Chapter 21 – An End?

"It's been nearly a week. Shouldn't he have been kicked out already?"

"Nah, Vanille is probably pulling some strings for him."

Prompto sighed. "I don't know, Gladiolus. He can't stay there forever."

Gladiolus shrugged. "We can't get him away. We haven't been able for a year now. What makes you think we can make him cheer up now?"

The blond shook his head. "I don't know, man. I mean… so much has happened. And it isn't even over yet. How can I keep sitting back and letting Noct suffer. We're not the sort of friends who would do such a thing."

Gladiolus nodded in agreement. "I get what you mean. But I think time is the only medicine that will help him now. Just leave him alone. He'll have to stop going to see her some time."

"He probably won't."

Gladiolus inhaled sharply. He knew Prompto was right.

A year. So many months ago, Noctis had lost his memory, regained it, and lost his love to a coma after serious injuries. And now Noctis visited Lightning every day. In fact, he hadn't returned to the castle for a week. None of his work was getting done and problems were piling up. But he didn't care. He only wanted to be there when Lightning woke up.

If she woke up, that is. Regardless, that was the only thing Noctis cared about.

Gladiolus, in the driver's seat of the slick, black car with Prompto next to him in the passenger seat, wondered if they should really try to get Noctis to come home again. Every other attempted to bring him back he refused or didn't even speak. They were just parked in the hospital parking lot, contemplating the effort they may have to put forth to a futile cause.

"Besides," Prompto spoke up, "he won't come anyway. Which is just worse. Things that he needs to do to become king aren't getting done and it's just plain not healthy for him to live like this." He found it somewhat amusing. He had told Noctis it was unhealthy to push people away before. Now he was saying it was unhealthy to keep someone near. How funny.

"And Vanille's caught between her sympathy for him and her logical reasoning. She feels bad and wants to let him stay by Light, but at the same time knows it's not good for him to be there all the time. All of us are just out of ideas when it comes to Noct."

Prompto shook his head. "Let's just go talk to him. Maybe he's changed his mind today." He opened the car door and hopped out onto the asphalt, Gladiolus following with doubt occupying his mind.

Both of them could navigate the hospital as well as they could the castle they lived in. Why not? They had been there too many times to count in the past two years between meeting Lightning and visiting her while she was in a coma.

Just as they were about to turn into Lightning's room, Fang and Vanille stepped out. The red-head's eyes were slightly moist with tears while Fang just looked frustrated. Gladiolus asked, "You guys too?"

Vanille nodded.

"How are they?" Prompto questioned with concern.

Fang sighed harshly, "Neither of them are budging." A silence followed before Fang continued, "This is just awful. And we have no way of making it better."

Vanille agreed, "I would say so. Noctis is just too overwhelmed with guilt to leave. He blames all of this on himself and won't pass up the chance to apologize as soon as he sees her… if he sees her…"

Gladiolus concluded, "We'll just go talk to him. You guys let us handle it."

Prompto entered the room first. He came in to a plain room. No television, phone, or a lot of heavy machinery. Just a window that faced the door, giving the room an amazing view of the city, a nightstand, a few chairs with a coffee table in the middle, and the patient's bed pushed off into the corner of the room. The patient, of course, had some medication IV's hooked into her arms, but nothing more. She had been healed and was fine, but just needed to wake up. And right at her bedside, sitting on one of the hospital chairs, was their friend, holding his love's hand in his own.

"Noctis?" Prompto wondered if he had heard them enter.

Gladiolus shut the door behind him and walked up behind Noctis. "Hey, man. What are you still doing here?"

No response. Gladiolus looked down at his friend's face to try and read his expression. Noctis had bags and dark circles under his eyes. His skin tone was paler than usual, not sign of good health. He also hadn't been eating much lately, so he was a bit thinner as well. The worst part was his eyes; both filled with deep despair and looking lost.

He's really taking this hard. I've never seen him this sickly, Prompto thought. He put a hand on Noctis' shoulder. The Prince tensed in response. Prompto took back his hand and said, "Noct… this isn't healthy. Physically or mentally. You need to get some help before you drive yourself crazy with guilt."

Noctis didn't say anything.

Gladiolus shook his head when Prompto tried to continue. He said instead, "Noct, it wasn't your fault. You – "

"Yes it was!" Noctis finally muttered. His voice was weak, dejected. Never in Gladiolus' life had he heard Noctis sound so defeated.

