Troubles on the high seas. (Pony)

"good I'm glad...you deserve the best" she whispered she reached up as if going to stroke his cheek but stopped herself she rolled off him laying on her side with her back him she laid there silently for a long moment "goodnight" she said softly she kept her back to him so he could not see a tear ran down her cheek she closed her eyes and waited.

He smiled down at her, leaning down to kiss her till she moved away. He watched her for a moment, then rolled over wrapping his arm around her, moving closer to her till they were almost spooning. he gently kissed her on her shoulder. "Goodnight Aria" he said, then kissed her once more on her shoulder before he went to sleep.

She waited about an hour till she knew he was in a deep sleep. She slipped out of bed quietly and got dressed grabbing her bag she wrote him a note

I am sorry to leave without at least saying goodbye but I knew it would only be harder if you were awake. This place made me feel like I belonged but I can not stay. I am too much of a wanderer. There is no reason for me to stay we could never be anything more than this and you know it we both have our own little curse that follows us. Yours is people die around you mine is I can't stand to stay put for too long. I'm sorry I enjoyed the time I was here but I can not stay.

Aria

She kissed his lips softly then left flying out the window.

The next morning Allen woke up along, he didn't move several hours longer normal, in front of him was the note Aria left, he had hoped she'd have still been there when he awoke, he didn't like it, but he understood, she had a wanderers spirit, and he'd just wait for her come back. he at least hoped she'd be back.

six years later...

Aria sat hold her young child her mind was wandering she had longed to tell him about the child he had given her but feared it. She feared that if she returned she might not be bale to leave him again. The child she had named Terran looked up at her he always seemed to see right through her. she bit her lip "come on lets get going it is time for you to meet your father" she said softly she put him into a pack she had made and took to the air carrying him over the ocean water. She sighed heavily she stopped on one of the cliffs near where he lived. She looked over at his house part of her wanted to leave now while she still ahd the strength but part of her couldn't leave she wanted to see him again. she stood there for a long moment taking Terran out of the pack and setting him on the ground. She held his hand "are you ready?" she asked him. Terran just nodded he was a quiet child he was calm and he was nothing like his mother.

Every little had maybe changed since Aria had left, things had slowed down for Allen, he didn't bounty hunt anymore, he didn't need to. most of his days was spent fishing in one form or another. Today he was cast-netting for bait fish, sitting out in the middle of his lagoon on a rowboat. "2191 days." he muttered to himself, after the first few months when she left, He took to counting the days that ticked by till Aria would return, he still couldn't believe it'd been six years. Six years he hadn't so much as spoken to another woman, let alone touch one in any sort of intimate way.

Arie guided Terran down towards the house she saw Allen she took her son putting him in the house "please stay for a bit and don't touch anything" she told him softly she kissed his forehead and headed down she moved slowly and silently towards Allen being careful not to alert him. She came up behind him and kissed the back of his neck softly as she hadt the first night they met. "hey there stranger" she whispered she was worried about how he might react to her return.

Allen was slightly surprised to feel something touch him on the back of her neck, but when Aria whispered to him, he smiled, practically from ear to ear. "Hey your self, stranger." he replied, and quickly pulled in the net he had out. "I've missed you," he said, looking over his shoulder as he pulled in the net. She hadn't changed, not in his eyes. she looked as beautiful as the day he last saw her.

"you shouldn't have I left you in your sleep. and haven't seen or spoken to you in six years despite the fact that you deserved at least some word" she whispered. She took his hand "I don't know how to tell you this so I will show you" she said softly. she pulled him back towards the house. she opened the door her son was standing right there infront of him "I had a child while I was gone..." she paused for a long moment "he's yours" she whispered "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I didn't want you to feel obligated to help take care of him." she said very nervous.

"It's alright, Aria, I knew how you are, even before that night." he said, whispering back before she pulled him along, he wondered what was hard for to tell him, she'd been more straight forward when he had first met her. but now, he figured she had changed since that night six years ago. that is, till she opened to door, and told him that he had a son. he was shocked at first, looking between Aira and the youth they had created. it took all of a minute for him to grasp what what she was saying. looking down at the boy, he smiled warmly, "he's not just my son Aria, he's /our/ son." he told her calmly, and kneels down. "What's your name?" he asked cheerfully.

The young boy looked up at him a bit frightened he looked to his mother then back to this stranger as if seeking some kind of answer as far as safety only receiving a kind nod in return. "my...name is...Terran" he said softly.
Aria smiled softly she was happy that he was finally meeting his father for the first. She was surprised that Allen wasn't upset with her. She knew she should have told him sooner but she didn't feel it was right after how she left.

"Terran? well that sounds like a strong name, Terran." Allen said, holding out his right hand. "My name is Allen." he added, still speaking warmly to the child. He was surprised that she'd not come back sooner, but he figured Aria had her reasons. he was just happy she was back, and surprised still, by the fact that she'd had a child, his son... Their son... It didn't matter to him if she felt for him or not, he finally realized he had fallen in love with her. and now even more so that they had a child.

