Razz sat, with her back leaning against the trunk of a 
great tree. Relaxed, the elf girl has her eyes closed. 
One might even think that she's really napping.

Lexi wanders around silently. As she notices two 
figures, she slips behind a tree and studies them..

Razz's brows creased slightly, without apparant reason. 
"Someone's coming. Close."

Justin is similarly motionless, out more towards the 
center of the area, seated a few steps away from the 
remains of a firepit, and apparently in rapt 
contemplation of the view over the ocean. He is, in 
fact, practicing the uses of his Other senses, and 
comes to the same conclusion that Razz does, almost as 
she reaches it, and his hand finds the hilt of his 
sword. "Something we can do for you?" he calls.

Lexi tilts her head as she hears that...familiar voice. 
She repeats those words in her mind for a moment before 
mouthing the name "Justin." Then she straightens up 
suddenly as the thought escapes her. She moves toward 
the figures, keeping herself well hidden--or so she 
thinks.

Razz got to her feet, and, though her head never turned, 
her psi sense is kept closely on Lexi. A sudden shudder 
went through her being, and she took a few quick steps 
to stand beside Justin.

Razz's eyes are wide open by now, and she reached out 
to clutch at a corner of Justin's heavy coat.

Justin is calm, still, and ready to deal death at the 
first sign, or so he'd like you all to think.  He's 
/actually/ trying very hard to convince himself of his 
sanity.  That can't possibly have been Lexi he just 
thought he felt.  He's cracking under the strain, isn't 
he?  Not like he hasn't done it before, but I mean, 
jeez, a better time could've been chosen.

Lexi moves to a tree not far from the pair and focuses 
on the male figure. He really is alive...isn't he? 
After all these years... How long has it really been? 
She's unsure...but suddenly she feels unburdened as the 
voice stops... She looks around and tries to regain her 
senses. She then looks at the couple again before moving 
toward them..

Razz's jaws are clenched as she took another step back 
to hide behind Justin.

Justin closes his eyes, shakes his head once, and stares 
out into the trees.   "State your business, please."  A 
lot more of a plea than an order, damn it.  He's still 
shaken from earlier, and not at all sure that he isn't 
seeing things.

Lexi's eyes fill with tears... "...Justin..." She repeats 
this as she moves closer. Now in plain view, she stops... 
She stands there crying, shivering.

Razz doesn't know why, but she fears the woman. Her 
emotions are further agitated by the fact that Justin 
seems to be by far less than stable. Justin has never 
been.... so vulnerable... except when he spoke of his wife 
that night... When he broke down and cried... Who is this 
woman?

Justin stands.  And stares.  Yep, that's it, alright.  
He's lost it.  Wherever it is he's gone off to, it's not 
the real world, where she's been dead for 15 years.  Nice 
place, wherever it is.

Lexi falls on her knees and continues to cry, her head 
bowed... Doesn't he remember... Softly, she speaks. "Has 
it been that long...? That you've forgotten me...?" She 
looks up at him now, searching his face for emotion..

Justin goes blank, blanker, positively faceless, and 
then he breaks.  Like the last evening, all at once, in 
a single moment.  He stumbles forward across the 
clearing, drops to his knees, and latches on to Lexi.  
Like magnets, I swear.

Lexi finds some relief and comfort in his response and 
clings to him, still crying.. She whispers, "How I've 
missed you...."

Razz froze in shock as Justin's coat was suddenly 
ripped away from her grasp. She starts to call out, but 
chokes, not understanding. And she stood, frozen in 
place, with utter confusion etched over her face.

Justin probably isn't going to find words for quite a 
while.  How do you talk about the return of someone whom 
five minutes ago you'd /known/ was dead?

Lexi pulls back momentarily as she studies every inch of 
Justin's face... She touches his hair gently before 
caressing his cheek... She closes her eyes and inhales 
deeply, her lips quivering as she exhales. Another tear 
trickles down her cheek and she opens her eyes again...

Razz's brows are locked as she tried to puzzle the current 
situation out. What... what is... "...Justin?" She called 
out tentatively, looking as lost as she can ever be.

Justin's hazy disbelief is penetrated by Razz's voice, and 
he anchors himself on it and slowly rebuilds his 
functioning mind.  When he's capable of it, he explains the 
situation to Razz, even as he clings to his long lost love.  
"Meet Lexi," he says, in a choked approximation of his 
normal tone.

Razz's puzzled expression only increased. "Lexi?" Her wide 
blue eyes never even blinked. "Your wife?"

Lexi tilts her head as she looks at the girl then Justin. 
"I suppose...I should expect everyone's surprise... I've 
been away for a number of years..." She lowers her head into 
her hands and as she removes them, she notices his ring... 
"You still...wear it." She looks up at Justin and...
smiles...for the first time in years...

Justin nods, and, reluctantly, releases his hold on her.  
"...I don't want to try to know why.  I don't /care/ why.  
The explanation would undoubtedly break what little is left 
of my mind.  I--"  He breaks off abruptly as Lexi speaks 
again, and stares at her, and his ring, and Razz, and almost 
breaks down again.  ".../Gods/."  He stands, takes a step back 
towards Razz, almost stumbles, and remains where he catches 
himself.

Razz remains still, trying to process this information through 
her mind. Lexi - Justin's wife - is alive. She is not dead. 
She's still Justin's wife. Justin loves Lexi. Justin loves 
Lexi. Suddenly she could no longer understand herself, and the 
tearing feeling that reared in her insides. Confusion, 
confusion, why does she always have to be so confused? Sensing 
Justin's instability, she turned her head towards him, yet 
never moved a step. "Aah- are you alright?" She asked of him.

Lexi reaches a hand out as he moves away...her eyes wide with 
perplexity. "Justin...?" She lowers her hand slowly as she 
continues softly, "...what's wrong?"

Lexi looks from Justin to Razz and at this point notices her 
slightly protruding belly... She's not sure what to make of it, 
but looks again at Justin. Maybe...it's been too long... She 
tries to settle her wandering mind and regain her footing.

Justin is trying to make the rest of him believe that love 
isn't singular, you'll excuse him a moment.  It's shock, he's 
still in shock, that had /damn well/ better be it.  His warring 
emotions are, for the moment, writ large on his face, and even 
larger in his mind.

Lexi continues to think of the unconfirmed fact of the girl's 
pregnancy... "Kythi...and Chera... Where are they...? Where are 
my babies...?"

Justin shakes his head.  "Gone.  Long gone.  Like you are.  
Were.  Were thought to be."

Razz is too torn herself to notice Justin's turmoil. Lexi's 
alive, that's good. It's a good thing. Now Justin can be happy, 
and he wouldn't be sad anymore... That's right, so she should 
be happy for him, she should be glad... She is glad, why 
wouldn't she be glad? Of course, that's right.... Her attention 
was distracted by Lexi's question, and she wondered once more. 
Aren't they- but wait. They had thought Makoto was dead, that 
Lexi was dead, so maybe his daughters - Razz lowered her head 
into one hand. Confusion is the word.

Lexi's mind suddenly goes blank... Her eyes fill with tears once 
more... "...no..." She moves back slowly. "No...they...can't..." 
She screams suddenly and buries her face in her hands then moves 
them up and back, smoothing down her hair somewhat. She can't 
think...right now... The tower...destroyed... Her family...in 
quite the same state... She turns around quickly and runs off 
into the trees, not wanting to be found by anyone on the path. 
She's not sure where she's going, but she can't stay here...

    Source: geocities.com/razberryl