Prompto began, "But – "

"But nothing!" Noctis interrupted. "I… I made her feel like she had to die to fulfill my wishes. And then… and then I couldn't even save her. How… How is it not my fault? How can I atone for something like that?!"

"Easy, easy, Noctis," Prompto soothed. The last thing they needed was for Noctis to start freaking out.

Gladiolus said, "We just need to know when you want to come home. Everyone's really worried. Even Stella's thought about coming all the way out here just to talk to you."

Noctis was quiet for a moment until he stated, "I'm not coming back right now."

"Okay…" Prompto went back to the door. "You heard him, Glad."

With one last worried glance, Prompto and Gladiolus left their friend. They could only hope he would let her go soon.

999

"Lightning…" Noctis stroked her fingers as her hand rested in his, the lonely feeling in his stomach eating him alive. He reached over to stroke her cheek. "I've felt so sad…" He drifted off, not wanted to explain why.

He blamed himself. If he hadn't been so cruel she wouldn't have gotten hurt. The fault was his. And how could he repent for something as horrible as giving her life away to a coma? She may never forgive him when… if she wakes up.

Noctis found it awful. Everyone told him to move on, let her go. But how? How could he let her sleep and miss out on everything life had to offer her when her slumber was his fault? No, he had to be here when she woke up. That way he couldn't waste a minute when he apologized.

As long as he still loved her, he would never stop waiting. And he knew he would love her until the end of time itself.

A small smirk crossed Noctis' lips as he ran his fingers through her bangs. "Your hair has gotten longer in the past year, although I liked the length you had it at better." He frowned. "I've missed you so much…"

He sighed. "Two years… we met two years ago on this very date. I remember clearly. My attitude, your harsh responses to my actions, and yet… we still shared so much time together. It's funny, I've known you for two years, yet we've only spent one year actively doing things together. And then half of that first year in and intimate relationship." He paused. "But that half year is all I need to know I have to stay here."

He found himself talking to her more and more often. He knew she could hear him, he just knew it. At least he hoped so.

Noctis sighed. "How is it that I deserve someone like you?" That was the question he had been asking for so long. How, after all the people he had been rude to and all the terrible things he did could he be allowed to love someone as wonderful as Lightning? Why did Etro bless him with such a gift? He had done nothing to earn her love or to have the ability to love her. If only he hadn't been such an awful person… she would be smiling, just as she would before.

"And now…" Noctis' voice cracked as he stared down at his love's sleeping face. "And now… look what I've done…" He bowed his head in shame. "This…! "

Noctis shook his head, tears working their way down his cheeks. "This is my fault! You can't… you can't laugh or smile or cry… you can't speak or feel…" He clenched her hand tighter. "And why? Because of me… because I'm a stupid, worthless, ignorant asshole. An asshole with nothing to live for now. Just because I was so harsh. Lightning… I'm so sorry… I'm sorry…!"

He hadn't cried in almost a year. He knew she would frown upon it. But after holding in all of the guilt he felt he just couldn't take it. Those feelings of regret had been boiling over and were now spilling out. He whispered, "I… I'm sorry. I hope that one day… you could find it in your heart to forgive me. Even if I don't deserve your forgiveness… just let me see you smile… just one more time. I would be fine if I knew you were happy."

Noctis brought Lightning's hand up to his mouth and kissed her knuckles tenderly. "If you want to move on with your life without me… I'll let you go, as long as I know you'll be happy."

A knock at the door. A red-headed nurse peeked in. "Noctis," she said, "my boss is getting upset. He thinks I've let you stay for too long. I know… I know you need more time, but I'll let you back the second you come again, okay?"

Noctis nodded. Without looking at the nurse, he said, "Fine. I'll be out in a minute."

Vanille took that as her cue to leave.

Just as promised, Noctis released Lightning's hand and put on his jacket, not wanting to leave. Before his departure, he went back to Lightning's bedside and kissed her forehead. With one last look, he exited the room, his heart heavy.

999

"But I'm not allowed!"

"Just for a minute, alright? We didn't have time to come by during visiting hours because of work. We're GC and should at least be granted some sort of an exception to come in."

"I don't know…"

Sazh shook his head. "Relax, Noel. Vanille can't let us in. We'll just come back tomorrow or the next time we're off."

Noel grunted, "But I need to now…"

Vanille gave him a look of concern. "Why? What's so special about this moment?"

Sazh agreed, "Yeah, I would want to know that too."

Noel shrugged. "It's just… to be honest, I don't really know. It's just…" He paused. "You know that voice in your head that tells you to do stuff?"

