Disclaimer: I do NOT own Lilo and Stitch or their characters. I only own story, plot, and the characters Hale (Hah-le), Arlene (R-lean) Bud, and Aliella (Ah-lee-eh-luh)
Nani and Stitch's spirits were in a state of melancholy as they thoroughly searched the store for a dress for Lilo to wear before they bury her. Nani had picked out some dresses, but Stitch had turned them down. He wanted a dress that Lilo would have liked, something she would've worn just as much as she had worn her red muumuu when she was a child. He knew Lilo's favorite dress color was either purple or red and that she didn't like dresses too fancy, but preferred them as casual. Nani had been picking ones that were just too intricate for his taste and Lilo's too.
He rummaged through different kinds of gorgeous dresses, looking for the one that would justify for Lilo and for him. Finally, his eyes feasted on a purple dress just behind the green twin of it. It was made of fine silk with crusted velvet that went around the neckline. It looked impeccable for Lilo. He went to touch it, imagining her wearing this as they lay her to rest. The thought brought tears in his eyes that this beautiful dress would be the last piece of clothing he would ever see on her.
"Hey Stitch!" Nani called, waving a pearly white dress in the air. "What do you think of this?"
Without even turning to look at the dress, he shook his head and tugged at the purple silk he had been staring. He heard a loud cling as Nani put her dress back on the rail. He heard her footsteps pad over to him. She stared at the purple piece of clothing, running her hand along the smooth texture.
"She would look beautiful in this." Nani breathed, lifting it from the railing.
"She looks beautiful in anything, but I have a feeling this is the dress Lilo would have wanted." Stitch replied.
Nani nodded. "I agree. Let's pay for it."
Stitch followed Nani to the register. She paid approximately three hundred dollars for the dress before wrapping it up in a plastic bag and walking out. Stitch cradled the dress in his lap as he sat in the backseat. He sighed as he stroked it almost lovingly. Nani noticed his state of trance and sighed as well, wishing she had never left Lilo home alone.
Nani parked the car in the carport and Stitch exited the green jeep, still holding onto the dress. Nani locked her jeep before walking up the stairs. Stitch followed behind her until they reached inside the house. They saw Pleakley on the couch watching TV. He noticed the dress, stood, and took it from Stitch. He told them Jumba was in the ship and that he'll give it to him.
Nani and Stitch took Pleakley's place on the couch. As they sat down, he heard Nani sigh exhaustingly and say, "Now all we have to do is wait for tomorrow."
Finally, it was Friday and it was time to lay Lilo down to rest. True to Nani's word, they had a funeral at Jumba's ship. Jumba, Pleakley, and few other experiments helped rearrange the entire ship so it would be suitable for a funeral. In the front of the ship, were hundreds upon hundred rows of chairs. The ship lit dimly to set a gloomy atmosphere. Facing the rows of chairs, was a coffin where their beloved Lilo slept almost blissfully. On either side of the coffin were desks that had numerous pictures of her with her family, friends, or just her glued on to it. Upon the desks were vases of Lilo's favorite types of flowers and ones that were just plain beautiful. Behind Lilo's coffin, was a podium where people could make speeches. Yes, it was a lovely service.
The doors opened and experiments, family, and friends invited themselves in like one huge herd. Stitch lagged behind, reluctant even to start the service. His stomach twisted itself into an unbreakable knot, tightening whenever he took a step forward. Tears dampened his eyes as he took for the seat in front of Lilo's coffin. He stared at the casket that contained his love, wishing it were he in there with her. He barely paid any attention as Slick, who was very handy when it came to expressing thoughts and emotions with words, ranted on a farewell speech.
Slick's voice was seldom as he spoke. Even his voice alone caused the sensitive guests to begin crying. "Lilo wasn't just an ordinary girl. She was a girl with a kind heart that had touched all of us. She saved us from a life of destruction while everyone else had thought we were too evil to be trusted. She was the only one who was compassionate enough to provide us a home, put our good talents to use, and created an enormous family that always seemed to have room for one more. She was very dear to us because of it, and she will be greatly missed. Though she may be in heaven instead of down here with us, she's still here." Slick paused to look at Stitch. Stitch, though he was centering his attention on Lilo and Lilo alone, still noticed the hiatus in Slick's speech. He looked up to catch Slick's eyes, wondering why he wasn't continuing.
