Sorry for the long wait. Thanks for your patience. Here is the last chapter. Enjoy!

Loving

Clef strode purposefully toward Umi's chambers, determined to settle things between them once and for all. After taking a potion to settle his head and stomach, and freshening his tired, aching body with a warm bath, he felt almost like himself again ... except for the slight, nagging worry in the back of his mind that he wouldn't be able to patch things up with Umi.

What if he had finally pushed her too far, and she decided to give up? What if she sought out another to end the loneliness he'd glimpsed in her expressive eyes? Umi was certainly not unattractive. Frankly speaking, he thought her the most beautiful, fascinating young woman he'd ever had the privilege of meeting. Even if he'd at first found her to be more than a little overbearing, he couldn't help but be drawn to the gentle, lovely soul residing within the equally lovely body. He knew that he wasn't the only one, either. More than one young man in the castle had already approached her with romantic intention. She had gently turned each of them down, thank goodness, but … supposing the next invitation to share a meal or a stroll or—Clef's fists clenched at this thought—a warm bed was accepted? Even the thought of any other man laying his hands on her in such a manner was enough to send him spiraling into a pit of jealous resentment. Umi belonged to him, and nobody but he would ever lay claim to her.

He paused in his tracks as he abruptly realized that his aura was sparking and flaring with agitation; his magic was rising, waiting to be unleashed in battle, and he fought to calm himself before continuing on. His lips twisted with ironic humor as he realized just how possessive he'd become over a woman who wasn't truly even his. Surely if Umi realized the intensity of his thoughts and desires, she'd run screaming in the other direction.

Before anything else, he needed to apologize to her for being such an ogre and hurting her so deeply. He'd never meant to make her feel unwanted, or that he didn't trust her to tell her of his true feelings. He needed to tell her the truth and admit that he loved her more than he'd ever allowed himself to love anyone, and that he wished for nothing else than to live out the rest of his long existence beside her. This time, he'd be damned if he let his pride get in the way of what he wanted. Perhaps Umi would reject him, but after what had happened between them, he would truly be a fool to not take the risk. At the very least, he would finally be able to bring closure to his feelings, even if the outcome wasn't what he hoped for.

Upon reaching her chambers, Clef hesitated and drew in a deep, calming breath. It was rare for him to feel quite this flustered, and he had to note with some irony that whenever he did lose control of his faculties, Umi was generally the cause of it. He reached up to politely tap on the door, and waited. There was no answer from within, and the door remained firmly shut. Turning the handle slowly, he was gratified to find it unlocked, and he peered through the doorway cautiously and looked around. The room was empty.

His pale brows drew together as he closed the door and leaned against it thoughtfully, wondering if perhaps she'd gone to breakfast. Closing his eyes, he reached out with his senses, seeking the touch of her aura. She wasn't in the dining hall with their friends, nor the inner Garden. In fact, she wasn't in the castle at all, he realized. He felt her aura in the grounds outside the castle; normally a light, delicate touch like the foam off an ocean wave, now darkened by sorrow and regret. His heart ached to feel her pain, knowing he'd been the cause, and he wrapped tendrils of his own aura around hers, seeking to draw the sadness from her heart, to comfort and reassure her that everything was all right.

She sat beneath the sprawling branches of a tree in one of the outer gardens, enjoying the warmth of sunlight dappling her face as long grass tickled her legs with light, cool fingers. It was spring in Cephiro again; the black sky and shattered landscape had vanished with the discovery of the new Pillar and the sequential events that had followed it. With Hikaru's wish for Cephiro to become a country ruled by the hearts of all its people, rather than the heart of the Pillar, the devastated land had begun to mend itself at an astonishing rate. As the country regained its former glory, the people became filled with more hope and joy, thus helping to restore the natural beauty even more swiftly. It was rather like a domino effect, in reverse. There were those who still doubted, of course; those of weak will who feared the possible repercussions of ending a system which had been a part of their world since its very creation, and those opportunistic few who would seek to throw the world back into imbalance in order to gain power. But these were few compared to the thousands who rejoiced at having finally regained their peace. Those few monsters spawned by fear or evil ambitions were quickly and efficiently eliminated by the Knights, with nobody being the wiser. Things were definitely well in hand with regards to Cephiro's future.

It wouldn't be very long, Umi realized with a throb of sorrow, before the Magic Knights would no longer be needed. She knew very well that they would eventually have to return to their own world, and that once the dimensional gate closed there was the strong possibility of it never opening again. Clef had told them that their bond with the land and the three rune gods protecting it would most likely keep the gate open. Even above that, Hikaru's love for Lantis, and Fuu's for Ferio, would certainly aid in their determination to return. But Umi still had doubts, and she knew both of her friends held the same uncertainty that she did.

