"So whatcha up to, besides seriously giving me a reason to add this bench to our collection."

"Me? like you need a reason... seriously? I picked up a present for you."

"Reason, I think you are reason enough. A present for me?"

"Yeah, why not. You act like no ones bought you anything before."

"Well I have to be honest, not many have. I normally get what I want myself. Julie did quite a few paintings of myself, but some had to be recently... Adjusted for current events and what not."

"Thats sweet, I couldn't even try to paint past a stick figure ."

"You and me both baby."

"It's not much... but... it's more... I dunno. I had been thinking about it for a while now, since we had that long talk about pieces weeks and weeks ago. I was hoping it would be done before you left for Appleburg... but no such luck."

"You'll understand when I tell you what it is."

Jenai handed the small box to Brian, as he recalled the conversation they had shared, it remained fresh in his mind and still drove him to recover what he lost and had given so to speak. He nodded, and accepted the box, and opened it slowly to reveal what was inside. Cradled in silk to stop any chipping, a handful of solid, clear glass puzzle pieces each with a smooth curved end. Only one had color a tiny blue glass ball about the
size of a marble. She got to where she could look and explain, as Brian's eyes looked into the box, and then to Jenai once more.

"Baby?" Brian asked as he looked between the contents and Jenai once more. Jenai quietly, replied with.

"It's a puzzle.... when you put it together, it forms a perfect sphere... you... but you.."pointing to the blue solid piece

"Me..."blinking a few times, and smiled softly, as he noted the blue piece and all of the others. "Jenai.."

"I know what we talked about, I know how you feel. Things are ... crazy baby... take your time with it, when you feel complete, add the last piece. Just start with you..."she looked at the blue
center.

"This is..."Jen's words sinking in more so than ever, as he looked to her and then to the box.. Carefully, he set it down and simply reached for her, and hugged her.

"Just a symbol .."she smiled to him and wrapped her arms about his neck"So you can always remember."

"I won't forget, ever. This is the most incredible thing anyone has given me."

"I wish I could give you more... but to me, you are my puzzle. How do you give such a man anything he doesn't already have?"

"You are all I need. Nothing else. I will complete this.. Thank you, so much baby for everything."

"You finish it when ever you want. And no need to thank me... well. here anyways.."a quick smirk followed that remark.

The words and exchange still fresh in Brian's mind, as he lay in bed looking to the ceiling once more. He was still taken aback by the gesture and such understanding, and honestly.. In a way it scared him to some extent. Pieces.. Pieces of him, scattered. In simple terms that is exactly what it was. Brian had given so much of himself, and had so much taken at times, that it was truly as if he were not whole. Life did that at times.. Well In reality, Brian did that. With foolish actions, and rash thoughts, some sincere ones and more. The fact was, there were still ties that bound him, and it was high time that he took back what was his, somehow.

Jenai saw this, more than anyone before. She was amazing in so many ways, and had such an understanding of Brian that it was as if she were there the whole time. She knew so much, and still remained and loved him for who he was. That was powerful. Sliding from the bed, Brian was careful trip as he did so, as he headed towards the dresser and opened the small box once more, the moonlight from the window casting such a glow in the room, as it was caught by the pieces of glass inside the box.

The small blue stone in hand, as Brian thought to himself and held it out a bit letting the moon's light do what it would with it. Piece by Piece, Brian looked at the others and set them back inside. Closing the box, he moved back to the bed and sat upon it's edge and simply watched Jenai, as she slept. A loving smile took hold, as he kissed her head softly, and whispered quietly a few words. Another kiss followed, as he rose to dress once more and then prepare to return to Appleburg.

Moment's later he was in uniform once more, and offered yet another kiss to his beloved and then left a small note with 'Azure Bright' rose attached on the pillow, and quietly left the room. There was much to tend to in Appleburg and here at home and time was wasting. Pieces needed to be recovered, so to speak. So once more into the field he went, save this time a higher purpose called.

Brian offered a sincere smile to the words.. It was true, she was indeed like a mother to him in so many ways, and yet in others she was not allowed to be. She was still a Matron, and still had duties, and could not show such favours. Yet Brian truly knew how she felt, and how he felt and yes depite his numerous mistakes, involvements, scandals and incidents she had always been there somehow. Intervening, and lessening the punishments. Save the sealing, as no one could stop that, and Brian himself offered to undergo it, to help matters concerning the 'gauntlet' and 'Lucy' Incidents. He loved her, like a mother he wished he had. In truth, there were a few others he felt that way about as well, but something more so in regards to Mother Iscariott. Thoughts flew backwards, as Brian recalled the first time he had been brought into this same office, the first time he sat on this same couch.

The first time she rocked him to sleep, as a child after his parents had been killed. Actually this was the second set of parents Brian had lost in his young life, his birth parents being lost just four years prior to his arrival at Marfa's Abbey. Still, they saw something in the boy, and she did as well. They developed a relationship akin to a true mother and son behind closed doors, and to the public at hand it was business as usual, as the boy had been trained in the arts of war with a select group of others, which was not unheard of at the time for the Abbey, but then again was also very uncommon as Marfa the goddess of the Earth was a goddess of healing. Then again even healers need to wield a sharp sword once in a while, and in any event they would make sure those swords were readied. But we digress.. Brian smiled to her once more, and gently lifted her hand, offering a sweet kiss to it.

"I missed you.. I really did, mother. I do apologize for not being around as much, but much has happened. You know Renna has returned, and you know I am retained to Lady Kairee, and if you know both of those you know I will not stand in Renna's way anymore. I cannot allow myself to deal with that again, and as much as I hate to sound this way, it is no longer my battle or concern. I know what I lent to, when I first deal with her, and I know what I allowed to happened. That, however is done with and not something I wish to be drawn into."

"Yet, you still talk with her.. You walk with her, and seem to be concerned for her. So why so much concern and why do you keep such company with her? I know how you truly feel, and you despise her."

"Because deep down, she still has a piece of me with her.. A piece I want back, and a piece I will have back one way or another. I do not mean 'Darkin' itself, granted that is something I will have to deal with sooner or later. There is more to it. The end result is for the moment, she is a concern at best. Of course there is also Lucy to think about."

"Ah yes.. Your 'Daughter', quite the legacy that one has left,
Brian.. So you are concerned for them, and for yourself and those ties thatbind? And what of your ties here? Will you sever those as well, will you walk away from all you have accomplished here, and what we here have accomplished with you? Is it that cut and dry, my son?"

"I do not know about cut and dry, but as far as the ties go, yes I will see them severed. You see, I.. Well it may sound silly, but I am not whole, Mother. I have not been in a while, and I feel it. I am spread in many directions, and I allowed it to happen and I at some points made it happen. I was hardly a victim in much of it, but the point is. I need to get it back, somehow. I need to do what I want, and live by my accord and stop saying one things and living another. I have spent a great deal of my life in some type of servitude or another, and again I did it to myself. But I can't do that anymore, you see I have a new perspective and it is wonderful. So, this is what I need to do, more importantly what I want to do."

"Then do it, my boy... Do what you need to do, and know that I love you just as much as the day you walked into my life as a child. I will not lie, as I am a bit disappointed. But I know this is what you need to do, and I will support you. Mind you, the order may not be so loving and what not in regards to this, but I think I can swing it so you will occasionally have an eye on you. Mainly for my own comfort."

"Now, please tell me of Kairee of the Red Dragon."