Sometimes Takumi dreams of falling.

Takumi has always had the worst nightmares in the family for as long as he can remember. From his early memories of leaving his room to snuggle up to a good-naturedly grumbling Ryoma to refusing to let a teary-eyed Sakura sleep next to him because he didn't want her to wet the already slightly sweaty and damp futon, Takumi was used to the terrors that night brang. He had seen dead family members, natural disasters, and constant torture to last a lifetime.

Nothing could prepare him for the Fall.

The fall of his pride in battle at the Bottomless Canyon. The fall into the abyss below. The fall of his sanity as he drew his bow at his pleading long-lost sibling. The fall to his death from the castle walls to the solid ground. The fall of his soul to the perverse presence that claimed his body as his own. The fall into silence deeper and deeper and deep-

"Takumi, wake up!"

Jolted awake, Takumi rose quickly from the ground, and crashed foreheads into the woman above him.

Rubbing her forehead in pain, Elise groaned.

"Owowowowow, Takumi, that hurt! Am I going to have to tell Sakura you hurt me?"

"No! Of course not! Wait, why should I be complaining, you were the one hovering over me!" Huh, there was water next to his eyes. He couldn't tell if it was from him or his wife.

Meanwhile Elise shook her head sadly and looked solemnly at him.

"Takumi, you were screaming again. Was it…"

"Yeah. It was that."

Cicadas buzzed, filling the silence as the two grasped hands and embraced each other in the darkness. Gently Elise slid out of Takumi's arms and took Takumi's hand from the nape of her neck, bringing it down to her abdomen.

"I'm here. You're here. We're here."

The fall together that brought Hoshido and Nohr to peace…

Takumi smiled.

"I know."