Just So You Know

[songbird9.livejournal.com]

Who: Song, Lilith, Josiah, and dream versions of certain others...
What: Reunited after a very troubling world shift, Song decides to play with an exhausted Josiah's dreams. Interesting things happen.
Where: Aria's gummi ship and Josiah's dreamscape
When: At some point during the last couple days...



There were no black planes of nothingness, no wispy fog, no sense of dread this time around. In fact, unlike the other dreams from other times in the previous year, there was something solid about this one from the moment Song would have entered into the dream. It slowly came into focus though, gravel underfoot, a summer night sky overhead. And just as real was the two-story house that came into view from the darkness of the dream - the lights were on, the grass looked like it was a few days past needing to be cut, and a handful of cars sat in the driveway.
But there was a strangeness about the dream. To the left, the road gradually turned from cement to dirt-paved trails and abruptly ended with a wooden gate and a cliff that overlooked the bustling town of Port Royal. Off to the right, the street turned into cobblestone, and less than a few blocks away was the magnificent Notre Dame, its bells quietly ringing in the night.
Josiah was nowhere to be found.

The scenery did not surprise Song. This was downright ordinary by dream standards, the way important locations tended to merge together into a conglomeration of warped memories. She was glad to see it, really, despite the presence of Port Royal and Notre Dame. It could have been much worse.
She wondered, though, where she might find Josiah. For his sake, she wanted him to be dreaming in his own home, rather than wandering the roads of a world that didn't belong to him. So that was where she went, pausing at the door of the house to knock politely.

There was silence on the other side of the door before it swung open and a girl who looked to be around Ray and Ari's age peered out at Song. She was wearing all white, a stark contrast between her dark eyes and hair. She blinked in surprise before grinning, grabbing Song's hand and pulling her in. "Where have you been? We thought you'd never get here." She closed the door behind her and led her past the living room, which, despite the lights that could be seen from the outside, were pitch black. Living shadows seemed to be lingering in the corners of each room they passed, but the girl didn't seem to notice it.

Song was amused by the greeting, and couldn't help grinning in response. The grin faded somewhat as she eyed the shadows, but she wasn't surprised by this either. Perhaps she'd be able to push them back a bit before she left, at least.
"I didn't know I was expected," she said, playing along.

"Well, she said you'd be here eventually," the girl said, pausing thoughtfully. "But you didn't bring anything, did you? I thought everyone was supposed to bring something." As they continued passing through the house, it seemed to get darker, but the girl acted as if she knew where she was going despite this.

That first statement was a curious thing to say, but then, this was Josiah's subconscious. It made sense that, knowing what her power was, he would have expected her to eventually visit one of his dreams that was not entirely overtaken by Calum.
"Oh, I think I can improvise. Is Josiah here?" She was fairly confident that he was, but she didn't want any nasty surprises. The darkness was making her a bit nervous.

"Improvise a gift? Like magic?" The girl continued leading her through the kitchen and then stopped, motioning for Song to stop too. Just beyond that was the dining room, with sliding doors that apparently led out to a deck. She turned back to Song and smiled brightly, her entire face lighting up.
"They're all here already - even the ones who are supposed to be gone." Then she began walking into the dining room. As her form was consumed by shadows, she called back, "I'll get my brother for you."
And then she was gone.

Now that was an even more mysterious thing to say. Even those supposed to be gone? Song's first guess was that she meant the Refugees who had left, like Ryuu. It would be nice to see her, even if she was only a dream. There were other alternatives, however, and Song braced herself, just in case. She trusted Josiah, but she did not trust what lurked in his mind and heart. It would be rather embarressing to be caught off guard, to say the least...
"I'll just wait here then," she answered even as the girl vanished. She hadn't come here to chase shadows, and wouldn't venture into them unless it seemed necessary.

Suddenly, there was another presence in the room, standing in the doorway the two of them had just come through. A blond man dressed in modern clothing that just seemed inappropriate for him was leaning against the wall, smiling slightly at Song with an amused glint in his blue eyes. A familiar looking talisman hung around his neck - a telltale clue to his identity.
"Miss Song," he murmured, nodding his head in greeting.

