Alex: Smurf Cat does not own Golden Sun

Trust Chapter 4: Dwindling Hope

As Felix looked ahead toward Imil, he sighed. He wondered if the people would attack him in the same way that they had attacked Alex. He knew that he would be able to defend himself against non-adepts, but still. He did not want to cause any problems.

As he walked up to the city gates, he slipped past the guard (who appeared to be sleeping) unnoticed. As he walked out into the street, he could see the Imilian people as they went about their work. They looked up at him, smiled, and continued to work. As he came to the stables that he had left his mare in, he looked them over.

As he walked in, someone beckoned to him, "you there! Aren't you Felix?"

Felix swallowed. He did not want to cause trouble. "That I am, sir."

"So you're the hero whom those from Vale speak."

"I am no hero by your standards." Answered Felix. "I was the one who lit the beacons."

"I know that." Answered the stable man. "The beacons were supposed to be rekindled, were they not?"

"You wanted to kill Alex for the same thing that you want to honor me for?" asked Felix.

The man stiffened. "We have no use for Alex. He would have become too powerful and then smite us all of our lives. We don't trust him. That's why we have banished him, not for that lighthouse! We have that water now. Sure, we loved Mia, but like she told us when Alex was here, she was never able to heal everything."

"I see." Answered Felix. "You don't trust Alex, yet you Imilian people trust the other adepts, err, people with special powers."

"You do not give off the same dark aura and presence that Alex gives off. He has the air of a criminal." The man got up from the shadows and came up next to Felix. "What are you here for anyway?"

"My horse."

The man walked over to a stall and unlatched it. Out came the young mare that Felix had purchased not long ago.

"Thank you." Said Felix. He left Imil with no trouble.

Mia stared into Alex's eyes with disbelief. How could he be a criminal? What had he done to deserve that title? It was now that she began to feel an uneasiness about herself as if Alex's very aura was off setting her. This was not the Alex that she had known. He would never commit unnecessary bloodshed, nor would he ever tell anyone if he ever had. Mia looked down, breaking the eye contact between them.

"A criminal?" asked Mia. "What happened when I wasn't there."

Alex took her chin in his palm and cupped it somewhat, forcing her to look up into his ice blue eyes. "You know I would never hurt you, Mia. I had no choice in the matter when it happened... my crimes..."

Mia looked him in the eyes, almost afraid to break contact with them.

"I'm sorry." Said Alex after a pause. "I should have kept my mouth shut. I should have never told you."

"No" said Mia. "I'm... glad you told me. It shows that you trust me..."

"But how can I ever expect you to trust me again?" it was a good question. Mia looked yet again, away from his face as though the uneasiness was taking her over again. She did not want to have to fear Alex, but knew that that fear was inevitable.

"What happened?" Mia asked again.

"They were only foot soldiers in my way, attacking us and threatening to hurt Jenna and Kraden. There were more after that..." Alex paused. "It was never unnecessary."

"I know that you would never hurt anyone unless you had to..." Mia trailed off, her newly found trust, dwindling.

"Mia, please, you have to understand." Alex looked down into her eyes. Trust shattering, he released the gaze. He should never have spoken.

They both walked on until they were in Xian. With plenty of terrain behind them, they settled in the inn. They would be sharing a room tonight. As they came into it, Alex insisted that Mia should have the bed. Mia agreed. She settled down on it and watched Alex.

Alex looked warily at her; "the past is the past, my dear. It's over."

Mia looked down. "I thought better of you, Alex."

"I thought better of myself..." he said it with shame. Mia could hear it in his voice that he was truly sorry for his past crimes. Maybe she could learn to accept them in time, but now was to early. She watched him as he made his way to the bathroom for a bath. Xian was extremely civilized with running water and everything. She could hear the water come on from the faucets.

She sighed as she found herself all alone in the room. She pondered Alex. Perhaps he was really sorry for everything. Maybe it was all a lie to get what he wanted; her. Mia was uneasy. She couldn't stand this. Maybe she should leave. She thought about it, but then shook the thought off. Alex had left her and if he felt the same way about her that she did about him, leaving would only harm the relationship. They needed trust. They needed a time to just sit down and talk things out. Mia wanted that.

As Alex came out of the bathroom about thirty minutes later, Mia looked him over. Her was clean. Alex looked over at Mia. "I just want to make things work between us." Were the words that came out of his soft, perfect lips.

Mia sighed. "I want to be able to talk to you and catch up on everything. It's like we've only just met. We haven't seen each other in three years. Do you still like the same stuff?"

"If you mean psynergy, yes." Answered Alex. "I know you told me this already, but do you still care about me?"

"Yes." Answered Mia. "I could have had four or five other boyfriends while you were gone, but I turned down every guy that ever liked me because I was waiting for you."

"You didn't have to do that for me." Said Alex. "I was against your party."

"I was against yours." Said Mia. She sighed. "I guess the past is the past. We can't change it."

Alex came closer to her and sat down beside her on the bed. Mia inched closer to him. She was going crazy inside. She wanted to touch him and hold him like she used to. She was feeling the things that she thought she had long forgotten. She looked up at him. longing...

"Mia?" asked Alex when he saw the look in her eyes. There was an awkward silence between the two as their eyes met. Mia wanted to be hugged, kissed, anything as long as it showed affection. She needed it.

"Kiss me." She said, though she had to admit it was childish and immature... but affective...

Alex leaned down and planted his lips on hers. Mia wrapped her arms around his neck and back. Alex shifted to allow her to press her body to his. She came to a straddling position as she kissed him back; her tongue making it's way into his mouth. She hardly knew what was happening. She didn't have time to think, she only held onto the moment with all of her being.

And then the kiss was broken as Alex leaned back out of it. Mia didn't know how it had ended; only that it had. Alex was a great kisser. Mia smiled as she looked into Alex's azure eyes. He reached a hand up and moved a piece of hair out of her face and curled it around her ear.

"I love you." He said softly into the stillness.

Mia felt uneasy yet again, but she made herself speak, "I love you too."

The rest of the night was spent talking and catching up with each other. Mia's barriers dwindled. She would have to watch herself. She was too trusting sometimes...
YAY! Alex and Mia kissed

Alex:

Malik: Whatever. The people gotta review. You really do need to. It needs help.

Yeah, if I don't get more reviews, I may have to cancel the fic. Not enough people are reading it and I'm just not motivated to write anymore. I need some ideas...