Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Final Fantasy IX©... and I don't make any profits off of my stories... I mean why would I?

Dedication: To all who love and continue reading and to Taemyr for her good choice of words in her review for my Final Fantasy X story called The Devils That Cry... . -^_^-

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Goodbye Doesn't Mean Forever

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~~Chapter 4~~

~Love and Uncertainty~

Eiko frowned in confusion as she watched Beatrix and Steiner argue. From where she was hiding, she could only catch some words that were shouted with fury. ' I wonder was they're arguing about? What happened last night that has Steiner mad, Beatrix relieved, and Dagger depressed... ' she brooded silently.

Beatrix glowered at Steiner. Her clenched hands shook at her sides. " What is your problem? You should be happy that he's back! At least for the sake of the Queen..."

Steiner growled under his breath as he glared back at Beatrix. " I am happy for her! I'm just not sure that it's right for him to be back. Her Majesty is getting married in the next week, we have to be there for her. Zidane shouldn't have never shown up! You've seen how she is now, she's lost... torn between two men! This isn't right for a Queen at her age..."

Beatrix sighed as she tried to consider Steiner's words. She looked at him and shook her head. " It's for her to decide who and what she wants! Not us. Obviously we're only here to give her our moral support in her decisions. "

Steiner frowned, but nodded slowly. He looked at Beatrix and smiled lightly. " I'm sorry... we shouldn't be arguing, not like this... " he murmured softly.

Beatrix smiled briefly and nodded. " You're right. I'm sorry..."

Steiner sighed through pursed lips as he took off his helmet. He then slowly pushed back the chainmail and raked a hand through his black hair. He looked around and scratched his chin. " Where is everybody? "

Beatrix shrugged and watched him as he replaced his helmet. " I don't know. I don't even think Garnet has come out of her room yet..."

Steiner lifted an eyebrow. " Really? That's odd. She's never a late sleeper...."

Beatrix nodded. " I know... that's what scares me, but we might as well let her sleep... she does need her rest. "

Steiner nodded. " You're right. Would you care to join me for some breakfast? " he asked lightly as he held his arm out.

Beatrix smiled kindly and accepted his arm. " I'd love to... shall we? "

Steiner nodded and walked down the with Beatrix at his arm. Eiko's frown deepened as she watched them leave. " That's strange. Dagger's not up yet? And... Zidane's back? When? What's going on? I wonder if Vivi'll know something..." she mumbled under breath as she took off in search for someone who knew about what was going on around the castle...

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Zidane sighed loudly as he pushed off the balcony railing. He looked around and scratched his head. Garnet's hateful words from the other night echoed through his mind. The thing that confused him, was why was she acting this way? It just wasn't like her to act in such a hateful manner.

' I knew I shouldn't have left, now look at what's gone and happened! She's marrying some other guy....' he thought in disbelief.

There was a soft knock at the door and he looked over his sholder. " Come in...." he called out.

Vivi shyly stepped into the room and Zidane fully turned to look at him. Vivi waved and watched him from the door, his yellow glowing eyes blinking a couple of times before he decided to take another few steps towards him. " Z-zidane? Is it really you? "

Zidane gave him a brief smile before nodding. " Yeah Viv, it's really me...."

In the shadows of his hat, the little black mage smiled. " Why'd you run away from me? "

Zidane lifted an eyebrow and brushed some strands of dark honey gold hair away from his face. " I... didn't intentionally mean to. I should've stopped and stayed with you instead of running from you. I've been running ever since...." he murmured.

Vivi took another couple of steps towards him. He was now standing in the doorway of the balcony. " Ever since what?

"

Zidane swallowed. " Ever since I returned...."

Vivi nodded and frowned. " I see... how have things been going with you? "

Zidane shrugged and gave a non-chalant flick of the wrist over his shoulder. " Not so well I fair... " he admitted.

Vivi's brow furrowed. " Why? What happened? How's D-dagger? "

Zidane flinched. " She seems to be okay... though she isn't the same anymore..."

Vivi frowned in the shadows of his hat. " What do you mean? I-is she sick? "

Zidane shook his head hard and scratched the back of his neck. " No... not that I know of...." he replied lamely.

" Oh..." was all Vivi said before he went quiet.

Zidane frowned lightly as he brought his fingers up to touch his slightly bruised lips. He suddenly remembered the kiss that Dagger had given him. ' She probably placed all her pain and anguish in that kiss... just to show me how she really felt...' he thought to himself, his heart aching.

