There was a knock at the door and Lola rose from her desk to answer it. "Yes, hello, is there anything I can help you-" she began, but to her surprise she was greeted with a stack of cushions on the other side.

Terra poked her head around the side of the pile, greeting, "Hello, Lola, we're here with the supplies you requested! I'm sorry it took so long, but things have been pretty hectic the past month or so."

"Oh my goodness, Terra, it's so good to see you again! Please, come in!" Lola replied, moving aside to let her through. Terra entered her house with the pile of floor cushions, and she was followed by two men that Lola had recalled accompanying Terra during her previous visits: One tall with dark skin and short blonde hair, the other an older pale man with a black mustache and ponytail. The two men were also carrying crates of supplies that they helped offload in Lola's living room.

Looking everything over, Lola wondered, "Is this... really all for me? Even though I only asked for the floor cushions?"

The dark-skinned man smiled and held out a box of potions. "As you have offered your support to the people of this town, maintaining that role effectively necessitates adequate self-care. We wanted to make sure that you, personally, were sufficiently stocked to succeed in that position."

She took the box of potions slowly and nodded. "Thank you. I do get a bit of a headache sometimes from it... but I do feel like things are getting better. I mean, you've all seen the sky now, right?"

The older, mustached man nodded. "Aye, tis a beautiful sight, Madam. But even clear skies cannot completely lift the fog of despair that clouds men's minds after a tragedy, so thy efforts here are still very much needed."

"How have things been going?" Terra wondered, helping Lola to arrange the cushions. "Are you feeling overwhelmed at all?"

"A little..." Lola admitted. "I wanted to do what I could to help, but sometimes other people's problems were more than I felt like I could handle. I didn't want to fail them, but sometimes I did feel like I was failing them if I couldn't immediately help them feel better." She shook her head. "But even if things don't get better right away, I can definitely still sense a gradual improvement, I think."

She took a deep breath, then wondered with a smile, "So, what about you, Terra? You said things have been hectic and it's been over a month since I saw you last. If you have anything you want to talk to me about, I'm eager to listen."

"Oh, well, we are a little busy, but..." she began, looking to her companions.

The dark-skinned man smiled and sat down on one of the floor cushions, "But a visit with a friend is always welcome."

The older man concurred, "Aye, with our prior correspondence having ceased, I was feeling quite anxious to check on how Miss Lola was faring these days."

He suddenly went stiff with an expression of embarrassment. Lola was momentarily surprised, but then smiled and extended her hand to him. "Then if it's all right, might I know the name of whom I should be addressing letters to in the future should that correspondence resume?"

He made a bluster of a grumble through his mustache, then tentatively took her hand. "Cyan Garamode of Doma, My Lady. I do terribly apologize for my presumptuous behavior prior."

She shook her head and sat down on the cushions. "No, I... I appreciate it. With Wes gone, I thought I was completely alone. But thanks to you, I knew there was someone out there who still cared enough to want me to continue to carry on. And so I wanted to pass that feeling on."

Lola looked up to the other man and added, "And I'm also thankful for your help from before. You were the one helping Terra search for General Leo, right? Have you made any progress?"

He blinked at her, then chuckled and extended his hand warmly. "I apologize that I was not in a position to properly introduce myself to you last we met." He took her hand, saying, "My name is Leo Cristophe, former general of the Gestahlian Imperial Army."

Lola's face flushed, her eyes widening as she slowly sat back, releasing his hand. "Wait, you're... General Leo? But... but before, you were..."

He shook his head. "When we met before, I was not General Leo. And... even now, though I have re-accepted the name, memories, and responsibilities... I perhaps still am not the same 'General Leo' as I was when Corporal Janson served under me. You had forgiven me for my actions back then, but I still feel it is only right that I apologize. I may have done my best to treat Corporal Janson well, but that still does not change the fact that he was essentially my prisoner."

Lola nodded. "I understood that, and so did Wes... And it's true, I do blame the Empire for taking him, and Kefka for losing him... but if it had been anyone besides you taking care of him, I would never have heard from him again at all. You probably had to do a lot of things you didn't want to in order to keep yourself in a position where you could do that... and we were both glad that you did."

Leo gazed at her solemnly, then bowed his head. "Thank you for your understanding, Miss Lola. You have respectable wisdom." Raising his head again to meet her eyes, he concluded, "I see that you will make a fine counselor."

Lola blushed again, holding her hands in her lap. "Really, it was reading Wes's accounts of you that inspired me to do it." Taking a deep breath to clear her head, she added, "But I'm glad to see that you're all right. With the way both Wes and Terra talked about you, it would have been a tragedy for the world to have lost you. So are you mostly focusing on relief work now?"

"Well, we're spread a little thin at the moment," Terra admitted. "There's a new baby in Mobliz now and one of us usually needs to stay in town to help with taking care of it while the other is out clearing out monsters, running supplies, or negotiating with other countries for aid. We've got Setzer providing transport with the airship now, though, which has helped immensely, and Locke and Celes have taken over aid to Kohlingen. We're slowly gathering other people to help, though. Leo was able to recruit a few people out of the Coliseum for monster hunting, for example."

Leo nodded, adding, "Yes, one of my former soldiers was there, alive but a little lost, just like many others. But I feel that we're slowly helping to bring people around to the idea that the world will go on, and things will get better, but it will take all our efforts to make it so."

"And that's why we wanted to especially thank you for what you've been doing," said Terra. "I need to get back home soon to help with the baby, but I wanted to come out here at least for this delivery so I could see you again and offer my gratitude. Plus it's been a while since I've gotten to go on a field trip like this with Leo," she added, hugging his arm and sharing a smile with him.

