Note: I expected more reviews but.... *sniff sniff!* oh well. Anyway I am close to getting done with this story... finally! And I think the last few chapters will lead you to the edge of your seats. Well... not really. I'm never good at that stuff, but I'll try anyways.


Chapter 13 - Tiny



~ 'Tiny' was his nickname for her. It was either that, or Little Mouse, which she didn't really like. So, he sticked with 'Tiny,' because she was 'oh so small.'



The silence between them was unbearable. The only sound that was heard were birds singing joyfully through the barred window. She looked out the window and sighed. How can the birds sing so happily and not care about the world, when the world is turning against them? How can they smile when the world is grieving because humans have given up on lust, greed, power, gluttony, sinned any which way possible? How can they fly off, leaving a jolly tune behind while she sits lonesome, wanting to touch Zell in her heart and wish she could bring down the wall that separates them?

She sat up from bed, hearing Zell shuffle on his own stiff mattress. She looked up and found Zell lying on his bed, moving his head from left to right, mumbling some things she could not understand. Selphie stood up and walked over to him, wanting to reach out and comfort him, wash away all the monsters in his dreams and fight the demons for him.

"Zell?" she called, afraid of the state he was in. His eyes, though closed, were flushed with fear, anger and resentment all mixed into one. His eyebrows moved up and down, his head moved from side to side while he mumbled some more unknown things that came from his lips. "Zell, please wake up!"

Zell opened his mouth to scream. He clutched his head in pain, screamed again. Tears streamed down her fearful face, afraid for him. She placed her arms in between the bars and stretched her arms towards him, calling his name, but he could not hear it. He kept on screaming.

The blond man closed his eyes, his mind full of swirling colours. He saw Selphie, her smile and her arms stretched out towards him. He ran to her, but he was falling.....

....falling....

....falling....

It seemed like he was falling forever, but as he closed his eyes, he landed on something soft. Looking down, he found himself sitting on a green, green grass.

"Zell!"

He looked up, seeing Selphie running up to him, wearing a long yellow dress that reached her ankles, arms outstretched. He smiled and stood up, stretching out his own arms towards her.

She ran to him.

He waited.

She was only a few inches away from her, when a bullet suddenly shot her in the back and went out the other way. Blood dripped from the wound and Zell could only watch as Selphie fell, front first on the ground. Zell did nothing. He stood there, watching her falling, dying and never breath again.

He still watched. He still stood and he did nothing.

"AAHHHHH!! SELPHIE!" Zell yelled, springing himself up in a sitting position. He looked around, beads of sweat falling from each side of his face. He glanced towards the other cell and saw her staring at him fearfully. He stood up and ran to her, putting his arms between the bars and wrapping his arms around her. He closed his eyes, glad that it was all a dream.

"Zell...." Selphie whispered, burying her face to the direction of his chest. "What happened to you? I was so scared."

Zell kissed her forehead. "I'm fine. I just had a horrible dream, that's all."

Selphie looked up and touched his severed face. "A nightmare?"

Zell nodded. "It's nothing important. I'm just glad you're all right."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Her eyes became frightened. "Were you dreaming about me?"

He shook his head. "No. I was dreaming of us being separated and I was afraid something happened to you," he lied. He dared not tell Selphie, otherwise it may frighten her.

Selphie nodded and rested her head again.

"Hey!" someone called. Selphie and Zell both looked to the direction of the voice and found Garett looking at them. He glanced over his shoulder, before opening Selphie's cell door. "He's not here, I think it's safe for you to go."

"You better get going, Selphie," Zell said.

Selphie looked over her shoulder at Zell. "What? Aren't you going?"

"No. It's too risky for both of us. Go on. Go with your brother."

Selphie gazed up at Garett, but shook her head."No, Zell! I came here for you so we both should have a chance at freedom!" She clenched her fists and looked down on the ground, tears soaking her porcelain face.

Zell placed a hand on her shoulder. "This is not the time to be stubborn, Selphie. The only thing that matters to me is for you to make it alive!" he whispered.

Selphie looked into his eyes. "You were dreaming about me dying weren't you?"

Zell turned his eyes away from her, but Selphie stepped in front of him so she could see for herself. "Weren't you?!" Someone from behind grabbed her arm. Selphie pulled her arm away from Garett. "Answer me Zell! If you're afraid about me dying... please don't! We've all faced certain things that almost brought us to death, but we managed to survive. Don't give up now." She placed a hand on his face and forced him to look at her. "You and I can make it out of here alive, I promise."

