Even if they hadn't seen Garnet leaping through the crowd into Zidane's arms, it would have been obvious to everyone in the room how much she cared for him simply by how much her mood had changed in the short time since his return.

Freya recalled how even just an hour beforehand, the girl had greeted their arrival wearing a smile, but with eyes that had told a much different story. They had not yielded the passion they once held during their travels together. Ever since the day that Zidane had left them, she had seemed to be almost an empty shell of her former self. She had heard that the young queen could always be found going from meeting to meeting and spending the rest of her time locked in her chamber doing paperwork, almost never stepping foot outside unless the occasion demanded it. Freya, like the others, had just pretended not to notice, because she knew personally how painful losing the one you loved could be.

But now that he had returned, Garnet hadn't stopped smiling and it was as if the last two years had been washed away from her. Even as Freya talked to her now, she saw that the young queen had trouble keeping her eyes off of the thief. When had she become so smitten? She silently told herself that if he left or her hurt her again she would personally hunt him down and make him wish he hadn't.

Freya was currently telling Garnet and the others of how well the reconstruction of Burmecia was coming, and noticed that her attention had again shifted to Zidane. So, she decided to poke a little fun at the young queen's expense.

"How long do you think that would take Garnet?" She asked with a wink to Beatrix.

"Huh? Well I… um I think that.." Garnet stammered, her face reddening as she tried to remember what the conversation had been about. After a few seconds she gave up at trying to recover. "I apologize Freya I.. I didn't hear you." Garnet replied, still blushing furiously. When had the room gotten so quiet?

Suddenly the room burst into laughter. Above all the laughter Eiko's voice could still be heard loud and clear. "Gosh! Why don't you guys just kiss already?!" At this Garnet turned even redder. (If that were possible) She looked again at Zidane, Who was grinning and commented devilishly. "I definitely wouldn't mind that!"

After the moment had passed (and her blushing had finally died down) Garnet spent the rest of the meal listening as her friends told of how they had been the last few months and of course the most pressing topic: what had taken Zidane so long to return.

The thief in question had just scratched the back of his head and said that he had been wounded by the Lifa tree and that it had taken him a long time to regain the strength to travel back. She felt that there was more to the story but decided she had plenty of time to ask him more about it later.

As the day turned to night, Freya, Eiko, Cid and the others bid their farewells and left the castle having enjoyed the celebration of their returning friend, to return to their homes. Garnet offered to let them stay in the castle but they had all similarly declined. Steiner and Beatrix soon retired for the night as well, leaving the two reunited lovers alone.

"So uh.. where do I sleep?" Zidane asked, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

"I um.. I thought you might want to… sleep in my room?" Garnet said with a blush.

He laughed. "Alright, I sure as hell won't say no to that. But uh.. You sure you don't mind?.. I don't want to make you uncomfortable or anything. If you want me to I'll be happy to sleep on the couch or even the floor."

She shook her head dismissively. "It's okay."

"I wish to talk to you." She commented as she started walking to her room with Zidane trailing close behind.

Shortly after, she was seated on the bed with a rather surprisingly nervous Zidane beside her. "How did you make it out of the Lifa Tree?" she asked tentatively.

"I told you, I had to come home to you Dag." He replied simply.

"I know... but how did you make it out of there? The whole tree collapsed, and it was like the whole tree was attacking you!"

He let out a sigh somewhere between annoyance and defeat. "Honestly? I'm not sure."

"What do you mean?" she replied with a puzzled look.

"Well.. I uh.. I don't exactly remember how I made it out of there. I remember running down the roots, even riding a few of them as they went crazy. As I got near the bottom I got threw off, and I'm not sure how long I was out for before I woke up hearing Kuja calling out to me.. I finally managed to climb up to where Kuja was, but he was in horrible shape and we both knew he was going to die… but I couldn't just leave him to die alone."