She barely resisted the urge to growl at the sound of that voice. When she turned to face him, her teeth were bared. She was remembering his shadow in Amy's dream, how she'd lunged at him in the body of a wolf, and the taste of his throat between her jaws. The mental image made her feel a little better.
"I was hoping I wouldn't run into you here, Calum," she drawled. "What do you want?"

His smile grew a little faint and he shook his head. "Hardly the friendly reception I was looking forward to - they usually speak so highly of you. I suppose I'll have to live with this first impression then."

She took a little pity on him... or rather, she felt a little shamed by his words. He was right. She was behaving very badly.
"Huh. I apologize then, whether you deserve it or not. I'm sure you understand, though. You did cause quite a lot of pain to someone I love." It was funny how easily she could say that word when talking to someone else. She hadn't been able to say it to Josiah (except on the day he left, and she'd been talking about the love of friendship then) and she didn't intend to say it for quite a while yet. She was afraid to, in a way... but she could deal with that.
"So, are you really here, or are you just a figment left behind in his memory?" She tilted her head to the side as she asked, watching him curiously.

He laughed quietly. "If I did, then you have my sincerest apologies. Unfortunately, I hardly recall doing anything of the sort." He didn't seemed concerned about Song's apology though - as if he truly didn't know what she was talking about. He shifted slightly and the shadows in the kitchen seemed to move with him. He then walked past Song in the same direction the girl from before had gone, nodding at her to follow him. "If you would, Miss Song."

She narrowed her eyes and turned so that he never left her sight as he moved past. She was only restraining her anger at him because of what Josiah had said - he wasn't that bad of a fellow, before the Darkness got to him.
He hadn't answered her question, and she wasn't sure if arguing with the ghost of a ghost was worth the trouble, but he also intrigued her. He always had, and so, cautiously, she followed.
"If you don't remember, then how do you know my name?"

Calum chuckled. "Would you prefer I call you poppet?" He opened the door to the deck, and it was as if the shadows retreated when he did so. He stepped out into the night, although it wasn't hardly as dark as it had been in the street. Lanterns purposely made to decorate backyards and patios were posted at intervals, and the sound of friendly conversation filled the air from the different groups of people scattered throughout the yard. If Song looked about, she would probably spot all of the Refugees Josiah held close to his heart.
The pirate looked out into the gathering, quickly assessing what he saw. He sighed finally. "Of course. The girl went and disappeared to find them."

Song spared a glance around, but it was roughly what she'd expected, which would have been nice... if Calum's presence wasn't casting a shadow over everything.
"I told you once before, it's little bird, not poppet," she muttered. "That aside, you still haven't explained why you're here. Are you just going to keep haunting him, lurking around in the corners of his mind no matter what we do to get rid of you?" There wasn't very much aggression left in her voice. She just sounded resigned and mildly exasperated.

Calum only shook his head, crossing his arms as he watched the goings-on with a removed air. "Miss Song, I don't know where these accusations come from, but I think your prejudice is misplaced."

She considered his words and her answer carefully before speaking. "Well... you may be right. Unless this is some elaborate trick, or you're just not real at all, then it would seem I've been dealing with a future version of yourself. Something you became after the last thing you remember now. Given that the Calum I knew was using very dark, corrupting powers, it's no surprise. It does, however, present the problem of dealing with someone who does not remember doing us wrong... A moral problem, for the most part," she mused. Then she met his eyes. "What do you think?"

He considered her words for all of two seconds before grinning at her, and there was no malice in his eyes at all. "Miss Song, I'm a pirate. Since when do moral matters concern me in the least?"
It looked as if he were about to say more, but at the moment, the door behind them slid open and the girl from before appeared as if she had never disappeared into the shadows at all. Standing next to her was a boy a few years younger who looked as if he could have been a younger version of Josiah. They both shared whispers for a moment before the boy made a face and darted out in the yard.
When the boy was gone, the girl met Song's eyes and even though she was smiling, her next words were serious. "Something is missing."

