When Zell got to the area he heard Aya's scream, he saw her trapped in a corner with a giant T-Rexaur ready to attack her.

"Zell, help me!" Aya yelled with fear in her voice.

At that moment, Zell attacked the T-Rexaur from the back and tried to distract it so Aya could get away. "Aya!" Zell yelled as he continued to distract the T-Rexaur, "try to get in the area behind me!"

Aya followed Zell's instruction, and when Zell saw that she was out of harm's way, Zell summoned Shiva.

A lot of damage was inflicted on the T-Rexaur, but it was not enough to kill it.

"Zell, let's just go!" Aya yelled from the back.

"We can't. If we run away, it'll just follow us." Zell said as he summoned Pandemona next.

"Then, out of nowhere, two caterchipillers appeared and attacked Zell from the side. "Ahh!" Zell screamed as the two caterchipillers bit his arm and leg.

"Zell!" Aya screamed as she ran towards Zell.

"Aya, stay back!!" Zell told her. "You're not strong enough to handle the attacks. Aya, please stay back."

"But Zell," Aya said as she continued to run towards him, "you're hurt."

Just then, one of the caterchipillers started to go after Aya. "Look out!" Zell yelled as he pushed Aya out of harms way, and started punching the caterchipiller to death.

"Aya, please stay there." Zell said as he looked at her. Aya nodded her head and realized that it would be best to follow his instructions.

Watching Zell fight the caterchipiller and the T-Rexaur alone made Aya realize what Rex was planning on doing to Zell. "Oh God," Aya said softly to herself, "Rex wants to get rid of Zell."

Just then, another T-Rexaur appeared from the side.

"What the hell is going on here?!!" Zell yelled out loud as he finished off the caterchipiller and saw the other T-Rexaur.

"Zell, please let's go!" Aya yelled again.

"Only one of us can leave. If we both go, they'll just follow us. Aya, go on ahead. Here," Zell yelled as he tossed a communicator to her, "get away from here and call for help."

"Zell, I can't leave you!"

"Aya, I'll be fine. I have to hold these T-Rexaurs back." Zell said as he took a moment to face her. "Go, I'll be okay."

As Zell turned around to face the T-Rexaurs again, one of the T-Rexaurs swung its tail at him, which ended up tossing him a few yards away.

"Zell!!" Aya screamed in horror as she watched Zell slowly stand back up and wipe the blood from his mouth.

"Aya, go!!" Zell told her again as he summoned Shiva.

Aya started to run and do what Zell told her to do when she realized that help might be too late to save Zell. After using the communicator to call for help, Aya started to run back. "I have to help him somehow."

Running back to where Zell was at, Aya screamed when she saw Zell lying on the ground. One of the T-Rexaurs was gone, but the one that was left was still very strong.

Looking at Zell from where she was standing, Aya realized that one more hit from that T-Rexaur would probably finish Zell off. "No," Aya cried as she started to run towards Zell. "I can't let that T-Rexaur take him away."

Zell was dizzy from that last hit. His vision was blurry and his body ached tremendously. "As long as Aya's okay," Zell thought to himself, "that's all that matters."

Realizing that his injuries were serious, Zell knew that a couple more hits would probably finish him off. There was no way that he'd be able to defeat that monster now. He already did two limit breaks, but it didn't seem to affect the T-Rexaur in any way.

Tears filled Zell's eyes knowing that he might never see Aya again. He was going to die, and Aya would never know about his feelings. Pain began to fill Zell's heart; far more pain that what his body was feeling at that moment.

Zell got into position and tried to summon Shiva again, but before he had the chance, the T-Rexaur attacked him.

Aya saw what happened and began to run even faster towards Zell. "Zell, please don't die on me!" she cried.

Zell was having a hard time getting back up. He simply felt too weak to fight back. "It's over." Zell muttered under his breath. Waiting for the T-Rexaur to attack him for the last time, Zell closed his eyes. "Goodbye, Aya."

Then, out of nowhere, Zell felt his body being pushed to the side. Opening his eyes, Zell saw Aya standing where he stood just seconds before. "Zell..." Aya said softly, just as she was struck hard by the T-Rexaur's powerful tail.

"NOOOOOO!!!!!" Zell yelled out loud as he watched Aya's body hit a rock wall and drop lifelessly to the ground like a rag doll.

