Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Saving Grace ❯ Resolutions ( Chapter 8 )

Author's Note: Gulps. Um I am terribly terribly sorry that this last chapter has taken me so long to finish. I just haven't had time to work on it. Lame excuse I know but it is all I can offer. I hope this chapter is worth the wait. I rather like it. And thank you to everyone who has been reading this fic and patiently waiting for it to be updated. Without you guys's encouragement, none of my stories would ever get finished. ^_^ Please Enjoy.

CHAPTER 8: RESOLUTIONS

The next morning, Mia awoke feeling somewhat groggy but more content than she had in several years. Yawning, she began to sit up without ever opening her eyes, but stilled when she realized she couldn't. She frowned slightly wondering what that delicious warmth was that lay curled around her body, cocooning her. Twisting, she gasped in surprise as she felt the weight that was pinning her to the mattress shift and slide down near her womanhood, and with that gentle caress, her memory of the night before flooded back. She smiled inwardly as she began to stroke the hand that unwittingly cupped her. Turning slightly into the touch, she blinked open her luminescent eyes and met the still smiling face of her lover. She favored the young man with a tender gaze upon her face.

"I hope I helped you last night, Rowen. I don't know what I would do if I ever lost you," she whispered to the still sleeping young man, brushing azure bangs off his smooth forehead before lightly kissing him on the lips. Pulling back from the chaste kiss, she moved out of the teasing grasp that had held her though she wouldn't have minded if she hadn't. Smothering a groan, she never noticed that Rowen was awake until she felt his touch on her face. She gasped as she felt a swirling sensation center low in her belly at that simple gesture, her eyes seeking Rowen's.

Rowen cracked open one blue eye to gaze affectionately up at Mia's sleep tossed features. Her eyes were closed and she looked as f she was in pure heaven. Without even realizing it, he began to lift one hand gingerly, reaching out to trace his calloused fingertips against her satiny soft cheek. "You won't Mia. I was stupid and I realize that now. I mean what would my death have really accomplished? Nothing. It would have only added to your heartache. I am sorry for being so selfish."

Mia shook her head at the archer, her eyes holding a warmth that Rowen had never saw before on the historian's face. It made him feel connected, something he hadn't felt in three long years. How he missed the others and their minds touching his but this . . . This would sustain him for now. He hoped.

Mia arched a well-manicured brow at the archer. She recognized that look of uncertainty he was exhibiting now. It was something she should have picked up on a long time ago. Pulling him close to her still naked chest, she stated, "shhh. Rowen, you're not selfish. You're just you. Too pure." She kissed him gently on the brow before disentangling herself from his embrace. "I have something for you . . ."

Rowen arched a brow at her in surprise. "A present for me?"

"Yes."

Rowen's eyes lit up like a child's does on Christmas morning.

Mia grinned and shook her head at him. "Oh no you don't. I have to get it first, since I left it on my dresser in my room. You be all right alone for a few minutes?"

Rowen gave her an exasperated sigh. "Of course, Mia. I promised you I wouldn't do anything else foolish. Trust me."

Mia sighed. "It's not that I don't trust you Rowen. I do, but I guess I'm still feeling a bit insecure."

Rowen nodded minutely. He could understand where her feelings were coming from. In fact if the shoe had been on the other foot, he probably would have asked her the same thing. "It's okay Mia. I understand."

She smiled faintly at him. "Good. I'll be right back," she said quietly, giving him another quick kiss on the cheek, before gathering a blanket around herself to take off down the hallway.

Rowen watched her go for a moment before grinning like an idiot as he flopped back down on his blue sheets. He could still feel her tucked in under his chin and the sheets were still warm from her touch. Idly, he began to trace the impression she had left in his sheets, patiently waiting for her return.

Mia hurried down the hallway to her room where Rowen's gift lie waiting for him. Pushing open her bedroom door with the flat of her hand, she went over to the dresser where the gift lay just like she left it the night before. Smiling to herself, she picked up the rectangular box and headed back down the hall to Rowen's room, appearing a moment later with the medium sized gift.