"Yes, thank you for coming and it's great to see you again, Terra! But I understand if you have to go," Lola affirmed. She stood and held Terra's hands, saying, "And I'll do my best, too, and put all these supplies you've brought me to good use. If there's anything else I can do to help you, please let me know. If you're in Mobliz, I am quite familiar with writing letters to there, if you want to keep in touch."

Terra grinned. "I'd like that very much!"

Lola looked to Cyan and wondered, "And what would be the best way to keep in contact with you, Mister Cyan? Are you still in Doma?"

Cyan flushed and ruffled his mustache. "Um, er, well..." He coughed into his hand, then admitted, "I was actually hoping to provide thee with more than words of assurance, which is why I requested to accompany Sir Leo and Lady Terra today." Turning to Leo, he stated, "Sir Leo, I am wholly grateful for thy efforts in sustaining Maranda and Miss Lola's health this past year. However, such is not a burden thou must bear alone. If thou wouldst permit it, I should like to take a more active role in overseeing Maranda's reconstruction and growth. I am done with mourning the dead and must place my focus on those still living."

Leo bowed his head. "Your offer is truly generous, Sir Cyan. I would be honored to leave Maranda in your capable hands." Looking to Lola, he added, "That is, of course, if Miss Lola is agreeable to it."

"Of course I'm agreeable to it!" she replied. "Thank you, Mister Cyan, I look forward to being able to converse with you at greater length than a single sheet of paper can hold."

He made another mumble, then bowed before exiting the house. Leo and Terra exchanged another round of farewells with Lola before following him. Once they were outside, Terra concurred, "Yes, thank you so much, Cyan, for offering to help with this. The more people we have, the less strain there is on any individual."

Cyan nodded, looking at the two of them wistfully. "Aye... But more importantly, the two of thee have a family to support, and I see that this work is often keeping thee from it." Shaking his head, he noted, "Separating a person from their family is a fate I wouldst not wish on my most hated enemy." Lifting his eyes to Leo, he quickly added, "Which thou most certainly art not. I bid the two of thee cherish the time thou hast together with each other and thy children, as thou can never be certain of when thou might lose it."

Leo stood up straighter, his eyes misting. "Sir Cyan, I..."

"Wallowing in regret and guilt will only sap the time thou hast left, Sir Leo. By my wishes, thou shalt engage in no such thing," Cyan requested, shaking his head.

Leo inhaled, nodding, before bowing and responding, "I thank you for your graciousness, Sir Cyan of Doma. I will honor your wishes."

"And I wish thee the best, Sir Leo of the Empire," Cyan replied.

Leo looked to Terra with a smile and took her hand. "Though I shall never forsake my homeland... it is 'of Mobliz' now..."

Cyan chuckled. "Very well, then... Sir Leo of Mobliz."

Leo sat at the table in the underground storage area in Mobliz going over the latest correspondences from around the world, a record softly playing in the background. Sitting at a desk in a dimly-lit room doing paperwork while listening to music... there was a comforting sort of familiarity to it. Kohlingen had set up a supply route between itself and Figaro, which could ferry goods between them and South Figaro, which could in turn connect with Nikeah by boat. Locke and Celes had been handling overseeing the Kohlingen continent while the two Figaro royals were managing the South Figaro continent. With Cyan stepping up to look after Maranda, that lifted some burden, but without a direct shipping port on the continent and three cities to serve, they were still heavily reliant on Setzer's airship. Tzen and Albrook still lacked a dedicated team, and Mobliz was too remote for a regular supply line and still relied solely on Leo and Terra returning with provisions.

It was Terra's turn to leave this time, and she was currently in Figaro negotiating a request for aid from the king in reconstructing and improving Mobliz's infrastructure. She had originally been nervous to act as an ambassador, but she had also recognized that perpetually deferring to Leo's expertise wouldn't improve her own competence if she never made the attempt herself, and she already had better rapport with the Figaro king than Leo did, anyway.

There was a soft thump of footsteps coming down the stairs, and Katarin entered the chamber carrying a baby in a sling across her chest. "Hi, I hope I'm not disturbing you," she ventured. "You've received another letter."

"Oh, it is certainly no disturbance, especially not from my littlest visitor," Leo replied, standing up to walk over to her. He leaned down to grin at the baby sleeping comfortably against her chest. "How are you doing, Noel? Are you feeling better now?"

"Heh, he finally stopped crying after he got something to eat, and he's been quiet for now. Duane's taking the opportunity to take a nap himself and I didn't want to disturb him in case Noel woke up and started crying again."

"What about you; are you in need of a break?" Leo wondered a little eagerly. "If he just ate, I can watch him for a while."

"Oh, would you?" Katarin requested. She undid the sling and carefully passed the baby over to Leo, who took him gingerly in his hands.

Noel started to squirm and moan a little, but Leo quickly whispered, "Oh, no, shh, it's okay. It's just me, your Uncle Leo. I'm going to look after you for a bit while your Mama gets some rest, okay?" he cooed while tying the sling around himself. The baby bubbled a little bit of drool between his lips and then fell back asleep.

Both Leo and Katarin relaxed, and Katarin handed the letter to him as well. "Oh, right, your mail. For some reason, this letter smells really nice."

Leo took the letter in interest, and confirmed that there was indeed a pleasant scent coming from it. "Mint...?" he wondered curiously. He opened the letter and read it over.

