Welp, this isn't what I imagined I would end my half-month hiatus with, but here it is. I'm really getting sick of my inability to determine whether or not something is a T or and M, but in this case I think I'm actually in the right when I say it's a T, rather than trying to convince myself of it. Still, close. I'll ramble on afterwards, here's the fic.

A Little Shot of Wildfire

"Commmmonnnn… just wan more shot of Wildfire!" Jenna pleaded, tugging on Morris' (the barkeep) beard, desperate to drown herself in yet another glass of her own creation. Wildfire was an apt name for the potent brew of liquor: Jenna was the only person in town able to drink it without scalding his throat, and even the occasional Proxian who had ventured to Kalay and ordered it had encountered trouble keeping it down.

Quite like Jenna herself, it was a bit of an oddity. Most alcohol tasted sweet at first with a bitter aftertaste, but Wildfire smacked you upside the head and made your mouth burn "before a gentle and soothing sweetness quelled the searing sensation and brought about total harmony in the taste-buds." At least, that was how Jenna put it, but that was only if you managed to swallow. As it stood, most of the bar's denizens winced whenever she took a sip, and tonight she had been taking shots at a time. A lot of shots, at that.

Wildfire was made as strong as it was thanks to a little zing of Mars Psynergy added in, and seeing as Kalay was filled with Mars Adepts who had migrated from Vale, that little zing was fairly easy to come by. Still, Jenna was determined that Morris was the best at making it, which was usually a blessing because it meant constant business from her, but at this point it was a curse since Jenna was flat-out wasted.

Morris winced as Jenna's grip slid lower and she lost her grasp on his beard, taking many of its russet hairs in the process. Or perhaps he was wincing more at the sight of one of Kalay's most respected individuals hammered into next year.

It had become well known that Jenna had grown sick and tired of Isaac's trips to the ruins of Mt. Aleph: She had made this clear by ranting about the subject whenever some soul made the mistake of bringing it up. Taking young Matthew (nine) with him had apparently been the last straw, and Jenna had set out four days ago to give Isaac a piece of her mind.

Morris didn't need to ask whether or not it had gone well. The answer was blazed out of her mind and drooling on his bar, absentmindedly twirling a ball of flame on her index finger that he feared might set fire to the entire place. At the least… maybe she was finally nearing sleep, so he could get a few good men to carry her back—

"WELL? What are you waiting for? The Golden Sun to rise again?" Jenna sputtered impatiently, drawing a sigh out of the poor barman. Said phrase had become a staple of Jenna's verbal repertoire as the years had worn on.

"Jenna… have you thought that, perhaps, it might be best for you to get a coffee to sober up, or at least stop drinking, and think about heading home?" Morris asked with tact. While he trusted Jenna to not do anything she might regret, he had never seen her quite this drunk. True, she had won the bar's first annual drinking contest five years ago, but even then she had held some element of sobriety.

Now? It was painful to watch. Morris knew that she also (she claimed it had something to do with being Mars Adept, but he had never been able to cheat Mother Nature like this himself) was able to shake off alcohol in a matter of hours, but he couldn't help be worried. She was a paying customer, and she paid a LOT, what with the gold she had garnered on her adventures, but he wasn't going to let her drink herself into oblivion.

"Morris, I – hic – know my limitses, please!" she said, smacking her head into the bar. As Jenna rose back up, Morris was horrified to see she had left a dent. He needed to get her out of here, and fast.

"…Fine, ONE more," he ordained, and after rolling her eyes and nearly careening out of her stool while doing so, she nodded. Jenna licked her lips as he began to prepare the concoction, but then sighed and put her face in her hands.

Stupid Isaac, she lamented, lowering her face down to the bar once more. So damn noble. Who he thinks he is? "I can't hold me to you, you need stay in Kalay." Asshole. She sniffled, and despite how incredibly intoxicated she was, some part of her knew how badly she would feel about this night's events in the morning.

Specifically because she had come to Morris' bar not just to get tanked, but also to find someone to bring home. Or, perhaps she hadn't come to the bar with that purpose in mind, but a few drinks in the idea had sprouted, and as low as it was, her now depleted mental state had no qualms with finding a suitable male (who wouldn't take her? Even drunk, she was still drop-dead gorgeous!) to throw herself at. Especially since drowning her sorrows wasn't turning out as she had hoped.

Obviously, she would be much less tempted to become intimate a day after breaking up with her husband of 20 years while sober, hence the… well, she had lost count of the amount of Wildfires she had tanked. The point remained, and Jenna in her intoxicated state was determined to see it out.

Maybe another body could do what alcohol could not, and at the least would make her separation from Isaac a finality, rather than just another impulsive decision she would consider reversing.

This ultimatum had been a long time coming, with her patience with Isaac winding down ever since Matthew's birth. Ever since he hadn't been able to attend his own son's birth, to be precise. But, Isaac had no problem taking their son to what was apparently a disaster area dangerous enough for her husband to ask her to refrain from staying there.

No matter how sad his face had looked when she had given him the decision: "Come home with me, or we're through," remorse was in short notice, overshadowed by rage at his choosing. Nothing could explain the pain she felt right now, and she sure as hell hoped Isaac felt just as terrible when she told him she was seeing other men to his face.

Of course, that would be so cruel that, even while she could barely finish a thought without her mind wandering, Jenna wondered if she would be able to hurt him like that when the time came. Regardless, she was going to try.

"Here, Jenna. Your last one," Morris said as he handed his fellow Mars Adept her shot of Wildfire. She winked at him before giggling drunkly and slamming the tiny glass against her lips. As the liquid flew into her mouth, she felt the most crippling and wretched sensation rip through her throat. Well, not the most. It was nothing compared to the feeling that had gripped her heart the past day.

But, soon, the pain eroded, and in its place was the most wonderful feeling of cool bliss, as if her neck was being kissed from the inside. Well… not the most wonderful. Not as wonderful as pressing her body against his and staring into his eyes – and just like that, Jenna realized she needed another drink. And, with a disgruntled sigh, she realized Morris wasn't going to get her one.

Sure, she could hit up another bar, but what was the point? She was as drunk as she could reasonably get without dying, and while she might entertain that notion at this point, she wouldn't go so far as to push toward it. "Tanks, Morris," She muttered, standing up on somewhat wobbly legs. "Put dat on my tab."

