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Ghosts of the Past: Soon

Time passes rather slowly when you're waiting for something. Actually, I don't suppose we were waiting for something. Solan and I were only expecting something to happen.

Something did happen, right when we weren't expecting it. Over a year had passed since we had seen Raine. We were pretty jumpy, because I felt that she'd be appearing any time now. It had been too long and too quiet.

You see, Solan had been given permission to stay with us through the year, and he stayed through next year as well. Ellone had spoken to my parents and all four of them felt I would be safer with Solan with me at all times. Privately, I disagreed, because I didn't think Raine was trying to hurt me, but when my parents agreed with my boyfriend's parents that he could live with us, I wasn't really planning on arguing.

Solan and I spent a lot of time outside the rest of the summer and the beginning of fall, that year, but as it got colder I got sick a lot. I'd never gotten sick because of the cold before, and I can't say it was a welcome change. Mother made me spend a lot of time in bed, and it got boring after a while. One such of those days, I had a sore throat and headache and I kept sneezing. I didn't feel like doing anything.

Solan sat with me, as usual, reading to himself. I didn't need to talk to him, I just wanted him there with me as I tried to sleep. Finally I gave up on that idea though. It was half past three, I wasn't going to be able to sleep no matter how hard I tried.

"Solan. . ."

"Yeah?"

"Will you tell me a story?"

He looked at me and burst out laughing.

"What?" I asked, hurt.

"How old are you?"

"Fifteen."

"You'll be sixteen tomorrow."

"What? I will?" I paused to count the days and realized that tomorrow was, indeed, November 13th, my sixteenth birthday. "Oh, I hope it snows. If it does, can we have a snowball fight?" I asked excitedly.

"If you're feeling better."

"I will be! It's my birthday. I'll be fine. Now will you tell me a story?"

He sighed and began a story about a princess named Garnet and a thief named Zidane, but he had told it to me before. I just listened to his voice as I drifted off to sleep.

*

It did snow, I remember. It snowed all morning, not stopping until after noon. When it did, I was waiting. Solan and I had the best snowball fight ever. Mother hadn't wanted me to go outside, because I had just been sick, but since it was my birthday, she let me, only because I'd promised to wear lots of winter clothes.

I hated winter clothes, but I would have hated staying inside worse.

My parents were going to Deling City to get my present. They wouldn't tell me what it was, but they said they'd have to stay overnight and they would be back tomorrow. After dinner, they left, telling Solan and I to behave ourselves. Papa meant to not burn the house down, but I saw the look in Mother's eyes. She meant something different. I was much too young for that, though, and hadn't any plans to pursue that type of activity for some time now.

Ironic. . .

Anyway, it was really cold in the house. It WAS Winhill, after all, a mountain town. The heat didn't work properly, the heat didn't work properly anywhere in this town. So, Solan and I got our blankets and pillows and planned to make a bed in front of the fire.

We stayed up talking and burning marshmallows, but finally my eyes started to close. I was getting sleepy.

"Miri. . ." Solan started, but trailed off.

"What?" I said. I had been leaning on his shoulder, but now I sat up and looked at him.

"Never mind."

"No, come on, tell me."

He turned red. "I just wanted to ask you something."

"Like what?"

"Well. . .you know I love you. I really do, a lot, and I want to marry you someday. But I don't know what's going to happen, here, and maybe it'll be bad, or scary, but if you do love me, and maybe want to marry me someday too, I just wanted to give you something more to hold on to than words. Maybe it'll help you."

My heart was beating pretty fast right then. I was kind of getting what he was trying to say, but I wasn't sure exactly. He reached into his pocket and pulled something out.

"Close your eyes and hold out your hand, okay?" I did. I felt something slide over my finger, and then my hand was turned over and he kissed my palm. "You can open your eyes now."

I did, turning over my hand, and I saw a silver band with a tiny pink stone in the middle on my finger. You know how sometimes they say 'so happy I didn't know whether to laugh or cry?' Well, that's how I felt right then.

He smiled at me, a little nervously. I looked at my hand, happy and surprised. Then I threw my arms around him, knocking him to the ground because of his surprise.

"That makes this my best birthday ever." I whispered, and he kissed me. The kiss went on for a while, and as it wound up, I was sitting up, leaning back against the wall, and he was leaning forward, one of his hands just above my knee and the other one lightly on my waist. Then I felt the presence of Raine nearby and pulled away.

