Fallen For You

Epilogue: Hope

I walk into the darkness of my room. A chill sets in; it seems that every dark corner reminds me of him now. As much as I would like to sink into my misery, I know I can't. My baby needs me.

"How did it go?"

"Fine, Zel. Thanks for watching him."

"He's never any trouble… Did you get everything out?... Did you let him go?"

"I told Mist everything, and I got it all out, but I could never let him go."

Zelda's still worried about me, but she's done all she can. I guess she sees herself as Pike's mother, and I know she wants me to always be there as Pike's father. I will always be there for my baby boy.

Pit would have wanted it that way.

I turn on the light and flop onto my bed. I'm seriously exhausted, as if I spent the whole day fighting off twenty feral dragon Laguz. Everything aches. Still, with my Angel so fresh in my mind, I only want to be close to him… yet I don't have the strength to go down to his grave.

I'll do the next best thing. I dig around in the top drawer of my nightstand until my fingers locate my treasure. My Angel's feather, still as white and dazzling as the day he gave it to me, over fifteen years ago. I can still remember when his wings used to shine in the light; so beautiful. I miss him terribly, but I can't help but feel closer as I stroke the unearthly soft token.

I need my courage for this next part as I pull out the only other object in that drawer, much heavier than any feather. Pit's Lifebook.

Even in his frantic attempts to fill it near the end of his life, the book only reached a fourth of its capacity. The rest represents the hundreds of years that I robbed from him… I never touched this book; it's always been his, and I've respected that.

But now, I want to know his thoughts on everything. I want to know what he really thinks of me, for better or worse. I want to be closer to him.

I open the book to a random page at the beginning.

Hurt is something that I am getting used to again. Body-hurt is something I haven't felt since that Dark Days, and I do not like having holes in me. Funny that I leak red, I never knew what I had in me.

But today was not Black. The light came and brought my sky back. Oh, my Mortal Ike is the sun of my cloudy day. He teaches me so much. That Sunday is a day, and also a food! But you can not make a day, only the food, so we made Sunnies! Sunnies are just like the day AND the feeling at the same time. They are cold, because Sundays are cold, since Monday is close behind, but they are also sweet and make you feel good like the sun in the sky!

Sunnies are every color or no color, and mine was as tall as from the table to my shoulder! And Ike smiles when I call them Sunnies! I like to make Ike smile. It makes my heart sing.

I can't help but choke it. It all sounds just like something he would say. My Angel's thoughts, forever preserved in my hands. I thumb through the pages and look at the scribbles and drawings. Most of me, several of the sky. Every Brawler is in here at least once. I never even knew that he could draw.

I see that he refers to me as his Mortal as often as I refer to him as My Angel. It's amazing that we were so different and so alike.

I continue on, laughing at his footnotes concerning his discoveries.

Anarnge - A food, not a ball, like I originally thought.

It all sounds so much like him, and I'm overjoyed. It's the closest I've felt to him in years. As I get further back, I hesitate, because I don't know how the mood of the book will change.

I have not written in some time, because I have been hurt. I had to make a hard choice not too long ago. I went to Palutena to help with my torn heart. She said she would heal it for me, but in order to make sure it never happened again, I would have to lose my memories of my Mortal.

This, I could not do. I love Ikus, and we had just confessed our true love. I have never seen more beautiful colors in my life. To lose that, or to never know such beauty?… What is the purpose of living a life and merely existing? I could live forever, but why would I want to if I could not be with the man that I love? I told her that I wanted to be with Ike.

She warned me that if I opened my heart to him, it would close it to her. I would be stranded in the cold until I froze. Most Fallens only last two years after separating from their Goddess. I knew this; every Angel does, but I didn't care. I told her that I loved him.

And I fell.

I close the book on my thumb to dry my eyes. I can't risk spilling a single tear on this book. What he went through for me… When I didn't have to lose anything… I only gained from our relationship, and he lost so much just to be with me…

I open the book and flip further back.

Sunny days are now cloudy by comparison to this day! My Ike has offered me his love in the Mortal bonding ceremony of marriage! By wearing this golden ring on my finger, the whole world knows that I belong to Ikus and him to me. Nothing could make me happier.

My toga was as blue as the sky, the first time I have worn something other than black. My Ike could only smile, and his energy could not stop swirling. It was like our lives had led us to that moment, and for once, everything was right. I was able to tell him everything, and I never felt cold. I was even able to feel his touch when usually I am numb to such things!

To feel the heat of his body and the love of his touch is like nothing else! I would fall every day of the year if I could relive this day at the end of it all! My Ike! Mine!