"I won't be able to protect you, Selphie," Zell retorted, keeping his eyes on her.

Selphie tossed her head towards Garett. "I have my older brother to protect me." She grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently. "You did a wonderful job protecting me, saving me from death a couple of times when I almost landed on that coffee table at Balamb and when I almost hit my head on the cafeteria floor when I wasn't thinking. You managed to keep me safe." She looked up, more tears soaking her face. "It's my turn to protect you."

Garett glanced at Zell. "I promise I would let both of you out and I never back out on a promise, especially not from my baby sister." He winked at Selphie. "Come on Selphie." He grabbed Selphie's hand and lead her out of the cell, looking cautiously from left to right to make sure it was clear.

Selphie smiled at him, then turned his attention back towards Zell.

"First I'll take you somewhere safe, then I'll go back and get Zell out," he whispered, noticing Selphie's worried look.

Selphie nodded, breathing a sigh of relief. She let him lead her to a hallway, expecting to see Galbadian soldiers with their guns ready to fire, but as they turned the corner, Selphie saw no one, not even a helmet left by one of the soldiers to show that they've been there. She glanced at her brother. How much he has grown!

They walked down the deserted hallway, passing a couple of doors, before Garett finally pulled her inside one of the rooms. Selphie examined the place around her. There was a rectangular mirror, almost taking all of the wall in front of her and when she looked directly into the mirror, she knew it was one of those things where the other side sees you, but you can't see them. The room was basically empty, except for a rectangular table and a single chair in front of her. A lamp hung in the middle of the room, the only light that was useful. She glanced up at Garett, who smiled down on her. He ruffled her hair lovingly and kneeled down to kiss his little sister on the cheek.

"I've missed you so much, Tiny," he said, wrapping his arms around her for a bear hug.

Selphie closed her eyes, tears escaping her eyes. The name 'Tiny' brought back memories in her mind. It was such a wonderful feeling to hug the only older brother she has never seen all these years. 'Tiny' was his favourite nickname for her. It was either that or Little Mouse, which she didn't really like. So, he sticked with Tiny, because she was 'oh, so small.'

When he turned ten, Garett left their wonderful home in Trabia to train at Galbadia. She was left to take care of their six brothers and sisters. They talked for awhile on the phone, but as they grew older, their interests eventually took hold of them. Garett became a soldier, while Selphie became a SeeD. He never really explained to her why he wanted to go to Galbadia, instead of staying in Trabia to study. He just said 'good bye' and that was all.

Garett placed his hands on her arms and squeezed it gently. He looked directly into her large, emerald eyes. "I want you to stay here, okay? I'll go get Zell."

Selphie nodded. "But...." She glanced over at the mirror.

Garett followed her gaze and turned his head back towards her. "Hey, I swear no one's there to spy on you. We never use that mirror anyway." He gave her a reassuring smile, kissed her forehead and left the room, forcing her to be all alone.

Selphie looked around. The walls were too white and too depressing for her taste. She sat down on the chair and sighed, hugging herself and hoping that Zell was all right.


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

Garett... that name rang in his ears. Selphie wasn't the only one who mentioned that name. There was someone else who did and said that Garett was their fiancee. But he can't remember anymore. It was a long time ago when she said that.

The sound of his cell door opening, forced him to look up. He saw the same man who was helping them, waving a hand towards him. Zell nodded, mutely and walked out of the cell, following closely behind Garett.

He followed the older man of two years pass the abandoned hallway and down about five doors, until Garett opened one to his right. He leaned against the wall, glanced over his shoulder and signaled to the person inside to get out. Zell stayed by his side, his back also leaned against the cold wall. He breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed Selphie stepping out slowly.

Garett pulled Selphie in between himself and Zell. He gave them a few seconds to reconcile, as they wrapped each other in a tight embrace, before he lead them down more to the darkest hallway.

"Stay close." He looked up and noticed a camera attached to the left corner of the wall staring straight at them. Selphie gasped, hiding herself behind her brother. Garett glanced over his shoulder and shook his head. "Don't worry," he whispered to his sister. "The SeeDs turned all security cameras off, remember?"

