Over the great expanse of the plateau lies the desolate remains of N's castle. Large white pillars jut out from the mass of rubble that litters the ground, and Touko can't help but think of majestic empires that have fallen and crashed to the ground, disappearing into the past's obscurity. Feet swinging, she leans back on her hands that are gripping the dusty surface of one the marble pillars and looks up into the afternoon sky. Her hands absentmindedly sweep across the pillars surface, tracing an unfamiliar pattern over and over, until Touko is nearly positive that her finger has left a permanent mark—and she closes her eyes and lets out a world weary sigh.

It's peaceful, she can't help but think, despite all the terrible things that happened here. And if she really wants to, she could probably spend hours on end here and never notice the world continue to turn beneath her feet.

She doesn't notice it at first, but eventually Touko is brought back to reality by the soft pattering of footsteps and shifting rubble. She doesn't want to open her eyes—not really—and she most definitely doesn't want to go back and face reality when the silence and solitude is so much more preferable—

"Touko."

Her hearts stops suddenly.

"Touko, it's me."

No, she thinks fearfully, don't listen to him. You're dreaming, Touko. It's all just a dream. He can't possibly be—

"I came back."

A voice so sweet and soft, like a soothing lullaby.

She forces her eyes open and bites her tongue to stop herself from crying out, but she still doesn't believe it, doesn't believe that this is her reality.

Verdant green eyes and a shy, apprehensive smile.

"N," she breathes out.

And somehow it feels as though nothing and everything has changed.

"You came back," she says, voice cracking slightly because she knows this can't be real, it simply can't be, it isn't, it's not, it's not—

He shifts slightly, right shoulder lifting in a semi-conscious shrug, and replies, "Yeah. I did."

And she doesn't know what breaks her fervent delusions and her fearful trance—maybe it is because of the his voice, soft, kind and apologetic; or maybe it is the way he looks at her, wide-eyed and awed and terribly guilty. But whatever it is, it forces her feet and legs forward, one step turning into a full-fledged run towards him—salvation.

And when she crashes into him, arms spread open and his name repeatedly spilling from her lips, she doesn't mind the slight pain as she bangs her knees on the floor when she brings him down with her. All she can feel is the way he clings to her just as tightly, the warmth in her heart spreading and filling her eyes with tears, because this was all she had wanted—all that she had been waiting for all this time, and for the first time in a long time, everything felt perfectly right.

And even if the words were left unspoken, she knew exactly what he had been trying to say all along.

I came back for you.