Rowen regarded Mia steadily when she reentered his room. The auburn-haired woman was grinning from ear to ear as she held whatever his present was behind her shapely but blanket covered back. Tilting his head sideways, he studied Mia quizzically, thinking that it was unusual for her not to have taken the time to have gotten dressed. It was not like he was planning on moving anytime soon. His body felt depleted of almost all of his energy reserves but still he was content and very satiated. Shaking the errant thought away, he wondered what Mia had thought was so important that it could not wait for her to put her clothes on. She had not even stopped to put on a robe, something Rowen found very intriguing.

Mia shook her head at the image of Rowen, sleep tossed and with a new light that had been long gone from his eyes. She could also see the hunger and desire that was flickering through his blue gaze as he studied her liquid movements. It made her feel lightheaded that she could affect him so much with just her mere body. Briefly she wondered what Rowen would be like when he was at his full strength. It was something that would have to be considered on down the road. But for now, she was pleased to simply watch him as she gave him her gift. Sitting down beside him on the disheveled bed, she handed him the present. "You're glowing," she said softly, reaching a hand up to brush a blue forelock of hair out of his eyes.

"I am?" he asked surprised. He had never even noticed the warmth emanating from his forehead as he gazed at her but she had. She could feel it burn her in its intensity. Pushing the delicious feeling away from her, she nodded at the surprised man. A slight grin slid across her features for the barest of instances, while she picked up a small hand-held mirror that was on his dresser. Holding it up, she let Rowen peer into it.

Rowen looked at his reflection in genuine fascination, spying the blue kanji that was pulsating there. "Life," he whispered in awe.

"Yes, Life. Yours and mine and the others. You are integral part of our family, Rowen. Just as you consider us family, so do we consider you. We are all interconnected to one another. I love you Rowen and I know the others do too. We just have to get them out so that they can tell you."

Rowen smiled sadly. "I know they do, Mia. I know they do. I've felt it through our bonds to one another. No matter how broken the bonds have been lately, that is the one thing that has remained constant."

Mia nodded before gesturing to the box he now held. "So you going to open that or not?"

Rowen looked down startled. He had been so caught up in his kanji flashing that he had almost forgotten about the present he held. "Sure I am, Mia." His hands fumbled with the simple blue wrapping paper.

Mia reached over and gently helped him since he appeared to be having trouble getting his wrists to cooperate. A plain white box was soon revealed with Mia's patience, but on the top was a carefully drawn kanji interlocked with another very familiar kanji. Rowen felt his face heating up in discomfiture as he took in the design. It almost looked like the symbols were copulating. Not an entirely unpleasant idea to his mind. He smirked at the thought before hastily shaking the errant image away. He didn't have time to indulge in idle fantasies, especially not with a warm flesh and blood and very highly attractive woman right in front of him. But still . . . his heart would never belong to her nor hers to him. They each had others that they truly loved. It was just a matter of getting back to them.

Mia grinned at the archer as she saw him absently tracing the pattern she had painstakingly drew over the last several months with his fingertips. "It's pretty good, don't you think?"

Rowen blushed as he looked up at Mia. "Yes . . . but Mia? Who drew it and why?"

Mia shrugged. "I did. As to why, well I don't know. I guess I just liked how your kanji and Sage's fit together. As if you belong to one another."

Rowen gave her a curious calculating look before turning his attention back to the box he held. Pulling the flap open on the box, he gasped in incredulity. "Mia? Where'd you find these?!"

Mia blushed. "Well, the gold chain I have had for a while. I was just waiting for the right moment to give it to you. The other item I found in the hospital gift shop. I thought you would like to have it. Your own little Guardian Angel."

Rowen smiled as he pulled the gold chain out of the wrapping tissue. Placing it around his neck, he held up the charm that was dangling from it. A shooting star with a thunderbolt wrapped around it winked up at him and Rowen felt his heart lighten at the beautiful gift. Turning to the other present, he pulled out the two foot tall kneeling angel with iridescent wings. Her little hands were folded in prayer. Holding it up, he grinned in delight as the angel shifted colors in the morning light. "Mia, thank you. I will treasure them always. But you know . . . I already have a Guardian Angel."

Mia's hopeful expression began to fall but the next words Rowen spoke made her spirits soar.

"You are my Guardian Angel."

Mia, in embarrassment hugged the archer tightly before telling him to get some more rest. He still needed to gain back the strength that he had lost and she knew too that if she stayed one more moment in the room with his smoldering blue eyes, she would fall into them and drown, no matter the consequences. Running a hand through her hair, she stood from the mattress, taking her blanket with her. "I'll bring this back later. You get some more sleep."