Tonight, I am going to give myself to him, nothing has ever felt more right! Our bodies will be united as our souls already are, and I can't wait.

I love him.

Even as he grew sicker, I can see that he was happy. He never dwelled on his pain, focusing only on our love. He was a miracle. I wish I could still hold him, tell him that I feel the same way, and that I'm sorry.

Finally, I reach the last page, of his writing… I'm not sure if I want to read it.

Ikus

But it's addressed to me.

I have been told that Fallens only last a few years without their Goddess, but with the light of your love, I have lasted three times longer than most. If that is not a testament to our love, then let our memories be. Even during the darkest time of my life, you kept me smiling.

You held me every night, and whispered your love. Our bodies were joined every day for more than just extending my life. You put your love in every touch, and because of it, I had a wonderful life.

I see it in your eyes that you blame yourself for my sickness, but I see nothing to blame. You made me fall in love with you, and for all the right reasons. Because of you, I lived a real life. It was short, but real, and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

Ikus, my sweet Ikus, I would gladly live only one dying day with you, than an eternity without you, but because you cared for me so, I was able to live for six wonderful years in your love. Time I will always cherish. Don't hold yourself back or punish yourself for my choice.

I wanted to have a life with you, and I know you wanted to be with me. Don't penalize yourself for outliving me. Please, live your life. Do it for me; live every day for both of us. Smile, laugh, lay in the grass and make Sunnies. Enjoy your life, and maybe, I can be with you again someday.

A part of me is always with you.

I love you, my Ikus.

"Ikus?"

My head snaps up and I quickly start drying my eyes. "Huh?"

Pike pushes the door to my room open wider as he walks in, wearing his pajamas and dragging his blanket. "Why you cryin', Daddy Ikus?"

It's strange. No one ever taught him the word "Ikus" as no one had the heart to bring it up when my Angel passed away. It's almost like something that was hardwired into him before he was even born. "Missing your Dada, baby," I reply.

My little boy nods; he understands. I make room for him to crawl into my bed, since I have a feeling that that's his goal. "I visited Dada today," he tells me while throwing his blanket mistakenly in my face.

"Did you?" I ask, removing it and helping him up. He uses his wings for a boost.

"Uh-huh. I told him that I like bows and arrows, and I'm gonna be an archer like him," Pike explains, crawling in beside me and arranging the covers to his liking. I cover him with his blanket.

"He would love that. I'll bet he's so proud of you. He loves you so much, Pike. You know that?"

"I do, and he loves you too. You know that?" he asks, trying his best to imitate me.

It's true. He would love our family, if only he could be a part of it. But… I'll do as he asks, and live for both of us. I stroke his snowy white wings. "I do. You're so smart. How'd you get so smart? Not me."

Pike giggles and ruffles his wings, causing one of his loose feathers to fall into my hand. I compare it to the one in my other hand. Pit's is so much larger, but Pike will catch up with him, given enough time.

"What's that?" he asks, pointing to our Angel's feather.

"Dada's. Look how big!"

"WOW!" I love how his eyes widen just like Pit's. He pushes his feather into the same hand as Pit's. "Together?" he asks.

"Together," I agree and look at the clock. "Woah. Bed time for you, sir. Gotta get up early in the morning."

He smiles and hides under his blanket, anticipating the tickle attack that is sure to come. I place the feathers and Pit's Lifebook on the nightstand and I give him just that. Laughter fills the room along with Pike's pleas for mercy. I don't want to suffocate him, so I let up.

When he surfaces from his blanket, I give him kisses. "Goodnight, my boy," I tell him, and hold him close. No matter where I put him, he always ends up on top of my chest. Not that I mind, being three-quarters Angel, he barely weighs a thing.

I reach over and click off the light. It only takes a few minutes of me stroking his wings for Pike to drift to sleep. I lay there and wait for sleep myself, but it doesn't come so quickly for me. The room always seems brighter with Pike in it; not that I'm complaining.

I usually sleep better with him, because his light chases my darkness away. I look over at the nightstand and see that Pike's feather has its own soft glow, along with Pit's.

I'm amazed at how alike they are.

I reach over and carefully stroke each feather, and find that they are identical in softness. My baby and his daddy. Together, as they should be.

I close Pit's Lifebook, with the two luminous feathers as my bookmark. Their light chase away all of the shadows of the past, and brighten the empty pages. I realize now that the page I have marked is the transition between Pit and Pike. This is Pike's story now, and…

I have a feeling that Pit would want it that way.

(The End)