Song wanted to continue tihs conversation with Calum. She wanted to tell him what had happened, and to know where he stood. She especially wanted to talk to him about Lilith...
But the girl's words and tone of voice frightened her. Calum could - hopefully - wait.
"Is Josiah alright?"

The girl whirled around. "Follow me." She took off running through the house, the shadows almost swallowing her again except for the white clothes that stood out like a beacon. Calum moved nearly as fast, following her swiftly and silently.

Song's eyes flicked to Calum in surprise as he moved to follow. She hadn't expected that. Stumbling slightly, she raced after him, focusing on the girl ahead and mentally pushing at the shadows, trying to shove them out of her way with the force of her will.

The girl always managed to stay far ahead of them, twisting around corridors and in and out of rooms that shouldn't have been there, at angles that just didn't sit right. Shadows swarmed around corners and in rooms that were deserted - the liveliest part of the house had been in the backyard. It had been teeming with life and happiness and a safety that wasn't in the shadows that the girl in white danced around.
She finally stopped at the end of a long corridor, in front of a room. She turned back to Song and Calum, that same smile on her face. "They're here." Duties complete, she raced past the two, headed in the direction they had just come from, and disappearing around the corner, the edge of her white shirt waving like a flag behind her.

Now Song didn't know what to think. That bright smile was downright eerie in the shadowed and twisted hallways, and she was distinctly reminded of a few horror movies she'd seen. It made the prospect of entering the room quite unnerving, but what would turning back accomplish? She'd just have to trust Josiah's sister (though she also remembered more than one of her own dreams which involved her death at the hands of her beloved brother).
She gave Calum an odd glance, almost smirking at the irony of standing beside him like this. Then she opened the door.

The moment the door opened, the soft, haunting notes of Faure's Pavane came drifting out of the room. There didn't seem to be a source for the music, despite the fact that by the door lay propped a violin. The room wasn't really a room at all - the door let out into an open area that almost looked as it could have been a park gazebo a very long time ago. The floor was cracked, the canopy above water stained, and winter had stripped any greenery from the bare bushes surrounding the area.
In the middle of the gazebo was a bench. Lilith sat in it, looking off to the side as if she didn't notice or care about the newcomers. Lying on the bench, his head in Lilith's lap, was Josiah. His eyes were closed but his face was lined with weary exhaustion and worry even in sleep.

For a moment, Song could only blink in bewilderment at this strange mirror of the waking world, where her own body sat against the hull of Aria's ship with Josiah resting in her lap just as he did here. It certainly wasn't the first time she'd seen Lilith as her reflection. It was the intimacy of the moment that startled her, though she quickly scolded herself for being caught off guard in that way by a succubus of all things.
She was tempted to speak Lilith's name, but she had a feeling it might take more than that to make the demon acknowledge her.
And she was more interested in how Lilith and Calum would interact. She began to move into the gazebo, but slowly, her head turning as she tried to keep her eyes on all of them at once.

"Lilith." Calum took a step further into the gazebo, a different look coming across his face. Despite the arrogance and ambition that had been his downfall, a single look at him now revealed that before those dark days leading up to his death, he really had been very much in love with the demon, who looked up at the sound of her name.
She met his gaze directly, and a small smile appeared on her face even as she turned to meet Song's eyes. Surprise flickered on her face, but it was quickly followed by understanding. Still, she quietly asked, "What are you doing here?"

Moving hesitantly, mimicking the delicate steps of the deer she had been for the last few days, Song came to the corner of the bench and folded her legs beneath her, sitting on the floor of the gazebo, beneath Lilith. Only when she was setlled did she respond. "I was looking for Josiah. Calum found me first."

"Did he." It wasn't a question, more like a confirmation of something Lilith already knew. She and Calum shared a look even as an abrupt clash of thunder shook the gazebo, sending tiny pieces of plaster raining down about them. Lilith sighed. "Another storm." She glanced down at Josiah and then over at Song. "I can't stop them from happening, not from where I am."

