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...Baby, if you're out there, Mommy will find you. Trust me. Just wait for Mommy, Elysia...
[The sounds of footfalls stop.
Gracia gives a cry of alarm and the PCD drops!
After a few moments, the sound of fumbling for the device. She sounds...out of breath, but her voice is the kind of scared confidence one puts up when you know you have to be brave ( Read more... )
[The sounds of footfalls stop.
Gracia gives a cry of alarm and the PCD drops!
After a few moments, the sound of fumbling for the device. She sounds...out of breath, but her voice is the kind of scared confidence one puts up when you know you have to be brave ( Read more... )
...
GRACIA? GRACIA! GRACIA, YOU'RE HERE!
Wait. This could be... I have to ask. Gracia, love, honey, what color are my favorite socks?
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...Honey? Is that really......? This is a dream--
[She clears her throat and wipes at her eyes with the hem of her sleeve.]
Pink. Because I threw them in the wash with my red blouse during the first month we were living together.
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Gracia. Oh my love. It's not a dream. This place, this city, pulls people from different places and times. I'm here, and our baby is here.
[Gently he touches the screen.]
It's you. I can't... I get to see you again. I need you to follow a specific set of instructions with the buttons, please.
[Private//Unhackable to Gracia]
[Quickly Maes instructs her on making a message private.]
Now push the button on the side of the device, and it will tell me where you are. Then head west, so you're not staying at those coordinates, all right? Daddy will be with Mommy very soon.
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Our little Elysia's here, too? ...So we're all together again. [A soft, happy sigh and then she nods at the serious instructions.]
O-of course.
[She does as told and...voila!]
[Private//Unhackable to Maes]
[Pushes the button on the side.]
Did they go through? [She nods again, though is unsure what to make of the instruction to move (you stay put when lost, don't you?), and is already beginning on the trek westward.] Is there anything I should be careful of, in particular? Other than the buildings falling?
[Then, after a moment and a bit overcome, she sniffles, smiles and says softly...]
...I've missed you, so much.
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We are, love. We're all together.
[Private//Unhackable to Gracia]
They went through. I'm on my way. Oh Gracia, I'll be there soon. But you need to watch out for Envy. He's a shapeshifter. If you see me coming and I don't salute you, get out of there. That's our signal for now.
[Maes closes his eyes again before opening them and smiling sadly.]
I'm so sorry, Gracia. I'm so, so, so sorry.
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I will be careful. [She's worried by all this, and it shows, but she remains calm.] A salute, okay. Should I do anything, too?
[She shakes her head.]
It's...not your fault. I'm just happy to see you now. We'll make up for lost time when we're together again. Just be very careful, sweetheart.
I love you.
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I've missed that nose wrinkle.
[He gives her a soft smile.]
It doesn't change that I left. But we'll make up that time, how we'll make it up.
I love you too.
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We will. We understand even more now how precious and fragile it is.
[She blows a little kiss at the screen.]
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Gracia! Gracia, you're here!
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She hurries towards him, and throws her arms around him, embracing him lovingly. She's crying without realizing it, and kisses his cheek, then his lips, then, as she pulls away, a brief eskimo kiss.]
I'm here. [Gazing up at him adoringly, she touches his hair lightly, fingering a few strands and then traces her hand down his cheek and jawline, letting her hand come to rest against his chest, over his heart. She's quiet a moment.]
It's really you...I thought I'd never see you again.
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He manages to pull his kerchief out of his pocket, reaching up and gently trying to dry her tears between kissing her back. It's not the most coordinated dance, but it's full of emotion.]
I didn't think I'd see you either. Oh Gracia.
[He holds her. This world is suddenly fine, he once again has the strength to face everything.]
Let's go home, Gracia. To Elysia. And we can all be together again. There's a lot to tell you about this city, too.
Right now, we need to watch out for things to move around on their own. Every other week or so, something strange happens. Nothing's attacked Daddy yet!
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Everything. The warmth of his skin, the feel of his arms around her, his scent, his smile, his voice, his eyes, the sound of his heartbeat and steady breathing, his strength and love. Little things, major things. Things she had thought would only be memories now were back.
She wonders how this world has been treating him, if he's been alright without her, if Elysia's been safe (of course she is, with her Daddy and his friends Mustang and Lt. Hawkeye around her). Maybe other wives might worry about what their husbands, alone in a world like this, might get up to, but not Gracia, and not with Maes.
Home. Home is where the heart is, they say, so home is wherever her family has settled down, even in this strange world.]
Okay. I'd like that. [She slips her hand into his for the walk home and she feels safe--safer than she has in quite some time. Her daughter is safe, her husband is again alive and ( ... )
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He had to. They deserved the best there was. Which didn't explain why she'd settled for him, but hey, he was happy.
Maes hadn't expected this either. Part of him had hoped, but he'd known that when he said goodnight before coming here was probably the last time he would ever see Gracia. Both of them were with him. Despite how badly he'd hurt them, despite the promise he'd broken of coming home, he had them again.
And his wife, his other half... She didn't have to worry. He'd already told a few women how happily married he was, and in truth, there was no one would could compare to Gracia. He ruffled her short hair before holding the offered hand and squeezing back.]
I get to bring you home. [His voice was happy and quiet, awed.] I should carry you over the threshhold again! After all, I'm ( ... )
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Congrats.
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