Dear Leo,
I was thinking about how Lola and Wes used to write each other letters while they were apart and thought it would be fun to write you one! Also, I wanted to give you an update on how things are going in Figaro. Edgar won't be able to spare any engineers for a while since right now they're focusing on getting a port built near Narshe so they can send soldiers and supplies there to liberate it from the monster infestation and make it livable again. However, he's collecting books for me from the Figaro library and has set me up with his chief architect to teach me a few hands-on basics to bring back to Mobliz with me. There's a lot to take in, but I hope it will still help until Figaro can send a full construction crew.
Also, while the architect was showing me around Figaro's engine room, I found this mint tea in their storage and thought of you, and they said I could have it. The matron said that mint tea is supposed to help you sleep, so I'm sure Duane and Katarin might appreciate it as well! Please share!
I should be home in a few days with the books and some tools. I can't wait to see you again and show you what I've learned. Say "hi" to baby Noel for me!
Love, Terra

Katarin peered up at him while Leo gazed at the packet that had come with the letter with a bashful grin. "Oh, my, are you blushing?" she giggled. "It's nice to see an Imperial soldier getting love letters delivered to him in Mobliz again, this time under much better circumstances, too."

Leo cleared his throat and absently rocked the baby tied to his chest. "Ah, yes, this was... quite a pleasant surprise..." he admitted. He brought the tea packet to his nose and inhaled deeply, then exhaled with a contented smile. Lingering on the feeling a moment longer, he then turned to Katarin, prompting, "Anyway, shall I make us some tea?"

Terra wiped the dirt off her hands and the sweat off her brow, standing up and looking over their handiwork. "All right, I think we followed the instructions in that book exactly, didn't we, Jeanne?"

"There were a couple parts that were confusing, but yeah," Jeanne confirmed.

"Ooh, ooh, can I test it out, pleeeease?" said Isabel, bouncing up and down. "I helped build it, after all."

"Yes, you were a very big help," Terra confirmed. "Why don't you give it a try?"

Isabel rolled up her sleeves and gripped the lever on the pipe protruding from the ground next to the house and pulled down on it. There was a screech of metal and a puff of dust out of the opening in the pipe. She pumped the handle a few more times, and eventually there was the sound of bubbling and sputtering, and suddenly the end of the pipe spit out a glob of mud followed by a stream of water.

"It works!" she and Terra both exclaimed together, holding hands and dancing around.

"Oh, wow, so with this we don't have to drag water up to the house with buckets, we can just pump that lever and fill them right here next to the door?" Duane confirmed, observing the results while rocking Noel in his arms. Noel was awake this time and was staring at the pile of mud in abject fascination. "There used to be a well in the center of town, but it was destroyed by Kefka. But we'd still have to haul water back to the house from it, so this is a great improvement even from that."

"So is this what Papa had back where he was from?" Jeanne wondered.

"Mm, not quite," Terra said, trying to remember what sorts of things she'd seen in the Vector palace during her short time there during the banquet. "They had water coming directly into the buildings and it was already cleaned and even heated. They also had some kind of system for taking away waste water, too. But that wasn't technology Figaro has so this is the most we can do with what we have right now. But this is still much better, right?"

"Yeah, that thing you brought back that digs holes all by itself was neat!" Charley said excitedly. "It digs even better than the dogs!"

A bird flew overhead and landed on the post next to the house, a letter tied to its leg. "Oh, we have mail!" Terra observed, removing the letter and giving the bird a little pat before sending it back on its way. Looking at the seal, she grinned a little giddily when she noticed, "It's for me!" Opening it excitedly, she read it over.

Dear Terra,
I write to inform you that Narshe has been secured. No casualties reported among the Figaro troops. A supply route is being constructed between the city and the coast to further movement of provisions and displaced citizens. x(Awaiting further orders)x Sorry, habit.
I don't have much experience writing personal messages, but yours was very nice and I wanted to try sending one, too. I also wanted to send you a present, and after liberating Narshe we found something that I think you all will like. In the cold storage in the caves was a trove of seeds. These are going to become a high commodity therefore I wanted to ensure some made it back to Mobliz ahead of me. I hope your water pump project was successful and I look forward to seeing your progress when I return. I expect it may be one or two weeks yet before I am able to leave and will keep you updated if that changes.
Thinking of you daily.
x(Leo Cristophe, GEN IGF)x Love, Leo

Terra held a hand to her mouth to suppress both a snicker and tears of happiness. His writing style was so stilted and formal even in a love letter and his penmanship was so much more refined than hers, but she found it absolutely endearing. She carefully detached the packets of seeds that he had included with his missive, each one labeled with its contents.

"So did Papa send you something nice?" Isabel wondered curiously.

Terra grinned and crouched down, showing the children the seed packets. "He sent us seeds to plant! We're going be able to have all sorts of new greenery and flowers and fresh vegetables now!" Lili was excited about the flowers while Ivan was rather nonplussed about the vegetables. Terra pointed out two seed packets labeled "onion" and "celery" to Isabel and Jeanne, adding, "And it looks like now we're going to be able to make that Rice and Beans recipe for real."

Terra sat at the counter in the underground storage going through paperwork, the record player serenading her in the background. Managing the worldwide supply chain was still daunting, but there were some experiences from her time in Mobliz that she was unexpectedly able to put to great use to this work. Most of the letters were to inform them of what items were in greatest need in each region, and this information would then be forwarded on to the monster hunting teams to instruct them which monsters to hunt. And it just so happened that all of those monster books in Mobliz turned out to be handy guides as to what items could be poached from which monsters, as well as where to find them. Well, where to find them in the old world, at least.

Terra headed upstairs and outside to attach a set of instructions to a carrier pigeon and send it on its way. As she watched the bird fly away into the clear, blue sky, she slowly lowered her eyes towards the horizon across the sinkhole towards the forest. There, she caught sight of a figure in a long green coat standing at the edge of the forest and beckoning her with his hand.