With a smiling salute, she began to lurch toward the dance floor, before a clicking of fingers led her to turn around. Morris' frown greeted her, and he asked, "Hey, what happened to leaving?"

"Never said I'd leaf. Only said I'm snop drunking," Jenna replied with a burst of airy laughter, before turning back to the raucous crowd in the middle of the room. Morris sighed, palming his forehead. He should have known better than to try to goad Jenna into something, even when she was drunk.

Alex sighed as he made his way through the sparsely populated streets of Kalay. While he was at unease, it was quite late, and that fact coupled with his intel that not a single Warrior of Vale was left in the town made him a bit less anxious about meeting his informant at a local bar. But only a bit.

Of course, this was the High Empyror's informant, who Alex only used in order to not irk the wrath of the Tuaparang leader, who had a nasty habit of getting angry at his subordinates for no good reason. If the Mercury Adept had things his way, he would go back to the good old days of gathering information without his informants knowing his face, let alone his name (even if it was a false one). But playing nice with the Empyror was worth it, as Alex never would have been able to get the Alchemy Machines running by himself.

So, he slowly made his way through a finely paved street, following his tiny sheet of hastily but impeccably written directions. He should be nearing the bar now, and – "Hey, you hear about that spy they arrested yesterday?"

Alex halted immediately, his eyes quickly finding two men in front of him conversing, and felt his spine tingle in disgruntled realization. He pressed himself against a wall, doing his best to listen to the conversation while trying to convince himself he was over-thinking things. There was no way that idiot would have been stupid enough to get arrested…

"Apparently he was going through Ivan's workshop… was pretty well armed too. Some kind of high-tech crossbow," the man continued after the other man's negative reply. Alex truly had to restrain himself from screaming out a long stream of curse words, or better yet pouncing on the two men and ripping them apart, so great was his anger.

This kind of shit NEVER happened around Saturos and Menardi. Hell, he had even had a hard time slinking around and plotting while in their party. If someone had talked back to them, or had failed to live up to expectations, they had felt the heat as a result, pun very much so intended. Alex still wondered how Jenna with her mouth had managed to survive a good five months under their guise.

But, the High Empyror? As long as you had no problem with groveling and sucking up as much as possible, you could go about your business fucking up and getting forgiven time and time again. The man just had NO idea how to run an empire of his size… he played favorites much too often.

While Chalis had definitely been one of the Empyror's more competent minions, even she had only become a captain in the ranks by not so much sucking up as sucking off, and when that hadn't been enough to get her where she had wanted to go, she had possessed no hesitation in spreading her legs as well.

Just disgusting, in Alex's opinion. Not Chalis' willingness to go beyond any reasonable means necessary to get whatever she desired; Alex had always held a certain fondness for the ruthlessness hid behind the vixen's oversweet exterior, and had almost felt a little remorse at her demise. Almost.

But, that's the thing. Chalis had understood that business was business. So, when Chalis and Blados had been left barely alive by Matthew's party (the noble fool proving just as blindly idealistic as his father, giving his greatest enemies potions rather than doing what needed to be done), and Alex had come across the fallen, treacherous generals, he had done just that; he had taken care of business.

Blados had begged pitifully for his life, but Chalis had just let out a bittersweet gurgle, realizing that she had been beat. Alex had respected that, and as such had made sure to end her life quickly. Blados? He had taken his time with THAT arrogant piece of shit. Too many shades of Saturos in that one.

Alex sighed and pushed himself off the wall, restarting his walk to the bar. At the least, he could get a few drinks to take his mind off the Empyror's idiocy. The foolish leader's mistakes like this made the Mercury Adept want to take things into his own hands, but that urge never outweighed his delight in manipulating things from the outside. Besides, it was almost necessary that the person in charge of the Tuaparang was a complete Garet-brain (a term Alex saved for only the most incompetent fools he was forced to deal with). How else would Alex be able to bend the entire empire to his will, while still holding the option of running in case things ever got too hairy?

Recognizing the name of the bar his informant (who he hoped was hung in the near future) was supposed to meet him in, Alex carefully formed his hood around his head to hide his bright blue hair and quietly slipped in through the door.

"Evening," the barkeep greeted, eyeing Alex with a look of slight uncertainty before shrugging it off and going back to polishing his glass. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Your hardest, if you don't mind," Alex requested, seating himself at the bar. Morris smiled as he imagined a Wildfire melting the ice in the stranger's voice.

"Don't say I didn't warn you, it's a real trip," the bartended said with a chuckle, filling the glass and then shooting a small beam into it from his finger. Alex raised an eyebrow as he watched, intrigued at the notion of using Psynergy to enhance alcohol. While he didn't drink often, and certainly never got drunk, he appreciated a shot of something hard enough to smack his head into place; thoughts tended to drift when you had so much on your mind.

He nodded in thanks and placed coins worth more than anything the drink could possibly cost, garnering a raised eyebrow from Morris as well of a nod of thanks, and then quickly downed the drink. His eyes widened, and for five seconds Alex was reminded beyond any doubt why he detested the element of Mars. When it was over, he let out a gasp, and the burning was replaced with the most pleasant feeling he had felt in nearly two decades.

"…Who buys this?" Alex sputtered after a minute of regaining his composure.

"Only got one customer who can down it…" Morris replied, taking the glass with a smile. "They're pretty lauded for their accolades, but you don't hear many people talking about the Warriors of Vale being able to handle their booze, now do ya?" He pointed to a swirling mess of auburn hair that was stumbling across the dance floor, and within a moment Alex recognized it to be Jenna.

"My God," The Mercury Adept whispered, surprised for the first time in a good while. Any concern as to why the Mars Adept was here rather than at Goma Plateau where she should be was replaced by sheer shock. He had known Jenna to be impulsive, but never really pictured her as the kind to have five too many drinks and proceed to awkwardly hit on every viable male on a dance floor. And wasn't she married?

Some bizarre fascination gripped him as he watched her pristine body, only marred by her lack of coordination, drunken laughing, and unruly hair, swing this way and that, gradually nearing his side of the bar. Alex didn't seem to notice this, nor did he notice the bar door open and the resulting breeze from a cracked window that occurred and pushed his hood off his head.