Selphie nodded. She had forgotten about that. She felt a hand on hers. Looking up, she saw Zell giving her a comforting smile. She greatly took his warm hands into her own and gripped it gently, while her other hand held her brother's arm securely.

They walked further down another hallway until Garett finally led them to somewhere. Selphie and Zell looked at each other, wondering exactly where they were. There was nothing but darkness all around them. The only thing that was visible was the rusted bridge itself and a door on the other side of the bridge. Garett looked at them and pointed up ahead of him. They both followed his finger and noticed a ventilator shaft atop a door just ahead of them. That means they would have to cross the bridge in order to make it to the ventilating system.

"All right. You guys stay here while I go check if everything is clear. When I give the signal, you Selphie..." He looked at Selphie. "You make a break for it. I'll lift you up to the vent and then Zell. Okay?" He looked at Zell.

Zell and Selphie nodded.

"Good." Garette looked to his left and his right, before he left both SeeDs alone in the dark as he walked across the wing, slowly crossing the metal planks. It shook once, scaring the life out of Selphie until he made it safely across. Alarmingly glancing once and a while around him to make sure it was all clear, he opened the vent shaft carefully, turned around to face the two and signaled them to come to him.

Zell placed a hand on Selphie's shoulder. "Don't look down, just keep going, okay?" he whispered close to her ear.

Selphie nodded. She took a deep breath and walked to her brother slowly. Her heart beat and she could almost feel it coming out of her skin. Her knees weakened for awhile, shaking and chattering and all parts of her body were paralyzed with fright. She wanted to run back to Zell and keep him close to her heart, but she knew she had to be brave to keep him out of danger. It was her turn to protect him.

She wanted to look down, but remembered what Zell told her. She looked ahead of her, towards Garett, who had his arms towards her as if to catch her in case she falls. Everything was suddenly quiet. The only thing she could hear that was making all the noise was her chattering teeth. She has never been afraid like this before.

Zell watched her, wanting to run to her and pull her with him, but he knew if they were both on the bridge, it will surely collapse, sending both of them on the ground. His heart feared for her as he waited for her to finally take another step. She needed to take a couple more steps before she could make it.

Garett was waiting patiently on the other side, his arms stretched out towards his baby sister. "Come on, Tiny, you can make it!" he was saying. He was calm outside, but in the inside, he was fearing for her life. He knew how much Selphie hated heights. "Remember what I said before I left for Galbadia?"

Selphie nodded, gulping for air. She lifted both her arms at her sides, while she slowly took another step towards him. She dared not look down, instead she looked up to see her brother ahead of her. "You- you said- you said-" She was stammering, but it wasn't her fault. Her chattering teeth kept her from talking properly. "You said to face my fear."

Garett nodded. "Yes, that's right! I also said to picture yourself walking across a green green grass, remember?"

"Yeah," Selphie said, taking a deep breath. She put her arms down, closed her eyes and imagined herself in a field of meadows. She saw Zell, with a sunflower, her favourite, in his hand. He walked up to her, lying on the ground and poured sunflower petals all over her. Selphie closed her eyes, stood up and took Zell's hand, leading him straight ahead.

Zell watched her. She was close to crossing. He smiled to himself. "That's it, Selphie! You're doing it!" Zell said.

Selphie smiled, opened her eyes and noticed that she needed just a little bit more steps towards her brother. Imagining herself in that place again, she walked across.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Selphie was startled by all the noise. She opened her eyes, looking up as soldiers began to appear from behind Zell. They were shooting unstoppably at them.

"Selphie!" Zell yelled to her, hiding in one of the walls to protect him from the bullets that ran by.

"TINY!" Garette yelled as well, avoiding the bullets that tried to shoot him down. He took out his weapon and shot one of soldiers in the leg, from about 100 km away, but Garret was a professional, he could shoot anyone, especially anyone who would want to hurt his little sister.

In panic and in fear for her life, Selphie dodged the bullets, only to have lost her footing in the process. She flailed her arms up and about, trying to get her balance back, but it was too late. She looked at Zell once, before falling towards the abyss.

"SELPHIE!" Zell appeared from behind his shield, not caring whether he was going to get shot or not and kneeled down on the floor, his eyes watching as Selphie fell, screaming. "SELPHIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


























GoodGurl: AHHHH!!! Another cliffhanger! Tell me if it was good, k? I wanna know! Please, I wanna know! Thanx! ;) Oh no! Selphie fell! What's going to happen?