Terra's throat swelled and she broke into a wide grin as she hurried across the strip of land around the sinkhole to meet him. He opened his arms and she practically launched herself against him, wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing him tightly. "Welcome home!" she cooed excitedly, pressing her face into his collar and deeply inhaling his scent. Oh, she'd missed this scent.

Leo returned the gesture, holding her snugly and burying his face in her hair, also taking a long, deep breath. "It's good to be home..." he whispered, his shoulders sagging with contentment. Smiling into her hair, he added, "And it looks like I may be here for a while..."

"Oh?" Terra questioned, pulling back to look up at him with a tentative smile. "Hopefully it's because something good happened."

Leo laughed and led her towards the forest. "A few things, actually. I have secured contacts with a number of engineers in Narshe and Figaro, and they are open to scheduling a consultation to see what additional infrastructure repairs and improvements can be made here. However, I certainly want everyone to be present as I don't want them making any changes to this town that the residents don't all approve of. Jidoor has also requested a shipping port be constructed there, and their location makes them ideal to serve as a hub between Albrook and South Figaro, which will open the Southern Continent to greater ease of goods transport."

"Oh, that is good news!" Terra agreed. "It will certainly lighten Setzer's load. I think he's starting to miss his old carefree lifestyle a bit."

"Heh, I think all of our air carriers deserve a break, actually," Leo noted. He whistled between his fingers into the forest and was met with a "Wark!" in response. Orcus strutted into view and bobbed his head excitedly, then turned around and made a few more squawks back into the trees. Another chocobo, this one with the typical yellow plumage, poked its head around the trees with a tentative "Kweh?"

Terra held her hands to her mouth to unsuccessfully suppress a grin. "Oh my gosh... does Orcus have a girlfriend?!"

Leo nodded and rubbed Orcus's neck. "Orcus has done great work this year, but I believe I should follow Sir Cyan's example and make some adjustments to my travel schedule to allow him to spend time with his family." He smiled back to Terra. "And, of course, so that I can spend more time with mine."

Terra bounced a little giddily and hugged him again, then looked over Orcus's back towards the shy yellow chocobo peeking from behind the trees. Giggling, she noted, "It looks like you've found yourself a wonderful chocobo, Orcus. I wish the two of you the best." Settling down[-p, she blushed slightly, adding, "And if you end up having any babies, I'd love to meet them."

Orcus gave her a coy look and nibbled her hair with a coo before turning to rejoin his friend in the forest. Terra smoothed her hair out as she watched them leave, then looked up at Leo, saying, "I don't speak chocobo the way Gau does, but... I swear he just said 'you too'."

Leo's face snapped flush and he stammered, "Oh! Well, um... is that... something you were even considering?"

Terra rubbed her arm bashfully, looking to the side. "Well, I have thought about it sometimes, yes. But with as busy as everything has been, it never seemed like a good time to really bring it up." Looking back up at him, she confessed, "But, you know... Jeanne and Isabel are really becoming pretty self-sufficient, and they're helping out a lot around the house and with the other children, too. And if we don't need to leave to personally run supplies or fight monsters or conduct diplomatic arrangements as much anymore... and if our housing situation gets improved, then..." She raised her eyebrows at him hopefully. "What do you think? Did... you want to have children?"

Leo swallowed, the warmth in his face spreading. Straightening up, he stuttered, "Well... yes, it is certainly a notion I have entertained. I had been worried that since I had never actually taken care of children before that perhaps I had an overly-romanticized notion of it, but my past few months here looking after Noel and the older children has made me fully understand that..." He shook his head with a sheepish smile. "... I want one. However, I was afraid that voicing my desire might put undue pressure on you when this is a decision you should absolutely be making for yourself. But... if this is something that you also want, then..."

Terra nodded, taking his hands. "It's been so rewarding helping people grow and recover from everything that's happened. And I thought how nice it would be to help someone grow right from the very beginning..."

"To help them discover their potential in this new world..." Leo added wistfully.

Terra gave him an endearing smile, but twirled her finger in her hair with a bit of hesitation. "But like you said about worrying about over-romanticizing it, I have seen how much it's worn Duane and Katarin out, and I know that in order to have children we'd need to... make love... And while I've been curious about it and know conceptually what we need to do, I've never..." She blushed awkwardly.

Leo let out a warm breath and squeezed her hands. "This is something we absolutely can and should take our time with. Just because we've had this conversation now doesn't mean we need to act immediately." He cleared his throat and looked absently off into the trees. "And it's something I'm going to have to gradually work up to as it is. I may not be completely without experience, but it has been a good many years..." He looked back to her with a twitch of a smile. "But I think that clumsily feeling our way through this together may make it more enjoyable."

Terra lifted herself up on her toes to give him a soft kiss on the lips. "I look forward to it."

"Mama! Papa! Wake up!" Lili exclaimed, bouncing excitedly and shaking the large lump under the bedcovers.

Leo inhaled and rolled over, blinking hazily at her through half-lidded eyes. "Good morning, Lili..." he greeted through a yawn.

Terra draped herself over his shoulder, her hair an intricate tangle. "Is it time to get up already?"

"No, everyone else is still asleep," Lili informed them happily. "But I just couldn't wait to check on my seed again! And this morning it finally sprouted!" She raised her arms in the air enthusiastically.

"Oh!" Terra and Leo said in unison, becoming quite a bit more awake at that information.

Lili ran to the door and jogged in place next to it. "Come see! Come see!"

Leo sat up in bed and pulled on his shirt and boots while Terra re-adjusted her tunic and straightened her hair. "It's been over two weeks since we planted those, so I was getting worried they weren't going to come up," Terra said as she slipped on her shoes.