Slick held Stitch's gaze long enough for him to know that the next part of his speech was meant for Stitch to hear. Stitch listened intently and Slick, noticing this, went on. "Though she may be resting here in this coffin, she is not sleeping. This is only her body, her outer shell, that's sleeping underneath the pink silk and cradling a red rose on her chest. However, her sprit does not lie in her body. Oh no, she's everywhere now. She's the smile in the sunshine to make you happy. She's the laugh in the wind to assure you she is there. She's the tears in the rain to be sad with you. She's the scream in the thunder and the anger in the lightning to scare your fears away. She is everywhere around us to protect us, be with us, love us, and never leave us. Yes, her body lies here, but her spirit is everywhere."
By now, almost all of the guests had damped tissues pressed up to their faces from Slick's alluring speech. Stitch did not have a tissue, but his eyes were definitely welled up with tears. He stood as many others began to stand and crowd around her final resting place. He pushed himself to the front of the line, reaching out to cradle her lifeless, cold hand in his. Tears gathered at the edges of his eyes as he observed the one who meant the most to him.
He noticed the purple dress he had picked out for her hugged her tiny curves. The dress went below her knee but above her calf muscle, showing off those beautiful legs that had once walked with grace. The color of the dress clashed nicely with not only her skin tone, but her raven hair as well. She looked lovely to him. He only wished he had a chance to spend one more day with her while she wears that beautiful dress. Others began moving away from the casket as Stitch stared at his loved one, unwilling and unready to let her go. The only one who stayed by his side was Angel, the one who also cared so much for Lilo. Her hand lingered on Stitch's shoulder, trying to sooth him.
He bent over to peer at Lilo's face closer. He heard Angel beginning to recede from him to return to her respective seat. Stitch however, stayed by Lilo's side. He kissed her face one last time, almost sobbing at the iciness that met his mouth. He would never again feel her warm body against his or kiss her warm, supple skin. The thought of this chilled him to the core, wishing this were all a horrific nightmare. A nightmare that would soon end and he would wake up to Lilo's beautiful face. However, he knew this wasn't a nightmare. She was gone and she had left him alone on this Earth.
He felt someone tugging gently on his arm for him to sit down. Stitch tried resisting the person's force, too distraught to look behind to see who was pulling him. He didn't want to leave Lilo. He didn't want to be without her. He didn't want to continue life alone. He wanted her to stay with him. He wanted to stand by her side and never walk away. He didn't think he could live without seeing her face in the morning and holding her body at night. The thought of that just terrified him. He didn't want that kind of life. Not now and possibly not ever.
"Come on." A female voiced cooed from behind. His ears twitched, registering the voice as Angel's. "You can't stand there forever. You have to let her go."
Stitch nodded, but didn't walk away just yet. "I love you." He whispered to her. "I promise you I will always love you and I will die trying to find who did this to you. I swear Lilo I will kill them. I love you buchee-bu, but I'm still not ready to say goodbye. Still not ready."
His eyes fell on the ring that still laid on her finger. He reached down and gently tugged the ring off her finger. He placed it on his own, needing something from her. He kissed her ring then pressed his hand to her face, imprinting the kiss from the ring onto her smooth skin. Finally, he followed Angel to his seat. She sat down beside him, still keeping her hand on his arm comfortingly.
Too fast. This is going by too fast. Stitch thought as Jumba went around the casket to close the lid. His eyes were transfixed on Lilo's sleeping face, willing her eyes to flutter open suddenly. Time seemed to go by slowly as Jumba reached for the lid. Stitch felt as though it was going by entirely too fast. Panic engulfed his being as he realized he was losing her all too soon.
