Thanks for all of the reviews I received last chapter. I hope that all of the readers and reviewers enjoy this chapter, and I hope I don't disappoint any of you.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Tales of Symphonia universe.

Chapter 14- Meaning

"So, how much did I tell you again?" Zelos questioned.

"You told me that Seles's mother killed your own. And that the only reason she died was because she was protecting you."

"Okay."

"And now I get to hear the rest?" Sheena asked.

"Unless you don't want to." Zelos grinned.

Sheena merely rolled her eyes, "Come on, Zelos. Please tell me."

Zelos pushed back his joking personality, along with every other emotion he had, and sighed, "When Seles's mother sent a magic blast at me, all I could see was a blinding flash, so bright that I had to close my eyes," Zelos began, his voice becoming emotionless and monotone.

Zelos watched Sheena nod, then he closed his eyes, seeing that same magical light in his mind. He continued, "Then, I heard the sound of that attack hitting something, and for a moment I thought it hit me. I couldn't feel anything, so I first thought I was dead.

"But then, I opened my eyes, and… there was blood." He began shaking, his eyes clouding as the memory started replaying bits and pieces of itself. Still, he pressed on, "The blood fell onto the ground with the snow, and it mixed together on the ground. It also covered my body. But, what I was mostly staring at was my mother's body, falling onto the ground. It seemed like time slowed down.

"I could hear her gasping for air, and though I was practically paralyzed with shock, I knew she was dying, and would probably die right in front of me."

He paused, trying to calm his shudders, while at the same time push back the tears that threatened to fall. He was positive that he was going to break down right there, but, Zelos found surprising, Sheena wrapped her hand around his, and he found the motivation to continue.

But before he could, Sheena spoke for the first time and asked, "Did you know at the time that it was Seles's mother?"

"No, I found out later."

Sheena nodded, silently giving Zelos permission to keep going. Giving a shaky breathe, he said, "I watched as she turned her head so she could look up at me. The blood that was flowing out of her was slowing down, so I knew she would die pretty soon. Inhaling what would be her last breathe, she said to me…"

That was it, he had used every bit of his strength to say what had happened, but he still couldn't bring himself to tell Sheena what his mother had said. Was he afraid that Sheena would agree? No, he understood the ninja's feelings, and his sense of insecurity wasn't that great. What could be causing his fear about this?

He was brought out of his reverie by two arms wrapping around his body. He looked at the top of Sheena's head, listening intently to hear as she whispered, "Please keep going, Zelos. What did she tell you?

"I can't say, Sheena." He whispered back, his tone becoming apologetic. He was unable to stop the emotions that rushed back at him. He knew he was going to break down soon. He was aware that he wouldn't be able to hold out much longer.

Though she didn't release him, she angled her head so that she was staring up at his eyes, "Yes you can. You can say it. I know you can."

Looking into her loving brown eyes, he found the motivation to say the words his mother had etched into him, though he was unable to stop the few tears that slid down his face.

"She told me that… that I shouldn't of been born."

And with that, he lost the strength to keep the memory away completely. It hit him, and it hit him with so much force that the only thing he was able to do was bury his face into the crook of Sheena's neck and cling to her with a desperation he had never experienced before. It was almost like he could shatter if he had to let her go.

Sheena gasped, one reason was because of Zelos's arms holding her like she was the only thing keeping him alive, the other was because of what Zelos had said, or rather, what his mother had told him.

He couldn't believe it. What kind of mother could ever tell her child that? True, she wasn't raised by her mother, but she still couldn't imagine Zelos having to hear those words from his own mother.

All this time, Zelos was burdened by the fact that his mother, the woman that gave birth to him, didn't want him to exist. All this time, Zelos was trying to live while constantly remembering those words.

All this time, there had been so much pain and suffering within Zelos, and nobody had even noticed it.

Tears that Sheena had held back while listening to Zelos's story had, against her will, leaked out from her eyes. Listening to that made her feel even more guilty. How could she not have seen all of his pain? Why was it so unnoticeable?

Sheena was surpirsed that he wasn't crying. His breathing was erratic, and she began rubbing his back, hoping that it might calm him down. At the same time, she was trying to figure out what to say to console him.