Morris squinted uneasily; men with masks weren't exactly the kind of people you wanted in your bar. He was even more uncomfortable considering one of his recent patrons had just been arrested for breaking and entering. And it was almost like… like this masked man knew Jenna. Well, she was fairly well known, and for all Morris knew this guy was Lemurian. With another shrug, Morris went back to polishing glasses. At least the masked man paid well.

Suddenly, something clicked in Alex's head, and he realized that his hood was now off and that one of the eight people in the world who could absolutely NOT know of his current schemes was much too close to him. Unfortunately for Alex (karma is a bitch, after all), he had never had the greatest luck in close encounters such as this, and within a moment of his regained awareness, Jenna turned to face him.

She halted, all her inflamed, alcohol-drenched energy being put out in but a second, and for a moment she stared at him with a dumb look, one someone would give Kraden if he donned a thong, or Garet if he got his hair cut. Then, after a moment, her eyes dilated wide with recognition, and she hollered, "Alex, you freaking CUNT! Is that you?"

Alex found himself utterly speechless for the second time that night, and made no motion as Jenna stumbled toward him. To be fair, he had been called much, MUCH worse (by Jenna, in fact), but her declaration had been… friendly. It certainly hadn't been venomous or filled with anger. If anything, Alex would have expected Jenna, who despite his (though somewhat sarcastic) attempts at sweet-talk had never thought much of him and had only grown to despise him, to glare at him in disbelief or anger upon viewing him. After all, he was supposed to be dead. And yet…

Realizing he had to act before the entirety of Kalay was alerted to his presence, Alex went to work. "Oh, Jenna!" he exclaimed, standing up and moving quickly to meet her. "No, it's Velos, remember? From Lemuria? You might… not have recognized me quite as well because of my mask." And because you're a drunken mess, Alex added to himself.

Jenna raised an eyebrow, but shrugged. "Oh… alright," She replied with a hic-cup, waving at Morris as he stared at her and the now very-intriguing masked man with concern. At her wave, Morris shrugged and once again returned to cleaning glasses; the moment he did so Jenna turned back to Alex and winked.

Alex smiled uneasily, knowing he had to find SOME way to get her out of here. But, doing so right away would only lead to drawing attention to himself… he'd have to sweat it out for a little while. And then once he got her out… he bit his lip as he wrapped his arm around Jenna like an old friend, helping her to the far end of the bar that was dimly lit and empty.

He had options, but all of them would be tricky. Alex should have just played it smart and left once he knew the informant had gotten captured, but NO. He HAD to get a drink. Well, there was always the idea of flat-out killing her, but if there was any way to rouse the other Warriors to start prowling around for information he didn't want them to find, he couldn't think of it.

He could kidnap her, but that would have the same result. He could also try just taking her to her home and hoping that she would simply black out and now remember meeting him, but that very idea was playing with fire. Alex cursed under his breath; he was stuck. There was no way this could end well.

"…Two Wildfires, barkeep, if you don't mind," Alex asked, tossing more coin on the bar. Morris grimaced, glancing at Jenna, who was now directing a small fume of fire around her body with a dopey look across her face.

"You know her, then?" Morris asked, and Alex nodded, along with Jenna, happily bobbing her head up and down a few moments later, after she had processed the question. Afterward, she turned and gave Alex a wide smile, and despite his internal confusion, Alex returned it with one of the icy vices his mouth had perfected. "Okay… Velos, but would you mind taking her home and then watching over her? Isaac would kill me if something happened to her."

"FUCK him," Jenna hissed, looking away bitterly, and Alex frowned, beginning to piece together why Jenna was not at Goma Plateau. And despite every reason to despise the woman for the awkward position she had put him in, he couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Even Alex had sent a few sad looks her way through their journey, understanding the pain her past had held.

And, though with his own endgame, she would eventually end up dead, Alex had been somewhat pleased to know that Jenna would at least have her happy ending for a little while. Though she could be a right bitch when she felt like it, and often he was the target of said bitching, Jenna had always amused and intrigued him. Kind of a mix between Chalis and Mia… not a complete psychopath who was as manipulative as he was, and not a hopeless romantic and optimist, but a well-rounded person who didn't take crap from other people.

Alex could see the benefits of such a mix, and had it been viable, would have taken a crack at Jenna. All other romance in his life had been twisted for purely political purposes, the prior being his misguided feelings for Mia that he knew she would never reciprocate (Mia was much too good to fall into an incestuous relationship), and the latter being his absolute joke of a manufactured romance with Veriti to start the Alchemy Well.

Even Alex had been somewhat uncomfortable twisting such a bright and innocent girl for his purposes, and he had even felt guilt when he heard she had died as the result of a broken heart (as stupid as that very idea was).

That guilt had turned into annoyance when he had discovered the offspring their affair had resulted in was the most moronic, idealistic brat imaginable. If anyone ever asked Alex to pay for child-support, he would decapitate Amiti and see it as fitting payment since the prince was bound to grow weary when he realized just how terrible the world was.

Jenna's spawn, on the other hand, while possessing all the air-headed do-goody traits of Isaac, was at least a competent leader. You don't just dismantle a Tuaparang battalion unless you know how to lead a party.

But alas, Alex had no real time for anything resembling a relationship, and back when he and Jenna had traveled together, trying anything was much too risky considering Felix would have reacted very, very badly. Still… what could have been.

Shaking out of his thoughts, Alex grabbed his own Wildfire, carefully handed the other to Jenna, and then replied to Morris, "Of course, I'd be more than happy to make sure my old friend makes it home and is well. It's sad to see her in such a state, to be honest." To Alex's own surprise, the last statement was actually very heartfelt, and any unease Morris had possessed dissipated at the Mercury Adept's words.

With a nod, the bartender turned his back to them, and Alex let out a silent sigh of relief. Now he could work on damage control.

"Not a weal surprise… that you have a new name," Jenna said with a smile, and Alex frowned. So, she wasn't drunk enough to buy that lie. Great. Biding time, he forced down his Wildfire; if there was ever a time he needed to clear his head, this was it.

