Forever Means Always
(Part 12- Happily Ever After)
By Alria
Disclaimer- It's all Squaresoft, people.
Author's Note: Well, it's finally come. The last chapter. *Sniff* it feels like I just startedand now it's ending. I'm going to have a longer A/N at the endso I'll leave you there for now. And nowthe finale of my rather long fic!!!
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It was just after ten o' clock in the morning, and the sun was at just the right angle to Zidane's room. Warm, golden rays poured through the glass of the window and washed across the face of the fallen hero. He had been sleeping soundly now for nearly three days, and most of the palace was starting to get nervous. What if he never did wake up?
But not Dagger. Strangely enough, she was the only one not losing any sleep. It wasn't that she didn't care, far from it. Dagger visited Zidane more than anyone else, sometimes staying by his side for hours at a time.
"I know he's going to wake up. I know it in my heart," she would say with a shy smile when asked why she spent so much time in the dark room. Day after day this was the answer her flustered friends got, and she said it was such certainty that after awhile they began to believe it as well. And so they kept his bandages clean, and the room dusted for the day he finally opened his eyes.
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As the blinding sun shown across Zidane's strong face, for the first time in nearly three days he awoke. Even though his eyes were closed the bright sun formed a flashing glare behind his eyelids. Zidane grumbled and rolled over on his back.
The instant he started to move, Zidane felt a gut-wrenching pain in his upper back. He gave a quick yelp and he flopped back onto his stomach. As he lie on the soft bed, the pain in his shoulder slowly subsiding, his memories began to gradually come back to him. The blow he delivered to Kartenthe agonizing stab he had received in the backKarten's wicked tauntinghis vow to love Dagger foreverand then the cold, numbing darkness. He couldn't remember anything after thatbut he did know that while making that vow to Dagger, he hadn't expected to wake again. Things had been looking so hopelessand yet here he was, resting calmly in his old, familiar room. What could have possibly happened to change the outcome of the battle so much?
Suddenly, Zidane heard the door to his room open with a small creak and then the padding of little feet on the soft carpet. The footsteps came slowly closer, until the quiet visitor was standing right next to his bed.
"Dagger says you'll wake upbut I'm beginning to wonder. You have to wake up! You just have to!" came a small, desperate voice. Zidane smiled. Only one person he knew had such a high voice. Eiko. Zidane opened his eyes and grinned at Eiko with a sly, playful smile. When the young summoner saw this, she gave out a quick yelp and jumped backwards, startled. Zidane tried to chuckle, but the pain in his shoulder made it nearly impossible. Instead, he only deepened his grin.
"What? You're not happy to see me?" he asked. For a few moments, Eiko stared at Zidane was a look of sheer amazement in her sparkling green eyes, but then she broke out into a wide, tearful smile.
"Oh, Zidane! I was so worried about you! II justI missed you so much!" she cried, and ran up to him, arms out wide. Before he could warn the seven-year-old to be careful with his shoulder, her small pale arms were around his neck. Crystal tears flowed down her cheek as she suddenly gave Zidane an extra hard squeeze. At this, Zidane's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, the pain in his shoulder was so great.
"Eiko" was all he could manage through clenched teeth. Eiko gasped and immediately let go of him.
"I forgot! Sorry! Oh, I can make it better, if you want. Would you like me to take the pain away with my magic?" she asked. A quick nod was all he could manage through the excrusiating pain. Eiko smiled and placed her small hands on his large back. Slowly, she began to push some of her white magic through her fingertips and into Zidane's damaged flesh.
Almost immediately the throbbing pain lessened, and soon it completely gone. Just to make sure, Zidane carefully began to sit up. When he had finished without a single tinge of pain, he smiled and turned to the beaming Eiko.
"Alright, now give me a hug," he said cheerfully. Eiko giggled and threw herself into his open arms. She buried her small head into his white shirt and sighed happily. Zidane smiled and gently stroked the young girl's hair. They had been through so much togetherand in a way, Eiko was like a daughter to him. He knew that for awhile, at least, the child had had a "crush" and him, but that had long since been dropped. He had helped arrange the adoption by Cid and Hilda, and now the three were a happy family. Zidane smiled. Once he and Dagger were married, they could finally start a family of their own
Dagger. A cold shock rippled down Zidane's back as he remembered the soulless droid he had last seen her as. Was she back to her old self? Was she even alive?
"EikoI need to go look for something. Will you let me go?" he asked with a hint of apprehension in his voice. Eiko, startled at his sudden seriousness, nodded meekly and dropped her arms. Zidane gave her one last friendly pat on the head before he stood up and walked out the door.
At first he was a bit wobbly, but he soon got the hang of walking again and was on his away. As he charged down the marble stairs, his imagination began to increase his worries. What if after all his hard work and vows of love, she hadn't made it? Zidane shook his head. If she was deadhow could he possibly live with himself? She was his whole lifeit would be impossible to live without her. Zidane quickened his pace. She had to be alive.
Zidane was running now, and his frantic footsteps echoed through the elegant crystal hallway. If Dagger was alive, she would probably be in her mother's garden. Zidane bit his lower lip. God, please let her be in her mother's garden. Heart pounding, Zidane laid his hands on the artfully carved doorway that led to the fateful garden. And with shaky hands, he slowly pushed it open.