How could her words compete against his mother's? Could she help him? She believed that she could, and wanted nothing more than to help him, but the idea of how to help eluded her.

Sheena wasn't sure if it was minutes or hours later, but after a while, Zelos spoke in a calm, thought slightly hoarse, voice, "I bet you think I'm pathetic, huh?"

Shaking her head furiously, Sheena responded, "Of course I don't. I just… I can't believe that she said that to you. I had no idea that something like that happened to you."

"Well, it did happen."

"And, you had to deal with that all your life? All alone?"

Sheena felt Zelos nod, making a couple for stray tears fall from her eyes.

Sighing sadly, she spoke, "A-and that's why you tried to kill yourself? Because of that?"

"Y-yeah." Zelos whispered.

Sheena was still so confused. She had no thoughts on how to make him feel better.

"And you haven't told anyone about what she said. Not even Sebastian or your sister?"

He shook his head, answering, "I thought about telling Seles. I think I almost did. But, I just couldn't. I didn't want her to know. And for Sebastian, I couldn't tell him. He practically raised me, I didn't want him worrying about that, too."

Shaking her head, Sheena replied, "You should have told someone, Zelos. You shouldn't of had to suffer like that through your entire life."

"I know." He agreed quietly.

"How do you feel?"

"I don't really know."

"How did you have the courage to tell me?" Sheena asked.

"I don't know that, either."

They fell into silence, while Zelos took himself out of her hold. Though it was dark in his room, Sheena could see his eyes glistening with tears, tears that didn't appear like they would be released soon.

"Even though you're here with me," He spoke, making Sheena jump with surprise, "I just feel so empty, Sheena."

She gasped, "Why do you feel like that?"

Shrugging, Zelos answered, "I have no idea."

Once again lapsing into their familiar silence, Sheena pondered about what Zelos had just told her. Suddenly, she came up with an idea, but was unsure as to whether or not it could actually help him.

Maybe Sheena just had to tell him what she truly thought, and say it in a way that would make Zelos believe it.

"If I told you your mother was wrong, what would you say?"

She looked directly at him and watched as his eyes widened, shock evident on his face.

"What are you talking about?" He questioned.

"If I believed what your mother had said, would I really have stayed with you? Would I constantly worry about you if I agreed with your mother? Do you think I would try and make you feel happiness if I thought your mother was right?"

Zelos looked as though he was about to say something, but Sheena continued, "Your mother was wrong, Zelos. You do deserve to live. If you weren't born, I would never have met you. And Lloyd and everyone wouldn't have, either. Sebastian and Seles wouldn't be how they are today if it wasn't for you."

Tentatively taking his hands in her own, Sheena whispered, "You've affected our lives so much, Zelos. And, I couldn't imagine living without you. You were such a close friend of mine long ago, and now, you mean even more to me now."

"Do you… really mean that?" Zelos asked hesitantly.

"Of course. Zelos Wilder, your life has meaning to me and every other person that's close to you. So, please, don't try and throw it away again. Promise me."

Another couple of tears were freed from his eyes as he murmured, "I promise."

"I don't know if you'd want to hear this, but I have an idea as to why your mother said what she said to you all those years ago."

"Why?" Zelos asked.

"I think it was just her way of making you miserable for the rest of your life. She blamed you for all of her problems, most likely even for her death."

"I know she does."

"Let me finish! It was also her choice to protect you, it was her choice to allow herself to be killed. So, I think that she said that to you so you'd suffer for the rest of your life. Those words have caused you so much pain, haven't they?"

Not waiting for an answer, Sheena stretched forward and planted a short kiss on his cheek, while whispering to him, "Please let me help you take the pain away."

Not giving a verbal response, Zelos allowed Sheena to wrap her arms around him once more, while he gave into the tears that, Sheena imagined, he had held in for far too long.

He cried for, most likely, many hours, but Sheena thought that maybe, just maybe, this was his first step towards truly moving on.

The next chapter will come soon, hopefully. It may not be as long as the rest of them, since I'm planning on it being an epilogue-like chapter. Yes, that means that the next chapter will be the last.

Anyway, please review. It might help me with the last chapter.