Jenna watched him with a smile, placing her glass on the bar. She was more than drunk enough, and at this point, she needed to get Alex a little bit more tipsy… even the playing field.

Jenna realized that she should have been nervous, shocked, and even scared at witnessing Alex in the flash, a man she thought long dead. But while he had often treated her mockingly, and was a bit of a smartass, and a manipulative shrew… she could always stomach Alex, at least in small doses.

After finding out he had died, despite the fact that his death was his own fault and the result of his power-mongering, she couldn't help but wonder how much his disposition was a result of no one ever giving him a chance. She certainly hadn't, and knew from her own experiences with Felix that some people were just hard to get through to.

So, seeing Alex alive was… nice, in some ways. He certainly hadn't aged either, as his body was obviously sculpted, even though it was hidden by his cloak. And despite his mask, which she assumed hid some kind of scarring, his face was still elegant, and as of now didn't hold the arrogant look that had often spoiled it.

Jenna had never really had time to fool around with boys as a girl… she had been too depressed during her early teens, too guarded by Garet and Isaac during her mid-teens, and then watched like a hawk by Felix up until she married Isaac. Having a little fun with Alex would be interesting, especially since she couldn't imagine his reaction to her trying to have her way with him.

Yeah… she was probably taking a huge risk, trying to seduce one of the most powerful and dangerous men she had ever known. But, she was a Warrior of Vale! And hell, what else did she have to lose?

"I'm – hic—glad to see you," Jenna purred, leaning into Alex, her hair nuzzling against his chin. "How have you ben?"

Alex raised an eyebrow, realizing but not quite being able to process that she was hitting on him. Well, she was incredibly intoxicated, but still… and it wasn't like he wasn't interested. As she leaned away from him, flashing a seductive grin, he began to take in the sights.

While Jenna had certainly been good-looking when he had seen her last, she had been only 17, and Alex had a preference for slightly more mature women. Compared to her teenage form, present-day Jenna had filled out quite nicely, her hips now a bit wider, and her figure more fully developed. Her face had also aged, if only a little, and all that was left unchanged was her auburn hair.

Alex had up until this point only considered the night ending badly, and while he certainly still had no idea how to take care of the inherent issue in front of him, at least said problem seemed very willing to strip at his command. Alex was used to things coming the hard way, and he certainly wasn't going to complain if the beautiful, if wasted, woman in front of him wanted to fool around.

"I've been alright," he replied after a few moments, gently taking a piece of Jenna's hair in his fingers and twirling it in the air. The action, along with his suave smile, made her giggle and blush (which he wouldn't had thought possible considering how flushed her face already was), and she plopped her hand down upon his knee.

"Let's be frank," she murmured, her eyes glazing over as her mind, ever so quickly, drifted to Isaac's smiling face before blocking out such painful images. "You and I… eve nefer gotten long. But, I've had a bad night…" Her face fell, and Alex out of some long, long, long lost reflex, placed his arm of her shoulder. Sure, that's what he would have done since it was the necessary step in getting into her pants, but the fact that he had done it naturally...

"And I want to ake my mind off it," Jenna continued, smiling slightly at his gesture. "I till think you a bit of an ass, and hell, yell probably ill me… but… I'm yers."

Alex was beside himself. Yes, he had some nice looks. And yes, he had always thought Jenna and him could have some chemistry if they hadn't met as they had. But, offering herself up this quickly? He knew she was drunk, but it went beyond that. She and Isaac must have really, really fallen through, and based on her actions, she must have been the catalyst.

Alex felt the smallest well of pity wane in his heart. He of all people knew what it was like to sever a tie that couldn't be mended, even if you knew it had to be done. But not enough pity to stop from going for the throat… Jenna was already fucked, as there was no way she could simply walk away cleanly after coming into contact with him. He might as well fuck her then, regardless of the alcohol manipulating her.

"…I've already ad ten noes, if yer elefen I'm gonna be pissed," Jenna muttered after another moment, and Alex sighed.

"No… I'm willing. Shall we go back to your place?" he asked, and she smiled. With a nod, she rose up, nearly falling over, only for him to catch her. With another bright smile, she began to move forward, and he took her shoulder just in case.

"Oh… whoops, I almost forgot," Jenna muttered, turning back to eye her un-drunk shot of Wildfire. However, before she could reach out to get it, Alex did so and drank it.

After ten seconds of pain, he gasped, and smiled cheekily as she glared him down. "You're much too drunk my dear," he said in explanation. Jenna simply rolled her eyes in return. The real reason he had elected to down the shot was to drown the unnaturally kind urges he had felt toward the Mars Adept. Alex rarely drank this much in succession, but tonight was a different story. He would probably need to loosen up, to do what needed to be done, and he doubted he would be able to enjoy Jenna's body to the degree he knew he could if he spent the entire time fretting about how her death or disappearance afterward would affect his long-term goals.

Alex gave Morris a small wave as he pulled Jenna out the door and into the night air. As they made their way down the street, Alex partially guiding but still having to follow Jenna's loose directions, she halted and her knees began to quiver.

For a moment, Alex was sure she was about to hurl, which would have significantly stunted his erection that had been slowly growing in the last few minutes, but thankfully she was only shivering. "So… cold…"she whispered, tucking her arms into her sides.

Alex, without even thinking, unwrapped his cloak and wrapped it around Jenna tightly. She positively beamed at him in return, and instead of kicking himself for once again falling to his emotions, Alex couldn't help but feel a small sliver of pride.

"Yer sweeter dan I remember," Jenna whispered, her chocolate eyes shining lightly in the faint crescent moonlight. While Alex had thought of Jenna's slurring speech as slightly annoying, and at the least obnoxious, somehow it had begun to become… cute. THIS is what I get for getting drunk, Alex chided himself with venom. And yet, his admonishing fell flat.

Alex had forgotten what it was like, to be close to a woman, or at the least one you had feelings for. Whoa, er, one who was attractive. At any rate, he was certainly enjoying Jenna's company. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he should have told himself he was setting himself up for failure. That he was very close to crossing a line where pulling out his knife and slicing open Jenna's throat wouldn't be something easily done, and where he would lament his decision to kill her for years rather than a few days.