Song tensed at the sudden crash, eyes going wide and darting up and around before settling on Josiah's sleeping form. So exhausted, it seemed, that he slept even in his dreams...
"Whats causing them? I thought... Calum was the only problem here." It was strange and almost funny, but even after spending only a brief time with this Calum, she felt guilty for accusing him with such blunt words. She wasn't even sure if she could trust his claims yet, but she hoped...

Lilith paused briefly, resting one hand on Josiah's shoulder as another clap of thunder made him visibly flinch. "There are more things to be worried about nowadays than events of the past." She looked out past the gazebo where shadows were circling. But these shadows were different, far more powerful than the ones that had been lurking in the house. They were remnants of something else, something ancient and something that was just waiting for the chance to be free.

Song felt the hairs on the back of her neck raise, and found humor in that too. Such an earthy reaction even here in this dream world... but then, there was nothing new about dreams feeling real.
"I don't understand..." she said quietly, now watching the shadows. "I thought he'd kept out of trouble. What is this?" Her tone was almost demanding. She felt as if she should have been warned about this.

Calum followed her gaze. "Everyone keeps their secrets." Lilith cleared her throat and the blond pirate shrugged very slightly, turning away to give the two women a bit more privacy. Lilith sighed and peered back at Song.
"He is right, though," she said, closing her eyes. "And unfortunately, there is nothing I can do about it. He shuts us out, trying to keep this to himself, trying to fight this himself, even after everything."

Song bit her lip and seemed to curl slightly into herself, reacting to the not-quite-pain of her stomach constricting with worry. Again, too physical a response for a dream, or so she'd have thought.
"But do you know what is wrong with him? Is there a way we can help?" She glanced at Calum, contemplating... but whatever she was thinking, she didn't say yet.

Lilith nodded, looking once again to the curling shadows just beyond the steps of the gazebo and almost at the same time as Calum, murmured, "The First Darkness." She then narrowed her eyes. "At least remnants of it. But enough to make him think he could lose control, which is why he locks up everything so tightly. Separates himself from those he cares about." She gestured to the gazebo around her. "This place used to be in ruins and there were always storms."
She looked away. "It... has gotten infinitely better since he came back to you."

She winced at the title, and swallowed. Of course she'd suspected it, but she'd been hoping rather desperately not to have that suspicion confirmed.
"... Idiot," she muttered after a breath. "We dealt with it in Xemnas, and he had the entire thing sealed up inside him. We can fight off a few remnants, easy." Well, maybe not easy, but certainly not impossible. She intended to have a little talk with Josiah once he woke up. Until then...
Impulsively, she stood up and stepped to the edge of the gazebo, glaring defiantly out at the Darkness as it circled like a pack of wolves. Exerting her will over the dream, she lashed out with a wave of her own Light. Even if the dream did not resist her at all, she wouldn't be able to clear out the shadows. It didn't work that way. She could, however, make a few dents.

The shadows recoiled a bit at the presence of Light, but they were still there, still waiting, still dormant. Calum leaned against the railing of the gazebo, watching her carefully as she pushed the shadows back. Another shared look with Lilith, and he only shook his head.

She kept battering at the Darkness until she could feel the drain on her reserves. She'd improved greatly as a fighter, but it was still not her strong point. Not in the waking world. In dreams, however, when she had all the strength of her mind to use as a weapon, she felt like a warrior. In dreams she was fierce and bold, not afraid to throw herself against the strongest Darkness, though she knew it could crush her like a fly if she dropped her guard. She liked to think that this Darkness recognized her, and to remind it that she was still alive after everything, and still trying to save its precious victims.
Still, she did stop soon enough, and stepped back towards the center of the gazebo and its illusion of safety. She looked to Lilith, and then to Calum, and stared at the pirate for a moment before asking wryly, "are you going to help?"

Calum raised an eyebrow at her, looking faintly amused by her question. The answer was apparent - no, he would not be helping her fight against the darkness. Instead, he walked behind Lilith, putting a hand on her shoulder. "It is not my fight."
Lilith closed her eyes at the touch, but shook her head as well.