"YOU BASTARD!!" Zell yelled at the T-Rexaur. "You're going to pay for what you just did!!"

Anger filled Zell right away, which ended up giving Zell the strength he needed to fight the T-Rexaur back. Using his limit break, Zell did Meteor Strike, Meteor Barret, and My Final Heaven.

The T-Rexaur dropped to the ground but it was still getting back up. "GO TO HELL!!!" Zell yelled as he used his limit break again and used up all of his strength with each hit.

The T-Rexaur roared and dropped lifelessly into the ground. After checking to make sure that it was truly dead, Zell rushed to see Aya.

Aya was lying on her right side and her back was to him. Zell kneeled down and slowly turned her around to discover blood all over the left side of her head and a small puddle of blood where her head rested on the ground.

"Oh God!!" Zell yelled as he shook his head in denial. "No!!"

Zell quickly rested Aya's head on the crook of his right arm and held her body close to him. "Aya, please wake up." He said softly as he placed his left hand on the cut on her left temple. "Please don't die on me."

Aya very slowly opened her eyes. "Zell," she said in a soft whisper, "is that you?"

"I'm here, Aya." Zell said as he held her closer. "I'm here." A look of relief on his face.

"Zell, I'm sorry for coming back." Aya said as her eyes filled with tears. "I couldn't let you die like that."

"Aya, don't blame yourself." Zell said as he looked into her eyes, "This is all my fault. If only I..."

"Zell, please don't blame yourself. It's Rek...ahhhh!!" Aya said as she flinched in pain.

"Try not to move." Zell told her. "I think you broke a couple of bones."

"Zell, I don't think I'm going to make it." Aya said as tears streamed down her face.

Zell's heart filled with fear. He knew that she was right. She lost a lot of blood and broke some bones. The chance of the paramedics getting there on time to save her was very slim.

"You're going to make it, Aya. Hold on, okay?" Zell said as he held back his tears. "You can't leave me."

Aya was having a hard time keeping her eyes open. She knew that it was the end. She wanted to hold on but she could feel her body getting weaker with every second. "Zell, I don't think I can." She said softly.

Zell looked up into the sky and closed his eyes. "Please don't take her away from me. I beg you." Zell silently prayed. "I need more time...time to show her how much I love her."

Looking back down at her, Zell wiped the tears on Aya's face. "Please don't cry, Aya. It's going to be okay."

"I'm scared, Zell." Aya continued to cry. "I'm scared. I don't want to go yet."

Hearing that, Zell held Aya closer in his arms. "Don't worry. I'm here. I won't let you go." Not again.

Knowing that it might be his last chance to tell her how he felt about her, Zell revealed his feelings.

"Aya," Zell said, "I love you."

Aya couldn't believe what she just heard. "Zell, did I just hear you say.."

"Yes, Aya." Zell answered. "I love you! I always have but I just couldn't seem to get myself to say it to you. Aya, I'm in love with you."

A smile quickly touched Aya's lips. She was overjoyed to hear Zell say the words that she had been longing for him to say to her. But just as her heart filled with happiness, sadness quickly followed. She was not going to be around long enough to feel that love.

"Zell," Aya said as fresh tears streamed down her face, "I'm in love with you, too."

Zell leaned down and kissed her gently. As their lips touched for the first time, both their hearts warmed with love. Their hearts were finally free. Aya and Zell never though that they could ever feel so happy. For that moment in time, only they existed and their love for each other.

Neither of them wanted the kiss to end. As time went on, their kissed deepened. They didn't want to let go because they knew their first kiss was also their last.

When they finally ended their kiss, Zell wiped the tears from Aya's eyes. "Don't cry. Everything will be okay." He said as he gave her a reassuring look.

Zell's words sounded very promising. "Really, Zell?" Aya said in a soft whisper as she tried to stay awake. "You really think so?"

"I know so." Zell told her as he tried his best to smile. "Aya, please hold on. Don't give up. You have to make it for the both of us. Promise me that you'll make it, Aya. Promise me."

Slowly raising her right hand, Aya lightly traced the tattoo on Zell's face. "I promise, Zell." She softly smiled just as her hand fell lifelessly to her side and her eyes closed.

AT DELING MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 2 DAYS LATER

Zell opened his eyes and found himself lying on a hospital bed with Quistis and the gang standing next to his bedside.