It was much too soon for their story to end. They had just started chapter one together sometime not too long ago. Death was ripping the rest of their pages together too quickly. Their story was not supposed to end here. They still had many more chapters of their lives together left. This just couldn't be the part where they say 'The End'. It was just too soon for that. They still had a whole chapter of getting married, having and raising kids of their own, watching their kids grow and fall in love with somebody else, and die together. That is when people are supposed to say 'The End.' Not now. The story is just beginning and death is ripping all that away from them. It just was not fair.
Slowly. Slowly. Slowly. Stitch repeated in his brain as Jumba began lowering the casket. His heart rate sped up as he watched Lilo's beautiful face slowly begin disappearing in the mist of darkness. The shadow swallowed her entire face up whole as the lid was just barely above her. Slower please. Much slower. Finally, the lid closed and he realized it was official.
Whether he had said goodbye or not, it didn't matter. He had already lost her.
The feeling of losing someone so precious became too much for Stitch to handle. He stood from his seat and exited the ship. He didn't follow others to the tree house, where he and Lilo had once played together when they were just small children, where they already had a six feet deep grave for her to rest in. He didn't think he could handle watching his angel being lowered underneath the ground and covered in the soil. It would be just too much for him. Too much for him to bare, to handle, to understand.
He bolted from the service, his vision blurred from the tears that moistened his face. He scurried up the stairs, clutched the door handle, and swung the door open. The house looked so empty and so melancholy without a certain little girl with a huge smile to make it less ominous. He knew this is what he would be facing for the rest of his life. A vacant house that still held memories of his deceased love. The pain of this thought brought more tears to his eyes.
He looked at the dome, glaring at the place where this whole nightmare for him had began. Instead of running in there, he ran straight to the couch. He flopped down on it head first with a soft plop and began to cry. He could feel the tears burning a trail in his fur as they traversed down his cheek and created a puddle in the pillow. His body wracked with choked up sobs that he had tried to contain. His claws clutched the scarlet pillow, tightening his grip every time he hyperventilated. His insides screamed as his outside wept with all that was in him. He could see Lilo in his mind, though very remotely. He begged her to return to him, return and never leave him in a state like this again.
As he bawled on the pillow, he felt a strong arm wrap around his shoulder. Sniffing, he lifted his head to see who was there. It was an experiment who had his body except he had bright orange fur with a grey chest. His ears were shaped like a cat's with little grey tufts of fur outlining it. He had splotches of black on his back and a black patch surrounding his left black pupil. He stared down with concern at Stitch, patting his back as he comforted him.
"Bud?" Stitch asked through his tears.
Bud was experiment 153. He was designed to turn friends against each other. It was similar to Spats' function, except he literally turns friends into enemies. Lilo and Stitch had discovered his existence when they had caught Nani and David arguing constantly over the idiotic of things. Jumba had announced that it could be experiment 153's doing, who was designed to make the best of friends become the best of enemies.
Lilo and Stitch had sought out to look for him. Along the way, Stitch had done something that had caused Lilo to laugh. When she started laughing, he began laughing with her and the two friends shared a moment together. The sight angered 153 who had been watching them the whole time. He showed up and turned them against each other. The house was in turmoil with Nani and David arguing constantly and Lilo and Stitch giving each other the silent treatment. Jumba and Pleakley desperately found the cure, which was to remind the arguing couple of the good times they had shared together.
With Lilo and Stitch back to normal, they worked together to capture 153. Stitch dubbed him Bud a few days later because the two began growing a male friendship. That is only because Stitch had helped him to win Arlene's affections. The relationship between Arlene and Bud had lasted for only a week because Arlene still had growing affections for Stitch. From then on, Arlene and Bud had a sisterly and brotherly relationship.
"You okay?" Bud asked.
Stitch shook his head. "I'm going to miss her."
"A lot of people are going to miss her. She was a good kid." Bud replied.
Stitch nodded in agreement. "It's going to be strange not seeing her around anymore."
"You'll get used to it." Bud said almost carelessly.
"I don't think I will. I love her too much." Stitch responded.