They followed Lili outside to the garden behind the house where she continued to bounce. "See?! See?!"

And as she had said, it wasn't just her seed that had sprouted, but tiny fresh green tendrils were poking out of the ground all in a line. Terra crouched down, noticing, "Oh, the gysahl greens are starting to come up, too! That's perfect timing for Orcus and his new family!" She looked up at Leo with wavering eyes, biting back a grin. "Life really is coming back, Leo!"

"Indeed..." he concurred with a warm smile. "When the contractors and engineers get here, we're going to have to make sure they don't disturb this fragile new life."

As if in response to his statement, there was a whirl of propellers overhead and the airship sailed slowly into view, rotating and landing just outside of town. A ramp was deployed and dozens of builders from what looked like every country began unloading tools and materials.

Terra and Leo approached the airship as Edgar disembarked. "Good morning, General! Terra! We've reviewed the plans for the repairs and improvements you requested and are ready to start as soon as everything is set up."

Terra looked around at the numerous workers, saying in surprise, "This many? Leo said he'd been communicating with a few contractors but I didn't realize how many there were."

"This number actually surprises me as well," Leo agreed. "Your Majesty, where did all of these workers come from?"

Edgar gave him a knowing look and a smirk. "General, you are far too modest. When the call went out to assist General Leo in rebuilding his home of Mobliz, we had volunteers from all over the world eager to help. The influence of your work has reached far and wide, and people are all too happy to return the favor."

Sabin came out from behind him, flexing his arms. "I'm here for some heavy lifting! ... And to check in on my friends," he added with a grin, putting his hands on his hips. "You two are looking good!"

Gau suddenly sprang up out of nowhere. "Gau come, too! Mobliz get separated from Veldt, but Mobliz still part of Veldt. Gau help Terra! Gau help General! Gau help Mister Thou!"

"No, Mister Thou is still on the airship," Sabin responded in slight annoyance.

"Oh, Cyan came, too?" Terra wondered.

"Everyone came," Locke confirmed, approaching with Celes. "Once more and more people started volunteering, we decided, you know, maybe we should have a big reunion or something. It's been six months since we were all together to fight Kefka, after all."

Celes nodded. "And we've got some things for you. Edgar made a request of my knowledge of the Empire and Locke's treasure-hunting skills to sift through the remains of Kefka's tower to see if we could salvage any Imperial knowledge or technology that would help further the restoration of the world." She nodded to Leo, confirming, "You're right that the Empire's methods were brutal, but its airships and machines could really help us."

"Just as long as it is only the technology and research you are taking," Leo requested. "The removal of any surviving personal artifacts from that site I feel would constitute grave-robbing... unless your intent is to return them to their owners."

"Heh, well, yeah, that's one of the reasons we came out here," Locke admitted. He pulled out a burned and battered sword and held it out to Leo. "We found this pretty close to the top of the rubble. I'm pretty sure it's yours."

Leo gasped, gingerly taking the sword from his hand. "Yes... this is indeed my Crystal Blade... I left it embedded in Kefka's chest when we defeated him, but considered it a worthwhile sacrifice. I am surprised that it survived." He gazed at Locke in gratitude. "Thank you for returning this to me... Even though it likely is no longer suitable for battle, I am grateful to have a relic of my home."

Celes stepped forward and held out a tattered book to Terra. "And I know you didn't really have any personal attachments in Vector, but we still found this and thought maybe you'd like to have it."

Terra took the book curiously and carefully opened it in an attempt to preserve the integrity of the pages. Inside she found drawings and informational text concerning all of the Espers that had been held in the Magitek Research Facility. Her eyes widening, she flipped through the pages until she found an image of Maduin, her father, his likeness preserved there on the paper even now that his Magicite remains had vanished. Her eyes watering, she lightly stroked her fingertips over the page while whispering, "Thank you..."

Leo looked over her shoulder at the page, nodding in approval. "Thank you, both of you. These are truly wondrous gifts." Swallowing and turning his eyes hopefully back to Locke and Celes, he wondered, "Did you... happen find anything else of mine?"

Celes shook her head. "No, that sword was the only thing of yours we could salvage. I know you had your whole music collection in Vector, but there was absolutely nothing left of that, or anything else that had been in your office or quarters."

"Ah..." he responded. "Still, that you have been able to return even this much to us is more than we could have ever hoped to have asked for."

"Now hold it right there!" came a loud and shrill voice. Relm and Strago toddled up to them, Relm crossing her arms and puffing out her cheeks. "You buffoons are missing the big picture here!"

Strago coughed, then held out a rectangular object covered in a cloth towards Leo. "Yes, well, what my granddaughter is trying to say is that she has brought you a gift as well."

"For me?" Leo questioned, tentatively taking the object. Relm was someone he'd had scant little interaction with, so he had little idea of what she could possibly want to give him. He slowly removed the cloth from the rectangular object, and upon seeing it, covered his mouth with his hand with a pronounced choke and stumbled backwards. "This... where did you get this?!"

Relm pointed at her head. "From right here," she informed him. "We found that painting while we were in Kefka's tower, but it was pretty badly damaged and it looked like someone had scribbled on it. But I'm the world's greatest artist, after all, so I was able to memorize the original details and reconstruct it after we got out."

Terra leaned over to look at the painting in Leo's hands. It was an image of him, though much younger, yet nevertheless standing at stiff attention in a manner that was quite familiar to her. But seated in front of him was an older woman with smooth, dark skin, curly brown hair, and a soft expression. Terra let out a small gasp and wondered, "Leo, is... that your mother?"

