Disclaimer: I don't own FFIX....*sobs* I wish I did though....it just isn't fair....*pouts*
Dedication: To Zidane's Dagger, Tira_Mearl_Festa, Siena, and Taemyr, and also to Chibi Stacey....


~**~Chapter 9~**~

~*~It's time..... ~*~

Garnet looked at Beatrix and then frowned deeply as she lowered her gaze to the ground. Zidane had been missing for quite some time now, and she was worrying about weither or not he was going to leave her again. Beatrix glanced over at Garnet and noticed the troubled expression.

" Garnet....what's bothering you? ", Beatrix asked lightly as she reached out to gently grasp the delicate hand in her own.

Garnet brought her eyes up to meet Beatrix's. She shrugged lightly, " I don't know. I'm scared that Zidane's going to leave me again.... "

Beatrix shook her head hard, " Don't think that! He's not going to leave you, alright? I'll make sure that he stays here with you, like he's suppose to be doing... ", she assured the troubled Queen.

Garnet smiled meekly and nodded, " Alright, Beatrix. I can always trust you....where'd Steiner go? "

Beatrix shrugged lightly and then sighed, " He went out for a walk, said he needed to be alone, so I left him and came here to talk to you... "

Garnet nodded again and re-brought her attention to the ground. There was a light knocking on the door and Beatrix frowned. Garnet looked up at her and shrugged. Beatrix slowly got off the bed and went to answer the door. She peeked through the crack in the door and spotted Zidane standing there, with his head bowed.

" Zidane! ", Beatrix hissed. " Where in god's name have you been? "

Zidane's head shot up and he looked at her, " I was walking around. Trying to grab some air, to think about something's.... ", he replied calmly.

Garnet blinked and then sighed. Beatrix opened the door and Zidane stepped into the room and he looked over at Garnet and a smile curled his lips upwards. Beatrix looked at Zidane and then at Garnet. She gave a shrug of the shoulders and then slipped from the room unseen, closing the door behind her.

Zidane cleared his throat softly and Garnet looked over at him. Her dark eyes lit up and she bolted off the bed to run to him and throw herself into his arms. Zidane sighed contently as he wrapped his arms around her perfect figure. He held her close to his body, trying to mold her to his hard, firm, and muscular form.

Garnet closed her eyes and slowly inhaled the musky scent that he wore with him all the time. She buried her face into his chest. Zidane gently rubbed her back, in soothing circular motions as he pressed his lips to her temple softly and held them there.

Garnet sighed, " Where have you been, Zidane? You weren't planning on leaving me again, were you? ", her question came out small and soft.

' Again, eh? ' Zidane chuckled and shook his head, " Never love....never.... ", he assured her quietly.

Garnet nodded, " Good, Zidane. Good.... "

Zidane smiled and rested his chin on the top of her head, " Why do you think that? "

Garnet shrugged, " Because you went and did it to me before, and I know you, Zidane, you'll end up going and doing it again.... "

Zidane shook his head and tightened his grip that his arms had on her waist, " Sweet, Dagger. I would never do anything like that, ever again to hurt you in any way. It pains me to see you when you're hurting..... "

Garnet felt warm, wet tears brim her eyes and she choked back a small sob, " Oh, Zidane! Please don't you ever leave me again. Promise me you'll not leave me again.... ", Garnet begged as she rubbed her face into his chest.

Zidane bit his lip and nodded, " I promise to you my sweet Dagger, that I'll never leave you again. As long as I shall live, I'll never leave your side..... ", he promised her tenderly as he pulled her away from him and held her out at arm's length.

Garnet smiled lovingly through her tears and then nodded. Zidane smiled back and then lifted his hand to brush aside a stray dark bang from her eyes.

" Majesty! Come....please. It's Steiner.... ", Beatrix cried out in alarm as she bursted into the room, causing the two lovers to break apart quickly.

Garnet's dark brows shot up in surprise and she gasped loudly as she ran forward. Zidane's hand shot out and he pulled her back to his side. He looked at Beatrix and then nodded as he bent down low and placed his mouth to Garnet's ear.

" We'll go together. We'll face this together. Just you and I. Understood? ", Zidane whispered softly, making it sound like a threat.

