~**Zidane's POV**~

I walked back slowly to the theater ship with a lot on my mind. I couldn't really explain how I was feeling, but Goddamn, I was proud. It was my first time seeing her, and I was hurt when she confessed that she hated me, of course, she didn't say 'I hate you!' she was just talking about me; it made no difference. I expected that she would say that, so I prepared myself. I just didn't expect to bump into her when I did. That was what caught me off guard.

She was beautiful, and a carbon copy of her mother. Eiko was also right when she said she acted like me. The mix of us in every way. It still made me smile every time I thought about it. Seeing her only made me more eager to get on with the play. I wanted to get to know her and to spend the rest of my life with her and Dagger, but I could tell that it wasn't going to be as easy as I hoped.

I continued to walk around the sides of the castle, finding a way to kill time before I had to do the play. I guess you could say that I was nervous, that's only if you count constant trembling, sweaty palms, and keener
senses all as signs of nervousness. My mind was slowly putting together all the missing pieces of my past that I just found out about, and it was killing my brain. I wanted to just run back in time to before I left Garnet and stay with her. I would stay with her holding her and kissing her all throughout the night whispering soft reassurances in her ear about how our baby was going to be beautiful and perfect in every way. I wanted to be able to go back to the time when Jade was born, when she first saw daylight, so that I could hold her in my arms forever. Then for the rest of her life I could constantly tell her how much I love her and how important she was to me, but that was never going to happen. I was years too late, and no matter how hard I could hope and pray, I know that things would always be different than what they would be if I stayed behind, if I didn't leave Garnet.

I sat down by the river outside of the castle and looked into the clear water. I could barely tell if the water was shaking or if I was. It all seemed the same to me, and barely anything made sense at that moment. All I knew was that I was back in the city that I somehow felt at home in, and that I would be soon reunited with the family that I had only dreamed of for seven years. Garnet and Jade. The two jewels of my heart… Corny, I know, but it was true. It was truer than anyone could ever know. Even so, I couldn't ignore the fact that even though I loved them both to death; my departure had taken a deeper affect than anyone had ever expected.

Jade seemed to hate me, but I think after talking to her I got rid of some anger. I was glad that I actually got to hug her for once. She reminded me so much of myself, and of Dagger. She did everything with a passion like Dagger and kept to her word like I did, but I don't think just these things will heal the wound that I've made on her. I feel like such an asshole, missing out on her life like that.

I got up from where I was sitting on the rock and smoothed out my cloak. Then I began to walk back to the theater ship. While I was on the way to the ship, I stopped by the front of the castle and peered through the open doors, and that was when I saw her. My beautiful Dagger, sitting on the steps as Beatrix came closer to her. I held my breath and just stared at her beauty. I wanted to rush over to her and kiss her over and over again assuring her that I would never leave her side for any reason ever again, but like a statue I stood there gazing at her with all the love I had in my heart. Looking at her made me realize why I lived so long by myself and why I never gave up, even when Kuja died. I promised my brother and myself that I would live to see her face, just one more time. I lived to keep that promise, and now I'm so glad that I made it. She was truly an angel from heaven. She was my angel from heaven…

"Psst! Zidane! We have to go, now! The play's about to start!" I heard Blank harshly whisper to me when he finally found me standing in front of the castle. It caught me by surprise and I almost was seen standing in front of the castle like I was. Luckily I snapped out of my trance and realized where I was. I turned around and ran back to the ship with him, but I was still thinking about my beloved Dagger. I didn't want to lose this chance, for I would never have it again…

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~**Garnet's POV**~

"Jade! Come here, child!" I softly ordered and kneeled down so that I was eye to eye with her. I quickly fixed her crown and her dress. I couldn't have her looking like the total mess she was when the play was about to start. She was a princess, and a play was just about to start. I was going to have a heart attack if she was going out looking like she was. What's wrong with me? I'm flipping out over the little things that I normally would have never noticed. God, I was already worrying over everything and only at the age of 24… Why was I so nervous? "You're a princess; you can't go out looking like that! What were you doing before you got here?"

