Goodbye
By Mayumi Takanashi
Disclaimer: I do not own Last Exile, nor do I own any of its characters, ect. I also do not own the song "Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Ole Oak Tree."
Author's Notes: At the time of writing this, I'd only seen the first thirteen episodes of the series, even though this is all based on what happens in the end. (I'm such a cheater…) I had no idea at the time what the end was like, so please don't yell at me for not being a very experienced Last Exile fan! If you haven't seen the end, or know what happens, then I wouldn't read this if you don't want to spoil the ending…
As Sophia stood over the grave, and as she whispered the words to her deceased captain, she began to cry. The tears merely trickled down her face, one at a time, but after a few moments passed, they began to flow freely.
"I will always be your vice-captain…" she said, choking on her words, "and don't you forget it."
A soft breeze began, making the grass sway while the grey clouds shifted slowly; the leaves lifted off the ground and danced through the air. Sophia's hair moved along with the wind and she closed her eyes, letting the breeze stroke her tear-stained cheeks. Had Alex sent this wind to her? She would never find out.
She clutched a scarlet rose against her bosom. The thorns had been cut off, and a small, yellow ribbon was tied around it. Sophia knew the story of the yellow ribbon well.
A man was coming home from serving in a war for a long time. He had left his wife and his home for years, but was finally coming home. In a letter to his wife, he told her that he still loved her, but wanted to know if she still loved him after all these years apart. If she did, she would tie a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree beside their house. When the stagecoach pulled up in front of their house, there were one-hundred yellow ribbons tied throughout the yard.
"I still love you, Alex," she whispered. She gently kissed the yellow ribbon tied around the flower.
For a moment, she stood there, stroking the ribbon.
"If you were ever to return to me, I will tie one-hundred yellow ribbons around a tree to show you that I still love you. You may be dead, but isn't there a chance that you aren't? If you ever return to me, then I want us to spend the rest of our lives together. Not only as a captain and his vice-captain, but as two people tied together by love. We can soar through the skies together, and that would make me so happy."
She looked at the tombstone one last time, then tossed the rose gently against it. Turning her back on the grave of her loved one, she began to sing softly as she walked away into the distance…
I'm coming home I've done my time
Now I've got to know what is and isn't mine
If you received my letter telling you I'd soon be free
Then you'll know just what to do if you still want me
If you still want me
Oh tie a yellow ribbon round the ole oak tree
It's been three long years do you still want me
If I don't see a ribbon round the ole oak tree
I'll stay on the bus forget about us put the blame on me
If I don't see a yellow ribbon round the ole oak tree
Bus driver please look for me
'Cause I couldn't bear to see what I might see
I'm really still in prison and my love she holds the key
A simple yellow ribbon's what I need to set me free
I wrote and tell her please
Oh tie a yellow ribbon round the ole oak tree
It's been three long years do you still want me
If I don't see a ribbon round the ole oak tree
I'll stay on the bus forget about us put the blame on me
If I don't see a yellow ribbon round the ole oak tree
Now the whole damn bus is cheering
And I can't believe I see
A hundred yellow ribbons round the ole oak tree
I'm coming home.
More Author's Notes: Well, that was it. I'm so proud to be the seventh one to write a Last Exile fanfic! Seven is supposed to be a lucky number! Please review this! I've never put a song into any of my stories before, so I hope it works with the story. The person in the song is supposed to be coming home from jail, not from a war or from the dead, so I hope it works okay!