Disclaimer: You know it, I know it… Let's all sing!

            Note: Poor Rena… I'm not doing this because I'm cruel.

            He was pacing back and forth, wondering where Rena was. He felt a pair of hands on his shoulders. "You're gonna wear a hole in the floor. Calm down Claude! I'm sure she's fine!" Ashton said from behind him. Claude shook his head.

            "No… I know something's wrong! She's never gone this long without actually contacting me!" He heard Ashton sigh.

            "You're hopeless you know that?" Claude grinned.

            "Yeah, I know." He then heard footsteps and ran to open it but almost got trampled by Precise and one of her creations. She jumped down from it and ran over to Claude, her face frantic.

            "Isn't your dad dead?" Claude nodded, not like that she brought up a painful memory. "Are you sure?"

            "What are you talking about Precise?" She looked like she was about to explode like most of her creations.

            "I just saw your dad!"

            "WHAT!? This is no time to be playing around Precise!" She glared at him.

            "I'm not playing! On my way over here I saw your father! He was coming this was and he should be here any minute!" Just as she finished her sentence, someone knocked on the door. Claude froze when he heard a cold voice.

            "You little winch! You better not be lying!" His eyes then widened when he heard Rena's voice.

            "What if I am?" She cried out when she got slammed against the wall of the house. Claude gripped his sword tightly and was just about to go out there when Ashton grabbed him on the shoulder and shook his head slowly. Claude gritted his teeth and glared at him but he stood still. The biggest shock came to the group when they heard Leon's voice.

            "Leave her alone!" He started to recite one of his spells and before anyone could stop him, he let it loose. "SHADOW WAVE!" Darkness spread everywhere and Claude and everyone else knew it was their time to move in. The barged through the door, grabbed what they thought where the two smallest figures and ran back inside. When the darkness cleared, everyone grumbled.

            "Great! What are we supposed to do with dumb and dumber?" Precise asked. They were all staring at the two soldiers that had held Leon. Claude sighed, walked over to them and knocked them out with the hilt of his sword. He then heard his father outside.

            "Great… He's recovered." He mumbled.

            "You little brat! What did you do!?" There was a small squeak of pain that everyone could only assume was from Leon.

            "Let him go you freak!" They then heard a large thump of something heavy falling. Claude started to walk to the door but froze when he heard the click of the door opening. He grabbed his sword, stationed himself where he couldn't be seen by the newcomer. He was about to swing but stopped when he saw Rena's blue hair and Leon's cat ears. Claude dropped the sword and threw his arms tightly around Rena, swearing to himself that he would never let her go again.

            "Rena…" He breathed into her hair. Rena's eyes pooled up with tears, happy to be in Claude's arms again but also because he was holding her back. Against her will, she let out a little whimper of pain. He let go of Rena surprised and gasped when he saw the condition she was in.

            "Oh my god…" Everyone surrounded her, murmuring and gasping in pity. She kept her eyes to the floor, just wishing they would stop staring at her and she could heal herself. She then looked up at Claude.

            "That man was looking for you… but… I thought your father was dead!" Claude's lips formed a grim line.

            "That's right, he is. Or at least he's gonna be."

Author: OOOO… The protective lover strikes! Please R&R! I'll keep going but it's gonna be a while.