Chapter 5: Darkest Before the Dawn

I don't know what possessed me to go back there. Some indescribable urge compelled me, screaming at me to get up and go. So I obeyed the need and snuck past my roommate and silently left my apartment. The night whispered its greetings and I closed me eyes and took a deep breath. I loved the night.

When I reached the valley, it really didn't look like the old, deserted site that it once was. Apparently, the city had finally done useful with it and turned it into a park. When I pulled up in my car, I was surprised at how well they had fixed it up. There were paves sidewalks and roads and playground sets and even a pond for swimming when it was cold enough. Getting out, I took in my surroundings and sighed, watching the crystallized breath linger in the frozen air. There was snow everywhere. The thick white blanket of pure white was covering the new park. I loved snow. Snow was so beautiful to me. As it started gently falling around me, it comforted me. The snow wasn't in a hurry to get anywhere, why should I? Then suddenly, the memories of this valley flooded back bring small tears to my eyes. Not tears of sadness, but of happiness. I blinked to remove the snowflakes from my eyelashes and then though, 'He was like snow. It's cold sometimes and a little bit rough, but it can be gentle and soothing too.'

Ever since he had left, everything had been going right. At first, I thought it was because he was bad luck or something and when he went away, things were fine. No. It was more like things seemed better than before. Nothing much changed. No one acted different, but things looked as if they had suddenly brightened. The roaring storm of my mind and heart were suddenly settled. It was what he had said.

"I'll never forget you. I'll never stop loving you. I'll never stop thinking about you. I can't stop. Now promise me something. Promise me that you'll never shut up. Promise me that you'll smile and laugh a lot. And don't wait up for me."

I had become stronger. Something clicked in my brain and suddenly, I didn't feel helpless, I didn't feel lonely, I didn't feel like I needed someone. The unexplainable feeling of security was something I hadn't felt in a long time.

Guided by a lamppost, I spied a clearing where the snow had fallen in one clean sheet, and not patchy like the tree-covered parts of this place. I walked over slowly and hugged my tan coat closer to me. In the middle of the clearing, I looked up. The snow softly descending against the black sky made it look like the stars were falling to the Earth. Snow was that magical for me. I stretched my arms out to the sides and started spinning. Gradually, I accelerated and my golden hair fanned out around me and shimmered in the dim light. The floating specs of white flurried around my twirling form and I felt free. Like a child who dances and doesn't care who's watching, like a bird with nothing to keep it from flying off into the heavens, like a couple seeing each other after a long time apart. I fell on my back from the dizziness still laughing and I breathed in the rigid cold air deeply.

"Twenty-one and still a kid inside." I felt like the snow had a personality of its own. It comforted me caringly and I laid in the deep powder. I felt so relaxed that I didn't even feel the cold.

"Hiei… I hope you're doing as well as I am. I miss you, but I know I'll be ok," I whispered and the night air carried my words off into the wind.

((Third person))

She stayed there and closed her eyes as her contentment made everything around her just a little bit warmer. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes and got up, brushing herself off. She saw the swings in the distance and walked toward them and wiped off the seat before sitting down and swinging. Slowly, she swung back and forth, back and forth. Until it became so easy that she felt like she didn't even have to swing her legs anymore. Then she felt like something had brushed by her back and she gave a little yelp. She looked behind her and saw a branch of a tree protruding from the rest of the foliage. She laughed uneasily but continued on…

Oblivious to who was in the tree…

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A/N: I love endings where you can choose what happens to the character. It makes you more apart of the story. I've gotten a request for a sequel and to tell you the truth, I'm not sure I could do it. I'm running out of ideas. I've done a sequel (which I personally liked better than the original) but I just don't know how I'd do this one. Besides, not every story, is a happy story. But I get enough requests, I might try to figure something out.

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