And here it is!! The last and final chapter of Silent Storm! I feel so accomplished, and honestly, I love how this story has turned out. Thanks so much to all you reviewers – You were all so positive, and it really got me to keep going with this story! I really wanted to finish it during the holiday weekend before I ran out of time, so I suppose it's possible there may be revisions, but I doubt it. Because I rather like it.
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Hope you find yourself in a toe-curling, big-grin state by the end!
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Chapter 8: The Best
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Morning hit with a vengeance.
Gaddes groaned as the bright sunlight assaulted his sleep-deprived eyes. What a terrible night. After he'd spoken with Van, he had had ten times more things to think about.
Like, did Celena actually like him as more than a close companion, or was Van just imagining things? Or was 'close companion' good enough to start with? Was she too young to be thinking seriously now? After all, Millerna was already married, and she was close to Celena's age.
And would Allen approve of this, too? Or would he refuse to allow Gaddes to see Celena for whatever ridiculous reason he could think of?
And if that, would Gaddes go behind his best friend's back in order to follow his heart?
At least there was one certainty that he didn't have to wonder about.
He idly looked out the window, yawning widely.
He loved her.
It was so blatant, he was surprised that he had missed the seriousness of the situation the whole time.
Well, not missed. More like ignored.
This was the long-lasting, heart-pounding kind of love he'd thought he'd been ready for. But could anyone really be ready for this?
The signs were obvious now. The way he couldn't look away from her, the way her touch made strange things happen in his belly, the way her voice seemed to make his soul complete.
But as he dressed, he reflected on the difference between her and any other woman he'd ever known. It wasn't just the touch and the feelings – truth be told, he'd felt them before, just not quite this intensely.
It was also the way he felt the need to protect her at all costs, the way anything that made her sad ripped him apart, the way he could understand her without trying, the way her happiness would make the sun shine again…
He squinted at the offensive sun. She must be awful happy today, he thought dryly.
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Allen brushed out his long hair, looking distractedly outside at the cheerful day beyond the castle walls.
I don't think I've had a night that bad since Hitomi left.
He'd spent the whole night thinking about Celena and the implications of her sudden outburst. Was it mere coincidence that the moment Gaddes was mentioned, she always had a strong response, either physically or verbally?
It couldn't be. Something had happened on their trip back, either instantaneous or gradual. Allen wasn't sure. All he knew was that his little sister had suddenly grown up in front of his eyes. He felt his heart break. She seemed so young just a month ago… it was hard to see her as a woman. But he vowed that he would try his best to treat her as such.
After thinking over his many failures with other women, he decided something would have to change about him. What were the odds of every woman having issues? More likely the problem was with him, and he wasn't about to lose his only little sister to the same mistakes he'd made time and again. Not this time.
So where did this dramatic personal change leave him? What was he supposed to do now? His preconceived notions no long held up to the present problems.
And all this confusion and thought was just about Celena herself. How much more confounding did it become when the Gaddes-speculation was added into the equation? How was he supposed to feel about that?
Allen blew out a heavy breath. It had indeed been a long night.
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Van finished tying the strings at the top of his red shirt as he walked out into the hall. After the sleepless night he'd had, he felt entitled to comfortable clothes.
After all, he was the king. Who would argue with him?
He pushed the hair off of his forehead. Maybe eventually he'd get used to their separation. But for now, the thought of Hitomi a world away was enough to make his chest ache.
"Hi."
The iridescent voice made him snap out of his morbid revelry. "Oh. Celena." He wondered how he had missed the pale blonde coming towards him in the empty hallway.
"How'd you sleep?"
He gave her a wry smile. "To be honest, terribly," he admitted, knowing she would've been able to call his lie by his appearance. "How about you?"
She smiled faintly. "Actually, I slept wonderfully."
She would. "So where are you off to?"
"My brother's."
From what he remembered, her brother had the room next to hers, so where she had been at this time in the morning was a mystery. But Van knew better than to ask. He was surprised she'd verbally spoken this much to him.
"Well, you have fun with that."
She nodded cheerfully, bidding him farewell with her big green-blue eyes.
Van tiredly resumed his original course, shaking his head, remembering the conversation with Gaddes the night before.
These women don't even realize how many sleepless nights they cause us.
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Allen started at the knock on his door. "Come in."
Celena entered, her mood very much like the day outside. She smiled questioningly at her brother.
He hazarded a guess at what she was asking. "I slept marginally well."
She lifted an eyebrow, obviously not believing him, but shrugged, ignoring it.
"You look like you rested well," he stated.
She nodded.
He continued to look at her, his mind still mulling over everything that had kept him awake. A companionable silence fell between them, and for once Allen didn't feel uncomfortable. Instead, he debated asking the question on his mind.
He tried to think of all the times he'd seen Celena and Gaddes together. To sift through the memories and see if there was anything significant there.