She fumbled with her hands and stared at the ground. A small blush of embarrassment came over her cheeks as she thought of an answer. What was with this child and this whole castle lately? "I was talking to the new member of Tantlantus. I sorta bumped into him while I was on my way here," she softly replied while still gazing at the floor. I could tell just by the way she was acting that something different happened while the two were talking, but as much as I wanted to ask, I knew Steiner would come and bug me to take my seat.

"Well, Honey, why don't you tell me all about it as soon as the play's over, ne?" She smiled and nodded. Her smile made a warm feeling rush over me and it brought a smile to my face. It had been so long since I saw her smile. I almost forgot how pretty it was. I was glad to see her happy… "Now go! Rush to your seat!" I slightly pushed her forward and watched her run down the hall. I took a deep breath and walked slowly after her.

It seemed like years since I last saw this play, yet I knew it was going to be the same like it was every year. The more I thought about that comment, the more I doubted it. Why do I have this strange feeling? It's as if I know something different is going to happen no matter what I tell myself. My gut was telling me that something was going to happen; good or bad, I couldn't tell, but something, nonetheless. It was same feeling that I got… that I got seven years ago when I first met Zidane…

Again I bring up his name out of no where! I have to remind myself to stop doing that, but I can't in a way… I promised Vivi that I wouldn't… Vivi… that poor soul. I know he wanted to see Zidane as much as the rest of us did, but I don't think it was for the same reasons. He knew how unhappy I was without Zidane, I think that all he wanted was for us to be happy again, so I promised never to give up on him, and I promised to give him Vivi's letter… Vivi's dying wish…

I've held that letter close to me for three years now, and I still haven't had the chance to present it to him. I read it once, and I cried. It was so beautiful, and I knew that Vivi meant every word of it. He must have wrote it when he knew that he was going to stop… I made sure that the last line of it was engraved on his tombstone. "My memories shall forever be part of the stars." Even poor Eiko cries every time she reads it. Vivi was the one who understood her the most…

I walked to my seat when Baku began the play by thanking everyone for coming. He gave me a special smile when he noticed me walking it, so I gave him a small wave so that he would know that I saw him. He walked off the stage and the play began with the new member of Tantlantus playing Marcus.

When he began to talk, Jade and I sat forward in our seats. His voice was so powerful, so emotional, and when he spoke to Cornelia, there was so much love expressed in his words. Listening to him made me feel as if the play was real, and not just a show. The acting this year seemed better than all the years before, but I couldn't sense why. Maybe it was because of this new actor? I could tell that he was casting the same spell on Jade as he was on me, and for the first time, I saw Jade actually enjoying the play.

I could sense that everyone in the audience was having a different reaction to this play than what they've had for the years before. This was just so much more powerful and emotional than I remembered. This is exactly how the play was when Zidane performed for me for the first time… Zidane…

"Ah!" Cornelia screamed when Blank stage stabbed her in the gut. This was the second scene that depressed me the most. I looked over at Jade and saw that she was close to tears, but I knew why she wanted to cry. It wasn't because of this scene; she was thinking of how Marcus was going to feel when he finds out that his love dies. I could tell because I felt the same way.

The lights darkened and lit up again with only the light of the two moons. The man playing Marcus slowly walked onto the stage. This was the saddest scene in the play where Marcus was going to profess his love for Cornelia to the moons, and it made me cry every time I watched it. I could just imagine the pain in his heart because it was the pain that I've had to deal with everyday for the past seven years.

I knew what it was like to lose a loved one that meant the world to you, and I knew the feeling of not seeing them, never knowing if they're going to ever show up or return to your heart. I knew that feeling better than anyone else did in the world. What Marcus felt in the play is what I felt everyday, and it was slowly but surely killing me with a new wound every time someone would mention his name.

I listened closely to Marcus' words and closed my eyes. They were stronger than ever, and I wanted to cry just listening to the pain in his heart. His pain, my pain, it was all the same, and he expressed it with such a deep and sorrowful voice… Wait… That voice…! I listened closer to the way he talked and the way he used his arms with his words, and it all reminded me so much of… him… I shook the idea out of my head. It couldn't be him. Zidane was dead, and I was finally ready to admit it.

Tears slid down my cheeks as I turned my head to the side and gripped the armrests tighter. I didn't want to be in this room anymore. I wanted to run I wanted to breathe! But this room and his words were all drowning me, killing me slowly, and I could barely stand it.

