Disclaimer- *sniff* Poor Lenne and Shuin. I wish I owned them. But I don't... I just own my own version of their love story... *sniffle*
Hope you enjoy! Please review, but no flamez, please??
Prologue-
The floating police cruiser slowed to a stop in front of a cluster of house boats floating along the edge of Zanarkand Canal.
One of the officers, a middle aged man, looked at the computer built into his car dashboard. He looked up at one of the many house boats tied to dock. His eyes took on a look of recognition. "That's the one. 13456 Zanarkand Canal." He pulled his key card out of the steering wheel and the car sputtered to a stop as it came to rest on the ground. His partner, a younger more nervous looking man, got out and walked stifflegged to the door labeled 13456. He stood on the porch waiting for his partner to catch up. The older officer took his time, wondering how he was to break the news to the occupants.
"I can't stand this... on New Year's Eve..." the younger man muttered.
"...has to be done..." the other man grunted in reply.
The young man knocked on the door and waited. A moment or two passed while the officers listened to the sound of the news inside on the television. The young officer impatiently knocked on the door again, louder this time. This time around, they heard a click, and the door swung open.
A solemn looking little girl, no older than four, was standing in the doorway, one hand still on the doorknob. She was chewing her thumbnail of the other hand and regarded both men seriously. Her brown hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail and she wore a pink nightgown.
The older officer opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly, the little girl slammed the door in their face. They both heard the sound of the lock. Both men looked at each other, confused. The older man cleared his throat.
"Little girl, can we please speak with an adult? Can you open the door?"
"I'm sawwy!" for such a somber little girl, she had a happy, tinkly sort of voice. "Gwamma said awways ask who it is before opening the door! Pwease rwing the bell!"
The younger man gave an impatient sigh. "Look, kid, this is serious. Open the door!"
"Rwing the bell!" The child insisted. The younger cop angrily ran the doorbell. "Who is it?" the girl called.
"I'm Officer Okuda," the older man replied. "and my partner Officer Morris. Please, let us in, it's important."
"Do I know you?"
"No."
"Does
Gwamma know you?"
"No. But we need to speak with her."
"Um..." the child seemed hesitant.
"Lenne?" it was an older voice now. "Who's at the door?"
"Gwamma!" the officers heard the girl's happy squeal. "It's some off... offee... it's cops."
"Goodness!" there was another click and the door swung open. This time, instead of Lenne, a frazzled elderly woman stood in the doorway. Lenne was standing on the couch, looking out the window, eagerly watching the Zanarkand skyscrapers.
"Gwamma!" she cried. "The fwireworks start soon!"
Her grandmother ignored her. "What can I do for you officers?" she asked nervously. It was a mother's worst nightmare when the police came to the door, and she was fearing for her daughter.
"Ma'am?" the younger cop, Morris, asked. "May we come in?"
"O-Of course... I'll make tea..." Lenne's grandmother said, turning away from the doorway. Okuda reached out and grabbed the woman's arm. She looked back at him, afraid to see his face.
"Please ma'am, just sit. We won't be long." Okuda told her in hushed tones. She dumbly nodded and led the men into the small den.
Lenne jumped off the couch to make room for the officers and busied herself with her doll on the floor. The men sat on the couch while Lenne's Grandmother sat down on an easy chair. She picked up the remote and turned off the TV. The anchorman on ZNKD TV doing New Year's coverage faded into darkness.
Officer Okuda cleared his throat. "Now, to confirm," he began in a bland tone. "you are Opal Dazner, mother of Amery Marin?"
"Yes." Opal replied, now beginning to dread what came next. "Is... Amery alright? She and Kris had gone out for the evening—"
"To see the fwireworks!" piped up Lenne from the floor. Opal shushed her. She looked up at the officers.
"Did something happen to my daughter?" she asked, her voice coming out breathy.
"Mrs. Dazner," Morris picked up where Okuda had left off. "Tonight, Mr. and Mrs. Marin were on their way to a restaurant, when their automobile was hit by another—" Opal brought her hands to her face and began to shake. "—and were brought to hospital D.O.A."
There was silence from everyone, except Lenne, who was humming to herself while she brushed her doll's hair. Silent tears had begun to pour down Opal's trembling face.
"I'm sorry ma'am." Okuda stood up, his voice suddenly dry and raspy. "But you need to come down to the station to file a report."
Opal let out a squeak, and a moment later, a throaty howl. Lenne's head snapped up as her grandmother rocked back and forth on the chair. "Gwamma...?" she whispered, jumping to her feet. Morris stood by the door, ready to leave.
Okuda took a step towards the sobbing Opal. "Ma'am, you need to get a jacket..." he reached for her, but Lenne jumped in front of her 'precious Gwamma' protectively.
"You bad men!" she yelled, pointing a finger at them in all her indignant four year old glory. "You leave my Gwamma awone!"
"Lenne..." Opal croaked. Lenne spun around. "Get your jacket..."
"No, nooo Gwamma..." Lenne tried to sooth the old woman. She tried to keep her sitting. "Gwamma..."
"You foolish girl!" Opal suddenly screamed, eyes wide with tears. "Don't you understand?! You're parents are dead! Dead! My Amery is..." she broke off with a sob.
Lenne backed up as if physically dealt a blow. Dead? Even the naïve four year old understood death. Her daddy had explained when her kitty died. Death meant gone forever. Death meant never coming back.
"Mommy... Daddy... are leaving?" Lenne continued to stare blankly at the chair even after Okuda had ushered Opal to the door. "Mommy and Daddy... left Lenne all awone...?" she asked nobody. Her face screwed up and tears began to dribble down her cheeks. She crumpled to the ground and let out a wail.
"C...Come on kid, let's go..." Morris said, nervous. He wasn't sure how to deal with the crying child. He grabbed her shoulder, but Lenne slapped it away.
"Mommeeeee... Daddeeeee...!" she moaned before breaking out into a new freshet of tears. Outside, Lenne's eagerly awaited fireworks had begun, but the sobbing child was oblivious. That night, Lenne had cried herself to sleep.
It would be the first of many lonely nights.