Zidane looked down at his hands with notable sadness for a moment before continuing. "I'm not sure how long I sat there before I felt him start to pass.. In the end he told me that he was sorry for everything he had done… I just couldn't help feelin bad for him, cus it could just as easily have been me that did all that.."

"Zidane.." Garnet started as she put her head on his shoulder. "You're not like him Zidane. He.. He was a monster. He did not care about anyone, but himself."

"But I am like him.."

Garnet scooted back on the bed and turned to face him. "You are nothing like him." She said firmly. "I know he was your brother, and maybe if things had happened differently, you might have been more like him. But they didn't. You're you Zidane. You're the kindest, most caring man I've ever met. I know you'd never hurt anyone that didn't deserve it, and you will never convince me otherwise."

Zidane smiled as he looked into her eyes. "How did I ever make it without you?" he laughed and looked away. "Anyway, as I was sitting there with him I heard a loud roar of wind and managed to look up in time to see a dozen or more roots coming straight at us. I didn't have time to jump out of the way so I just tried to shield his body. I don't know what happened next, but everything went black… I don't know for how long.

He looked back at her and he could see the pain in her eyes as she tried to picture it. "I kind of remember being lifted and carried by something or someone, but I have no idea what or who… I just can't remember…What I do remember is waking up on the ground not far from the mountain path. I could barely move I was hurting so bad, but all I could think about was seeing you again Dag. I didn't think I would make it to Condie Petie, but every time I felt like giving up, I felt like I could almost hear you singing our song. It always reminded me that if nothing else, I didn't want you to be alone. So, I'd sing along, and somehow it would always give me the strength to pick myself up again."

When he looked up again, she was sobbing. "Oh Zidane… I.. I love you too." And with that she threw herself into his arms and he held her.

"What do you say we lay down and I can talk as long as you want me to or until you fall asleep? Cus you look exhausted." She let out a light chuckle in-between sobs, and smiled. "That sounds like a plan, and I'm sorry, I haven't rested much lately."

"Why not?"

"Because I um… well I haven't really slept much...since you left…"

"Dag…" Zidane leaned in and kissed her lips. He had kissed other women before their journey together, but this one was like nothing he had ever experienced. Her lips were like velvet and she tasted far sweeter than honey. It started off as a very gently kiss, but he could almost taste the need in her lips as she kissed him back; he knew it was something he would never forget.

"Zidane?" Garnet asked, breaking from the kiss and looking up at him with a contented smile. "Yea?" he replied dreamily. "Will you promise me that you will still be here when I wake up?"

"Always, Dag." He smiled, pulling her close.

For the first time since Zidane had left, Garnet sleep a peaceful dreamless sleep.

"Are all the preparations in order?" The man seated at the head of a large table in a dimly lit castle room asked. He was a middle aged man with a grey beard and a low elderly voice.

"Yesss, M'lord. Everything has been prepared just as you have inssstructed." A seething little man in a cloak hissed.

"What of the queen, Your Excellence?" A young man dressed in the attire fitting of a prince spoke up.

"She is of little importance to me. Alexandria will fall and the Black Tower will rise from where it once stood. What happens to its queen matters not; you may do with her as you please." The man replied coldly as he topped off his glass of whiskey. "It is the dawn of a new age. The fools believe that it is a time of peace, but it is merely the calm before a mighty storm that will change the face of Gaia into a new world exactly as I have envisioned it. See to it that the boy with the tail and his friends do not cause us any problems. I have waited far too long for there to be any mistakes."

"Yes, Father. I believe I'll have a little fun with the queen before her world comes tumbling down. Ha! As for the fool with the tail, taking care of him will be like crushing an insect."

"Let not your ego get the best of you Damian. The boy is not to be underestimated. He and his pitiable friends did manage to defeat Necron and the one known as Garland, though their powers were meagre compared to ours. And Damian, you will kill the queen. I will not allow your sudden fascination with her affect our plan. Unless you would prefer that I send someone else more capable?"

Damian let out a low sneer but consented. "I will see it done, Father."