She sat on his bed, simply staring contemplatively off into space.
"Do you… like Gaddes?" Allen blurted out.
Startled, she looked toward him with wide eyes.
"I don't mean anything by that," Allen said quickly, brushing his fingers through his hair. "I… I just would like to know."
He'd finally seen it in his memories. The way Gaddes would walk beside her, the way he looked at her sometimes across the dinner table, the way he would sometimes say her name.
Gaddes had always been a nice, kind guy, Allen knew that. But now… he sometimes was tender. And that was definitely a significant change.
Celena looked as if she were debating her answer. Finally, she whispered, "Yes."
Her revelation wasn't quite as stunning as Allen had expected it to be. "You mean… seriously."
His confusion had transferred to her the moment his mind had cleared. "Why are you asking?"
Allen looked away from his sister for a moment. "I'm sorry for pushing you to do things that you might not have wanted to do, Celena. And I'm sorry for not listening to you. I've been thinking all night, and I know I've probably been insufferable, and it'll probably take a while for me to change, if at all… But I'm leaving this decision up to you."
"What decision?"
Why was it now that he was unable to make his thoughts lucid? "If you… love Gaddes, then… you have my blessing."
No longer was she surprised… she was shocked. "What?"
He frowned slightly. "I really don't know how else to explain it, Celena."
She laughed breathlessly. "I mean… what changed your mind?"
"Maybe it's insanity," he quipped. "You should probably take advantage of it while you can."
Celena leaped from the bed into her brother's arms, hugging him happily. "You're serious?" she said again.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
She pulled back, smiling up into his eyes. "You're okay with all this?"
"Yes," he said truthfully.
Planting a heart-warming peck on his cheek, she practically flew out of the room, leaving Allen with no question as to where she was going.
He really was okay, even though it might take some time to fully get used to everything. After all, Gaddes was his first mate and best friend. Loyal, honest, trustworthy. And if that was what Celena wanted, he doubted she could have chosen better than Gaddes. Although, since he was an older brother, he'd probably feel obligated to punch Gaddes at least once…
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Gaddes walked towards the Crusade, scratching the top of his head idly. Was Celena up yet? He desperately wanted to know where she stood on the matter.
And Allen. When would he talk with Allen? He knew he'd have to, it was just a matter of finding the right words to explain everything clearly. Maybe he'd get away without too many problems from his boss. First, he'd probably talk with Allen before Celena. Better not to risk an older brother's wrath; especially a knight of Asturia.
Before he could decide on anything else, he heard a faint voice calling his name. He turned around, only to be nearly knocked over by a sweet-smelling blonde girl.
"Whoa, whoa," he said, trying to push her off of his chest, but her arms were wrapped rather solidly around his torso. "What's up?" Her pressure was making his head light.
She tilted her head up towards his, eyes shining. "Kiss me again."
His eyes widened, and he again tried to nudge her away. "I don't think you need any more practice in that, Celena."
Her smile turned devious. "Who said anything about practice?"
He could've sworn his jaw hit the ground… or it would've if Celena hadn't been standing so close. "W-what?"
"Well, I don't know about you, but I wasn't really 'practicing' last time."
Gaddes frowned in confusion. "What?"
She laughed. "You believed me? That I just wanted you to teach me how to kiss?" She thought for a moment. "Well, I guess I did, but I only wanted you to be the one."
He blinked. "What?"
"You didn't see it coming at all, did you?"
He shook his head dumbly.
"You thought everything I did was because of my 'innocence,' didn't you?" She winked. "When I wanted you to play in the water, snuggled up close beside you, happened to find places to be with you alone. You thought I didn't mean to do any of that?"
Nothing made sense at all. "You planned all that?"
"Well… not planned, exactly. More like took advantage when I could."
"You mean… getting sick-"
"That, I didn't intend to do," she admitted. "But it sure got you to stay close, didn't it?"
"You…" he trailed off, not knowing what to say to this startling revelation. Who saw that one coming?
She moved her hands to cup his face gently. "I've been in love with you ever since I first met you on the Crusade, and every day I keep falling more in love with you. I've been trying this whole trip to get you to fall in love with me." Celena smiled lightly as she traced her thumbs along his skin. "You shaved."
"Well, I thought it was time," he said, trying to get his thoughts in a straight line again. "You… love me?"
"You big oaf, you didn't see it every time I looked at you?"
"I… guess not." He let out a heavy breath. "You saw it in me, though, didn't you?" he stated simply.
She cocked an eyebrow. "I guess it would be nice to hear, though."
"I love you." He kissed her forehead. "I don't know how I missed it."
"Neither do I."
He smiled for a moment, until another thought surfaced. "Wait… what about Allen?"
Celena tapped his nose lightly. "Don't worry about that."
His eyebrows rose skeptically. "Are you sure? If I know Allen…"
"I talked with him."
He paused again. "So… he knows?"