But Alex, for once, gave into human emotions. After all, despite all the blind lust for power, all the arrogance, and all the elaborate plotting, he was only human. And for the first time in a long while, someone who actually knew his past, who knew his actions, who knew who he was, was enjoying his company and wanted to be around him. It was an odd feeling, that was slowly (along with the effects of the Wildfires) lowering his well guarded barriers.

Jenna, on the other hand, found herself sobering up ever-so-slightly, and wishing she had taken that last shot of Wildfire. While she knew she was way too deep to get out of what was about to occur, her mind was beginning to work just enough of a degree that she could truly comprehend the danger she was in, as well as what this would mean for her marriage.

Granted, if her memory served her correctly, after what she had said there was probably no going back to things being the same with Isaac… but fooling around, let alone having sex, with Alex would probably be the final nail in the coffin. Hell of a nail though, she thought as she glanced at her companion, who was lost in thought.

Jenna immediately wondered whether or not he was considering what he would do with her, yet somehow she didn't fear the answer. Her life had grown dull and morose, and seeing Alex back from the dead had certainly livened it up a bit. Hopefully doing so didn't end it, either.

But… Isaac… she winced. She loved him, and she knew he loved her. But what was the point, if he wasn't willing to actually spend his life with her? And what bullshit was it being too dangerous for her to live at the Plateau?

Suddenly, Alex maneuvered her against a wall, pressing his hand to her shoulder. Jenna's lips parted in a gasp, as she stared into his pale blue eyes, just barely able to see her own brown irises reflected within them.

Neither of them had ever seen death and romance so vividly mixed, as Alex prepared to do what he knew he must, and Jenna prepared to either feel his lips or feel her pulse go cold. "Joining Mom and Dad… wouldn't be so bad…" Jenna whispered to herself, and Alex froze.

His grip on his hidden knife began to shake, while Jenna refused to look away from his eyes. Her damned eyes… so soft and wide, so innocent, just like Mia's when she had been younger. With some kind of sinking feeling in his stomach, Alex came to the realization that Jenna was putting her life in his hands, and she was just conscious enough to understand what was at stake.

He would like to say that he couldn't imagine the pain she had gone through, and didn't want to, but somehow her memories and wounds hung in her eyes, burning brightly just behind her chocolate irises. But even more so was that idea that she was his completely, not by any kind of manipulation on his part, but by her own choice.

Alex had crippled many to their knees and then acted as he felt necessary, but to have someone kneel voluntarily… the egotist in him was thrilled, and what was left of his frozen heart seemed to melt at the thought.

And so, as he finally unsheathed the knife, and brought it to Jenna's neck, his breathing nearly halted. He could see both of their eyes in the knife's blade, just barely, as it swung through the air and pressed gently against her jugular, the flat of the blade kissing her vein ever so delicately.

Without any real knowledge that he was doing so, Alex leaned forward, creeping closer and closer to Jenna's face. While his breath had faded, her breathing skyrocketed with every inch he sliced away between them.

"Fucking bastard… kiss me or kill me, you can't haf both," Jenna whispered, and Alex in one fell motion pulled his arm back, drove the knife back into its sheath, and crashed his lips into Jenna's.

A torrent of curses directed at himself were drowned out as he indulged in the feeling, the lingering remnants of all the Wildfire Jenna had drunk painting his tongue with ecstasy. He pressed his body up against hers, his hands clawing away at her sides.

As he parted, Jenna could only let out a tiny, but electric moan that indicated she had enjoyed the kiss as much as he had. She looked at him blankly, feeling hotter than she, a Mars Adept, ever had before in her life.

"My house is two streets down… red wooden door… take me…" she forced out, so lost was her head in a whirlwind of satisfaction and lust. Alex didn't bother to ask whether or not she meant take her in the way her body had just pleaded or take her to her home: He intended to do both. He was already pushing his luck as it was, there was no way he was going to risk having sex in the middle of a damned street.

Alex lifted her up, Jenna wrapping her legs around his waist, and he began to move quickly down the street, keeping his eyes out for the red door. His eyes darted between both sides of the road as he focused on locating Jenna's house as well as keeping her mouth busy. Soon enough a red door caught his eye, and he made his way toward it.

Kicking it in and then slamming it shut with the same foot, he looked around the house; small but quaint, two stories, and decorated with paintings from the past and of family. One would never think that two of the most powerful people on Weyard lived here… or, one now, as it were.

As Alex let Jenna down, he felt yet another pang of guilt, a feeling which drove him mad. He was supposed to be the wielder of the Golden Sun, the most powerful Adept in existence, a man who rose above the petty romances and urges that chained the rest of the world down. And yet, here he was, unwilling to do either what he knew must be done, or what he wanted to do, purely because of guilt.

He couldn't exactly just kill her now, and yet he wasn't quite sure why. And he couldn't just feast on her body as he had planned, and he didn't know why he hesitated in that regard either.

Jenna, meanwhile, eyed him with hazy concern, her breathing still heightened from their kissing. She knew it should feel much, much more wrong to do this to Isaac, and – to hell with Isaac, to do this to herself! She was setting fire to everything she had built, all to get back at the person she had built it with (though every passing moment made her question whether that was really why she had invited Alex to her home).

She should have been disgusted by herself, but by now she had grown tired of falling to tears attempting to get an explanation from the man she had married; had grown tired of her son, the very image of his father, peeking at her with worried eyes; and had grown tired of feeling terrible. She wanted to feel good, to hell with the costs.

"Please… it's at da top of the stairs… ast door on the right," she whispered, propping herself up against the kitchen table while Alex turned his solemn gaze to her.

"…I can't believe I'm doing this," he murmured shaking his head with a sigh. "Jenna?" She nodded, and he bit his lip. "I… I want you to tell me honestly, is this what you want?"

Despite her lack of coordination and haphazard thinking, Jenna could tell there was something to what Alex had just said. In all her memories, she could never recall him speaking like this before. Speaking… honestly. With meaning.

"Tis," She said, leaning forward and crashing into his arms. "I just wish… that you had een ike this 20 years go," she muttered, pressing her face into his chest.

Alex pulled her into an embrace, his eyes distantly glancing around the home once more. It was so easy, to set fire to the world, to know his actions would lead to innocent deaths, to act without restraint and with pure calculation above any and all human emotion. And yet, in his arms, this woman who he had once known, and who, in some ways, he had been fond of… seeing her like this hurt.

