Forever Means Always
(Part 4- Dreams)
By Alria
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the FF 9 characters or setting. I own nothing. Zip. Nadda. (You get the picture)
Author's Note: Helloooo all you smiling peeps out there! Here it is: part 4. I know I updated the last two chapters a lot quickerbut the truth is I didn't know what was going to happen to our hero! But, I know now (in case you haven't noticed), and I hope you enjoy this chapter! Remember, please review, cause I'm not gonna' continue unless I know you peeps are readin' it. Not that you haven't been wonderful so far! Lots of Luv! NowENJOY!!!
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It soon became clear to Zidane that the hours he had spent buried under the rubble of the Hilda Garde 4 had taken it's toll. His leg muscles felt like they had been tied in knots, and he could hardly walk five feet without stopping to rest them. Once or twice, Zidane nearly lost his balance, but Liana was always there to catch him and help him along the valley floor.
Every time Liana placed her hands on him to hold him up, Zidane couldn't help but think of the uncanny feeling he had had upon looking into her eyes. Why was he acting this way? Usually, Zidane felt all too comfortable around womenespecially beautiful onesbut not Liana. There was something strange about hersomething that he couldn't explain. Those eyeswhat was so strange about them? It was impossible to explain, but nevertheless Zidane couldn't ignore the tiny part of his brain that kept warning him to get away. Every time this happened, though, he scowled and told himself that he was in no condition to "get away"; not with his sore muscles and busted arm. Stillwhat was so strange about Liana?
With Liana's help, Zidane was able to make it to her small house at the bottom of the miniature valley in no more then fifteen minutes. The house looked like it had been plucked right out of a storybook; little round windows and all. It was painted white, and small rose bushes rimmed the walls. There were curtains in very window, and even a small red chimney. It was almost too perfectlike Liana herself.
Liana quickly opened the small green door, allowing Zidane to hobble into the cottage. He wasn't at all surprised to find the inside just as quaint as the outside; everything in its place and not a speck of dust anywhere. Zidane smiled inwardly. If Dagger were here, she would have praised Liana for her housekeeping skills.
"Zidane, you look tired. Perhaps you should rest. After all, you have been through a lot," she said with a smile, showing her almost unnaturally white teeth. Zidane nodded dumbly.
"Yeahyou're right. Umif you don't mindwhere could I put myself down?" he asked. Liana, still smiling, pointed to a wooden door behind him.
"In there is fine. It's my bedroombut I don't mind if you use the bed. Just don't tough anything," she said cheerfully. Zidane hesitated.
"Yeahthanks. Wellsee you when I get up, I suppose," he said quietly. Liana nodded.
"Sure. Listen, I'll be in here fixing supperif you need anything, just call," she said.
"Yeahuh huh," he answered, and walked slowly into Liana's bedroom.
It was a lot smaller then the kitchen, with only a small bed table and, of course, the bed itself. Normally, Zidane would have at least taken off his shirt before lying down, but sleeping in Liana's bed was hard enough as it was. Ever so slowly, he inched towards the bed, until he was only inches from it. But try as he might, he couldn't make himself lay down.
"This is stupid," he muttered to himself. "I need to rest. What difference does it make if it's in her bed or not? It's not like she's in it or something. Hell, she's not even in he same room!" But he couldn't bring himself to do it. Angry with himself, Zidane blocked off the protests and flung himself onto the bed.
The instant his bed touched the pillow, Zidane's thoughts turned to Dagger. What would she say if she knew he was sleeping in another woman's bed? She would probably look at him with her beautiful eyes full of hurt and anger. He couldn't do that to her! She'd be so disappointed in himhe was betraying his precious Dagger's trust. He couldn't bear to hurt her. If she found what he was doinghe knew his heart would burst into a thousand pieces. He had just made up his mind to stand up and sleep on the floor when the door opened suddenly. There stood Liana, holding a steaming cup of liquid. Zidane immediately leapt to his feet. Liana only smiled her all-too-perfect smiled and walked towards him.