" Z-zidane? "

" Mm-hmm? "

Vivi bit his lower lip. " I-I missed you. Why didn't you ever try to send us a message saying you were alright? "

Zidane smiled tenderly. " I missed you too, Viv. I'm sorry about not sending you a sign of my being alive, but... I just couldn't. "

Vivi frowned again and persisted. " Why not? "

Zidane shrugged. " I couldn't. That's all I can say... at the moment... "

Vivi sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. " Alright. Have you seen Dagger this morning? "

Zidane shook his head. " No... I haven't taken one step out of my room at all this morning. "

Vivi nodded. " I see. " he turned and headed for the door. " Zidane? I'll see you later... okay? "

Zidane nodded. " Sure, Viv... later... " he murmured.

Vivi quietly slipped from the room. Zidane sighed through pursed lips as he cracked his knuckles. He walked over to his bed and fell back onto it. He slid his arms behind his head and looked up at the ceiling. " I wonder where she is... and what's she doing? I can't believe that she's going to marry her advisor. That's just ludicrous! Why couldn't she just go out and find herself a King? " he thought outloud to himself in bitterness and jealousy.

" Because her heart wouldn't let her let you go..." a soft voice replied from the door.

Zidane bolted up in the bed and looked at the door to find Beatrix leaning against it, with her arms crossed over her chest. " What are you saying? " he demanded.

Beatrix shrugged and pushed off the door. " You heard me, Zidane... her heart just can't let her let go of you...." she repeated.

Zidane watched in silence as she paced the floor in front of his bed. He scratched his head and wrinkled his nose. " So... you're saying... what? " he inquired.

Beatrix stopped and looked at him with her good eye. " I'm saying that she's in love with you. She always had been and always will be. Zidane, isn't that obvious to you? "

Zidane swallowed thickly and began to protest. " But that's impossible! She's in love with that damn advisor of hers, not a poor thief who attempted to kidnap her. What would she find in me that she'll like? " in a low voice he added. " She's better of with him then with me...."

Beatrix shook her head hard. " That's not true Zidane! You and I both know that...." she told him firmly

Zidane remained silent. He looked down at his hands as he clenched and unclenched them. Beatrix watched him and sighed. " Zidane... what's the matter? Why won't you speak to me? "

Zidane sighed and looked up at her. She was surprised to find his eyes filled with pain. " Beatrix, I can't do this anymore. She's in love with Anomen, not with me. If she was in love with me, she would've married me... not him. "

Beatrix sighed and then snorted. " Will you stop it! You're starting to sound like Garnet herself! Get your head on straight boy.... dammnit, when will you learn? You've got to try and convince her that you love her and that you'll always go on loving her! " she chuckled and added. " And tell her that there is no one else in your life but her... "

Zidane cocked an eyebrow. " What are you saying? "

Beatrix scratched her forehead. " Well... she believed that you found someone else, and that's why you didn't show up till now..."

Zidane groaned and placed his head in his hands. " You can't be serious? "

Beatrix nodded and waved a hand through the air. " I am! You heard her say it didn't you? "

Zidane nodded. " Yea... I remember her saying something like that. I guess I might as well go and look for her, huh? "

Beatrix nodded once. " Yep! She's not in her room though...."

Zidane looked over at her and frowned as he nibbled on his lower lip in thought. " Where is she then? "

Beatrix shrugged. " I don't know. Try the roof... that's where she usually goes when she's upset or confused... "

Zidane nodded and slid off the bed. He walked over to the door. " Thanks, Beatrix! " he said over his sholder before he left.

Beatrix shrugged again and sat down on the bed. She sighed and said to the emtpy room. " I'm just here to help her out... it's my duty... "

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Garnet slowly climbed the stairs to the roof. She looked down at the ground as she walked. She frowned deeply when she bumped into someone standing in her way. She looked up. " Oh! I'm sorry, Anomen... I didn't see you standing there, " she apologized quickly.

Anomen shrugged lightly. " It's alright, my dear... no need to apologize. It's clear that there's something on your mind. Would you... care to tell me? "

Garnet swallowed. " Um... sure. If you won't mind coming to the roof with me...? "

A small smile broke out on his face. " I'd love to, even though I just came from there... shall we? " he asked lightly as he held his arm out.

Garnet returned his smile and accepted his arm. Anomen led her up the stairs and onto the roof where the warm sun shone brightly.

Once upon the roof, Garnet inhaled deeply and giggled. " It's always a beautiful view from here. I love to come up here when I'm upset..." she admitted shyly, in a soft voice.

Anomen frowned as he looked down at her. " What's the matter? " silently he thought. ' How am I going to do this? '

Garnet shrugged. " Nothing, " she lied. " I just felt like coming up here to relax for a while. "

Anomen nodded hesitantly. " Alright. If you're sure, my dear. So... uh, how are the arrangements coming? "

" Oh, just fine. Everything is running as we had planned, " she assured him.

