Late in the evening Brian had finally arrived home. He had travelled directly from the fortress and was exhausted. Still an outright mess, Brian checked around to make sure no one was about and then went inside the Villa. The scent of the potpourri hit Brian before he even completely entered the Villa and caused him to stop dead in his tracks and take a better look around the living room. Slowly, Brian took in his surroundings and was surprised. The living room was cleaner than he had seen it in years, granted Emeralda kept it clean while Brian was away. But when he returned Brian did slack a bit and the new look of the room was evidence of that. Brian noticed the flowers on the end table, and then his eyes came upon the white blanket, along with several other changes. Brian smiled and looked around the room once more.

It came as a surprise, but it was a pleasant one indeed. Brian waited in the foyer a moment and slid off his boots, and took off his socks. Closing the door behind him, he grabbed his boots and socks and then carefully made his way through the living room and down the hall towards his room. Pausing a moment, Brian turned as he looked to the door of the study and caught sight of the sign Jes had put up. Brian went to open the door and was gently pushed back by an unseen force. This caused Brian to laugh, as he recalled the same type of ward used before in Bastok. If the person were to keep trying to break the ward by any means, they easily could end up turning three shades of green and possibly with spots to boot. Shaking his head a moment, Brian then made his way into his room.

About a half hour later Brian emerged from his room cleaned and refreshed. He was dressed in a simple outfit of multi colored "jams" styled long legged shorts and a sleeveless multi colored shirt to match. The outfit was a gift from an buddy on his last visit to earth, and he rarely wore such clothing, but it was comfortable as hell an for some reason he didn't care how he looked. He even let his hair down, and didn't bother to brush it. It was just one of those nights. Moving to the kitchen, Brian poured himself an ale and then made his way back into his weapons room. His eyes roamed about as he made his way around the house, as he noticed the feminine touches left and right. "Damn, she was busy as hell. Huh?! Wow, that is nice.. I never thoughta that.." Brian chuckled and made his way into the room and set the mug down.

Brian headed across the room to the far side, and into his office. After a bit of looking around the small room, Brian emerged with a handful of maps and two small tomes in one arm. Grabbing the mug once more, Brian made his way back down the hall once more and to the living room. Taking a moment, Brian set the mug and maps down and then cleared the coffee table in the center of the room, and then laid the maps and tomes down. Brian sat down a moment and looked around the room once more and smiled. It had been a long time since Brian had felt this good. There was something about the house now, something.. Well Brian knew exactly what it was. It was Charlotte. She made the difference in everything, and Brian knew just how much of a difference it was. Brian decided it was time for Charlotte to know more about him and about his past actions. Brian didn't feel any fear anymore about the whole matter. Something happened on his way from the Fortress to the Villa, and it was a good thing. Brian decided it was best not to concern himself with Renna's situation, or for that fact anything else. He would assist her as promised, but at that point it was business only.

Brian watched the fireplace as he waited, a smile on his face as he sipped his ale. Hopefuly Charlotte would arrive and they could talk and finally move foward for themselves. Despite what had occured previously in the Fortress, it was indeed a good day.

Brian was sitting quietly reading a book, and enjoying some wine. It had been a very long time since he had actually stayed home in such a fashion, and Brian was making the most of it. The book Brian was reading was a Druid's history of the Four Lands, the place his family had originated from. It had been years since Brian read any books pertaining to the Druids, let alone the Four Lands. The only reason he did so now, was that he found the book again when taking the maps from his office.
Brian sipped his wine, and took a moment to adjust his antique spectacles as he then continued to read.


Brian paused from his reading as he heard Charlotte enter the Villa, he smiled to himself as he then heard her quietly head towards her room. Slippin the book mark into it's place, Brian quietly set the book down on the table next to the maps and tomes. His spectacles followed as he slid them off and set them inside their case. Leaning back, Brian closed his eyes and patiently waited.

While he waited Brian's thoughts drifted to and fro. All the changes that occured in the last six months in his life, the difference in his home life, and the lives of his family. Thoughts pertaining to the Gauntlet and Vana'diel and other things. He smiled to himself, his eyes still closed as he sat there in thought. Then Brian heard a voice he hadn't heard in years, it belonged to his sister Midara.

