Trey headed to his apartment from the one he and Diana had picked.  He 
quickly sorted through his clothes, setting aside the bright-coloured 
clothing to turn into stores for someone else to have.  He kept a couple 
that held significant memories.  He then placed some small personal effects, 
the book that held B'larin's drawings and the dragon Diana had carved him on 
top.  One bag done.  He placed the give-away clothes in another and carried 
them out to Koroth.

He then stepped into the kitchen and unloaded the icebox into a box and 
packed up the herbs and spices he had so recently acquired, followed by 
various staple foods.  There was no need to pack pans, dishes or silverware, 
as the apartments all came furnished with them.  Ophelia had thought to send 
his favorite cast-iron skillet with him, and he added it on top.

He carried the boxes from the kitchen and secured them on Koroth.

<Too heavy for you, Roth?>

<No, it is quite insignificant.>

He mounted his dragon and headed to the new apartment.  He quickly 
transferred foods to the icebox and left the rest of the things to be put 
away later.

He quickly dropped the unwanted clothes off at stores and headed to the 
crafthalls.  There he found a jeweller and did some haggling, leaving with 
what he sought after not too long.  He then headed to Diana's apartment.  He 
went in and found Diana sitting on the floor holding... a shirt?... and 
crying.  Darrin's, he realised.  He quickly moved to her and slipped his 
arms around her.  "Shhhhh, Diana," he said, brushing her tears away gently. 
"It'll be all right.  I'm here."

She cried as he held and rocked her.  Finally, she looked up at him.  "I 
miss him, Trey.  He was my best friend as well as my lover."

He thought of Ophelia, of the years they had spent together, of all the joys 
and sorrows, tears and laughter.  "I understand.  I wish I could help."

"Oh Trey, I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you.  A part of me feels 
guilty for being happy with Darrin dead, but I also know Darrin would want 
me to go on."

Would Ophelia wish him the same happiness? he wondered.  "Diana, I just wish 
I could make all the hurt go away."

"You have eased it so much, Trey.  I love you."

He realised with surprise that it was the first time she had said those 
words.  It was the first time either of them had said them.  He turned her 
more to him and kissed her gently.  "I love you, too, Diana.  I think if it 
hadn't been for you, I would have banished myself to the wastes when the 
rumours started.  I felt so alone here."

"You're not alone now."

"No, I'm not."  He kissed her.  He could feel her body beginning to respond, 
as was his own, and broke the kiss.  It didn't feel right here.  Here should 
be only memories of her time with Darrin.  She seemed to understand that 
without words and they parted.

She put most of Darrin's things back in the box and took them out to the 
ledge where Zena was.  Trey held her hand as Zena flamed the box.  They 
stood and watched the box burn.  Diana didn't cry, though he could feel her 
shaking slightly as Darrin's possessions burned.

Diana took a few things she had kept and packed them in a bag.  She then 
turned to Trey.  "Can you finish the kitchen and I will go work on the few 
things left in the bedroom?"

Trey nodded & headed that direction after giving her a quick kiss.

The icebox was nearly empty.  He saw that Diana had thrown out most of the 
contents.  He packed the rest into a box and turned to the shelves, packing 
staples and a few spices and herbs.  Diana and Darrin obvsiously availed 
themselves of Cook's robust meals more often than he generally chose to do 
of the meals at Telnor, or here, for that matter.  Several of the spices 
seemed to be past their prime and he decided to ask Diana if there was any 
reason to keep them.

He headed to the bedroom.  He heard a gasped, "Oh, no," as he entered the 
room.  Diana was sitting on the bed, holding a medicine bottle of some kind, 
though he could see the contents or lable, and looking worried.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he entered the room.  "And what's that?"

Diana looked up, startled.  "Trey!  Ummmm... it's..." her eyes fell to the 
bottle again.

He stepped across the room and took the bottle from her hands, examining the 
lable and the amber liquid inside.  Birth control preparation.  Diana's eyes 
darted at him worriedly, guiltily.

"You forgot to take it," he guessed.

She bit her lip and nodded.

"How long?" he asked.

"A week."  Her voice quavered slightly as she spoke.

"A week?  And you haven't had any... bleeding?"

She shook her head.

A week.  In that time they had made love three times.  Though likely only 
the first time was important.  She should have already been bleeding last 
night.  And then there was Darrin... he had died less than a week ago, Trey 
realised with a twinge of guilt.  Less than a week dead-- no wonder Z'lec 
was having a hard time with this.

A week.

He very calmly stood and set the bottle on the table next to the bed.

<Trey, are you all right?> Koroth spoke to him.