She just turned to watch him as he moved, looking unperturbed by his refusal. She'd expected it, and planned her argument before she asked.
"Even if you don't remember it, this Darkness is here because of you. You were tainted with it when you possessed him, so it's your responsibility." she waved a hand dismissively and added, "but, you're a pirate, I know. Taking responsibility may not be your cup of tea... so do it for Lilith."

Lilith's eyes flashed. "Song," she began, her voice sharp. "It's not him."

Song frowned at that and looked at Lilith searchingly. "I was going to ask you, next, if he's real or just a memory. But even a memory might have power, in this place..."

Lilith sighed. "You don't understand." She looked as if she were about to explain herself, but then she shook her head, turning her attention back to Josiah as yet another peal of thunder echoed through the not-room.
Calum looked up from his attention to Lilith, meeting Song's eyes. "What would you have me do, Miss Song?"

Lilith's response made her roll her eyes, and she was about to argue, but then Calum spoke.
She spared him a smile. "Anything you can. I don't mean for you to go uselessly battering away at the shadows like I was just doing. That was mostly for my own benefit... Anyway, your memories trouble Josiah, and weaken him, but I think you could do the opposite if you tried. Support him, give him strength. Help him resist this, and..." she paused, her eyes flicking back to Lilith. "... and would you give me a moment alone with the lady?"

He studied her coolly as she spoke, but there was no sense of resolve in his eyes even as she continued. Still, a small smile appeared on his face when she asked to speak to Lilith alone. He gave her a half-bow before moving around the bench and down the stairs of the gazebo, promptly vanishing where the door had been only minutes before.
Lilith frowned at Song cautiously, eyes wary, but she said nothing, waiting for the other woman to speak first.

Song kneeled again before Lilith, simply to bring herself closer. She ran her hand briefly through the sleeping Josiah's hair before meeting Lilith's eyes.
"Explain. How real is he? How much of him still exists here?"

The demon narrowed her eyes at her. "He is as real as he can possibly be here. But he is not the man you faced last year." She looked away, towards the shadows that still quietly moved beyond the gazebo. "The shadows are here because of the black magic. They aren't inherently evil, but..." She trailed off and shook her head.

"The shadows are not the reason I'm asking. Lilith..." she stared intently at her demonic friend, trying to catch her eyes again. "Do you want him back?"

"It is not my choice," came the quiet, yet harsh reply. "These are not my dreams."

"But if he could be given another life," she persisted, "separate from Josiah, just as Ray offered him before, would that make you happy?"

Lilith stared at Song for a very long moment, face carefully devoid of emotion. "It was the past, Song. I won't be concerned over those matters while my current master is..." She stopped as thunder rumbled through the room, quieter than before, calmer. "Just... don't ask me those questions."

A sigh escaped Song, and she shook her head. Lilith was as resistant as ever, it seemed.
"I'm asking because I'll offer that to him, if he does what he can to help Josiah. But... I'll only suggest it if it's what you want." It was her turn to look away. "I wouldn't do it for him. I still don't like him or trust him at all. But I like even less the way you radiate heartbreak and agony every time I see you." The words were almost grumbled, certainly cynical, but she was sincere.

She didn't meet the other woman's gaze again, turning her attention back to Josiah, who let out a quiet groan, shifting slightly before opening his eyes to blink wearily up at Lilith. It took a moment, but he turned his head slightly to glance over at Song, surprise registering on his face.

She'd looked back as soon as Josiah made a sound, and gave him a faint smile when he 'woke'. "Hey you. You're interrupting an important discussion here."

He looked confused for a moment, looking up at Lilith and then turning back to Song. He shook his head as if to disagree.
Quietly, Lilith murmured, "It's not important, Song." She met her eyes again, with a firm and tired acceptance.

Song just rolled her eyes again. It seemed the appropriate response to Lilith, most of the time.
"Josiah, your succubus is too stubborn for her own good. I'm trying to do her a favor here."

Again, Josiah and Lilith traded looks, and the demon shook her head at the unspoken question that passed between them. Josiah sighed and then sat up, raking his fingers through his hair. A look of guilt passed over his face but he quickly hid it.
"Song, there's nothing either of us can do about it," he admitted. He looked around at his surroundings and shrugged slightly. "Especially not me. Not like this."