Outside the air was delightfully warm, and the soft grass felt like a cloud under his feet. Normally, he would have just stood there, drinking in the beauty of the majestic place, but he had much more pressing matters to worry about. Where was Dagger? As his eyes moved slowly from on tree to another, he saw nothing to hint his beloved was near. Zidane felt his spirits drop like a rock. Soshe hadn't made it
Before Zidane had any time to brood on this horrific fact, he heard the crystal door beginning to open. As the handle turned, a blissfully familiar voice spoke from behind it.
"What? Why is this door unlocked? One of the maids must have forgotten to lock it on the way outI really must talk to them about that." with every word Zidane's heart rose higher. He would know that voice anywhere. It was Daggerhis Dagger.
Zidane stood in the middle of the small garden watching as the crystal door slowly swung open. And sure enough, pushing the door open was Dagger herself.
Suddenly, Dagger lifted her lovely face and got a glimpse of the tall youth who had been watching her. Her deep brown eyes widened as she slowly rose to her full height. The two stood, eyes fixed in a strange trance as the song of birds echoed from above. For a few moments neither of them moved, until out of the blue Dagger's eyes brightened and her lips curled into a lovely smile.
Zidane felt his heart soaring as he drink in the sight of her beautiful smile. It was that wonderful smile he had worked so hard to protectthat wonderful smile he had risked everything for. And now, just being able to see it once was worth all of the heartache and all of the pain he had endured trying to save it. It was worth everything.
Dagger, still smiling, slowly walked up to Zidane until she was only inches away. She lifted her small, pale hand to his face and, acting as if it were a precious piece of china, gingerly ran her fingers across his strong cheek. Upon the contact, a crystal tear rolled down her smiling cheek.
"II can't believe it! Is it reallyyou?" she asked. Zidane, blue eyes sparkling, gently wrapped his arms around Dagger's waist and rested his forhead against her own.
"I told you I'd come back. It was a hell of a journey, but I was willing to take it. Because I'll love you forever. And-" Dagger placed a slender finger to his lips, silencing the brave knight in mid-sentence.
"And forever means always," she said, finishing the phrase. Zidane smiled, his deep blue eyes gazing into Dagger's brown ones.
"You, my lady, have stolen my catch phrase," he said in a joking manner. Dagger sighed and draped her arms around Zidane's strong neck, bringing them closer still.
"And you, my love, have stolen my heart."
With that, Dagger leaned in closer to Zidane, and their lips met with an electrifying spark. Zidane sighed inwardly as he pulled Dagger up against his strong body. The joy of finally being able to feel her warm body cuddling up to himoh, he had waited so long to hold her again. There had been times he thought for sure he would never get the honor againand yet here he was. Surely, he had done something right in all of his years of thieving to deserve this.
All at once their lips parted. The two stood, gasping and smiling.
"You don't know how long I've waited to do that," Zidane said breathlessly. Dagger chuckled.
"Is that so? It's good to know you missed me so much," Zidane sighed contentedly.
"We surely have a guardian angel watching over us," he said quietly. Dagger's face broke into a teary-eyed smile as Zidane said those words.
"We do." And with that, Dagger pulled the small, blue ribbon out of her pocket and handed it to Zidane. Zidane's eyes widened.
"Liana's ribbon? What?" he murmured. Dagger bowed her head.
"She sacrificed her life so that we could live. She asked me to give that to youshe said you helped her learn to love again, and that she wanted you to remember her not as a sorkinbut as a human being," she said quietly. Zidane held the ribbon to his heart and looked up at the blue sky. So that's how they had survived. Who would have guessed that after all she didLiana could come through? Zidane sighed. Was she watching over them now?
"Liana" he murmured. Dagger sighed.
"She said she wanted you to be happy," she said. Zidane gently put the ribbon in his shirt pocket and turned to Dagger, smiling.
"She did, huh? Well, I must say that nothing in the whole world would make me more happy then to kiss you again," he said cheerfully. Dagger grinned and squeezed Zidane close.
"Who am I to go against the last wish of a friend?" she cooed, and their lips met again, this time with even more intensity than the first. Zidane's heart sang as he ran his fingers through Dagger's dark hair. Her lips were of roses and honeysuckle, and it was the most wonderful thing he had ever tasted. He knew, without a doubt, that he would love this woman forever. Andas you all knowforever means always.
~ The End ~
That's it! Show's over, folks! You laughed.you criedyou had the unstoppable urge to hit me over the head with something heavy! But seriously, what did you think? Please review, I would really appreciate it. BecauseI was kinda sorta maybe thinking about doing a (dum dum dum) SEQUEL!!! I had a few good ideas for onebut I need to if you guys WANT a sequel. If you do, say so in the review, okay? And maybe, if I get enough, it'll show up one of these days. Man, I can't believe its over*sniff* I'm okay.I'm okayI'm oWAAAAAAA!!!! I NEED A TISSUE!!! (blows nose) wellonce again, please review. Thanks to all my wonderful readers out there, ya all rock!!! YEAH!!! Toodles! Ta-ta! Until the next fic, adieu!!! Okay, stop reading now! I mean it! You're still reading aren't you? Come on, go on with your life! WHY ARE YOU STILL READING? Oh, forget this. I'm leaving
Bye bye!