"Zidane, why aren't you lying down? I told you, you need to rest. Oh, I brought you this tea to help you sleep. Now, be sure to drink all of it, understand?" she said, handing him the cup. To Zidane, the swirling greenish-brown liquid didn't look at all like teabut he knew he'd never get to sleep without it. His wounds needed to heal, and perhaps this was exactly what he wanted. So, without another thought, Zidane swallowed the foreign liquid in one gulp. Almost immediately droziness overtook him, and he lay down on the soft bed. The last thing he saw before falling asleep was Liana smiling down at himwas she smirking?
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Even before Dagger had finished the letter, she could feel the hot tears flowing down her cheeks. Steiner had found the Hilda Garde 4 the day before, smashed to pieces in a crumbled heap. The bodies of the crew had been found, and she knew it was only a matter of time before Zidane, her best friend and trusted lover, would be found too, crushed and lifeless.
The letter was from Freya. She had heard about the crash, and had sent her deepest sympathies. She apologized over and over again; insisting it was her fault for asking him to come in the first part. In the letter, it also mentioned something about the monster having suddenly disappeared as well but Dagger was too grief-stricken to notice.
Zidane had left two weeks before from the canal outside of Alexandria castle. She could remember his smiling face and playful eyes so clearlyand yet he was gone. This wasn't like the time he had been caught in the Iifa treethis time there was no hope. Zidane, her wonderful Zidane, was forever lost to her.
Tears fell like small rivers down Dagger's hot cheek as she sobbed into her satin pillow. It was all her fault he was dead. If she had been more firmhad insisted on him not goingshe would still be in his arms now, the soft warmth of his body enveloping her like a sweet dream. She could have stopped him if she had really tried, and then he would still be alive.
Suddenly, Dagger felt something pointy on her cheek. Lifting her head, she saw that it was her diamond engagement ring to her.
"I will love you foreverand forever means always." Dagger could practically hear his deep voice whispering those sweet words to her. Eyes blurred from her tears, Dagger began to shake form crying.
"ZidaneI'll never have anyone but you. Forever means alwaysand that's how long I'll keep loving you."
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The instant Zidane had fallen asleep, he had been plagued by horrible nightmares. Some of them had Dagger in them, others focused on his comrades, while still more focused on the air-ship crashing monster. They were all as different as night and day, except they each had two things in common. One: they scared the crap out of him. Two: They all ended with Liana laughing at him, and he would get a glimpse of her strange eyes. After every dream he became closer and closer to discovering their secret; why they looked so familiar. But each time, right before he found out, the dream ended. No, he didn't wake up, That was the really strange part. Even after the most horrific nightmare, Zidane was never able to wake himself up. It just went from one dream to the next; never letting him get free from his terror.
That is until he had one, very strange dream. It started out with him standing in the Hilda Garde 4. It was flying through the air; and everything was exactly the same as it had been right before it had crashed. Zidane felt like screaming. He knew exactly where this dream was going. He was going to have to relive the horrible crash. The crash that had separated him from his beloved Dagger. And sure enough, a few seconds later the ship lurched dramatically to the side.
Zidane felt himself stand and hobble over to he window, just as he had down during the real crash. But, as he looked out the round, plastic circle, he didn't see the hideous monster he had laid eyes upon earlier. Instead of the pointy-toothed, narrow-eyed face of the monster, he saw a different face. A much different face, in fact one that was all too familiar.
Instead of the monster's faceit had Liana's. Zidane's heart leapt up into his throat, and he could hardly breathe. That's why her eyes looked so familiar.
He now knew Liana's secret. Liana was a monster
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OkayI realize that it got kinda sucky towards the endbut hey, it was late. Like I said before, I'm not gonna' continue unless you peeps review, so if you wanna' know what happens, you know what to do! What kinds of surprises does Liana have in store for Zidane? Will these two, lost lovers ever find each other? Find out, in chapter 5: The Sorken!!!!!