Now that he was sitting instead of stretched out on the bench, she moved to the empty space beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder in comaraderie. "How can you be sure unless we try? I've got one idea, at least."

He paused and shook his head. "You can't make something that real out a memory. That person you saw is just something made up from the memories that I have of his."

"Lilith said he's as real as he can be." She looked past him to the succubus. "If there's anything left of his soul, he could have a chance. Orpheus was nothing more than a scrap of Light, and he thrived." She almost hated to make the comparison, after the (somewhat true) accusation Lilith had made in their last conversation, but she couldn't think of a better way to make her point.

They both fell silent at that, contemplating her words.
It was Lilith who spoke first after a few moments. "No, Song. I don't want... I don't want what you're suggesting."

"Are you certain?" She continued to watch the demon, trying as best she could to read her. "You really don't want another chance to be with him?"

"No." She turned to face both Song and Josiah, hands clenched into fists on her lap. "No, I cannot and will not do that again." She met Josiah's eyes for one desperate instant, and he suddenly understood why she was saying those words, why she refused to want to have the pirate by her side in a waking world.
He looked somewhat upset by that unspoken realization, but he looked back at Song and shook his head, a quiet agreement with the demon's words. "Please, Song."

Song sighed again and slumped back, staring ahead at nothing. "Fine. I won't bother with him if you don't want it. Let me know if you change your mind." Before either could respond, she sat up straight again and clapped her hands together. "So! Josi. First Darkness. What about that problem?"

Josiah looked startled at the abrupt change in conversation, and almost winced. "Yeah, looks like I can't catch a break with that."
While he was speaking, Lilith quietly rose to her feet, departing from the gazebo and disappearing as simply and quietly as Calum had. Josiah watched her go, an unreadable expression on his face.

Song's eyes also followed the succubus, but she continued the conversation without pause.
"The damn thing's been plaguing us from the beginning, so I'd say none of us can catch a break. How much trouble is it actually causing you right now, though? Are these storms the worst of it?"

"The storms?" he asked quietly, looking confused. Maybe rightly so - at his words, the "room" had simply vanished into the telltale black plane that was far more familiar to his dreams in the past year than anything else. It was quiet, no sounds of thunder or the hushed murmur of conversation from the dream-backyard. It held none of the malice from that time either, but there was just something unsettling about the plane either way.
He looked around him for a brief moment, and sudden sadness and frustration seemed to just engulf him.

She wrinkled her nose at the change. Even a gazebo surrounded by living shadows offered some shelter and comfort. This plane was far worse. It threatened to terrify her if she stopped to think about it for long.
But it was to his reaction, not her own, that she responded, drawing closer to his side and slipping an arm around him. "There were storms while you slept. Lilith said they'd been worse before you came back." The words were as much to fill the void as to answer his question. "Is this also because of the Darkness?"

"I..." He trailed off, looking around. Finally shaking his head, he murmured, "I can't let it get to me like last time." A small but not entirely convincing smile appeared on his face. "I've got enough nightmares running around in my head without adding more. Although..." He paused thoughtfully. "She was right. It's been easier to handle since..."

She returned the smile with little more strength than he'd given it, acknowledging his unspoken words. "I'm here, and so is she. We've both dealt with it before, much more powerful than it is now. Don't think you have to fight it off alone." She leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. The darkness beneath her eyelids was preferable to that which surrounded them.

He pulled her into a hug, laughing quietly. "Never planned to, believe me." But hearing those words, knowing what she said was true, about not having to face something like that alone... any sort of fear or doubt or worry vanished with that simple statement. It was something he knew, something he had always known, but to hear it meant something else entirely.
The shadows in the darkness creeped backwards, not disappearing altogether but moving back as if they couldn't stand the warmth that had filled his heart. It made the plane less foreboding and more like that simple darkness that hung in your mind right before dreams began.
"Thanks for saying so, Song," he said quietly. "It means a lot."