Rowen nodded in agreement, gently placing the Angel on his dresser so she could look down at him always. Sliding into sleep, he thought to himself, 'I need to get her something special.' Something she needs, and the one thing that kept coming to his mind was that she needs to get a robe. He never noticed Mia quietly slipping out the door as he fell into dreamland.

A week later, Mia had just stepped out of a steaming shower and was startled to find a soft blue terrier robe with a golden sash hanging on the back of her bathroom door. It was obviously a gift from the archer. Whistling softly to herself, she thought happily, 'I'll have to thank Rowen for the present.' And she knew just how too, after all he was at his full strength again . . . ~

End Flashback:

"So that's how it all happened," Mia said finishing her story, a slight blush staining her cheeks crimson as she remembered the archer's touch and the desire he had inflamed in her. It was nothing compared to Ryo's but still . . . that kind of bond was not easily broken nor did she want it to be.

Rowen hugged her tightly, knowing exactly what she was thinking. "Did I ever thank you for putting up with me?" he asked, kissing her gently on her full rose colored lips.

Mia allowed the kiss, knowing it was Rowen's way of letting her go. A kind of farewell to a part of their lives that they would always remember but that they hoped they would never have to use again. Pulling away from the tender kiss, she gazed into unfathomable blue eyes. "No, but it was all right. And now I see I was right about Sage."

It was now Rowen's turn to blush as he turned away slightly. "Yes. You were right. You were right about everything. In fact it was my love of him that set him and the others free. And when the Temple backtracked us through time, it took the scars too. See?" He held up his hands for her inspection, showing the crystal clear porcelain skin.

Mia rubbed her hands over Rowen's wrists in awe. "I'm so glad you weren't forced to keep those marks. You wasn't you when you did that. You were despondent and heartbroken. It's a blessing that you weren't forced to keep those marks."

"I had thought that too when I first realized the marks were gone but now . . . I don't know Mia. Things are all muddled again."

Mia tilted her head toward the archer before gently tugging on his hand, pulling him down onto the bed with her. "Want to tell me what's going on? What has you feeling this way?"

Rowen looked out the window again. It had finally stopped raining, and the sun was peeping through. However, it did little to lift his troubled spirits. "I don't know why I am feeling this way. I mean, I should be happy and I am. But I just keep thinking that maybe I was right before. That I don't really matter."

A sharp intake of breath coming from the doorway made Rowen and Mia swivel around in surprise. Sage was standing there, shaking his head uncertainly, his heart in his eyes.

"Sage . . . I"

"Don't! Just don't Rowen. I knew something was bothering you, but how can you say you don't matter?! You know you do. You matter to me." The last came out in a choked whisper as Sage turned and fled down the hallway.

Rowen sat frozen to the spot. "What have I done? O' what have I done? SAGE!!!"

Mia shook her head at the scared expression on the archer's face. Reaching for him, she pulled the chain that was around his neck out from under his shirt. "Rowen, did you ever realize why I picked this charm for you? It's not one you can just pick up in any store you know. I had it especially made for you and for . . . Sage."

Rowen blinked. "What? For me and Sage?"

"Yes, Rowen. I knew then that you loved him, and I was pretty sure he loved you. The shooting star is you, Rowen, and the thunderbolt is Sage, always there to protect and defend. See how the thunderbolt is wrapped securely around the star? That's how I see you and Sage. He will always be there for you. Don't try to analyze things too much Rowen. Isn't that what got us into trouble in the first place?" she asked cheekily.

Rowen scowled at her. "I get it. I get it. I'm pushing him away and that's not even what I want. I'm just so confused."

"And what are your emotions telling you?"

"That I should go after Sage."

"Then that is what you should do. Go after him. Talk to him, like you talk with me. Make him understand you the way I do. I know he can if you just let him in. After all, you let me in. I'm quite sure there's room for one more in that there heart of yours."

"You're right Mia. There is definitely room for one more." A glinting on his dresser caught his eye and he turned to give Mia a hug. "After all, I'm his Guardian Angel just like you are mine. I have to make sure he stays all in one piece." He ran out of the room at such a fast clip that it looked as if the hounds of Hell itself were pursuing him as he went in search of the wayward blond.