And no matter how hard he tried, his trick of deflecting the blame onto the natural cruelty of the world, something he had done time and time without fail, would not work here. Alex despised Isaac, despised what he stood for, despised his ignorance and even the fact that someone as unique and as fiery as Jenna had fallen for something as dull and predictable as the Venus Adept.

But Jenna loved him, and Alex, for what it was worth, wished right now that this was just a lull in their marriage, and that she could patch things up. The sobbing mess in his arms, though, indicated otherwise. The breaking had already occurred, and in the cruelest twist of fate imaginable, he, a man of utter indifference, could decide whether or not she would ever heal, or even get a chance to.

Alex couldn't give her Isaac, but at the least he could give her what she wanted now. True, she would probably hate him for it when the morning sun rose, but the Wildfire had weakened his mind just enough to ignore that fact. He was going through with it… he would see the night through.

"Alex," Jenna crooned, lifting her face up so she could look into his eyes, and tugging on his shirt with her teeth as she did so. He couldn't help but smile; she was adorable.

"Yes, my dear?" he asked, his smile only widening as she frowned.

"You assjack. You know I ated in when you talled me that…" she said, narrowing her eyes and glancing away until her placed his hand on her cheek.

"I only meant it kindly," Alex replied; not a total lie. He had certainly never meant it meanly.

She rolled her eyes, and pushed off him, moving slowly and swervingly toward the stairs. "You can lop with the sweet-talk… I've already said yes," she replied, with Alex rushing to her side to keep her from falling down the stairs. Soon, they had reached the top, and Alex once again lifted Jenna into his arms, this time by her back and legs.

He pushed the door open with ease and laid her down upon the bed. Knowing he would have little trouble undoing her white buttoned-up blouse or removing her red skirt, Alex began removing his heavy amount of clothing, climbing on top of her after he had removed all but his pants and undergarments.

Before his arms could reach her, Jenna's hands grabbed his face and brought it to her own. Once more, his tongue was greeted by the faint radiance of the Wildfire, though Alex had begun to wonder if that's just what Jenna's mouth tasted like. It certainly wouldn't surprise him, if that were the case.

Once the kissing had begun, their hands began to move everywhere, both of them well-versed in romantic foreplay. True, Alex probably could have skipped this step, as he had often enough in the past, but it seemed suiting for this occasion. Jenna seemed to appreciate his decision, quivering and flaring whenever his lips pulsed onto her own or her neck.

Finally, Alex rose slightly, his weight pressing down on Jenna's stomach. "Yer squishin' me," she groaned in mock anger, and he chuckled.

"Even so, I think you'll like the part that comes next," Alex purred, stroking her hair, then face, with his hand before placing his index finger at the top of her blouse and sliding it down, slowly breaking off each button.

He expected her to say something along the lines of "thanks for ruining my blouse," but instead she smiled as he popped the last button, and pulling her arms out of the sleeves, she threw the white garment into the air, setting fire to it. The ashes hung dimly, as his eyes gazed over Jenna's chest.

"Like what you see?" she whispered, grabbing him by his pants and pulling him back down. "I tink you were right, I ham going to enjoy this part." Alex silenced her broken speech with another kiss, before his hands wrapped around her back and found her bra strap. This was going to be a very, very long night.

As he rolled over with a groan, Alex attempted to discern which was a more unusual feeling to him; a hangover or of waking up in a bed with another person. He had to go with the latter, considering the last time that had occurred was well before he had even learned the most basic of Psynergies.

Alex had long ago taught himself to set a time in his mind for when to awaken from sleep, and in this case he had chosen sunrise: enough time to get prepared to head out without being seen.

Alex sighed, and with a flick of his finger he spawned some water with which to quickly remove any sweat that covered his body. While he enjoyed bathing, this method was often quicker and easier, and it had helped to keep him in good health over the years (being a Mercury Adept had helped, too).

His eyes lingered on Jenna as he began to pull on his clothes. She lay on her side, facing away from him, the covers wrapped just around her butt so that only the very tip of its crack was visible. He gently reached out and brushed his hand down her back, causing her to stir, but not rise.

As his hand moved to his knife's sheath and pulled it out, he once again paused. Last night had been phenomenal, to the degree that he had wished Jenna had been sober. Even with her (and his) drunken states to account for, he had felt chemistry, and oddly enough it had seemed to go beyond the physical.

Of course, that perhaps had all but faded from their systems along with the Wildfire, so there was no reason to hold back now… and yet… Alex just couldn't do it. There were few things in the world he wasn't willing to do to get what he wanted; before last night, the only one he could think of immediately was murdering Mia. And yet, he seemed to have added another person to the no-kill list he didn't know he had.

Sighing, he sheathed his knife and flicked his finger once more, removing the dried sweat from her body as well. This was going to blow up in his face, he could smell it. Every time he got close, he lost the nerve to finish the job. Memories of his arrogant boasting on top of Mt. Aleph filled his mind, not the first nor the last time he would lament trying to pick a fight with a God, or trying to destroy a village for no reason but to demonstrate his power. The village that Jenna had called home.

With a shrug, he ruffled her hair lovingly before silently leaving the room and making his way down to the kitchen. Alex figured he should write a note or something of that nature, but at this point he was content with simply filling his stomach; he had a long journey back to Hesparia, after all.

The faint clicking of the door behind her roused Jenna, and after a few moments she raised her head and glanced in that direction. Jenna had never been one to not remember the past night, regardless of the amount of alcohol she had drunk, and as such she had a very clear idea of who had just walked through and closed the door.

A slight sniff brought the unmistakable odor of sex to her nose, and she sighed. If the rancid, venomous rant she had delivered to Isaac hadn't been the end, this sure as hell was. Even if he forgave her for it, or even if she decided not to tell him, Jenna just couldn't see herself reconciling with Isaac at this point.

She knew that if she rose and went downstairs, she could probably catch Alex before he left, and despite her complete uncertainty as to what that meeting would lead to, she felt a great desire to have it. Last night had been a complete fever dream, and she, from what she could remember, had enjoyed every moment of it. And she couldn't help wonder if that was due to the Wildfire, her fragile emotional state, both, or neither, and something else entirely.

