Part Five
The world looked so beautiful from afar. The greens, the blues, the white mists of clouds… Seifer wondered if she could see them.
"Can you see them, my love?"
He could not believe he had said that out loud. Yet it felt… right. Comfortable.
"Do you like the colours, dearest Aadeane?"
"She's been wanting to talk to you, too" a voice called out from the back of the passenger room. Seifer turned round to se Ellone standing there, her fair face distraught with concern. "She's been waiting…"
He turned back to the window. How dare she interfere. This was none of her business. It wasn't any of their business. It was between him and Aadeane.
"You know, I can let you see her, if you want…" Ellone continued, coming closer and closer to her fellow orphan. "She misses you… She can take you somewhere safe, where you can be together in your dreams."
Seifer looked at her. Ellone could do it… especially if Rinoa was here to help her. He could see Aadeane, hold her like before… What if she was angry at him? What would he do?
He had to find out.
"Do it Ellone. I have to know."
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"Where are you, my love?"
"I'm….here. With you"
"I cannot see you"
"No… but… I'm here"
"…What is it?"
"…You called me your 'love'"
"You are, Seifer. You always were. I knew it always, though I know you didn't"
"…I…I-"
"Don't speak, my love…just wait…"
Seifer rose gently from his strange slumber. Cautiously he blinked, noticing the bright , warm light. He… he had heard her voice… where was he? Where was She?
"Aadeane?!!?" he called out in vain, striding over flowers, crushing them as he called out again and again. "AADEANE!"
Suddenly he stopped.
From the distance he heard something… something beautiful. Her voice…
Not too far away, if he could hear her… it was a tune… a song, he could hear the words… he finally took note of his surroundings… it was a forest, a beautiful forest… with a path. He could hear her… he raced down the path, his heart pounding. Why did he feel like this? Why was he running?
He didn't stop himself. The song was getting stronger, he could start to make out the words "Once you had gold, once you had silver, then came the rain, out of the blue…Ever and always, always and ever… no-one can promise a dream come true… Time gave both darkness and dreams to you…"
It was beautiful. Like he'd always imagined her voice to be, soft deep and strong… he could hear the next verse:
"Now you can see, spring becomes autumn, leaves become gold, falling for you… ever and always, always and ever… no-one can promise a dream come true… Time gave both darkness and dreams to you"
He could see her. Past the tree in front of him, she sat, entwined in her surroundings, singing like an angel. He was more beautiful than he had ever remembered her.
"What is that dark shadow around you? Why not take hope in the new day… ever and always, Always and ever… no-one can promise a dream come true… Time gave both darkness and dreams to you…"
Slowly he came towards her. She extended her hand for him to take it, but found he could not. Instead he stood and watched her. She spoke.
"That song. It was for you…"
He sat opposite her, still unable to touch her.
"…It's telling you that no matter how lost you think you are, however much you have lost, you mustn't give up. You will be given a second chance, Seifer. You just have to recognise it."
She leaned close, stroking his scar tenderly. Her touch burnt like fire.
"No matter what mistakes you've made in the past."
She came in closer and softly kissed him. A small tear escaped from Seifer's left eye. The more he wept, the closer he brought her into him, until he was broken down into sobs, holding her tightly to his heart.
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Rinoa came into the passenger room and stood by Ellone. "Elle? What's happening?"
The young brunette shrugged "I… I don't know," she confessed, taking a step back from Seifer's lifeless form. "They… have something, I don't know what. It binds them… by Hyne, Rinoa… Please help me bring him back!!!"
Seifer gasped as he held a sleeping Aadeane close to him. Something was wrong. He held her tighter as the feeling got more intense; like a tearing feeling, deep in his soul.
"No!!! Elle!! Not yet, please not yet…"
Aadeane woke and held him back. "Promise me you'll come for me!!!" she screamed, gripping his grey coat as she was torn in two. "Promise, Seifer!!!!"
The pain of the feeling got worse. "Aadeane!!!!!!!"
"I promise"