Mia watched him for a moment, a soft expression on her face as she picked up the angel she had given him so long ago. Touching the angel's face, she whispered gently "thank you for looking after him. Just help him this one last time, please." A soothing breeze seemed to sweep in under the closed balcony doors, and Mia took that as a sign that everything would be all right.

Rowen ran out of the house, his emotions twisting and writhing about his form as he fairly floated above the ground, his feet barely touching as he bounded away in ground eating steps. Unerringly, he headed for the woods behind the manor. He knew exactly where to find the blond swordsman.

About a mile and a half into the woods, there is a small clearing with a stream that runs alongside it. Sage often went there when he wanted to meditate, and now was definitely a time to meditate. Racing across the forest floor, Rowen reached the clearing in record time. He slid to a stop as he saw the hunched form of his lover, sitting among the fall colors. Leaves were on the ground in piles, and Sage was absently scooting more leaves onto the smallest pile.

"Sage?" Rowen called out softly.

Sage's blond head whipped up at the sound. "Rowen, what are you doing here?"

"I came to get you."

Sage shook his head. "No. I think you would be better off going back to the house. Just leave me here. I need to be alone. To think."

Rowen shook his head and moved further into the clearing. "I didn't leave you before. I'm not about to start now. Sage, I'm sorry. I guess I was just feeling insecure. The Temple always did say I thought too much. Gets me into trouble. You know me, open mouth insert foot." When Rowen failed to receive an answer, he knelt beside the swordsman. "Come on, Sage. Talk to me. Yell at me. Anything."

"You never want to talk anymore . . . Why now?"

Rowen sighed and placed his hand on Sage's bent knee. "I was trying to forget, but I couldn't and talking only made it worse, Sage. I began to think of how things were when we first met. It depressed me because I thought I was losing my best friend, and the one person who I had come to rely on when I needed a friend wasn't able to lecture me anymore, because she didn't know how close we really were. I couldn't very well talk to you about you, well you know."

"Why not?"

"I guess I was embarrassed or something. I didn't know how to tell you that I was feeling insecure. You always seemed to think I was strong, even after you knew that I had tried to take my own life. You never saw me as anything else. Sometimes I thought you looked right through me. You don't as much now, but there are still days when I feel all alone in a house full of people."

Sage pulled the younger boy into his arms. "Oh Rowen, I wish you had told me sooner. I never meant for you to feel alone, or to make you think I wasn't seeing you. I was and I am. You're such a bright person Rowen that my heart aches when you are upset. Those times when you thought I wasn't seeing you? I was actually seeing you the brightest. I was seeing how distraught you were that things weren't right. But yet, you tried to hide those emotions from me. It took Mia to get you to open up, to talk. I want to be close to you like that, that's why I have been harping on talking. I wanted you to trust me."

Rowen raised a tender hand to Sage's pale cheek and cupped his face in his palm. "I do trust you, Sage. I love you."

Sage nodded slightly, dipping his head down for a gentle kiss. "I love you too, fly-boy. Just don't ever hide your emotions from me. If you want to be angry, upset, happy or whatever, just show me. I'll try my best to be by you, to help you with whatever is going on. But please don't ever say you don't matter. You matter more to me than you'll ever know."

Rowen hugged Sage briefly before settling back in his arms, the midmorning sun washing over them. "Mmmm. I won't. Now I know what the Temple meant when it told me to remember to follow my emotions. It was right. They will lead me out of my darkest hour. I never should have tried to bottle them up."

"No, you shouldn't have. So are we all right now?"

"Yeah Sage. I think we are. I think we are even stronger now than before. Our foundation has finally been cemented."

Sage placed his head on top of Rowen's and murmured softly, "I just hope Mia's and Ryo's foundation is just as solid as ours."

Rowen turned to regard the swordsman. "Why is that?"

Sage turned away embarrassed. "He was with her when I went to get her this morning. He knows that you and she were lovers."

Rowen blinked and then shook his head in amusement. "You do know that I am a dead man?"

Sage glanced down at him and shook his head. "Naah. I'll always be here to protect you. To be your saving grace."

"Good. Because I am going to need it. Ryo's heading this way."

Sage became absolutely still while he listened to the forest. A soft crunching noise was heard and fluid cursing. "You know, I think you're right. What say you and I high tail it out of here, until his temper cools off?"