He squeezed his eyes shut and nodded, his hand still covering his mouth. "Emperor Gestahl was an avid painting collector and had a portrait commissioned of each of his highest-ranking officials. As my mother was my greatest support through my early years, I asked that she also be present for mine. After she died, this painting was... all I had left of her."

Relm fidgeted a little. "Well, I mean, I know what it's like not having your mom and only remembering her through a memento. So I thought, I dunno, maybe you'd like that, too."

Leo nodded and wiped his tears away. "Thank you, Relm, this truly is the greatest gift you could have given me. I apologize profusely for any unfavorable thoughts or comments I may have had towards you in the past. You are a most considerate person."

"Heh, well, yeah, I mean... plus I thought Terra would like to have a picture of you from when you were actually kinda hot," she added.

Leo was silent a moment, then simply repeated, "... A most considerate person."

Relm nodded, considering that transaction complete, and ran off to play with the dogs. Leo sighed, then turned back to gaze at the painting fondly. Terra hugged the book of Espers against her chest and joined him, bumping her head against his shoulder and commenting, "I guess this means that now the children will get to know more about their grandparents."

A warm grin spread to Leo's face. "That is true. And also... I feel that my mother was likely often lonely due to my extended absences. But at least now she can watch over a household that is always full of family."

"Aye, being surrounded by family is a wonderful thing," came Cyan's voice.

Leo looked up from the painting to greet the Doman retainer. "Sir Cyan, it is good to see you again. I hope that your work in Maranda has been fruitful."

"That it has," Cyan conceded with a smile. "Miss Lola has been of great support to the effort as well, which has allowed plentiful time for rest and conversation. It is through these efforts that I am finding my place of belonging and purpose again, so I thank thee, Sir Leo, for offering me this opportunity, and Lady Terra for assisting me in overcoming my reservations."

"You're welcome, Cyan," Terra said with a smile. "It's so good to see you doing well."

Cyan stretched his neck to look over her shoulder at the numerous children curiously running around inspecting the equipment that was being laid out, with a few of them asking dozens of questions while Duane and Katarin tried to keep the younger ones out of the way. With a bright smile, Cyan noted, "I see thy young ones are also doing well. I had yet to have the opportunity to visit Mobliz in this world and was eager to meet them."

"Of course, you're welcome to visit any time," Terra agreed. "And I think it would do the children good to be able to socialize with new people. Hopefully they don't get too overwhelmed with so many here at once, though."

Cyan nodded. "And as I am... perhaps not the most skilled in tool usage and thus can only provide limited assistance to the construction efforts, I felt instead that if thou needest any assistance in watching over the children during this project's commotion then I am willing and eager to provide mine." With a smirk, he added, "And thou art also free to call on me for the same in the future if the two of thee are in need of an excursion. I recall Lady Terra lamenting that she missed doing so."

Leo and Terra both blushed. "Oh! Well... that is certainly a kind offer, Sir Cyan, but we have certainly been able to spend more time together at home these past few weeks thanks to your continued assistance in Maranda."

"Yeah, but you don't want to be homebodies all the time, right?" said Setzer, strolling up to them. "I recall you speaking quite fondly of your musical interests in Kefka's tower. And I just so happen to have quite the history with the Jidoor Opera House, and when I stopped by there recently it came to my attention that the Impresario is quite in your debt." He held out a pamphlet to Leo, stating, "He asked me to pass this on to you."

Leo took the pamphlet with a flustered pursing of his lips, then opened it to look it over. "This is... the performance schedule for the next year. And..." He swallowed with a blush. "... A pair of VIP lifetime passes..."

"What does that mean?" Terra wondered with a tilt of her head.

Leo chuckled in embarrassment. "It seems it means that should the desire and favorable circumstances arise, we can go to the opera whenever we wish."

Terra's eyes widened and she leaned over to look at the pamphlet. With a small squeak, she bit her lip and looked up at Leo hopefully. "They're doing The Lion and the Sorceress next month."

"Heh, your previous expressed interest in seeing that one has been stirring in the back of my mind for a while," he said with a smile. He read the pamphlet in greater earnest, and when he got to the bottom he let out a slight choke. "Wait, their final show of the season is... Orco e Delphina." He squinted to ensure he was reading that right. "I have never seen that on their schedule before..."

"Maybe having them perform it for us helped them to realize that its themes of hope after loss shouldn't be kept so obscure," Terra wondered. She fidgeted back and forth with a grin. "So... what do you think?"

Leo's face warmed as he looked up from the pamphlet to Setzer and Cyan. "I think... we are going to be making good use of Sir Cyan's offer to watch the children."

Repairs to Mobliz took about a month, with the existing houses being renovated and several new ones added. The children all gained above-ground bedrooms and their own beds, an office wing was added to the post office for greater efficiency, and a windmill was constructed on the seaside cliff and connected to Terra's pumping system to provide a steady flow of fresh groundwater to the town. While the secrets of the Empire's intricate plumbing technology had yet to be unlocked by the Figaro engineers, Terra and the others were still plenty excited by what they'd gained.

Terra folded clothes and put them in a dresser while she watched some of the children play in the new play area outside the window. Living in a place where light could stream in... It felt so foreign to her, but nevertheless so... right. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, then let it out slowly as her lips pulled into a contented smile.

Leo quietly approached behind her, slipping his arms around her waist and leaning down to give her a soft kiss on the shoulder. She shivered pleasantly, leaning back into him and tilting her head up to look into his eyes. "Hey..." she grinned up at him. "Everything all set?"

He nodded once. "The warm water and cold water tanks are full so that should be sufficient until we get back. Meal prep ingredients have been left out in the kitchen, and the training equipment has been put away for now. Duane is making progress but I still don't want him trying to use it without supervision."

Terra regarded him thoughtfully. "What about me? Am I... getting stronger?"