"Where am I and what am I doing here?" Zell asked as he tried to sit up and all of a sudden felt the white bandages wrapped around his lower ribcage area.

"You're being treated here at Deling Memorial Hospital for the injuries you received at Alcauld Plains. You bruised bones all over your body, broke about three ribs, and had a light concussion." Rinoa said in a gentle voice. "Please lay back down, Zell. The doctor said that you should get a lot of rest."

Confused as to what he was doing at Alcauld Plains, Zell asked more questions. "Were you guys with me? I'm really confused. Everything's unclear to me at the moment."

"No, Zell. We were not with you. You were there with Aya." Selphie answered. "Both of you were attacked by a couple of T-Rexaurs, and you guys ended up being severely injured."

All of a sudden, the horrible event that happened at Alcauld Plains came crashing back into Zell's memory. "Oh no! Where's Aya?!" Zell asked. "Where is she?!"

The group didn't know what to say.

"Is she all right? Did she make it?" Zell demanded to know.

Zell's heart grew heavy with pain. "Oh God, please let her be alive." He thought to himself.

"Zell, she's alive" Quistis finally answered, "But she's..."

Zell sighed with relief. "I have to go and see her!" wearing only his hospital pajamas, Zell jumped out of bed and left the room to find Aya.

As Zell ran down the halls in search of Aya's room, he couldn't help but thank God for letting her live.

When Aya lost consciousness at Alcauld Plains, Zell thought that he lost her. She wasn't breathing and he couldn't feel her pulse. Zell cried thinking she was dead.

(FLASHBACK)

When the paramedics arrived, Zell was still kneeling down on the ground holding Aya in his arms with his jacket wrapped around her.

"Is she still alive?" one of the paramedics asked as Zell gently placed her on the stretcher.

"No." Zell said as he choked on the word. "She's gone."

Believing that Aya was dead, Zell let the paramedics go on with the proper medical procedure in handling the deceased. As he sat in the back of the small medical carrier, all Zell could think about was hearing Aya say that she loved him too. Tears began to blur his vision and his heart ached. Zell didn't just lose Aya, he also lost a part of himself.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. Look at the readings on the monitor."

Hearing those words, Zell approached the two paramedics.

"What's going on?" Zell asked as he watched one of the paramedics put a breathing device in Aya's mouth.

"She's alive!" the paramedic informed Zell.

Zell was overjoyed when he heard the news. "She is?!" he said as he held Aya's hand.

"Her vital signs are faint because she lost a lot of blood, but if we get to the hospital on time, we might still be able to save her."

Fear and pain filled Zell again. "You mean she still might not make it?"

"I'm sorry but the chances of her getting through this is very slim. She lost a lot of blood and she has a really severe head injury. At this very moment, she's in a comatose state."

All the way to the hospital, Zell didn't leave Aya's side. When they finally reached the emergency room, Zell insisted that he be let in to be with her.

"I'm sorry, young man." The doctor told Zell. "I can't let you in."

"But I have to be with her!" Zell told the doctor. "I told her that I won't leave her side."

"Young man, we will do our best." The doctor placed a reassuring hand on Zell's shoulder. "We'll do everything we can."

Zell nodded.

Before the doctor went inside the ER, Zell called out to him. "Doctor!"

The doctor stopped and turned around to look at Zell.

"Please save her."

Zell paced back and forth outside the emergency as he waited. After doing so for a while, Zell finally gave in to exhaustion. He collapsed on the floor.

(END OF FLASHBACK)

When Zell finally found Aya's hospital room, his heart broke when he saw the condition she was in. She had bandages wrapped around her head, light scratches and bruises on her arms and face, and she had a lot of wires attached to her that monitored her condition.

As Zell watched Aya, he couldn't help but see the fear on her face as she slept. "It's going to be okay, Aya. It's going to be okay. I'm here now. I won't leave you." Zell said softly as he brushed aside strands of her hair on her face.

After grabbing a stool to sit on, Zell gently held Aya's right hand between his two hands. "Please don't leave me now, Aya." Zell said as he lightly kissed her hand, "If you die, I don't know how I'll be able to live with myself. I know that you said that this isn't my fault, but Aya, it is. If only I told you in the beginning how I felt, none of this would have happened. Please Aya, don't go. I love you." Zell said as he closed his eyes and prayed for her recovery.