Part of her couldn't shake the feeling that she had seen another side of Alex last night, one that fascinated her. Perhaps he had let his guard now because she had been drunk, or maybe he had possessed another motive. Still…

She rolled off the bed, trying to wipe the grogginess from her eyes and the hangover from her mind. With a smile, she opened the drawer to her bedstand, and pulled out a pint of Hermes Water: the perfect cure for hangovers. After a few sips, she began to feel the effects, and turned her attention to finding some clothing.

Judging by the light coming in from the window, it was daybreak, so she decided to dress lightly, doubting anyone would walk into the house to view her as such. And it wasn't like the one person in it, Alex, would be seeing anything new, anyway. Pulling on her panties and now button-less blouse (which she narrowed her eyes at in annoyance before pulling it over her body), she forced her door open and headed for the stairs.

Alex swore under his breath as he heard Jenna move upstairs, but resigned himself to actually face the consequences of the morning after rather than scrambling outside. After all, he had to retain some dignity, he decided, as he ripped another piece of dry meat into his mouth.

He made no motion of acknowledgement as her soft feet trotted down the stairs, and still remained stoic when she came to a rest. Finally, she addressed him: "I said you could sleep with me, not eat my food."

Alex cracked a smile and turned to face the Mars Adept, who looked quite well despite the hangover she was supposed to have and her short supply of sleep. The fact that she was barely wearing anything helped matters as well.

"My apologies," he replied, bowing slightly. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same; the snarky banter they had always volleyed back and forth between each other had returned with the sun's rising. Still, it seemed to hold something… more than usual.

"I assume you're leaving, then?" Jenna asked, moving towards the table and grabbing a chair. As she seated herself to face him, she coughed and said, "I'm going to take that silence as a yes. Perhaps you didn't hear the question, as you seem to be quote preoccupied with my chest. My eyes are up here."

"It's been a while since I've seen your breasts," Alex replied flatly, taking another bite of his meat. Jenna raised an eyebrow before grimacing, in realization that he wasn't counting last night, and throwing a nearby salt shaker at Alex's face. The Mercury Adept caught it just before it smashed into his mask; he was in no hurry to reveal his face. Of course, though, that was the next topic she chose.

"What happened to your face?" she asked with some concern, and it was his turn to grimace.

"A certain being known for being wise plastered my face to the molten surface of Mt. Aleph as it sank into the earth," he replied. "I imagine it was meant to teach me humility, or something along those lines."

"Funny, if I was him, I would have just killed you," Jenna remarked, grabbing the meat out of his hand and taking a bite of it. "But I'm glad he didn't. Can I see the scar?"

Alex sent a cold glance Jenna's way, trying to push her way from the idea or topic, but her warm eyes melted any menace he had tried to display. Without waiting for an answer, she gently placed one hand on his cheek and grasped the mask in her fingers. Quickly finding a strap, she undid it and stared into his charred flesh.

"Oh, it's not that bad," she whispered, moving her fingers just above the scarring.

"Touch it, if you must, the nerves are long dead," Alex replied, his tone flat, mildly miffed at her insistence yet touched by her general interest.

Jenna did so, and within a minute of examination, whispered under her breath, "Aura." To Alex's surprise, he felt his face warm in a pleasant feeling not unlike the after-taste of Wildfire. Jenna pulled back after a moment, and her eyes widened.

"…Did you ever try healing it before?" she asked, and he scoffed.

"Of course! I'm a Mercury Adept, why would I want to go around with a scar on my face?" Alex spat, and Jenna gave him a hard look in return.

"Well, you obviously didn't try very hard, considering I just healed most of it myself," Jenna shot back, folding her arms in front of her. Alex raised any eyebrow and tilted his head, trying to see if she was bluffing.

"…Are you joking?" he asked after a moment, curious but still annoyed. With a roll of her eyes, Jenna left the table and went through a door, coming back moments later holding a mirror. Without speaking, she held it up to his face, and he gasped; indeed, his scarring had been healed a great deal.

"Now that you know I'm not pulling your leg, do you want me to finish?" she offered, her anger at his disbelief fading into satisfaction at his shocked expression.

"…I tried so many times… how on Weyard…" Alex murmured, touching his face gently and sending a Ply into it, but seeing no change.

"Maybe it was a lesson, like you said… maybe the Wise One wanted you to be humble enough to ask someone else for help," Jenna replied, and Alex blinked. That certainly sounded like the kind of mumbo-jumbo the floating rock would come up with.

"I suppose. I… er… you wouldn't mind doing the rest?" Alex asked hesitantly, and Jenna smiled, before holding her hand to his face to cast Aura once more. After a minute she pulled back and he smiled; his face was whole again. No dark, jagged lines, no black burns, just clear, pale skin.

"That's the secret to Wildfire, you know," Jenna said as he marveled at the change. "Yes, you add the Beam in to make it sting, but then you add an Aura to make it heal. Just don't tell anyone, it's kind of a trade secret."

Alex nodded and whispered, "Thank you, Jenna." She blushed, shrugging, and silence quickly found them. And within the absence of speech, both realized that despite their checkered past and their actions last night, they were talking like an old couple.

Alex was tempted to leave right then and there; he had already gotten himself much too deep, and realized that if he did leave, there was a good chance Jenna would keep this meeting a secret to her dying day. But he remained, and despite all better judgment, began broaching the topics he knew he should let rest.

"I'm sorry, about you and Isaac," he started uneasily, staring at the table rather than her eyes. Even without looking, he could feel the change in the room as he spoke. "And… I'm sorry for last night. For taking advantage of you. I mean, it is something completely along the lines of what I would do, but… it… I really enjoyed it, and I'm sorry if you got hurt in the process."

Alex winced as he finished; the fact that he had went thirty years without having a meaningful conversation with another human being about his emotions had just plainly manifested itself. However, as he raised his head to determine Jenna's reaction, he was pleasantly surprised.

"Not your fault," she said simply, her eyes now attuned to the ground. "It was actually nice. I wish I had been sober, so I could remember more."

"I tried to kill you," Alex said flatly, and Jenna turned to stare into his eyes. There was a brief silence before she spoke again.