Leo nuzzled the top of her head. "You already had the benefit of some combat training prior so your starting points are unequal. And refining an existing skill shows a much more granular level of progress then initially learning the skill outright." He ran his fingertips along her arm. "But I can definitely feel the improvement in your motor control."

She relaxed into him and stroked his cheek. "I'd been so reliant on magic my whole life, that it's still... scary without it sometimes. Knowing that I could fall or get injured or freeze and not be able to stop it..." She closed her eyes and nodded. "But those are fears you've lived your entire life with and yet you're still so strong. So I know that as long as I have you teaching me... that I'll be okay."

There was a knock at the door, and without even waiting for them to respond, Lili burst in and announced, "Mama, Papa, Mister Cyan is here!"

"Oh, quite punctual," Leo commended, checking the clock in the room.

They exited the bedroom to the front of the house to meet Cyan at the door. Cyan bowed, stating, "Good afternoon to thee, Sir Leo, Lady Terra. Setzer is outside with thy transport."

Terra bounced giddily. "Thank you so much, Cyan, for doing this. I've been looking forward to this all month!"

Leo stood up straight and folded his hands behind his back, instructing him, "Meals are laid out in the kitchen, fresh sets of clothing are in the bedroom dresser. Bed time is 2100 sharp, story time before that. Felix is only allowed to throw his ball outdoors. Despite what he says, Ivan is not allergic to vegetables. Please give Charley a bath if he gets too dirty playing outside. The hot and cold water pumps are labeled. Jeanne sometimes hides herself with her books. She is likely fine, but please check on her periodically. Duane and Katarin now live in the neighboring house with baby Noel. They can provide assistance if needed however Noel can get fussy if disturbed."

"Hoh hoh, thou runnest a tight ship, General," Cyan said with a laugh. He nodded, affirming, "I promise I shall look after thy children with utmost care. In return I ask that the two of thee relax and enjoy thyselves. Thou hast certainly earned it."

Leo let out a chuckle of a sigh and relaxed his shoulders. "Yes... quite correct, Sir Cyan. Thank you for allowing us this opportunity."

Dennis cocked his head. "So are you gonna go fight another monster?"

Terra laughed. "No, this time we're just going to see a show together at the opera house."

"I knew it! They're going on a date!" Isabel exclaimed, fists clenched.

Leo and Terra both blushed, while Frances waved at them, shouting, "Yaay, have a good date!"

Clearing his throat, Leo told them, "Yes, we shall return tomorrow, so in the meantime I would ask that you all be on your best behavior for Sir Cyan. He is from the ancient kingdom of Doma and I am certain he has many exciting stories to tell."

The children all babbled excitedly at the prospect of new stories while now it was Cyan's turn to blush. Leo leaned towards him and said softly, "My education concerning Doman history and culture came only from Imperial textbooks. I would rather they learn about it from its source, so they can help carry it on. And... perhaps someday you could teach me as well."

Cyan closed his eyes to hide their wetness and gave a soft sniff. "It would be my honor..."

Terra took a slow sip of her mint cocoa, then let out a contented sigh and leaned against Leo's arm as they sat together in the booth in the opera house lounge. "Ahh... I was looking forward to this almost as much as the show."

Leo sipped his own drink, also nodding in approval. "Fine music does take time to properly seep into your being, much like this warm drink." He set down his cup and raised an expectant brow to her. "Well? Did it live up to your expectations?"

"Heh, mostly," Terra admitted. "The characters were so lively and the music was fantastic, and I really just... loved the theme of being born to a certain fate but how love and friendship can help you overcome it. Angelina was rejected by the other humans because she could use magic, but Griever gave her a place to belong, and learned that he could be loved himself. That really was what I was hoping to see in a story like this, and it didn't disappoint there."

Leo's lips were pulled into a cheeky grin as though trying to suppress a laugh. "But...?" he prompted.

Terra fidgeted, swirling her mug. "Mmh... it's been such a nice outing, and you love opera so much, I don't want to say anything negative..."

Leo let out the laugh he'd been holding. "Terra, the best thing about seeing a show with someone is being able to talk about it with them afterwards, the good and the bad." He nudged her with his elbow. "After all, the two of us confessed our feelings to each other at this very table after a rather passionate critique of my favorite opera."

Terra blushed and smiled wistfully. "Heh, well, in that case..." She fidgeted her fingers over her mug a little more. "I mean, I know this was written by humans who had never seen magic or Espers before, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, but at the same time..." She looked up at him with a perplexed eyebrow and a bewildered grin. "... What was that?"

"I take it you found their depiction of magic unconvincing?" he replied with a snicker. Terra merely leaned down and thudded her forehead on the table in response, which only caused Leo to laugh harder.

"But seriously, though, I loved the characters, I loved the music, I loved the story, but then it gets to this tense battle and it's, 'I only have five Fires left!', like magic is some consumable item like a potion..." she mumbled. She rolled her head to the side to look up at Leo with a bemused grin. "It kind of broke the immersion. But I still really liked it overall." She bit her lip and looked up at him hesitantly. "Maybe even more than Orco e Delphina."

Leo rubbed her back. "Terra, you're allowed to like different things from me. I'm just happy that I've been able to help you experience something that makes you happy. Although..." He looked ahead thoughtfully. "If you like The Lion and the Sorceress more than Orco e Delphina, then that means Orco e Delphina is your least favorite opera that you've seen..."

"Oh no!" said Terra not entirely seriously, sitting up. She fished out the schedule pamphlet and looked it over, suggesting, "Well, then that just means we need to see more." She flipped it around and pointed at the calendar. "When we fought the dragon the Impresario said the song they played for us was from Rex Insomnem, right? They opened the season with that one and we already missed it, but there's a rerun performance of it in two months. He said it was a new show, so even you've never seen that one, right?"