<I'm fine, Roth.  Just a bit angry at Diana.>

<Why should you be angry with Diana?  Are you angry with her because she may 
have your baby inside her?  I thought you liked children.>

<I do like children, Roth.  But I already have three, and I kind of wanted a 
little more warning.>

<But it takes nine months before babies ha-- are born.  Isn't that enough 
warning?>

Trey shook his head.  <Never mind, Roth.  I'll try to explain later.>

Diana had been watching the battle of emotions play over his face as he 
talked to his dragon.  Now she saw his eyes focus back on her.  "I'm sorry, 
Trey.  I didn't do it intentionally."

She started to cry.  Trey stood for a moment watching her cry, angry.  Then 
compassion won out and he sat back on the bed and enfolded her in his arms. 
"It's okay, Diana.  It's not like it's the end of the world.  I just 
expected that when you asked about children eventually, I had a bit more 
time to think on it," he said, half chiding.

"I did mean eventually, Trey.  I did.  I'm just awful about remembering.  
Darrin used to always have to remind me..."

"Shh, shhh.  It's okay.  We needn't worry just yet, okay?  Let's just make 
sure we get some sheaths from the Medical Center and use them until your 
next period... or until we know you're pregnant."

"Okay," she said, burying her face in his shoulder.  He held her quietly.

After they had calmed down, they quickly finished packing and moved her 
things to the apartment.  It was now late suppertime, and the headed to the 
Dining Hall.  Diana nodded at several old acquaintances as they entered.  
Their eyes showed a mixture of curiosity and accusation.

The pair sat alone at a table and ate quietly, still tense from their afternoon.

"What if I am?" Diana asked quietly.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"I need to know, Trey.  I need to prepare myself.  What will you do if I am?"

"I'll go on loving you, of course.  And I'll raise the child with you and 
love him or her, as I love all my children."

"What if it isn't yours?" she asked, growing very still.

"That's possible then?  That it could be Darrin's?"

She nodded.

"Well, I may not ever know whose child it is.  But if I do, and it's his, 
I'd still raise it and love it.  It would be your child, after all, Diana.  
Actually, in some ways, it might be better if it were his.  Not because it 
gives me less responsibility," he hastily added, "but because I'd like to 
think he left you with one last gift."

Diana's eyes clouded over and he found himself once again wiping tears from 
her eyes.  "Thank you," she said.

They finished their meal and then he pulled a small box from his pocket.  "I 
got you this, in celebration of our first day together as mates."

She took it and opened it to reveal a ring with an emerald setting.  "Oh, 
Trey, it's beautiful.  It must have cost you a fortune."

"I traded a few things I didn't want anymore."  He took it and slid it on 
her finger.  "It brings out the green in your eyes."

"But I didn't think to get you anything."

He grinned wickedly.  "Well, I'll leave you to go down to the Medical Center 
to get me something so I can fill my 'passion quota' for the day."

"You are a--"

His lips silenced her before she could say what he was.

Neither noticed several eyes watching surreptitiously as their drama 
unfolded.  Some were puzzled, some disappointed, and some worried.  
Tr'etram, formerly of Telnor, was an extremely handsome, charismatic, 
romantic man.  It was no wonder he had swept Diana off her feet.  But could 
any good come of such sudden fire, or would it leave her burned beyond 
healing?  The minds behind the eyes considered as they watched the two.

The eyes watched as the pair left the Dining Hall to go, eventually, to that 
apartment they had taken together, so soon after meeting.

Meanwhile, among the dragons, there was speculation about whether Zena's 
rider would learn that she would soon have a human hatchling or whether it 
was a false hope.  To dragons, the possibility of hatchlings could never be 
anything but a hope.

Respectfully submitted,
 Lynette R. F. Cowper
  Tr'etram and Koroth

NRPG: Kat: Hope I did Diana's reactions okay.

All: Well, that pretty much covers the day, unless someone wants to insert 
some stuff in the timeline-- there's lots of space for interraction.

 **********************************************************************
 * Lynette R. F. Cowper       *     Official INWO NetRep & Goddess    *
 * lcowper@io.com             *        Circle of Janus Secretary      *
 * lcowper@indy.net           *   VP of P.U.R.P.L.E. (People United   *
 * http://www.io.com/~lcowper/*   Respecting Purple Legal Equality)   *
 **********************************************************************
 *     The INWO rulings I make are official.  All other opinions,     *
 *  discussions, deck ideas, card ideas, political beliefs, etc. are  *
 *  my own and not those of Steve Jackson Games, the Circle of Janus, *
 *                        or P.U.R.P.L.E.  Fnord.                     *
 **********************************************************************