I let out a choked sob louder than I had expected, and Jade looked over at me. I could tell that she saw the pain I was feeling in my facial expression, for soon her tiny hand was on top of mine, squeezing it to give me comfort, but it didn't help me at all. Just as I was about to bolt out of my seat, I heard Marcus say the one thing I never expected to hear for the rest of my life, and I froze…

"Bring my beloved Dagger back to me!" I sucked in a sharp breath and looked down at him with the cloak thrown to the side. He stood there with his tail twitching, waiting for my response.

Zidane…

I looked closer at the figure to make sure that it wasn't a dream and that this was all real because I didn't want it to be a dream; I wanted it to be real. He smiled at me and I ran. I ran to the double door behind my seats and looked at Beatrix. She nodded and pushed the door open to let me through. I could only hear my daughter call out to me as I ran, but I didn't care. My love was back and I had to return to the arms that I lived for.

I bolted out the castle's front door and ran into the crowd. I had to literally shove my way through, but I didn't care. They were only slowing me down, and I didn't want to be stopped.

I'm coming, Zidane… I'm coming…

My eyes were blurred over when I ran into a small noble boy. The Falcon Claw flew from my neck and landed about a good ten feet away from me. I clutched my hands to my neck and closed my eyes. Should I go get the necklace? Or should I run to Zidane? My neck felt bare without the Falcon Claw, but my body was so cold without Zidane; it was so cold…

I turned around and ran toward Zidane as fast as I could. I came to a clear path and threw my crown to the ground. I didn't need a sign of royalty on me now; all I needed was Zidane's warm embrace. I could see him walking toward the edge of the ship, and that was when I jumped into his arms almost knocking him over.

He spun me around and kissed me on the lips with a love and passion that I had missed for seven years. Placing me on the ground, he pulled away slightly and looked into my eyes. I beat on his chest letting out all my anger and frustration at him that I held in, but he took the blows and pulled me close to him. It was so good to be in his embrace again… I didn't know how much I missed his touch…

Throughout the whole scene, the entire kingdom was cheering wildly, but then it grew silent, so silent that it sent shivers down my spine, for I didn't know what was going on. Zidane pulled away and looked past me with a serious expression on his face. His smile was gone, and I saw a hint of fear and pain in his eyes. What was troubling him?

I didn't get my answer until I turned around. I wrapped my arms around Zidane's and looked down at her… Jade… She stood there with a face of so many mixed emotions that I didn't know how to describe it. Everyone was afraid of what was going to happen, and I never felt the tension get so high.

"Jade…" I began nervously. Was she ready for this? Was I ready for this? "Jade, honey, this is Zidane… your father." Jade just stared at him with a look of disbelief in her eyes. She seemed to know about something that I didn't and it was confusing me, but then I remembered something. She told me she talked to the newest member of Tantlantus before the play started… Which means she talked to him, but he didn't tell her who he was. It all makes sense now, but why wasn't anyone even breathing anymore?

"Why didn't you tell me…?" Jade asked him with a slight sound of pain in her voice. Zidane looked at the ground and let out a sigh. I unlinked my arm with his and looked at him. I could tell that he was slightly regretting his actions, but he was mostly thinking of a good reply to her question.

"Jade, I'm sorry… I-" he took a step forward, but she only drew back. Tears were forming in her eyes, and so many emotions could be seen such as confusion, hatred, desperation, and a number of other things. Jade simply shook her head as her tears spilled down her cheeks. Before anyone could say another word, she grabbed the ruffles of her dress and ran away as fast as she could. I stood there dumbfounded for a few seconds, but Zidane had already started to run after her. All I could hear were a few gasps from the town's people while I placed my hand over my mouth, looking at the scene in shock.

I slumped to my knees and wrapped my arm around my side. For the first time, I felt her pain as well as my own…



(A/N: Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!! This chapter took me a while to write but since FF.net shut down for a while, I guess it didn't matter Oo;;; How will Jade and Zidane get along? oohh lala, I dunno, but don't keep thinking the same opinion over anf over, you just might be wrong =D. Please r/r and tell me if this sux or not! Have to update the next chapter now!)