"You know, you're an asshole Alex. You know it, I know it, the world knows it," Jenna started, and Alex mentally cursed: This was what he got for pushing his luck. "You hurt people without regard, you use people without regard, and you probably kill people without regard too.

"But last night, with your knife to my throat, you kissed me instead of ending me. Now, it might have just been you being horny, or part of some elaborate plot for all I know, but in that moment I saw humanity in you, and I had always questioned if you even had it." Alex tilted his head, wondering where on Weyard this was going.

"I don't know what your childhood was like, or what happened to you," she continued, tentatively reaching out and touching his hand. "I don't really know who you are. But last night, I saw a bit of you, and I really liked it. Who you were. I know everything we did last night was wrong… I acted like an impulsive idiot, I've just ruined my marriage, and you took advantage of a drunk woman you knew you could manipulate. But, if you were as bad as you're supposed to be, I honestly don't think I would be so content with the fact that I just slept with you, and I severely doubt I would be alive right now. As fucked up as it is, I enjoyed last night, and rather than beating yourself up about it, maybe you can just accept that."

Alex shook his head, and sighed. "Jenna, I'm a monster. There's no getting around it, and—"

"There's no getting around that you've done bad things in the past, and you'll always live with that," Jenna interrupted. "But, for what it's worth, I like you, or at least what I've seen yesterday and today. I'm just as much of a mess… good people don't twist their loved ones into bitter ultimatums and then break their hearts when things don't go their way."

Alex finally realized where this was going and bit his lip. Mercury forbid if she asked him to stay; he might actually say yes. "Jenna… this can't work," he said simply, and she nodded with a sigh.

"No shit," she replied, leaning back in her chair. "You're not going to put in that effort… I know you, Alex. You're always about some great scheme, and the people you know are just pawns. But, if you'd ever like to try something out, I'm here." Jenna flashed him a smile, and Alex felt his stomach sink. "And if you ever just want to stop by, feel free."

Alex considered this and wondered whether he could pull it off. He already had the terrible, sinking suspicion that he had fallen in love with Jenna, and he couldn't decide whether or not making love to her once or twice a year would lead him to fall into that feeling. To his horror, part of him actually wanted to do it right now; to sweep Jenna off her feet. A gentle smile and some well-meaning banter sounded much more alluring than another ten years of planning and backstabbing.

"Just one thing," Jenna whispered, cutting into his thoughts. "I don't care what you're planning… but don't hurt my son. I'd ask you not to hurt Isaac on a better day, but at this point, I'll only say this: please, don't hurt Matthew. He's all I have left."

"You're too good for me," Alex blurted out, shaking his head. "It's a cosmic joke that someone like you is in this position now, and that I'm in the spot to take you into my arms."

"And you'd punch the gift horse in the mouth, just to prove it wrong?" Jenna asked, and Alex grimaced. That one had hit home. "Answer my question, Alex. Are you going to hurt my son?"

"He might feel pain, but I'll do all I can to keep him alive," Alex replied, which was by far the best that he could guarantee, and much more than he should be promising. Jenna regarded him harshly, but then sighed.

"That's all I'm getting, and while it's shit I'll take it," she muttered. "I'll be right back." Alex waited patiently, stupidly wasting another chance to get the hell out of a situation that way going much better than it had any business going, until Jenna returned from what he assumed was the cellar. In her hands was (what else?) a bottle of Wildfire.

"I don't normally drink," Alex said shortly, although he already knew he was going to take the container with him.

"I figured, but this is the best way to get you to come back," Jenna said with a smile. "Speaking of which, you should go, before I ask for seconds." Alex chuckled, and rubbed his eyes.

"I… I should probably ask, just to make sure, but—" he began, but she pressed her finger to his lips.

"I'm not going to tell anyone about your being alive," she replied, with a frown. "Thought it would mean the world to Mia if you actually let her know you were. She's never recovered, and if anyone is likely to forgive you, it's her."

"You haven't forgiven me, then?" Alex asked wryly, as he made his way toward the door; he could feel his stay coming to an end, yet was unsure whether or not it would be replicated in the future.

"For all I know, I'll go back to hating you tomorrow," Jenna replied, pressing into him. "But right now, I think I can forgive you for the past." She kissed him as she finished, but unlike the feverish wonder of those they had shared last night, the melancholy of parting lined their lips this time. That and the fact that if they did meet again, Alex would probably have a thousand more sins she would have to decide whether or not to pardon.

They gave no goodbyes, figuring that they would meet sometime in the near future. Both knew it was up to him entirely, a thought that weighed heavily on Alex's mind as he teleported out of Kalay, and equally grave in Jenna's. She could only hope the next time they saw each other, that they were not enemies.

So, while Alex dashed through a field, tears flowing from his eyes that he blamed solely on the wind, Jenna sank into a chair and let herself have a good cry, the faintest taste of Wildfire still hanging on her lips.

This was supposed to be about… 5,000 words, but obviously that didn't happen. I ran into a few spots where I wasn't actually sure where I was going to go with it. I mean, I planned for and wanted it to end this way, but DAMN did I come close to killing Jenna when they were in the street.

Overall, I really like this, but it was a pain to finish. By the end I was really worried about whether or not both characters came out well, and particularly if their chemistry and growth worked.

I really loved writing Alex in this fic, partially because he's such a cold jackass, but also because he just slightly warmed up as it went on. It was sad though, because with the end, though it is open-ended, I really wish he would have stayed. I'd love to give the SoB a happy ending, but he has to earn it first.

I really do need to stop ragging on Isaac, but if I were Jenna, I'd be pretty annoyed with him. I still wonder whether or not they're divorced in the game (though I didn't get that vibe) or if there's a really specific reason they live separately. Maybe to give Matthew a home that's not near a disaster area, or maybe because Jenna is needed to protect Kalay.

In general, though, I had a lot of fun writing this story, and liked how it came out. I also worry that it was over-written, since I have an immense love for exploring Alex's psyche. I similarly wanted to explore Jenna's, but had to play with it a bit in the sense that, obviously, she meant a good deal of the fic inebriated.

Anyway, that's all folks, thanks for reading! I'll try to keep getting stuff out (unlike this last month).