"And what did you have in mind?"

"Oh, I don't know. A steamy hot tub in a remote location perhaps and maybe even a warm massage?" Sage idly traced a hand down over Rowen's arm, lightly skimming the well-toned muscles of Rowen's stomach causing the muscles to spasm at his sensuous touch.

Rowen moaned faintly. "Mmmm, are you trying to seduce me?"

"Yes. Is it working?"Sage breathed into the shell of Rowen's ear.

"You had better believe it." Rowen stood grabbing Sage's hand in his and with a slight bit of concentration, a blue bubble formed around the two of them, carrying them high up over the treetops.

Ryo emerged from the dense overgrowth just in time to see the blue bubble streak away toward town. "ROWEN!!!" he yelled, but the blue-haired boy was too occupied with running his hands over Sage's porcelain skin to hear the cry that escaped from his leader's lips.

Ryo in a huff turned around to find Mia standing there with her hands on her hips and tapping her foot. "Uh hi, Mia."

"Don't you 'Uh hi' me, Ryo Sanada. You were going to yell at Rowen over something that was as much my fault as his."

"But Mia . . ."

"I don't want to hear about it. I want you to go back to the house. You will be sleeping alone tonight."

Ryo blinked, realizing just then how in over his head he was. Moving up next to Mia, he whispered in her ear, "do you love him?"

Mia regarded him coolly. "Of course I do, like I love all of you."

Ryo stepped away from her then and started to head back to the mansion, an unreadable expression on his face. But Mia's hand on his arm stopped him. "What?" he asked heartbrokenly.

Mia shook her head at Ryo sadly. "You are so innocent. You know, you and Rowen are a lot alike. He thought the same thing once upon a time. Ryo . . . I do love Rowen, but as a brother only. You are the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. You and only you." She wrapped her slender arms around his waist. "We were only together a handful of times because we were both so desperate for another's touch. You see how he is with Sage. He would die if anything ever happened to Sage. In fact he almost did. If we hadn't been each other's anchors, Ryo we would have both gone crazy. You know he loves Sage and you had better know that I love you."

She punctuated her words with a soul-searching kiss that sent Ryo tumbling to the leaf-strewn ground. Cradling her against him, he said gently "I love you too Mia and I can't wait to make you my wife."

"Me too, love. Me too. But why don't I refresh your memory of how good we are together just the same?"

Ryo raised an eyebrow in question but before he could ask her anything, all thoughts fled as she began to divest him of his clothing. He groaned as he felt his shirt pulled over his head and his jeans were yanked down over his hips. He tossed his head back in carnal desire as he felt her warm slender hands grip him through the fabric of his black silk boxers. The day was definitely looking up and soon all thoughts about a blue-haired archer faded from his mind as he took in the beauty that was soon to be his wife. He swallowed hard as he regarded her in her glory, he had never even realized when she had stripped, so caught up in his emotions was he. The only thing that pulsed in his mind, was "God, she's enchanting" before he was swept away on a tidal wave of passion.

The two of them made love that windswept afternoon in the damp leaves of the clearing, forgetting all about the outside world, while several miles away, Rowen enjoyed a very steamy unique experience in a private hotel hot tub followed by a very sensual massage from his talented double-jointed lover. He and Sage had found positions that he had never thought was possible and had loved every single minute of it. Returning to the mansion, almost seemed surreal. Almost.

But return they did, and what they found made them smile. Obviously Ryo hadn't had that much trouble accepting that the past was just that, the past. The two Ronins had returned home to find Mia and Ryo cuddled together on the couch in front of the fireplace. Mia was securely tucked in beside Ryo fast asleep while Ryo stared into the flickering flames of the fire in front of him. Twin wedding bands lay on the coffee table beside Ryo and Mia winking up at them, ready for the ceremony to be held in a week's time.

Rowen gently touched the raven-haired boy's shoulder, asking a silent question with merely his eyes. With a weary but sated grin, the bearer of Wildfire nodded to the relieved archer, telling him that everything was forgiven if not forgotten. All lessons learned are never to be forgotten especially those that make you see others as they truly are in life.

~OWARI~

Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed this story as much as I did. But I have one question for you all, which would you rather see, a RyoxMia Lemon that goes with this story or the SagexRowen lemon? Or do I really need to ask? Grins. Talk to you all later.