Disclaimer: The FATE franchise is owned by Type-Moon.

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay. I now work full-time, and go to school full-time.

Rin woke up with a start, to the delicious aromatic smell of tea. She slowly took note of her surroundings, and her situation. She had summoned her Servant, the Archer, and though he forgot himself, he apparently remembered how to serve tea – excellently. She yawned, and checked her alarm clock. It was five minutes until her alarm was set to ring. She grimaced slightly at the thought of sleep that was denied to her, but she got out of bed anyway.

She walked from her room to the serving room, and found Archer sitting lazily on her couch with a smug look on his face.

"Ah, Master. Did I wake you?"

"No. You didn't wake me. I got up of my own accord. A Magus is never late, nor early. They are there precisely when they mean to be."

"Sure, Master. I have prepared tea for your awakening. I was simply taking the time to sample it before intruding upon you."

Archer got up with a flourish, as Rin sat down. She then chose to observe him. He took the teapot, and poured into her favorite cup. As she sat there watching him she realized that his movements were very well-rehearsed, as if this set of actions has been done hundreds of times. He also moved exactly the way that she herself served tea, as her own father had taught her when she was a little girl. Who was this man who seemed so at home in her house?

Her reverie was broken by Archer depositing the cup into her hand. It was very warm, and the smell of it cleared away the fogginess in her mind. After sipping the tea, a tear fell from her eye.

I felt like I was playing a game of emotions. I had prepared tea this morning for Rin, and she broke down crying without knowing why. Understandably she was confused, but I didn't reveal my actions. The tea I chose was her father's favorite, and it was one that they had shared together many times during her childhood. It was something she had confessed to me when we lived in London together, a casual slip from her mind when things were good between us, and I was still learning her exacting way of tea preparation.

After the tea incident, Rin got ready for school, we prepared to leave. The phone rang on our way out. She answered, and with an annoyed voice informed who I can only assume was Kotomine the priest that she had succeeded in summoning me. After that brief exchange, she hung up on the phone rather angrily. It was heartwarming to see her still this way.

We made our way to the school, and it was uneventful. However, after crossing the threshold Rin felt a huge weight upon her shoulders, a sickly stench, a feeling of nausea. There was the bounded field.

"Archer!"

"I can feel it too."

She then continued on to class, and I knew I would hear more from her later. It happened during her lunch break. After ensuring she was alone at the bottom of a stairwell, she explained our plan of attack for later. She couldn't believe anyone would have the audacity to place a field like this at a school.

Our planning was interrupted by a student dropping books. I felt her, then. It was Sakura. I have always had a soft spot for Sakura. She helped me when no one else would. She loved me. She still loved me, even when it resulted in her death. She never wavered. I loved her too, but I think even she knew deep down like Rin did eventually that she could never be what Saber was to me.

Rin wordlessly signaled me to go away, but I stayed and watched the two sisters. Though separated by circumstances beyond them, Rin would try to take care of Sakura however she could. As I watched the two, another image came into my mind of Rin and Sakura. Rin holding Sakura in her arms lovingly. A haunting picture, the result of fighting Caster for her sister. And that reminded me of Caster. She would be a pain to deal with.

I didn't hear from Rin anymore until much later in the evening. Though I have memories that stretch into lifetimes at this point, I've never felt like anything took so long. All I could think on was Saber, and the fact that she would be summoned tonight. Would she remember me? Would she know me? If I can be summoned into the timeline, would she be able to have memories of events that haven't occurred? If she does not remember me, would she let me hug her? My proud Saber, would most likely not. Would she believe me if I tried to explain to her the circumstances of my summoning, and my love for her? Love that has lasted what seems to be centuries, if not millennia? Or would she cut me down if I tried to embrace her? I just want to hold her again. I feel like I've been on this journey forever. I want to rest my weary head on her lap. I….What if she remembers everything, and hates who I've become? What could I do then? I could never strike her down. Though if she provoked Alaya, or my reason for being here, I would. Without a choice. I have no choice. She had already been denied a wish by the Grail once, due to my father. This Grail is corrupt, though no else knows it. She still seeks her own wish. I am so fucked.

The sun had set, and to Rin's knowledge, there were no students left at school. It was the perfect time for her investigation into the bounded field. We made our way to the school roof, where she found a very strange-looking set of runic symbols. As she was disabling it, she asked me if I knew of it. I told her it looked very old, which earned a scowl from Rin. We were then interrupted by a voice from above us. It was Cuchulain. Or as he would be known right now…Lancer.