Bells of alarm silently went off in her head and Garnet swallowed thickly and nodded as she kept her wide and frightened eyes on Beatrix's surprised ones. Beatrix took a step towards them, but Zidane tightened his grip on her arm and Garnet bit her lip to fight back the cry of pain. Zidane must have seen it flash across her eyes, because his grip eased and he removed his hand from her arm only to snake his arm around her waist.

Beatrix stepped back from the door to let them pass through. Zidane flashed her a toothy smile and Beatrix only shook her head in disapproval. Garnet sneezed lightly and then shook her head. Slipping from Zidane's arm, Garnet began to run down the hall, towards the gardens where Steiner was.

Zidane watched her go with a frown on his face, " What's wrong with her? "

Beatrix brushed past him as she began to run after the Queen, shouting over her shoulder as she passed him, " Come on. What are you waiting for? Steiner's in trouble and all you can do is stand there, gawking at where Garnet was just standing? "

Zidane blinked and then nodded, " Right. Sorry, Beatrix. Let's go. Where is he? "

Beatrix flashed a weak smile, " Out in the gardens.... "

Zidane nodded and decided to run past her in attempt to catch up to the runaway Queen and to see the fallen Knight......

****************

' Is this really the end? How could this be happening? Eighteen years of service gone? Wasted? And for what? A Queen who's as sweet as sugar, nice as pie, and as beautiful as a goddess? I believe that it's been a waste since that damned thief came along and tried to kidnap the Princess..... ', Steiner thought as he took in another ragged and labored breath.

He clamped his eyes shut against the pain that went to engulf his entire body once again. He couldn't move much, and he couldn't think properly. Who had he seen leaving before he hit the ground? A tail? Blonde hair flapping wildly in the wind as the well built figure ran away? Steiner shook his head to try and clear it, but it was no use. It only got worse.

The blood that was flowing from the large wound on the side of his chest now flowed freely and quickly. Steiner's ribs were broken as was his right lung punctured and slowly filling with blood itself. Steiner cringed at the very thought of death. He had gone on a one to one battle with it and he had managed to survive.

With the help of that damned thief!

Steiner sucked in a sharp breath of pain as he felt his body slowly going numb and cold all over. His body suddenly shuddered uncontrolably and went limp. The only thing he could move were his eyes and his eyelids. Steiner looked up at the cloudless baby blue sky through the green leafs that swayed lightly in the breeze of the wind on the branches.

Steiner felt his heart constrict painfully and then slam up into his ribcage. He cringed, then let out a loud groan and then felt his eyelids grow tired as they began to droop. Steiner forced his eyes to stay open. He had to stay for just a few more minutes. He had to say goodbye. She had promised to him that she'd be back in time to see him. But where was she?

' It's too....late.... ', Steiner thought in sadness.

The sounds of rapidly approaching footsteps echoed through the gardens. Steiner's eyes finally slid closed as he slipped into his eternal sleep. His head rolled to the side and his left hand twitched violently before falling into the eternal sleep as well.....

******************************

Zidane groaned lightly in the darkness and slowly opened his eyes. The pain that had throbbed in the back of his head and in the back of his eyes was now gone. He sighed in relief and leaned back against the cold brick wall. The sounds of shuffling feet caught his attention and he glanced over to where the door of the cell was.

Zidane spotted Lani pacing the dusty grounds in front of her with her head bowed and her small hands clasped behind her back tightly. Zidane cleared his throat quietly and then making sure it was alright to holler, hollered.

" Lani! ", Zidane hissed in a hoarse voice, deprived of water. " What's going on? "

Lani's head shot up and she looked around for who was calling her. When she spotted Zidane hanging from the wall, she cocked her head to the side and looked him up and down before scratching her head and narrowing her eyes.

" What do you want, thief? ", Lani hissed back.

Zidane shook his head and hissed back softly, " You have no need to be like this, Lani.... "

Lani quirked an eyebrow, " And why's that? ", she asked.

Zidane sighed heavily, " Because this isn't like you. Not like you at all.... "

" How do you know what I'm like....? "

Zidane shrugged lightly and continued to look at her, his deep green eyes burning into her soul, " Lani. Set me free... "

Lani's eyebrows both jumped up in surprise, " Ha! That's a good one, Zidane. I've got to remember that one... ", she laughed as she turned her back to the bars and leaned against them with her arms crossed over her chest.

Zidane growled lightly under his breath and then jerked his wrists harshly against the chains that kept him from his freedom, causing Lani to turn and look at him, " Come on, dammnit, Lani! Will you just set me free? "

Lani cocked her head to the side, " And why should I do that? ", she questioned lightly.