"I always thought of this as my greatest challenge, little brother."

Brian smiled as he recalled this conversation from years back, and answered aloud softly, just as she were still with him. "An what in the hell would that be, Mids?"

"That, little brother.. Would be love." Which was followed with a soft chuckle.

"Love? Please... That isn't a challenge, it's a waste. I saw what it can do t'yah. It'll make ya weak and sappy. No thank you."

"That statement is no surprise. Y'know ever since Devin I am much stronger now than I have ever been. I have something to share with him and in him I have something to fight for. Even more so than the guild or for the sake of the fight."

"Speak for yerself, that's not gonna be me. I want the fight, and little else."

"An I suppose, little brother. That the girls you are always running between are all about the fight. Or are they the little else part."

"Little else. All the way."

"One day you will change that stance, be it Katharine or some other woman. I hope they drop you to your knees and show you how really weak you can be."

"Ya mean like you made Devin feel?"

"Hell no, much worse in your case!" Followed by a smack to the back of his head.


Brian chuckled softly to himself. He saw Midara in his mind as she was that same day all those years ago. Her long black hair, beautiful determined eyes. That cocky expression on her face that he himself uses to this vey day. Her hand on the hilt of her short sword, as she paced around. Beautiful and deadly all the same. This was before she and Jewell were taken and buried alive by Midara's twin sister and Brian, Alex, Devin and Katharine along with Mystik, Jitter and Thyme set out after them. Brian was forced to kill Midara's sister in the end, and soon after that Midara left them all behind. Devin went to stay with Katharine, Jewell and Alex left on their own. Jitter and Thyme left as well, and Brian travelled between the realms. No one knows what truly happened to Midara, for years Brian has researched into her possible whereabouts with no success. But there she was in his mind, just as real as if she were right next to him. Her words finally having an impact on Brian after all those years. He smiled once more and spoke softly to her. "So I guess ya wanna cookie now eh, Mids? Point taken."

Moments after that, Charlotte walked into the room. Brian was snapped back to reality, his sister's words still fresh in his mind. His eyes opened, as he felt Charlotte's touch and lifted his face to meet hers. His hand caressed her cheek softly as he returned the kiss. The shiver in his body was something he could not explain. But as she pulled away, Brian swore he saw Mids standing there leaning against the wall. That cocky expression once more on her face, and a wink was offered. Then in an instant she was gone.

Brian reached and wiped the tear from Char's face and smiled warmly to her. Watched her climb over the back of the couch with a soft laugh and wrapped his arm around her, as she cuddled next to him. A soft kiss to her head as he listened to her.

"I had to get some air, you see, and I ended up talking for hours with Jean and Tera."

"That's okay love, I was just reading and talking to my older sister." That was followed with another kiss to her head.

Brian looked to Charotte once more, and recalled his sister's words again and knew exactly what she was trying to tell him.

Brian smiled warmly to Charlotte as she tucked in next to him, his hand gently ran up and down her shoulder as she spoke.

"Your sister was here?"

He nodded and smiled to her as he answered. "Yeah she was, we talk from time to time. She was just reminded me of something she predicted years ago, and how right she was." She looked around, and his eyes caught her gaze once more, and he was lost yet again. Everything else took a back seat once more, Brian was just content staying in this home with this woman he loved so much. His hand caressed her shoulder softly as he just stared into her eyes. Quite a few thoughts ran throigh his head, and none of them ended with them talking on this couch much longer. Yet another thought came to his mind, as he grinned mischeviously.

"What's on your mind, Baby? Is something wrong?"

He tried to answer, he really did but damn she was looking incredible. Far too good for him to sit there and talk with her about himself. He felt a twinge in his knee, and knew exactly what Mids was saying. He was a bit weak in the knee, and the best he could do was shake his head "no".

"Unless," she said with a sly grin, "you just couldn't wait til morning to see me."

The grin caught him head on. Standing slowly, Brian turned and gently lifted Charlotte into his arms and returned the sly grin with one of his own, as he kissed her softly. "How 'bout I show you just how much I couldn't wait." With that he turned, and carried Charlotte down the hallway.