Her smile now was much brighter, and she pulled away just enough to look at him. "You don't need to thank me. You've been doing the same for me, though my own Darkness is probably no match for yours. Even so..." This time she leaned into his chest, hiding her eyes.
"I was rather miserable before... just so you know." It was the third time she'd used those last four words, and as before, it sounded as if she was saying something else.

He grinned. "Sounds like we're even then." He did catch the repeated "just so you know" at the end, but wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Something told him that she wanted to say something, but he wasn't sure if he should press the issue or not.

Only after a moment did she put a little space between them again, and there was another smile tugging at her lips. "So, think you've had a long enough nap? I mean, we could go on like this indefinitely, but the scenery's kind of a drag... also my legs are probably cramped under your head, all stuffed full of weighty matters as it is."

He pretended to consider this. "I don't know, I'm probably pretty comfortable where I'm at right now." Still, he closed his eyes, dismantling the dream as he did so. Somewhere in his mind, he could hear the dream-voices of his little brother and sister, mixed in with the voices of others he held close to his heart. And, of course, the now always present presence of a certain pirate.
The dream itself quietly faded away into a waking world, and Josiah opened his eyes again, feeling the all-too familiar groggy affects of waking up from a too-long nap. "I'm going to have to work on that one."

Song was hardly any better off coming back into her own body, but she was quick to recover simply from practice.
"Seems to be a lot that needs working on, but isn't that always the case?" She apparently wasn't looking for an answer, because she immediately wrapped an arm under his shoulders and lifted him up a bit so that she was practically cradling him, and more importantly so that she could kiss him soundly.
"There. Now I feel better."

He waited until she moved away and then leaned up and kissed her again fiercely. He pulled away a few moments later and winked at her. "There. Now I feel better."

That left her a bit breathless, mostly because she'd been caught by surprise.
She grinned. "I'd retaliate if we weren't in someone else's gummi ship. Maybe you ought to go back to sleep."

"I'm sure Aria will forgive us... one day," he said with a laugh, sitting up. "Oh well. Maybe next time." He wrapped an arm around Song's waist and pulled her closer in a half-hug. He had meant what he said earlier - he owed her a lot and he would do everything in his power to keep that Darkness that still clung to part of him from hurting anyone again. Even someone as stubborn as Lilith. That was a promise he wouldn't ever break.

She laughed and snuggled comfortably against him, unable to resist a small sigh of contentment.
"I won't leave without saying goodbye, you know." It was a strange subject change, jumping all the way back to what had been discussed on the first night of his return. Even though she'd said nothing of it since then, at least to him, the matter had been heavy on her mind.
The next words were very, very quiet, a whisper barely more than a breath.
"Maybe I won't leave at all."

He paused at her words and then shook his head as he considered them. He knew he couldn't make the same promise, but he had an idea of what she was referring to. "I can't see you staying here. Not when you need to be somewhere else."

She smiled again, fleetingly.
"Yeah well, you know what they say. Home is where the heart is." She hoped he would understand the implications of that, because she wasn't sure if she could say more. It was still hard to even think about the choice she was trying to make. There was another quote, much darker, which came to mind, but which she would not say either, yet.

He gave her a reassuring smile, but didn't comment on her words. If they meant what he thought they meant... he sighed inwardly. If anything, the only thing he ever wanted was the happiness of those around him. If this was it for her, then so be it.
He got to his feet and then held out a hand for Song. "We should probably see what world Aria's decided to land on. Maybe we'll luck out and get Hawaii."

She accepted his hand and shoved the doubts and questions she'd brought out back into their mental lockbox. It was a war between her cautiousness and her honesty, more than anything. She wanted to tell him everything. She wanted to throw caution to the wind and fly away with him when he left. But she was afraid, terrified, that if she pushed the whole of her heart into his hands, he'd only run away with it, just as Orpheus had. She wouldn't put herself through that again, if she could help it, and that was why she wouldn't say 'I love you'. She would only tell him in as many other ways as she could think to... just so he knew.
"Sounds good. Light knows we need a vacation."

He chuckled again. "Ain't that the truth." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, and led her towards the bridge. They'd handle things - one day at a time.