Leo felt an intense warmth in his heart at her enthusiasm for this, both because it was something she could find excitement in, but also because it was something they could be unabashedly enthusiastic about together. "A new experience for both of us, then..." he agreed with a smile. He reached over to take her hand and kissed the back of her knuckle. "I wholeheartedly accept your proposal."

Leo and Terra stood at the railing of the ferry that now ran between Jidoor and the opera house, gazing out across the star-lit ocean as the waves gently rocked them. Leo let out a contented sigh, noting, "I am certainly looking forward to being able to fully enjoy those soft beds at Jidoor's inn. The last time we were there my troubled sleep didn't allow me to adequately appreciate them."

Terra quirked an eyebrow at him. "You're just looking forward to sleeping?"

He replied with his own knowing smirk. "I did say 'fully enjoy', Terra."

She laughed with a light blush and leaned against the railing to wistfully watch the moonlight dance over the waves. "It's funny... the last time we were on a ship together like this I was worried I would never be able to experience love... and now I can't even imagine my life without it. You told me that there wasn't anything in particular I could do in order to find it, only that you were sure that I eventually would. That didn't make sense to me at the time, but..." She turned to look up at him with a smile. "I think I finally understand what you were trying to say."

He returned the smile softly and leaned against the railing with her, lacing his fingers together loosely. "I think you understand it even more deeply than what I had ever told you. You discovered it for yourself and made it your own, then passed that wisdom back to myself and others when we were in need of it. That is not something that can be taught. It is a reflection of who you are intrinsically."

Terra felt a bubble of happiness in her chest at his praise, the same as she had that night on the ship a year and a half ago when he had first validated her feelings. "I see the same in you. Even when you were in a state where you didn't consciously know yourself, you still were driven to help and serve others and make their lives better. That person is who you are at your core... and the person I fell in love with..." she said softly with a blush.

Now it was Leo's turn to feel a warmth in his chest. The giddy contentment he felt when he interacted with her hadn't diminished at all in the six months they'd been together. And now that their lives were starting to settle down and they were able to spend recreational time like this together, for the first time in likely his entire life he felt... at peace.

He reached over to take her hands, slowly wrapping his fingers around them and feeling their soft warmth. "Terra... my life would have likely taken an ultimately much more tragic path had I not met and fallen in love with you. And I think... that is a reflection of the power that love has. I had told you before that I believed love was expressed through joy and grief, but perhaps in the broader sense it is simply the desire for a continued existence. That no matter how bad things may get, the will to keep trying is tied to that very desire. And that even the smallest act that helps someone continue onward is an act of love."

Terra nodded, squeezing his hands back. "Yes... and I think that's how we ultimately defeated Kefka. That even though he ruined the world and stole all our sources of hope... he couldn't steal our love. Destruction may be inevitable, but it has no aim. It simply 'is'. So love, which has drive and purpose, will always overcome it eventually. It can still be difficult and painful, but... it gets better."

Leo nodded with a soft smile, then turned his head to gaze out over the ocean. "It does indeed. When the river meets the sea, it does not end, but rather transforms. Its form may be new and unfamiliar and requires new means to traverse it, but it continues to exist all the same." He turned back to her, saying, "And... I look forward to traversing it by your side. Wherever that river may take us, whatever sea it may join... I wish to share that journey with you."

Terra's throat welled and she pursed her lips together in an emotive smile. Reaching her arms up behind his neck, she pulled him into a tight embrace, which he earnestly returned. She had been able to experience so many new things thanks to him and was eager to experience many more. The world was different now, but it was a world of new possibilities. A world where people from so many different walks of life had come together to fight for its continued existence.

A world that was saved by love.

Notes:

- Naming Duane and Katarin's baby "Noel" was not intended to be a reference to FFXIII-2, but rather it was just another name in the "Retired Atlantic Hurricanes of 2000-2010" list that felt like it worked. But I guess it could be both.
- This site doesn't allow strikethrough notation, so x(blah)x was my attempt at approximating it.
- Since the game had the IAF (Imperial Air Force), that stood to reason that the army would more formally be the IGF (Imperial Ground Force). "GEN" is the standard abbreviation for "General".
- Hey, you know what you get when you breed a black chocobo with a wild wonderful chocobo, right? (for those who haven't played FF7, the answer is a gold chocobo)
- Terra's opinion of The Lion and the Sorceress is basically my opinion of FF8: Love the character interactions and music, but the draw/junction system is aggravating.
- I only went as far as implying Leo and Terra would have kids of their own but didn't depict it since A) the epilogue was already running kind of long, B) I couldn't think of a name ("Leo" and "Terra" are both Latin words so that's a start, but the most thematically-appropriate name would mean "river", and the Latin word for "river" is "Flumen", which is neither a name nor the root of any names), and C) I'm personally not really interested in kids so I didn't feel like writing about them.
- Chapter title is kind of a cheat since "Encore" is actually French rather than Italian and apparently the Italian equivalent is "Bis", which isn't really in common use. But, in musical theater the "encore" is an extra exhibition performance following the end of the main show.

And with that, I would like to thank everyone who's read this far! I originally wrote this mostly because I was surprised at the complete lack of Leo/Terra content, or even stories where Leo survived or was revived. So this fic was essentially the non-porn version of Rule 35 (if no porn of it exists, it will be made). But I also wanted to try to depict them in a generally healthy relationship and give everyone a happy ending, and give people warm fuzzies after reading it. Hopefully I've been successful at that, and I hope reading it has brightened your day.