She could understand perfectly how her friends felt. Even if he didn't love her, the thought of leaving Clef, of possibly never seeing him again, frightened her immensely. How would she be able to cope if she was never able to return to Cephiro? If she was no longer able to see his gentle smile, wouldn't her heart break? If she had to choose, she'd almost rather never see her family again than to risk losing Clef forever. All she wanted was to stay by his side, and yet she was such a coward that she couldn't even admit it to him.

Umi frowned, suddenly disgusted with herself. Hadn't she just finished accusing Clef of not trusting her enough to share his thoughts and feelings? She belatedly realized that she was being a hypocrite. What gave her the right to spout such self-righteous accusations when the finger could be pointed right back at her? She couldn't swallow her fear or pride long enough to admit that she wanted to be more than a pupil or a friend, that she wanted him to love her the same way she loved him. Even if it meant shattering the fragile relationship they already had, wasn't the chance of it growing into something deeper worth taking that risk?

She sighed heavily, allowing a self-mocking little smile to slip across her lips. It seemed that she would need to apologize again. For prying into affairs that really were none of her concern, for those accusations that probably weren't true anyway. For making a general nuisance of herself. He wouldn't hold any of it against her, of course. He never did. But it was still embarrassing to have to go crawling back with her tail between her legs like a disobedient puppy. No wonder he couldn't see her as a real woman when all she could ever show him was her selfish, vain, and childish behavior.

She lowered her head and closed her eyes, swallowing around the lump in her throat, trying to hold back the regret and failing miserably. Maybe she should just go back to Tokyo, forget she'd ever been to a country called Cephiro or fallen in love with the most powerful mage the country had ever known. It would certainly make both of their lives easier, even if his absence would make her life seem so much emptier.

She was drawn out of her ping-ponging thoughts by a sudden, familiar sensation, as of an indistinct presence surrounding her, wrapping her in warmth like a pair of ethereal arms embracing her kindly. She found herself relaxing, recognizing the soft touch of Clef's aura. She could feel his magical presence wrapping around her, soothing and gentle, reassuring, and tears squeezed out from her closed eyes as she realized he was trying to comfort her, to show her he cared. "Clef," she whispered, smiling softly despite her tears. Why did he always do that? Why did he try to comfort her even when she didn't deserve it? Even when he was the one who needed reassurance? It was so selfless of him. It only served to make her love him more.

And then she felt a gentle touch against her face, a soft hand caressing her cheek, brushing stray tears away. Her eyes snapped open and she found herself staring into Clef's concerned gaze, mere inches from hers. It was disconcerting to be looking up at him from her seated position on the grass, with him bending slightly over her to bring his face closer, and as his breath drifted softly across her face, she couldn't keep the heat from flooding her cheeks at his proximity.

This was her chance, Umi realized. Her chance to try and make things right. She was determined not to waste it, and she screwed up her courage to blurt out, "I'm sorry!" He looked startled, and she hastened to clarify, "F-for yelling at you earlier. I wasn't very nice, and I didn't mean it and ... and I just didn't have the right to say such things. I'm sorry I tried to pry into your private business. Y-you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to. I respect that. A-and I—"

She was abruptly silenced by a thumb pressing to her lips, in a gesture intimately similar to one she'd experienced the night before. The color in her cheeks darkened, but her embarrassment was forgotten a moment later when Clef graced her with a loving smile and replied softly, "I'm sorry, as well." Seeing her uncertainty, he added, "For causing you to feel that you needed to scold me in the first place. It was never my intention to make you feel as if you mean nothing to me. On the contrary … you mean a very great deal."

Her eyes widened with a touch of astonishment, the faint blush in her cheeks darkening as she glanced shyly away. Clef found the picture rather fascinating, because Umi—being the blunt, outspoken person that she was—certainly did not seem the type to be shy about anything. Her reaction, and the fact that his words had not yet sent her fleeing in terror, gave him some much-needed encouragement. "The truth is, you are important to me. Very much so." He cupped her chin gently and drew her glance back to his. "I did not intend to make light of your concern for my well-being. I am truly touched that you care so much about me, and grateful for your help." He hesitated for a brief moment. "If you are still willing to listen, I will gladly share with you the troubles that have been burdening me. It is my hope that ... perhaps ... you might help me to resolve them."

Her eyes widened further. "Wh-what can I do?"