Vanille furrowed her brow. "A conscious?"

"No, not really…"

Sazh guessed, "Like a gut feeling?"

Noel exclaimed, "Yes! A gut feeling! You see, my gut's just telling me that we need to be there. I really don't know why, but I just know."

Vanille thought for a moment. "I guess it's just one of those things you can't explain…" She nodded. "Okay, if you really feel like you need to, I can get you in."

Sazh sighed, "You kids are stressing this old man out. Alright, lead the way."

999

"Crap, caught red-handed."

"Fang?" Noel and Sazh entered Lightning's hospital room to discover a friend already inside. Fang leaned against the wall across from the door doing… well, Noel wasn't really sure. "What are you here for?"

Fang straightened and said, "Er… it's hard to explain."

Sazh commented, "Let me guess; gut feeling?"

Fang clapped quietly. "Oh, well look who's the mind reader here." She then stopped and chuckled. "How'd you draw that conclusion so quickly?"

"Noel was feeling the same thing."

Fang raised her eyebrow at Noel. "Really?"

Noel nodded. "Really. So something must really be up if we're feeling the same thing."

"You two…" Sazh stated, "You two are freakin' me out here. Why is it we all had this feeling?"

Noel crossed his arms. "We? I thought you said I was just imagining things. But here you are saying you felt it too."

Sazh admitted, "Okay, maybe I had a feeling too. But I figured it was just my old mind playing tricks on me."

Fang scoffed, "This is weird. The universe doesn't do things like this magically."

"How do you know?" Noel countered.

It was quite funny. Noel and Fang had met a little while after Fang joined Guardian Corps. Even if they were friends, anyone could easily mistake them for siblings or childhood companions. They bickered over everything and teased each other like there was no tomorrow. When, in reality, they had known each other as long as they had known the rest of their friends. Most thought it was just their personality differences that made them make fun of each other and engage in friendly banter every so often. Sazh thought Fang did that sort of thing to everyone, although he never contemplated on the subject much. "Don't even start. We don't need you guys to go off into some argument."

Fang said, "I'm just saying that things like this don't just happen."

Noel shrugged. "You know what? I think she's trying to tell us something."

The group glanced over at Lightning, who peacefully slept without any knowledge of the debate that was about to rise among her friends.

Fang grunted, "You clearly did not hear what I just said."

Noel said, "I heard you loud and clear."

"Then why would you say that when I said the universe isn't all magic and crap?"

"Because it could happen."

"Uh-huh. Do you want to tell me that your magical pixies are the reason rainbows appear too?"

"Hey, this is serious! Quit messing around."

Fang waved a hand at Noel. "You're the one messing around with all of this 'she's talking to us' stuff. That stuff only happens in movies and sappy books!"

"Again, how would you know, Ms. I-Think-Noel-Is-A-Complete-Idiot-And-I-Know-Everything?"

They kept arguing occasionally throwing an insult out here and there. Sazh just shook his head and sighed. "You two are hopeless."

In the midst of their loud debate, a weak voice spoke, "Will you guys keep it down? Why are you even fighting anyway?"

Three heads simultaneously snapped towards the voice in disbelief.

Noel whispered to Fang, "And you said this stuff only happens in movies."

999

"We're not gonna tell him!"

"But we should!" Vanille looked at Sazh and Noel. "Shouldn't we?"

Fang said, "Let's just have him find out for himself. It's not like he won't come here again or she's leaving for a while."

Noel put a hand on his chin. "I don't know. Telling him would make him feel less depressed sooner."

Sazh countered, "But wouldn't their reunion be more meaningful if he saw with his own eyes?"

Fang said, "Exactly! See, Sazh has got this!"

Vanille thought for a moment. "Maybe you're right."

Noel sighed. "Alright, we won't tell him. We'll at least need to make sure he gets here tomorrow."

Vanille pointed out, "I told him I'd be sure to let him in first thing tomorrow morning."

Fang said, "Yeah, but I heard from Ignis that he wasn't planning on coming. He has some special event that will keep him from getting here during visiting hours."

Noel chuckled. "Vanille works here, doesn't she?"

Sazh joined in with a smirk. "Yeah, it works to have someone on the inside."

Vanille looked nervous. "I'm so fired… but if it'll help my friends, I'll be glad to lose my job!"

999

"Geez, what a day…" Noctis groaned, rubbing his palms on his face while making his way to his quarters. He sighed. The entire party with all the nobles he knew was such a drag. Everyone just talked about materialistic things and made snooty remarks about everything they saw.