Bud saw the pool of tears in Stitch's eyes and immediately changed the subject. "So, I spoke to Arlene last night."
"What about her?" Stitch mumbled bitterly.
"You never gave her a real chance Stitch." Bud pointed out. "Yes, she may have done some stupid things in the past, but that was all a long time ago. Don't you think it's time you at least talk to her?"
Stitch shook his head. " No way."
"You know, Lilo was so many things, but most of all, she was a very forgiving person." Bud replied, grinning at the softened look on Stitch's face. "Don't you think Lilo would appreciate it if you forgave Arlene? I'm sure she would forgive her."
Stitch growled, but knew Bud had him beaten. He sighed. " Fine, I'll go talk to her."
"Now?" Bud pressed on, gesturing to the door.
"I don't feel like driving over to her home on Lilo's funeral of all days. I want to stay home and mourn." Stitch replied stubbornly, folding his arms across his chest.
Suddenly, the door slowly opened to reveal Arlene standing there. Bud leaned over to Stitch. "Looks like you didn't have to drive to her home. You can talk to her here."
Stitch grimaced to himself as Bud hugged Arlene then left. Arlene closed the door before walking over to Stitch. The blue experiment still sat obdurately on the couch. Arlene sat down next to him. "Look, I just want to say I'm sorry. I guess I just got offensive because you called me a murderer. Stitch, I'll admit I was horrible in the past, but so were you. Lilo still forgave you, can't you forgive me?"
Stitch looked away, her words 'Can't you forgive me?' replaying in his mind repeatedly. Don't you think Lilo would appreciate it if you forgave Arlene? I'm sure she would forgive her. Bud's words mixed in with Arlene's, leaving him to be more willing to forgive. He turned to Arlene. "I forgive you."
Arlene grinned and threw her arms around Stitch. "I'll always be here if you need me. Okay? Whenever you need someone to talk to, please let me be the first person you want to talk to."
Stitch nodded against her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her. She pulled away after a few seconds, beaming proudly and blushing slightly. "Let's watch TV." Stitch suggested, not wanting the silence to take over the room.
Arlene agreed and turned on the TV to the channel her and Stitch both liked. She leaned back on the couch and watched the screen with Stitch beside her. Stitch turned his head to look at her, wondering if he made the right decision. He knew Lilo would be very proud that he forgave Arlene even though he had enough reasons why he shouldn't. Though, he found it impossible to shake off the feeling he was fraternizing with the one who might've played a role in Lilo's demise.
Meanwhile, Jumba and Pleakley were back inside the ship. Pleakley watched as Jumba began strapping Lilo to huge machines. He heard a final snap before Jumba stepped away from her. He nodded to himself before turning to exit the room. Pleakley sprinted to catch up with him. Jumba still didn't wait for him as he continued his swift strides out of the room.
"Are we going to tell the family now?" Pleakley asked as he reached Jumba, who closed the door that led to Lilo's room and fished in his pocket for a coppery brown lock.
Jumba paused, as though meditating on the question. Finally, he shook his head. "No. We wait until Little Girl is making incredible progress. As Jumba said before, there is 40 percent chance Little Girl will pull through, and if she doesn't, Jumba doesn't want to smash uprising hopes. Especially for 626. Jumba hates to even think what 626 would do if he has hope of getting back his buchee-bu and then she dies again."
"So when Lilo shows signs of progress, then we tell the family." Pleakley stated.
Jumba once again shook his head. "We do not tell family until Jumba is being certain Little Girl will pull through. Even if Little Girl responds to experiment 624's blood, there is still chance blood will fail her. We wait until Jumba is being 100 percent certain, absolutely sure, that Little Girl will make it. For now, it is being our secret."
Without further discussion, Jumba fastened the lock on Lilo's door knob. He turned the key in the keyhole until he heard a faint click. He jiggled with the door for a bit to ensure it is tightly locked. He placed the key back into his lab pocket and turned to leave the ship. The two left with increasing aspiration that Lilo would pull through and their family will come back to being one.