Zidane frowned impatiently, " Because, you and I both know the answer to that question.... "

" That is, what? "

Zidane's shoulders slumped in defeat, " So I can get out of here and beat the crap out of whoever is holding me here from Garnet.... "

Lani shook her head, " I can't let you go, Zidane...I'm sorry... "

Zidane snorted, " Yes, you can, Lani! Don't you understand and see what he's doing to you? He's using you. He's using you to do his dirty work for him.... "

Lani shook her head, " I don't want to hear another word of it, Zidane! I swear I'll come in there and beat the crap out of you myself! ", she threatened as she pressed her hands to her ears.

Zidane shook his head, " You know it's true, Lani. Why can't you just except the truth? He's using you and you're allowing him to do it too, aren't you? "

Lani shook her head again, " No! Just shut up! Leave me alone, Zidane.... "

" Have I hit a nerve, Lani? ", Zidane replied innocently.

Lani looked at him and Zidane's mouth went into a wry smile as he nodded lightly. Something clicked in Lani's head, telling her to believe him and to let him go. Zidane watched her look of confusion and puzzlement closely. Lani blinked and reached out to grab the keys to the lock that were hanging on the wall beside her. Her hand faltered and almost went back to hang at her side but her hand grasped the set of keys.

Zidane felt his heart hammer away at his ribs as he watched her in anticipation. Lani swallowed thickly as she turned the lock for the cell and slid it open. Zidane blinked and watched her, following her every movement. Lani smirked suddenly as she stepped up in front of him and looked up into his eager face.

" You really want me to do this, don't you? "

Zidane nodded his head vigoriously, " Yes! Please, Lani.... "

Lani ran her tongue over her lips and then sighed in defeat, " I don't know, Zidane....why do you want me to do this? "

" Because I need to save Dagger, and I need to save Alexandria.... "

" From what? Who? "

" Whoever had me brought down here, and whoever made a clone of me. "

" Oh....I still don't know, Zidane. ", Lani replied uncertainly.

" Lani! ", Zidane cried exasperated. " I just explained to you, why! Please....just unlock the chains that bound me to this wall. Unlock the chains that bound me from my Dagger and from saving Alexandria... "

Lani looked up at him and she pursed her lips together tightly, " A-alright, Zidane. Alright.... ", she muttered as she reached up to unlock the chains around his wrists.

Zidane sighed out loud in pure relief as he felt his arms fall down to his sides, the harsh strain and tension on his shoulders slowly going away as he reached up and massaged them. Lani bent down and unlocked the chains around his ankles. She stepped back and looked at him.

" Now. You're free to do as you please, Zidane. Will you do as you said? ", Lani asked lightly.

Zidane nodded as he stretched his legs, " Of course. But first...tell me who this guy is who looks like me, and who is his creator? "

Lani bit her lip and the keys dropped to the ground with a loud clang. Zidane blinked and looked at her with concern in his deep green eyes, " Lani? What's wrong? "

Lani looked up into his eyes and shook her head, " Nothing, Zidane. Why would you concern yourself with me, after what I did? "

Zidane shook his head, " It doesn't matter what you did in the past. What matters is what you did for me just now.. "

Lani smiled and nodded, " Thank you, Zidane...thank you. "

Zidane flashed her a gentle smile, " Anytime, Lani...anytime. Now...about this creator... "

*************

Dark silver hair swayed lightly in the breeze as his dark mysterious blue eyes scanned the area. The two piece robe rustled along the ground as he walked through the gates of Alexandria. It had been a while since he had been here. The last time he was here was when he was using the now dead Queen of Alexandria; Brahne.

Kuja smirked as he watched some of the villiagers run away from him as he walked down the street towards the castle. He ran a hand through his long, thick hair and quickened his pace. He had to hurry, there wasn't much time left before Alexandria was to become involved in another evil plan.

' Soon brother...I will have you. You will die at my hand...and this time you're not going to escape. I don't care who or what objects to your sudden death.... ', Kuja sneered as he clenched his hands into tight fists at his sides.

(A/N**: *gasps* OHMIGAWD!!....he's back...DUNDUNDUNNNNNN. Anywho....hope you enjoyed the rest of this chapter, cuz more will be up by this weekend....Tell me what you thought, please. ~*~Ciao~*~)