Whatever. He wasn't listening to anyone the entire time. He was too pissed about missing a day with Lightning.

He turned into a hallway with his room not far when a flash of red made him step back. "Hiya Noctis!"

"Vanille?" He stared in awe at his friend. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be home? It's getting late."

Vanille giggled, "I didn't know you were in charge of me." Noctis didn't respond. "Well, I came to get you your visiting time."

Noctis remembered Vanille saying she would be sure to let him see Lightning yesterday, but he knew visiting hours were over. "I don't have time anymore."

Vanille shook her head and seized Noctis' arm. "Don't' be silly! I'd be happy to pull a few strings to get you in now!"

Before he knew it, Noctis was thrown into a car with one of his chauffeurs at the wheel and on his way to the hospital.

Noctis went ahead and disposed of the jacket he wore. Suits were never comfortable to him. He wanted nothing more than to change but figured he couldn't relieve himself of more than his jacket. Before long, he was walking down the hallway that led to Lightning's room, his heart heavy. He felt guilt tug at his heart whenever he saw her sleeping.

He soon stopped outside her door, his hand hesitating on the doorknob. He shut his eyes and opened the door. He didn't open them until his back was to the room and the door was closed. From behind him he heard, "Noctis?"

He froze.

Noctis slowly turned around until he saw who he thought he heard. And there she was, sitting on her bed, mirroring his surprised expression.

In less than a blink of an eye, Noctis had his arms around Lightning, her head buried in his shoulder. "Lightning…! I was…"

Lightning wrapped her arms around his neck. "I missed you."

Noctis held her tighter. "Lightning… I'm sorry."

"For what?"

Noctis pulled back to stare at her in a confused manner. After all of the time he felt guilty for putting her through so much pain, she didn't blame him? Noctis pulled her into another embrace. "Only you wouldn't hate me for all I said."

Lightning whispered, "I loved you too much to care."

Noctis brought her face to his in a kiss. He had missed her lips so much. How long he had waited to feel her warmth again.

Lightning knew how long she had been gone and how much pain Noctis must have felt. Her guesses were only confirmed when she felt her cheeks become wet. She pulled back to see tears falling down his face. She wiped one away with a smile. "Who says grown men don't cry?"

Noctis took her face in both of his hands and stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. "I just… I waited for you. I'm so happy that you're alright." He pulled her head to his shoulder and held her close. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I will never say anything like that again and I will always treat you better than you deserve. I love you and I promise I'll never leave you."

Lightning gripped the fabric of his shirt. "It's not your fault. Just… just stay here."

"I will." Noctis said, "I just have one thing to ask. I'll never ask anything of you after."

"What is it?"

Noctis pulled back and looked at Lightning with desperation. "Marry me. Marry me and stay with me forever. I don't care what anyone says or how long it takes. Just… just be my queen."

Lightning touched Noctis' cheek, her surprise obvious in her eyes. "Noctis, I…" She looked away and pulled his arms off of her.

Noctis, slightly hurt by her action, asked, "What?"

In a nearly inaudible whisper, she said, "Noctis… I can't."

And his entire world shattered into a million pieces with his heart. A year of waiting… and this was the outcome. "Lightning… but why?"

Lightning's voice was strained. "Please understand, Noctis. I want to marry you more than anything. I just… I won't be good for you."

"Won't be…" Noctis shook his head and put both of his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. How wouldn't you—"

"Because, Noctis!" Lightning cried. "I'll… I'll only be trouble for you in the end."

"How…?"

Lightning put a hand on her stomach. "I… I can't…" She looked down. "After what happened on that mission…" She paused, fearing what Noctis' reaction may be. "I lost my ability to…"

"What? What happened Light?" Worry was taking over every bit of Noctis' senses. "What happened?"

Lightning sobbed, "Marrying me will be the end of your dynasty because… I can't give you an heir."

Geez, such a long wait!

I'm deeply sorry guys. I've had little time to write and even less time to edit. I feel awful knowing I can't put a little more time into my story. Hopefully life will give me another chance to write well again. :/

Anyway, just one more chapter to go. Yeah, it doesn't look like it, but you'll see what happens. I'm happy so many of you have stuck with the story and left so many reviews. It means so much to me. I can't ever thank any of you enough :')

Right after the last chapter, More than a Myth's sequel will officially start! I released the prologue as a last chapter for More than a Myth just now, so go take a look if you want!