Terran again looked to his mother then back to his father he pushed the hand down and moved forward slowly and hugged him gently he closed his eyes. Aria smiled she was happy to see that they were getting along and things were going well "I'll make some food it has been a long day we should eat and rest. Allen why don't you show Terran his room we need to talk" she said softly she carried her bag to the kitchen pulling out vegetables and meat.

"Yes dear." Allen said with a chuckle in reply as he hugged Terran. still holding his son, Allen picked the boy up and carried him up stairs. "Well, Terran, I don't have anything I think a boy your age would play with out, but we can check my old chest in my childhood room and see what we have." he said. walking down the long hallway to what use to me his bedroom as a child. it was large, with a single twin bed in the center of it, and a few other comforts as well. at the foot of the bed was the chest he had used to store his old toys in as a child. Setting Terran down, he knelt behind him, as he opened the toy chest. letting his son get a good look at what he had. "just pull out what you like, son." Allen said, kissing Terran on the top of his head.

Aria sighed heavily she washed and started chopping the vegetable pouring them into a pot she was shaking her head she was happy that her son had met his father but now she kind of wished she hadn't come back because now she would need to stay not just for the sake of staying but for her son. She started slicing up some beef into small strips cooking them in a pan to busy her mind. She knew that they had much to say now.

Once Terran was settled in and playing, Allen returned down stairs to the kitchen, "You didn't have to cook Aria, you know that, right?" he asked, but he smiled warmly, he was happy that she was back, "but it still smells good, none the less." he added as he leaned on the counter near her. "you wanted to talk?" he asked.

"I'm starting to think I shouldn't have come. I'm sorry for how I left you and how I kept this whole things from you but I knew that when I told you I would need to stay for our child. it's not fair to him to only have one parent. He needs a father as much as he needs his mother. I'm sorry for how I left that night and how all of that went down. I'm not who I used to be any more I can't wander anymore he deserves better than that." she whispered. She added water and several seasonings to the vegetables and moved to face him taking the meat off the burner "I'm so sorry for leaving you the way I did I thought it would be easier that way."

"Aira, you don't have to apologize for anything, I'm just glad that you're back, truly, I am," He said. taking the meat for her, "The fact that we have a son surprised me, I'll admit, but still, I'm glad to know, and happy regardless that you both are here." he explained softly to her, reaching up with his free hand to softly caress her cheek. "you've had a long trip, Aira, to get some, I'll finish dinner, okay?" he asked, smiling at her.

"I don't deserve the kindness you show" she said softly she started shutting him out. She continued cooking she pulled out some dough and started frying it silently. Now she remembered why she left in the night she had feared if he were awake she might not be able to. "just sit I need to do this." she whispered. she flipped the dough letiing it cook more like little pancakes but thinner.

"Aria," he whispered back, moving behind her, gently he wrapped his left arm around her waist, the other gently clasped her wrist. "please Aria, don't shut me out, I'm only worried about you." he added, still whispering, he truly was worried about her. he didn't say anymore, and he was not about to use the old 'for our sons' sake' ploy. he didn't want bring their child into it, not like that. he cared for both of them too much to stoop to that.

"Allen...please...don't pretend you love me because I came back with our son. I know you can't love me. I did the job you took me away to do. We had sex and I left yes I had a child but it doesn't mean you love me. So don't pretend or try to act like you do. I came here so our son would know his father I will be gone in a few days. I will be out of your life again just like before." she whispered she removed his hands from her and set up the portions for the meal. setting the fried dough on bottom then a layer of vegetables then the meat setting the table. "I don't expect anything. I am just girl you had sex with a couple of times and the one who bore your son I just want you to love him so he knows he has more than just me that's the only reason I came back" she said coldly this was all a lie but what choice did she have.

"I do not want to argue with you Aria." he said. "but you don't have to leave if you do not want to." he said, "yes, you did the job, the sex we had before wasn't part of my plan." he explained, looking down as he leaned against the counter once more "but nor was falling in love with you the same night you left." he whispered, he had always wondered how he'd tell her, but now, when it came down to the wire, it didn't seem to matter to her.

"do you know how many men have told me they loved me. You only say that because you hope we can stay together for the sake of our son." she whispered. "like I said I will be out of your life again in just a few days and it won't matter anymore. But don't tell me you love me, words mean nothing to me. And don't pretend I don't need an actor." she said softly "I also don't need a hero to be the star in our sons eyes. All I wanted was for him to know you. I just want him to be happy" she said softly. She covered her face with all the thoughts going in her head. She slid down the cabinets to the floor.

Allen was quick to rush to her as she slid down to the floor."Aria, I'm sorry," he whispered, what he was apologizing for was unknown even to him. As he knelt next to her, he gently wrapped his arm around her, "I've never acted with you, never lied to you." he said, still whispering. "I don't know who claimed to love you before, but I swear to you Aria, I'm not lying," he told her, it broke his heart to see her like this, and to hear her speaking like this. she deserved better.

"how can you love some one you barely know and some one you've hardly seen" she whispered "don't tell me you love me I want to see it like I said words mean nothing to me" she looked up at him she loved him but she wouldn't let herself get close enough to admit it. "just give our son all your love he truly deserves it more than I ever could. He has asked about you since he could speak" she said softly.