Anomen nodded. Garnet slipped her arm from his and moved towards the railing. She leaned forward and rested her arms on it. She sighed lightly. " It's so beautiful..." she whispered in awe and amazement as she looked over her city and country.

Anomen grinned evilly then took a few steps towards her. ' This is going to be easy and boy won't you just enjoy to go flying with the birds? '

He stepped up behind her. Garnet closed her eyes as she felt the breeze caress her face and tease her hair gently. A pair of rough hands suddenly pushed hard on her back. Her eyes flew open and she saw the sky fly up and go over her head as she went flying over the railing. A scream escaping her throat as she closed her eyes, waiting for the ground to welcome her....

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A loud scream echoed throughout the staircase and Zidane cursed loudly " Son of a - Dagger!! "

He ran up the stairs, taking them three at a time. As soon as he hit the top of the stairs, he threw open the door to the roof and rushed out into the open. He watched as someone dressed in a dark robe disappeared before his very eyes. He ran towards the railing and found Garnet hanging onto the bottom by her fingers.

Zidane heard a cry of surprise and pain escape her mouth as he saw her fingers slip. ' No! ' he lunged forward and grasped her wrist tightly. Garnet's head shot up and her wide, frightened eyes looked up into his own. He shook his head and began to pull her up.

Garnet swallowed heavily around the lump of fear and tears combined that had formed in her throat. " Z-zidane? D-don't let me g-go...." she croaked.

A faint smile touched his lips. " I won't... I promised, " he replied lightly, assuring her.

Garnet nodded. He gave a grunt and she felt the hard, sturdy railing beneath her stomach and then Zidane's arms around her waist. She sighed in relief as she relaxed in his arms. Zidane tightened his arms around her trembling body as he felt her slowly relax against his chest. Garnet closed her eyes and listened to the steady thump-thump of his heartbeat. She opened her eyes and looked up at him.

Zidane looked down at her, his chest slowly rising and falling as he smiled. " What happened? " he asked gently.

Garnet knitted her brows together as she tried to remember. " Well... I came up here to find some peace and quiet and I was leaning against the railing, watching the birds and my people down below when all of a sudden I felt something bump into me and before I knew what was happening... I was... falling.... "

Zidane nodded as he reached up to brush aside a strand of dark hair and then tuck it behind her ear. " That's not all. Who else was with you? "

Garnet's body went stiff and tense in his strong arms. " No one..." she lied quickly, looking away.

Zidane snorted in digust and pulled away from her. He looked at her with narrowed eyes. " You're lying, Dagger! Tell me the truth... all of it. "

Garnet crossed her arms over her chest, suddenly feeling naked without his strong body against her own. She looked down at the ground. " I said I wa-- "

Zidane sliced an arm through the air, cutting her off quickly. " Who was it, Dagger? " he demanded once again through clenched teeth.

Garnet glanced at him and then sighed in defeat. " It was... Anomen... " she confessed quietly.

Zidane scowled and then felt his anger flare. " Why that little - "

Garnet shook her head. " I don't think he did it on purpose Zidane..." she answered quickly.

Zidane snorted and then rolled his eyes. " If he didn't, then why did he just leave you there hanging and waiting to fall to your death? " he pointed out

Garnet swallowed and turned her back to him, her eyes searching the railing. " I-I don't know..."

Zidane snorted in digust again and stared at the back of her head. " Of course, you don't know! You never do anymore...." he bit out harshly.

Garnet flinched and then turned to look at him. "How would you know, Zidane Tribal? You don't know me! " she retorted just as harshly.

Zidane took a deep breath and shot back. " I thought I did, but now.... I guess I don't anymore. Goodbye, Dagger.... "

He turned to leave, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Garnet sniffed lightly as hot, salty tears brimmed her eyes and she turned her back to him once again. She cleared her throat and the words slipped out of her mouth as she sang a verse from their song in a trembling voice. " In my dearest memory.... do you remember loving me? Was it fate that brought us so close and now leaves me behind? "

Garnet then turned to find Zidane staring at her. Emotions flickered in his deep green eyes and across his face, chasing each other. Silent tears slid down her cheeks as she gave him a weak and small smile. Zidane backed up slowly shaking his head, as if uncertain of something and perhaps someone. He then turned and ran from the roof, leaving the one he ever loved to weep alone....

To Be Continued...

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Leia Avenrose or Leia Avenrose

C.O.U.R.A.G.E. & C.O.U.R.A.G.E.