!! You too Blondie!! I know you know some of this."

Sage shrugged innocently and backed slowly out of the room. Things had not gone as he had thought it would, but she was remembering nevertheless. Sage just hoped it was a good thing and not a bad thing.

Rowen tilted his head sideways, "no need to apologize. I'm just glad we are back on the same playing field again. Now the only ones clueless are Ryo, Kento and Cye."

Mia nodded thoughtfully. "That's good. I don't think they need to remember how they were entombed for five long miserable years. Speaking of which, what has happened? What is going on?"

Rowen grinned. "Well, I finally broke the spell and the Temple released us. It sent us back to the time where we were first getting ready to enter the Temple. Naturally your memory was wiped as was the others. I was the only one who remembered everything."

Mia sighed and held him tighter. "I am so sorry. . . Forgive me?"

Rowen nodded and hugged her back. "Of course I will, but one thing I have been meaning to ask you. How did you know I needed you that day? Today? And how did you get in? The bathroom door was locked."

Mia smiled as she searched through hazily reconstructed memories. "I just did Rowen. I just did."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~