March 2nd
"I'm fine, just need to rest a bit!"
"Leave; It's me they want and you know it!"
"You'll die if you don't go now, the portal's about to close!"
"No, you have to leave me here. They'll just keep on following you,"
"I'm sorry, but I'm not going to let you die because of me,"
"SQUALL!!"
Leon awoke with a start. His sheets were drenched in sweat and his heart was pounding in his chest. He still heard her screams inside his head. He let it fall in his hands. Glancing at the window he could see the sun was about to rise. Shifting out from under the covers he walked to the bathroom and splashed his face with water.
Stop it! Stop thinking about her it's been over two years! I'm home now and…
"No," he said aloud. He wasn't home. Home was the place she would be waiting for him with a smile and on lucky days a tray of cookies and treats. Home was a place they spent their most passionate evenings together. Home was a place where they walked the streets without fear but home was also a place where he saw the love of his life disappear before his eyes.
Running the water for a while, Leon picked up a glass and let it fill up. Gulping the drink down it soothed his tender throat. Every day he awoke with the same dream. Sometimes worse then others but they always reminded him of what he had lost.
He clenched his face and the last of the water ran down the inside of his neck. He looked over to the bookcase to see a framed picture, he hadn't put it there but he knew exactly what it was and when it was taken. He didn't want to be reminded everyday of his mistakes. Throwing the glass against floor he let it smash into pieces. He picked up the picture and without even looking at it he stormed out of the hotel room and across the hall.
He banged loudly on the door,
"Aerith!" His knocks grew louder and louder "Aerith open this fucking door!"
Slowly the door opened to see a sleepy eyed Aerith.
"Yes, Leo…" She stopped as he threw the picture at her.
"Why was this in my room?!"
"Hey, what's going on?" Yuffie came out of her room looking angry
"Leon, I found it and thought you'd want to have it," Aerith said calmly ignoring Yuffie's question.
"I don't want anything from that place! That's why I've stayed away!"
"No, Leon, you've stayed away because you're scared of remembering," Aerith continued to be her calm self.
"If you want to restore Radiant Garden then you'll have to start there first. Everything needs to be fixed and cleaned-up," Yuffie decided to enter the conversation.
"That place will always be broken," Leon said rather quietly
"No it won't. You can fix it and one day you won't be scared to remember her-"
"Don't say her! She has a name!"
"What is it?"
He turned his face away. He eventually said the name that had been screaming to escape his lips for a year.
"Rinoa…Rinoa Heartilly,"
"No, Squall," Aerith watched him flinched as he heard his true name "Say her real name,"
Why is she doing this to me? He sighed heavily.
"Rinoa…Leonhart," And then he stormed back into his room.
"That was a bit harsh Aerith,"
"He needs to remember, I just hope one day he can go back to his house,"
* * *
He sat on his bed as the anger rose within him. Looking over to the bedside cabinet he opened the draw and glanced at a note.
"I'm Okay"
The words screamed at him. Was it from her? He wished to Hyne it was. There was no address or contact number so he didn't know. Not even a name at the end; just those two simple words. Simple…but they could be so, so much.
It all got too much for him; hastily he changed into his everyday clothes and after grabbing his gunblade left the hotel. Every Heartless he saw he destroyed. He would never let one of those things survive.
His walked over to the Bailey and leant against the wall. After Sora's help most of the heartless swarming around the castle had gone but there were still a few that tried to reproduce (if that were even possible).
He sat on the wall and sighed. He kept staring at the castle,
You're the reason we've suffered so much pain he thought
He closed his eyes and ran his hand through his hair. When he opened them he saw something small and light fly toward him. Reaching his gloved hand up, he caught a white feather. Inspecting it closely he saw it almost glistened with a heavenly aura. His eyes shot wide open and he kept looking back and forth from feather to castle.
Rinoa?
He pushed the thought to the back of his mind; there was no way, surely. But he found himself putting the feather in his trouser pocket. The sun had now risen and all of Radiant Garden was lit. He could hear the shops open and children started playing. Although he felt like he hadn't been there long, time disagreed and told him he'd been outside for at least a few hours.
Picking himself up he started to walk over to Merlin's house. Nearly every morning, the "Restoration Committee" had a meeting on progress and the days work. What was once called the "Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee" was now the "Radiant Garden Restoration Committee".
"What a bugger to change the cards, and they were laminated," he said aloud. But he knew that wasn't the only reason he disliked the name. It was because he only saw it as Radiant Garden when there was something radiant in it. His light had been taken and his world would always remain as hollow.
Entering Merlin's house, everyone greeted him with a good morning which he just nodded in reply to. For a couple of moments they sat in silence. He knew he would have to be the one to break it.
"Any updates?"
Everyone eyed each other until finally Aerith volunteered.
"Every house has been restored and cleaned and the residents can move back in. The only one that isn't sorted it yours…" she paused "But aside from that the Marketplace and Village are complete,"
Leon had ignored her last remark. He knew that if Radiant Garden were to be fully completed then he would need to enter his old house.
"Anything el-"
Everyone turned their heads as they heard a knock at the door. His heart started racing but denied himself any true hope. Yuffie bounced over and opened the door quickly. A smile burst on her face,
"Hey Sora!"
Sora smiled and waved as he walked into the house followed by Donald, Goofy, Riku and a red-headed girl Leon didn't recognise but he was certain he knew who she was.
He watched as everyone greeted them and asked about the girl.
"This is my friend, Kairi. You know the one I was looking for? Well, I found her and Riku! So we're all together again!" He flashed a cheesy grin whilst everyone "Yay'd" and clapped.
Leon closed his eyes.
It's not fair…
"Wakey, wakey Leon!" Rikku flew in front of his face "No time to be sleeping!"
"Whatever," he said gruffly and stormed out of the house.
"Gawrsh, is he okay?" Goofy asked looking worried
"Actually the more he's in Radiant Garden the worse he's getting and I'm sorry to say this but I think seeing Kairi and Riku didn't help anything," Merlin explained
"What did they do?" Sora gestured to his friends slightly angered.
"Nothing it's just…" Aerith paused "It just reminds him of something he lost…a long time ago. Unlike you he hasn't managed to get it back,"
"Who was it?" Kairi hesitantly asked
"I don' think it's our place ta say," Cid spun on his computer chair to face the girl
"I'm gonna go see if he's okay," Sora headed toward the door "Any clue where he is?"
"Go to the Marketplace and up the stairs near the far end. There's a house, try in there," Cloud said as he entered the room "I just saw him,"
"He's done it!" Yuffie jumped up and down "He's finally gone back!"
Sora shrugged and went to find him.
