Serah died on her birthday surrounded by friends and family. They sang to her and cried, "Make a wish!" For the first time in her short life she had no idea what to wish for. There was so much her heart yearned for. She wanted to be married to Snow. It would be the happiest day of her life. Everyone would be there: Fang, Vanille, mom and dad too. Lightning would catch the bouquet and a hundred emotions would cross her face, wonder being the most prominent. There would be laughter and crying-good crying, happy crying-everyone told her she was beautiful, but it only mattered when Snow said it and slipped the ring on her finger.
For another day. She blew out the candles.
"We will be together again?" It was barely a question. Serah had so much hope in Lightning. Too much. It was that hope and her inability to keep bany/b of her promises that finally broke her heart. It was for the best, she supposed. So she could lie easier and be the big, hero sister Serah needed.
She smiled, "One thing at a time."
iI can only give you this. When you go, the ones who love you will be there; I will be there, even if it is just an illusion./i
The past, present and future lived inside of her. She knew the beginning. The horror at being dragged away to a place as strange and dead as Valhalla, but she made herself fall in love with it, see the beauty in it, she had to if she ever wanted to have the strength to leave. She knew the days after. The trembling shoulders and clenched hands and silence that made her want to throw up. "Hit me, do something, just stop looking at me like that." That only made Snow look deeper, search harder for someone who was long gone. There was no fire in her eyes or voice anymore. There was simply nothing. He had lost them both: Lightning and Serah.
iThe future will be okay, but you die every time. If I could save you, if I could die instead I would-gladly-but even the end of everything cannot undo your fate./i
"Thank you for being there for her." Lightning said to Noel, not bothering to turn away and hide the tears glistening on her cheeks. "You were the last kindness she knew."
"Am I supposed to accept this?" Noel asked. He shook with all the anger and shock she had forgotten.
"Yes."