AN: I didn't plan this, just so you know.

Summary: AU. Memories last forever, but that doesn't mean he won't wait. She'll come someday, and he'll be there to greet her when she does.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of the Abyss.

Sundial

our heartbeats are counting down to nothingness; so why are we just standing here?

She's not late, Guy tells himself as he watches a small flame melt the candle wax. He speed-dials her number, counting the number of rings until he can't take it anymore and flips his phone shut.

His fingers drum lightly against the polished tabletop as he takes another sip of water and checks his wristwatch for the umpteenth time. He stares at the ticking hand until it reaches a complete three-sixty before tearing his eyes away.

The waiter walks up to his table and holds his notepad hopefully. "Sorry, not yet," Guy says, smiling apologetically once again. The waiter nods politely, but Guy doesn't miss the slight roll of his eyes and his 'she's not going to show up' demeanor.

But Guy doesn't care. Anytime now, she's going to come. Anytime now, she's going to burst through that door with an apology hanging on her lips for making him wait so long. And then they'll talk and eat and have fun. It's just some traffic, she forgot her cell phone, she had to stay late for work, the never-ending list keeps on piling up in his head. He's sure she'll come.

The napkin in his hands somehow turns into a paper crane.

"Sir?" The voice of a young waitress bluntly breaks through to him, snapping him out of his trance. "I'm sorry, but it's closing time," she says, and he notices that he was the only one left in the restaurant. By now, several cranes are littered on the table, and Guy is unsure of how they got there.

How long has he waited? He pushes his neatly-ironed sleeve back and checks the time, running a defeated hand through his hair. The thought that she really wasn't coming finally dawns in his mind, and he opens the door to the star-strewn night.

Stuffing his hands into his coat pockets and sighing deeply, Guy kicks a pebble on the sidewalk angrily. He really thought she would come this time.

With his stomach growling as a reminder that he did not eat yet that evening, he let his thoughts gladly wander off to his refrigerator at his apartment and wonders if he has enough microwaveable leftovers to last until tomorrow.

But then he spots her, and stops in mid-step. She's several yards away, and yet, he know it's her. Her golden hair is even brighter under the streetlight, and her legs tucked neatly under the wooden bench, her hands folded on her lap. Her eyes catch his for a split second, and instantly he knows that right now she needs him. He runs.

"Natalia?" Guy exclaims as he takes off his coat hurriedly and wraps it around her. "You look frozen." He stops. "Were you waiting here the whole time? I thought we were meeting inside."

She bits her lip. "I know," she murmurs quietly as she snuggles tightly around his coat, breathing in his scent, cologne and well-disguised car grease. And then the tears start flowing. A delicate hand stops inches before her face, startled by the sudden burst of tears. And right then and there, Guy finally figures out that it wasn't the traffic, or the cell phone, or work that prevented her from meeting with him. It was too soon, still too soon. He grits his teeth in frustration.

She looks away ashamed, and all his anger disappears. Waiting in the restaurant, it was nothing compared to this.

"I'm sorry, Guy. It's been two years since Asch…when he-" Natalia stops to wipe the tears off her cheeks. "It's been two years, and I still can't stop thinking about him."

Taking a deep breath, Guy places his arms around her shoulders and allows her to sniff and sob onto his shirt. "It's all right, Natalia. It's my fault. I pushed you too hard."

"I'm so sorry," she manages to get out. "I thought I could handle it tonight."

He wills himself not to shake as he whispers into her ear, "Don't worry. I can wait."