She was standing in front of us, the little cat. I looked at her angrily. "What is it this time?"

Raine took no offense. Now is time. You're old enough. I can't wait any longer. I'm sorry for having to do this, both of you. It seems you were progressing well enough on your own, but I have to do this to make sure. . .certain things happen. Mirax, Ellone will know what happened, and can explain it to you better than I can. It won't be easy, but I'll be with you, too. Please don't hate me. This is something I must do. . .

Leaving me to think about what she meant, the cat disappeared. I didn't have to wonder for long.

A sleepy feeling took over my mind, and explained to me what I had to do. From the vacant look on Solan's eyes, I could tell the same thing was happening to him. There wasn't anything in my mind but the knowing of what I had to do, no why or anything. Objection wasn't there, either. I wanted to do this. Despite my earlier thoughts of not being old enough, I'd changed my mind in that kiss with Solan. I knew he wanted it as much as I did, but he was reluctant to ask. Really, there wasn't a reason why we shouldn't. We were going to get married, and it's not like we were children.

So I was acting on my own, despite the possession. I could hear Raine's approving voice in my head. I'm glad it's you, Miri. You're like me.

*

Luckily, I awoke early the next morning. I was cold. The fire had died long ago, and I was cold because I wasn't wearing any clothes. Before I panicked, I remembered the events of last night, and smiled a little to myself as I wrapped myself in a blanket, and thanked Hyne that my parents weren't home yet.

"Solan, wake up." I whispered, shaking him. I wondered if he'd remember, and as he opened his eyes, it hit me why what happened had happened.

"Solan! It's really important." He sat up and blushed as he realized he wasn't wearing clothes and tried to pull a blanket over himself.

"Don't bother." I said impatiently. "I saw it all last night, and we have more important things to worry about. Do you remember what happened?"

By the look of dawning on his face, I could tell he did. "We-Miri, I'm sorry. . .I don't know what came over me. I didn't on purpose, it was like something was-"

"Possessing you. I know. Me too. But don't worry about it, because I wanted to anyway."

"You did?"

"Yes, don't act so surprised, you did too. Now listen. I've figured out why Raine was speaking to me. I know what she wanted."

"You what? What does she want?"

"Well, last night before we, you know," I said, blushing, "she appeared, do you remember?"

"Not really."

"Well, she told me that it was time, that she couldn't wait any longer. Last time I saw her she said I was perfect to carry something else, if not her spirit. This morning I put it together."

"Well, what?"

I took a deep breath. "She wants her spirit reborn. For that she needs a vessel, a human. I'm carrying that human right now."

"You're WHAT?" Solan asked, nearly falling over backwards.

"For someone who just asked me to marry him last night, you seem a little surprised. These things happen."

"You're pregnant?"

"Yes, I am. You can be surprised and shocked, you'll have time to get used to the idea."

"I guess so. . ." he said, dazed.

*

Ellone explained it to my parents, and they weren't upset anymore. Well, not really. They blamed themselves, saying they shouldn't have gone. I'm glad they did, though. It's not like it would have changed anything if they'd stayed. I still would be going to have a baby.

Epilogue

A golden sunrise touched the skies of Winhill, and before too long, the sun was high in the sky. A young girl, perhaps twelve, by the name of Leona, burst from the door of a house in the square and ran barefoot down the path. Her long dark hair streamed out behind her. She headed straight for the hills, and as she ran, she heard a voice whispering in the wind.

. . .it's time. . .soon. . .you'll see. . .

She turned around to see if someone was there. No one was.

Her puzzled eyes were blue.

The End

That's all. No more. Ghosts of the Past is finished. It started out as the sequel to a story I hadn't even written yet, a story about George and Quistis. I gave up on it when I realized I wanted to write this more.

Maybe someday I'll write the story of Leona. I got the name of her from the beginning of Raine's last name. I didn't want to name her Raine, too cliched. I might explain why Raine needed her. (In case you didn't know, she's Miri and Solan's daughter. ^^)

I don't know if I will or not.

I'd just like to say that I enjoyed writing this story. I loved it. Out of all the series I have written, this one is my favorite. Everyone who's read and reviewed, thank you. Thanks for bearing with me even though it took me so long, and reading through to the end. If you enjoyed it, I'm glad. Au revoir.

-Kayte, November 3rd, 2001

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