(FLASHBACK)

AT RINAUL COAST

"What are you doing?" Zell asked as he looked at the papers Aya was holding.

"Nothing much." Aya replied. "Just some forms that I need to fill out so we can order new books for the library. Oh, Zell?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you want me to order "Goodbye Pupurun: Book 3" for you?"

"Ooooh! That would be great! Thanks Aya."

"Hey, no problem. I'll just add it on the list." Aya said as she wrote it down.

"You know, you don't have to do that right now. It's Friday!"

"I know, but I want to get this done so I wouldn't have to do any work this weekend."

"Hmmm, good point." Zell said as he smiled at her. "Why, are you going anywhere this weekend?"

"Yes." Aya told him, as she continued to fill out the forms. "Rex is planning on taking me out to dinner tonight, and tomorrow he's planning on showing me around Timber."

Zell's heart ached at the thought that Aya was going to be spending time with Rex that weekend. When Aya announced two weeks ago that she and Rex were finally an official couple, Zell felt his world crumble. He was so close to being with her, but because he decided wait to tell Aya about his feelings until after he got back from his mission, he ended up losing her instead.

"Really?" Zell said disappointingly as he looked straight ahead into the horizon.

Just then, Aya and Zell heard two young boys playing near the part of the beach where the waves tend to slam hard into the rocks.

"That area is far too dangerous for those boys to be playing in." Zell said as he stood up. "I'm gonna have to tell those boys to play at a safer spot. I'll be back in a minute, Aya."

"Okay, Zell." Aya nodded.

As Zell got up to talk to the two boys, the pencil that Aya was using broke.

"Zell, do you have a pencil I can borrow? My pencil broke." Aya asked as Zell continued to walk.

"Yeah. Check the front pocket of my backpack. I should have about a couple there that you could use."

"Thanks, Zell." Aya said as she unzipped the front pocket.

Aya looked inside the pocket and found a pencil, but not before noticing the velvet ring box next to it.

Aya took out the velvet box and opened it. Aya was surprised to see such a beautiful ring. She took it out and read the words engraved on the inner part of the band.

"We are meant to be." Aya read in a soft whisper.

Walking back, Zell saw Aya holding the ring he meant to give her two weeks ago.

"Uh, I see you found it." Zell said as he sat next to her.

"This is a very beautiful ring, Zell." Aya said as she continued to look at it. "Are..are you planning on giving this to someone." Surely, it's not for me.

"Yes." Zell said as he looked deep into her eyes.

"Who is it for?" Aya wondered.

"It's for..." Zell started out to say, "a girl who means the world to me." You!!

"Oh," Aya said, looking disappointed. "Do I know her?"

"Yes, you can say that." Zell said as he laughed and continued to look at her.

Why is Zell looking at me like that? Aya wondered to herself.

"What is she like, Zell?" Aya asked as her heart broke piece by piece. Zell and her always hanged out but he never mentioned another girl to her before.

"Well, she's very sweet and kind. She's always there for me, and I enjoy being around her." Zell said. "She's also very beautiful."

"Do you love her, Zell?"

"Very much."

"And does she love you too?" Aya asked as her heart ached even more.

"Yes, I believe she does."

"Well, I'm sure she's going to love this." Aya said as she handed him back the ring.

Why is she giving this back to me? Zell thought to himself. Can't she see that I'm talking about her?

"Who is she, Zell?" Aya asked as she looked out into the horizon.

"Isn't it obvious, Aya?" Zell told her as he gently turned her to face him. "The girl I love is..."

"Hey there, Princess!" Rex said as he hugged Aya from behind and kissed her cheek. "I knew I'd find you here. Oh hello, Zell."

"Hello." Zell said annoyed.

"What are you two talking about?" Rex asked as he sat next to Aya.

"Oh, Zell and I were just talking about a girl that he loves." Aya told Rex.

"Oh, really?" Rex asked Aya as he gave Zell a questioning look. Rex was not sure, but he kept getting the feeling that Zell was in love with Aya. "Well, we better be going." Rex said as he kissed Aya.

Zell looked away.

Just as I thought. Rex thought to himself as he saw the pain on Zell's face. He's in love with her.

"Why don't you ride back to Balamb with us?" Aya told Zell.

"Nah, I'm fine." Zell said. "I need some time alone, so the walk home will be fine with me."