She nodded.
Gaddes thought for a moment. "Still, it'd probably be good to talk with him first… get off to a good start, you know. I mean, I don't really know much about this serious-type business and all, but I seem to remember having to ask the brother or the father or whoever was in charge for permission and all that-"
She rolled her eyes. "Good Lord, Gaddes, you talk so much! Will you just kiss me already?"
He grinned, feeling his confidence return. "If you insist."
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"So that's how it happened?"
Gaddes nodded with a slight smile. The four-year-old girl in his lap grinned, very much like Celena in her coloring and eyes. She clapped her hands happily. "I like that story."
"I guess it was alright," his ten-year-old son Darren said, sitting cross-legged on the rug near the fireplace. "But there was all that mushy stuff."
He ruffled his son's hair. "I doubt you'll feel that way in a while."
The thirteen-year-old girl sighed with a grin, looking up at her father with nearly mirror-image eyes. "I thought it was romantic."
"You think everything's romantic, Lexa," Darren said with his tongue out.
"Do not!" Lexa counted scornfully. "You are just too immature to understand."
Darren rolled his blue eyes exaggeratedly, pushing his dark hair back. "Whatever."
Gaddes chuckled. "Jeez, kids, don't fight about stupid stuff. If you're gonna fight, make it over something worthwhile, like who gets to help mom dry dishes before they sleep."
"Gaddes!" a gentle reprimanding voice was heard from the other room.
His kids jumped up and gave their father each a kiss on the cheek. "'Night, Dad!" they said hurriedly, scurrying to their rooms. In the silence, the little girl in his lap turned to him with serious eyes. "I'll help, Daddy."
His heart melted. "Don't worry, sweetie," he said. "Daddy will help Mommy tonight, alright?"
"Okay, Daddy."
He hefted her into the air as he stood. "Now, it's time for you to go to sleep."
"Will you read me a story?" she asked hopefully.
"I just told you a pretty long one, Rae," he said with a laugh. "It's time to sleep."
"You sure?"
"Positive," he said, giving her a kiss.
Rae wrapped her little arms around his neck, nuzzling his bearded cheek. "You're so fuzzy, Daddy."
He laughed again, the smile staying on his face even after he had bid all the children good night and tucked them securely in their beds.
Celena turned from the sink questioningly as he entered the kitchen.
"They're all asleep. Or so they say," Gaddes said with a smile. "Hideki too?"
Celena nodded at his reference to their youngest. "I put him down about a half hour ago."
Gaddes looked appreciatively at his wife of fourteen years, noting the way time and four children had rounded her curves rather kindly, to his thinking. He knew the gray was starting to show in his beard, and the creases in his brow continued to deepen, but to him his wife was even more gorgeous than the day he married her.
She looked quizzically up at his continued attention. "What?"
"You're beautiful."
Even after all this time, she still blushed at such a simple statement.
He picked up a towel she had hanging to dry and began to dry the dishes. "Have you heard from Allen?"
She nodded, still smiling slightly to herself. "He and Eries finally came back from their honeymoon."
"I still can't get over that match. Who saw that one coming? I thought Eries was a priestess."
Celena shrugged.
"They took long enough, anyway. You'd think they would know it when they saw it."
She shrugged again.
"How are Van, Hitomi, and the boys doing?"
"Apparently Jacen hurt his ankle when he and Mika were trying to see who could jump the highest without using their wings."
Gaddes glanced back in the general direction of the children's rooms. "Good thing Darren doesn't have wings, or else he would be jumping off of buildings."
Celena rolled her eyes. "He'll probably try that anyway. He's your son."
"Hey." Gaddes frowned. "He's yours too." He bumped her hip lightly.
She was obviously trying to hold back her smile.
He inhaled her sweet scent, bringing his head down towards her neck and making an approving noise in the back of his throat.
A laugh escaped her. "I heard Lexa ask what it felt like when you met me," she said teasingly, shifting away from his insistent attentions.
"Yeah?" He was already putting the dishes away from her hands back in the sink.
"What did you tell her, anyway?"
He grinned, pinning her in place beside the sink. "Like a silent storm," he whispered, bending down to catch her in a kiss that hadn't lost any luster or magic.
After a while, he broke away, leaning back to gaze into her face. "You're one hell of a kisser, Celena," he declared with a familiar lopsided smile.
She winked at him, tapping his nose gently. "I learned from the best."
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{the end}
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I think the best love stories are the ones that end when they're not young and beautiful, but even more in love than ever… always makes me smile and sigh… :)
As I said, it's been great going through this story, and I hope you all enjoyed the ending! I know I felt all gooshy writing it and proofreading it afterwards… so I figured if it affects me like that, it'll have to effect some other people at least half that much, right? I'll probably see some of you guys later in "Counterpoint" when I get back to doing that fic. Until I do, I bid you happy reading and writing!
-wink