He drew in a shaky breath and released it slowly. It was the moment of truth. A great part of him wished to turn and run away, very quickly. Instead, he took her face between his small hands and twined his fingers into her hair, drawing his thumbs softly over her cheeks in an effort to ease her discomfort. His smile was tender as he gazed into her eyes, his own glittering with the emotions he'd suppressed for so long. "I ask nothing of you … except for this one small thing." His husky voice was low and warm, and he felt her tremble beneath his hands. "Even if you cannot return my affection, I ask only that you allow me to love you. You have become so much more than a student or a mere friend. You have become someone I cherish more than anything else in this world, and I will no longer deny these feelings I hold for you. I will no longer deny that I love you. Please accept my heart, Umi. It has always been and always will be yours to do with as you please."

He heard her sharp intake of breath, felt the way her face slowly heated beneath his palms as he poured out his heart, and when she released his name on a silent breath of air, staring at him through wide, startled, hopeful eyes, he couldn't stop himself from dipping his head those few inches to softly envelop her lips with his own, trying to show her once and for all just how much she meant to him.

It was all he could do to finally ease the heavenly kiss; her trembling form had melted into his embrace and her arms were wrapped around his waist and clinging for dear life. She stared at him in silent wonder for several moments before shyly lowering her head to rest it against his collarbone, and he smiled and closed his eyes, nuzzling his face into her hair as one hand caressed through the silken mane soothingly. "Have I presumed too much?" he questioned softly, his breath tickling her ear. She shuddered a little and after a moment shook her head. He gave an inner sigh of relief. "Umi, do you remember what I told you last night?"

She froze. "D-do you?" she asked in return, her voice slightly strangled as she raised her head to eye him warily. She suddenly seemed nervous, and it occurred to him that perhaps she'd rather he didn't remember. But how could he possibly forget when her taste and touch had been seared so thoroughly into his memory?

His gaze softened. "I told you that you were my Umi," he reminded her gently.

She worried a lip before nodding slowly. "You did."

"I meant it," he continued. "Even if you cannot return my feelings, it doesn't change the fact that I will always love you. There has been and never will be anyone other than you."

She seemed to hold her breath as she gazed at him, not quite believing his words. "E-even though I'm ... loud and stubborn a-and disrespectful and nosy and-"

He silenced her with a touch to her lips, his eyes crinkling with humor as he smiled at her. "Even though," he teased. "I admit that nobody has ever challenged my patience or my temper quite as much as you do, but that is why I noticed you in the first place. You intrigue me, and I wish to know everything there is to know about you."

His gaze suddenly deepened as those large, bright, enigmatic eyes darkened to the same rich sapphire she'd discovered the night before. But now they weren't dazed with spirits. They were alert and clear and very, very compelling. "Everything about you," he repeated, his voice a low, fervent murmur which held such obvious suggestion that it sent a trembling thrill down her spine. She had no doubt as to the meaning behind the words, and she found herself sharing the sentiment even as she marveled that it was Clef of all people who was hinting at such things. She'd always thought him to be reserved and aloof to the point of being apathetic; now she realized there was a side to his personality that she'd never dreamed existed, which he chose to share only with his beloved. Only with her.

Recollection of his heated kisses, sucking mouth, hands trailing exquisite fire across her flesh, made her slightly light-headed, and she suppressed a shiver and tried to ignore the strange melting she once again felt in the pit of her stomach. But she was certain he realized what she was thinking of, if the sudden, mischievous gleam in his eye was any indication.

If the goings-on of the night before were merely a sample of what he had to offer ...

She quickly squashed the thought before he could read it in her eyes and glanced away as a small, nervous, eager smile touched her lips.

"Can you do this, my Umi?" Clef was asking softly, trying to meet her embarrassed gaze. For a moment, she forgot what it was she was supposed to do. "Will you allow this old man to love you?"

Oh, yes. Of course. She nodded, a quick jerk of her head, and boldly replied, "B-but only if I'm allowed to love you back. I want to learn more about you, as well. As much as you're willing to tell me, or ... or to show me ... I want to learn."

Clef's expression bordered on something akin to elation as he pressed his forehead against hers. "Such a simple request can assuredly be granted," he teased softly, and was rewarded with another smile that made his chest tighten and his mind begin to conjure some rather inappropriate thoughts for their current surroundings. Thoughts that included doing exactly as she requested and taking her somewhere secluded to teach her everything there was to learn and discover everything there was to love.

So, of course, that's exactly what he did.

And if the abrupt and rather lengthy disappearance of a certain Water Knight and a certain Madoshi caused suspicions to arise by certain highly curious and rather nosy friends (which would no doubt lead to some serious questioning by those selfsame friends later on), well, they were both rather too preoccupied with the teaching and discovering of each other to have any concern about that.

~End~