"Are you sure?" Aya asked.

"Yeah, go on ahead."

"Okay. Bye Zell."

When Rex and Aya were finally gone, Zell yelled out loud. "Damn! I'm such a dumbass!!"

(END OF FLASHBACK)

Outside Aya's hospital room, Rex stood and listened. "I guess Aya's aware of his feelings," Rex thought to himself. "And it's all my fault."

When Rex planned that incident for Zell at Alcauld Plains, he didn't count on anything going wrong. His intension was simply to give Zell a warning to stay away from Aya. He was even going to meet Zell that evening and tell him about that little incident.

When Rex got some of his friends to lure a T-Rexaur at Alcauld Plains, he did not realize that a T-Rexaur far stronger than the one they got, was already there, nor did he realize that Aya might somehow find out about it.

After Rex gave his speech to the new Balamb Garden students, he returned to his dorm room to find Aya gone and an e-mail about his plan on his computer screen. Feeling of panic filled Rex right away.

(FLASHBACK)

"I have to find Aya and explain myself!" Rex told himself as he started to leave for Alcauld Plains.

"Mr. Barton! Mr. Barton!" Rex heard a SeeD officer say, "You have to get to Deling Memorial Hospital! Aya's badly hurt!"

"Hurt? How?" Rex asked as he thought to himself that Zell should have been able to handle the T-Rexaur easily.

"No one knows for sure, but from what we know right now, Aya and Zell were attacked by two T-Rexaurs at Alcauld Plains."

(END OF FLASHBACK)

Rex quickly rushed to Deling Memorial Hospital. When he got there, Aya just got out of surgery. When he told the doctors who he was, they immediately informed him of Aya's condition.

"I'm afraid to say that even though your fiancée made it through surgery, she still has a slim chance of making it." The doctor told Rex. "She had a really severe head injury, and at the moment, she's still in a comatose state. All we can do now is wait for her to wake up and see if her brain was affected in any way.

Rex hated himself after seeing what happened to Aya. "This is all my fault!" he thought to himself as he lowered his head in shame. "If only I didn't let Zell get to me, none of this would have happened." Then, it occurred to Rex that what happened to Aya was not entirely his fault; Zell was also to blame.

Rex realized that everything that has happened was because of Zell. If Zell only backed off, none of this would have happened. As Rex watched Zell holding Aya's hand inside her hospital room, Rex knew that he had everything to loose.

When the Balamb Garden officials find out about the plan he set up at Alcauld Plains, Rex knew for sure that he'd lose his rank, be stripped of his title as a SeeD, and will be kicked out of Balamb Garden for sure. Rex also knew that Aya would leave him and be with Zell. With anger as his fuel, Rex approached Zell.

"Haven't you done enough, Zell?" Rex said using Zell's guilt to his advantage. "How dare you show your face here after what you've done? This is all your fault, you know. If you only backed off like you should've, none of this would have happened!"

Zell knew that Rex was right, and because of that, he didn't know what to say.

"Accept the truth, Zell. You lost. Aya chose me over you!"

"That's were you're wrong, Rex." Zell finally responded. "Aya might be with you at the time being, but she revealed the truth to me!"

"What do you mean by that?" Rex said as feelings of panic filled him. He wondered if Aya told Zell about the what he did.

"Aya's in love with me!!" Zell said as he stood face to face with Rex.

Suddenly, a nurse walked in.

"Will you two gentlemen please continue your argument outside. The patient needs her rest. I doubt you two want her to wake up seeing you two arguing."

Zell and Rex apologized to the nurse, and walked out of the room. Closing Aya's door, the two of them continued their argument.

"and I'm in love with her!" Zell continued. "When she wakes up, I will fight for her, you hear me Rex?! I will fight for her."

"Well, I'm not going to give her up easily!" Rex said back.

"You should, Rex, because I'm not holding back anymore!"

Rex was about to respond when all of a sudden, the nurse came out.

"Our patient finally woke up," the nurse informed them both, "and I believe she's asking for one of you."

Rex knew that it couldn't possibly be him. After what he did, he doubted Aya would ever speak to him again. Zell, on the other hand, was pretty sure that Aya was asking for him. After what happened between them at Alcauld Plains, he was sure that she wanted to see him.

"Which one of you is Rex?" the nurse asked.

Rex and Zell were both surprised.