Aneko: Hah, it's been a long time since I've been here. Anywho, here is my brand-new story debuting in the TotA section (and I have to say, writing it made me really happy!) Please, please, please, enjoy!!!

Disclaimer: -sigh- I would love love love to own Tales of the Abyss…but I don't…

Reunion

The final hymn hung in the air, as Tear brought her hand to rest once again over her aching heart.

"You didn't come." Natalia's voice broke the absolute stillness as the Princess looked up at Tear's proud back. "I believe your presence was requested for Luke's coming-of-age ceremony at the Duke's manor."

"I'm not interested in some ceremony…in front of Luke's grave!" Tear heard the pain betraying her own voice, but she didn't care. It had been so long, and it hurt so much…but she couldn't let go of that rigid belief that he would come home- he had promised.

But…it had been so long.

"That's why… the both of you came here, isn't it?" Anise spoke up tentatively (a phenomenon for her).

"He said he'd be back, so let the others sit around, and tell stories at his grave- but I won't be joining them!" Guy declared quietly, staring out into the field of selenia flowers.

A comfortable silence unfolded between all of them, before Jade spoke, almost resignedly.

"We should be heading back soon. The valley is dangerous at night."

Tear turned to slip off her seat on the rock. Another empty night, among so many other empty nights.

She was about to hop off, when she saw a movement in the corner of her eye. She turned to look, and what she saw made her breath catch in her throat.

A figure was walking from the other end of the valley, the moon illuminating him from behind; a figure with familiar, oh so familiar red hair. Granted it was longer- longer even than when they had first met, but the clothes, the way he wore his sword, his eyes, all of it was the same. It was unmistakably him.

Tear's eyes widened in dawning joy, her heart fluttering like a bird, who, after years of being crippled, finally found it could fly again.

Slowly, almost dreamlike, she got off the rock, walking out alone to meet him, the others looking on speechlessly.

Tear stopped some feet from him, unconsciously resting her hand over heart, as she desperately hoped she wasn't dreaming.

"Why are…you here?"

"This place has a nice view of Hod," he said casually, looking back at the ruins. "And also…"he turned back to Tear, smiling gently. "…I promised someone…"

Tear tried to speak, but all that came out was a small sound. She had not known how fervently she had clung to the hope that he would return, and now here he was again: alive. A tear rolled unnoticed down her cheek. Once again, she began walking to him, the others following behind, but in moments, she had run to him, crying as she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. He didn't hesitate to hold her as she let out her time of pain and waiting in tears.

"I'm home," he said gently.

"Luke…you idiot!" Tear whispered brokenly, breaking into fresh tears.

"Luke! What took you so long? We were waiting!"

"Guy."

"Luke! I can't believe you took so long. I told you I needed your help to reform the Order! Where've you been?!"

"Anise."

"Welcome back Luke."

"Yes. If you hadn't come back, I would have thought very little of you."

"Natalia. Jade."

Finally able to control herself, Tear stood up straight, wiping the traces of tears from her face. She smiled up at the man who she had wanted to see for three years. "Welcome home."

Luke smiled back, and the two gazed at each other.

"Well, I do believe these two have something utterly important to discuss." Jade cut in, cheerfully and briskly. "Why don't we just go wait outside the valley?"

Tear and Luke blushed as Jade herded the other young people amidst some protesting (mainly from Anise).

"My! What sort of important things?" Natalia asked, just as clueless as before.

"Oh, you know," Jade said, like it was nothing important at all, "Luke going off and leaving poor Tear heart-broken for three years."

"Boooo. Colonel, that can wait! Luke needs to help me reform the Order!!" Anise said stubbornly, though she was beginning to let Jade lead her away.

"What? Now?" Guy said, shocked. "But it's the middle of the night!"

"So? It's never too late to start!"

Guy shook his head. "Three years and women are still scary…at least, this one is…"

"What was that Guy?" Anise asked sweetly.

"N-nothing!" Guy said sheepishly.

Back in the valley Tear suddenly found herself unable to look at Luke, looking instead at a flower blooming and glowing softly before her.

"Tear."

Tear screwed her eyes shut. If she looked at him now she would start crying again.

She had nearly willed the tears back down when he hugged her. At this point, the shell she had tried to form shattered, and once again she cried in his arms.

"I-I thought…" Tear started, but couldn't finish.

"What? You thought I wouldn't come back?" Luke sounded a little indignant, but he calmed, running a hand through his hair before holding her close again. "I promised. I promised I'd come home, didn't I?"

"But…" Tear leaned back to look at him, raising her voice, her sweet blue eyes glistening. "but why did you take so long?! Luke, I-"

She was startled into silence as he leaned forward, kissing her.

Moving away, he turned towards the ruin of Hod, his back to her.

Tear put a finger to her lips, managing to hear what he was saying through the surprise crowding her mind.

"When I was up on Eldrant, and I freed Lorelai, Hod began to be destroyed. As it was, I found Asch's body, and Lorelai took us both as it disappeared. For a while after that- I don't know how long it was- I could do nothing. I knew my body was gone, but I was still there, you know? Eventually, Lorelai spoke to me. It said that since I was it's perfect isofon, it could recreate my body, if I wanted; but it took a long time to make." Luke looked down at his open palm. He continued quietly. "But Lorelai also said it was possible because I had still been alive."

"What do you mean?"

"Because Asch had died, and I had been given his power, Lorelai could not recreate his body. I don't think he would have liked that though, somehow…anyway, I was able to come back because Asch's power was given to me, and I was alive when I freed Lorelai- I hadn't disappeared yet."

He went silent, staring up at the moon.

"Luke, I…" Tear was looking down again as Luke turned back. "It's not that I thought you wouldn't come home. I told you I would always be waiting, and I have, to this very day; but each day, I believed so hard that it hurt when you didn't come back. I thought I was dreaming when I saw you at the end of the valley."

"Tear…I'm sorry. I'm sorry I took so long. I'll understand if you're angry."

"I'm not angry. I'm just…I'm just glad you're home!" Tear looked up, smiling, and once again, Luke smiled back.

"Tear?"

"Yes?"

"Back on Eldrant…before you left…"

Tear's cheeks heated to a very bright crimson. "Yes?"

"Did you say that you…"

"Y-yes, I did."

"Oh."

Tear's heart thumped painfully. Now that it had come to this she was afraid. She couldn't believe she had put her heart out in the open like that.

"I'm glad."

Tear's head jerked up. Luke was looking deep into her eyes.

"If you hadn't said that…I don't think I would have been able to admit now that…I love you too."

He walked over, taking her hand in his.

"So, I'm home."

"Welcome home."

Aneko" Awww, yay!!! The happy ending they never got! I love this pair! XD I know they're OOC and Tear cries a lot, and I apologize for that…but what else could I have done?! I also had several more lines I wanted to put in…ah, well…ja, sayonara.