To The Last Rose

Authors Note: Hahah! One review! O_o;; Usually people aren't excited about that, but I sure as hell am. ::nodnod:: Okay. I realized the last chapter was rather short, so I'll try my best to make this one longer. I promise! Just keep the reviews coming!

Once again, I will say this is a Zellphie fic. I love Selvine's just fine, but I wanna write a Zellphie. :\ so... yeah. Enjoy the fic! I don't own any of them! X_x Except for the idea to this fic... that's all I own.

*** Ch. 2 - White Rose ***

Selphie crawled into bed, a satisfied smile on her face. She got to see her rainbow and the rain stopped. Two great things in one day! Oh, she couldn't forget how Zell had also treated her to a 'dinner' of hotdogs. Although it wasn't the greatest thing in the world (being he ate just about every hotdog) it was still the thought that counted.

She fluffed up her pillow then fell back on it, her gaze traveling over to the picture of their group on her dresser. Rinoa stood by Squall, clinging to him. Squall was trying to look annoyed, but even he couldn't hide his, although tiny, smile from the camera. Quistis was holding Selphie is a loving headlock and Irvine was reaching out, putting his cowboy hat on Selphie's head. Zell was standing somewhat in front of Irvine, half a hotdog protruding from his mouth and a great grin still visible on his face.

She couldn't help but laugh at the picture. Rinoa had practically replaced Seifer in their orphanage group, but that was all right. No one really knew where Seifer was anyway. Selphie let out a sneeze then rubbed her nose. "I must be getting sick..." she muttered to herself before rolling onto her side and closing those heavy eyelids of hers. Soon her mind was swimming in the clouds and her dreams were sweet as candy.

***~***

The next morning Selphie was late at getting up. The group was supposed to meet at the Quad before breakfast, but Selphie was late, and Selphie was usually never late. Squall was pacing back and forth with Rinoa following behind him like a little chick following its mother.

"Where could she be? You sure she's all right? Maybe she's at the Front Gate again," Rinoa was just rambling on in worry for her friend, but Zell cut in.

"She's not at the Front Gate. It isn't raining." He spoke as if they would know what he was talking about. Momentarily he had forgotten that not all of them were there the other day. "Erm... never mind." And off he was.

"Zell, where ya' goin'?" Irvine watched the smaller boy shrug and continue off. With a heavy sigh, Irvine turned to the others and gave a lopsided smile. "I guess he knows where she is..?" Weak reasoning, but a reason nonetheless.

Zell jogged down the dorm halls until he came to the door with a yellow happy face taped to the front. Selphie's room, obviously. His knuckles rapped lightly on the surface. There was no answer. With a frown, he turned the knob and pushed the door open gently. It seemed Selphie wasn't afraid of anyone invading her room. With a sigh he stepped in and shut the door quietly behind himself.

"Selphie? 'Ey, Selph? Are you alright?" he tried asking her curled up form in the bed. When he got no response, he stepped closer till he was right next to her, one gloved hand resting lightly on her shoulder. "Selph? You need it get up. It's past 7 already," he tried again. She still wasn't getting up.

He was about to shake her up when she suddenly started coughing. When the coughing stopped, she groaned and her body turned just enough so she could look up at Zell. "Zell..? Aw, you came to wake me up?" she forced a smile before sitting up. A girl in her pajamas was not what he was supposed to be looking at, even if it was a friend. He turned around with a blush and suddenly found his feet to be the most interesting thing in the world.

He cleared his throat then sucked in a breath and turned back around, pulling his right glove off and pressing his hand to her forehead, doing his best to ignore anything below her chin. "Selphie!" He cried out as his hand recoiled from her.

She jumped at his shout of her name and put a hand to her head. "Don't yell, Zell." Then she giggled lightly. "I rhyme..." her voice was soft, but it was heard before she fell back on the bed.

"Ah! Selphie! No-no-no!" He was freaking out. Never had he had to care for anyone who was sick. One arm slid under her knees and the other went under her shoulders before he lifted her up and scampered out of the room and down to the infirmary. Of course he got some odd stares from others, but he didn't care. His Selphie was sick and he had absolutely no idea what to do. 'My Selphie..?' but he didn't think about it long.

Dr. Kadowaki glanced over at Zell with Selphie in his arms, one eyebrow raising at the frantic look he held. She stood from her desk, her palms resting on the desktop. "What's the problem Zell? Did something happen to Selphie?" she questioned calmly. Zell frowned and held Selphie out.

"She's burning up, coughing, doesn't look good, weak, help!" he scrambled his words together while hopping from one foot to the other. Dr. Kadowaki nodded and walked around, taking Selphie out of Zell's arms and laying her down gently on one of her beds.

"Zell, you can go now. I'll take care of her, don't worry." Dr. Kadowaki looked over at Zell, inspecting the look he held in his eyes. He took a deep breath then nodded and went back out to the Quad to see the rest of them still standing there. They all turned to look up at him and he waved weakly.

"Ah... Selphie got sick. She's in the infirmary," he spoke with a shaky voice. He was trying to keep his cool in front of the others, but Quistis' little laugh told him he wasn't doing a very good job.

// "Ah! Matwon! Matwon! Sephy's sick! She's got a... a oven forehead! And... and she's coughing lots!" The little Zell was tugging wildly at Matron's apron. Matron smiled calmly down at Zell then walked to the children's room, sitting on the edge of Selphie's bed and putting her hand on her forehead.

"Well, it looks like she has a fever. But don't worry Zell, I'll take care of her. You go out and play with the others now, okay?" She smiled down at the frantic Zell and shooed him out with her hands.

Zell walked over to the others and flailed his arms around. "Sephy's sick, but Matwon's gonna take care of her!" He was trying to look cooler than he had before. Little Quistis snickered at him and he knew he failed. \\

***~***

Later that day, Zell stepped into the infirmary. Dr. Kadowaki pointed to the room she had placed Selphie in earlier and he smiled at her before walking in. Selphie lay in the bed, a smile on her face as she looked over at Zell.

"Hey, Selph. How ya' feeling?" He asked quietly, as if she would break if he was even one octave louder. She shrugged and sat up, leaning back against the wall.

"I'm alright. Dr. Kadowaki said it's just a cold, so I'll be okay-"

"-With lots of rest and fluids," Dr. Kadowaki interrupted. "Zell, if you would be so kind, take the lady back to her room and make sure she takes care of herself, alright?"

Zell nodded as Selphie crawled out of the bed, standing up on her feet and leaning over on Zell's shoulder. "Carry me, caretaker." She giggled as a light shade of pink crept up onto his cheeks.

"Are you crazy?" he practically shouted as she started laughing again. He stormed out like a child, his arms crossed over his chest.

Selphie shrugged at the still chuckling Doctor and left with a wave, only to stop at the sight of Zell standing there.

"C'mon..." he grumbled under his breath, turning his back to her. "Get on, already. But this is the only ti-agh!" he wasn't able to finish as the bubbly girl leapt onto his back, her arms draping lightly around his neck. Zell sighed in defeat and put his hands under her thighs to keep her up before walking off to the dorms.

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Yay! I got the second chapter done! :D Be proud of me! I started running out of ideas... and I think this chapter got a little mushy. The chapter wasn't that long either. I'll try my hardest for the next chapter! I promise! ::dances:: Don't forget to review!

~o.wa.ri