Carolyn's Comments:

Mood: Guilty

Rant: I still felt bad for the lack of updates, plus I got an idea and that's REALLY rare for me, so I typed up another chapter. In this one, I decided that we could catch a glimpse at Cedric's personality. I thought people could use a glance at his inner torment. He's hopelessly in love with a girl he can never have. Plus we also get to she how Mia feels about Cedric's feelings for her, and we also get to see that Tira might, JUST MIGHT, be having some feelings for Cedric. This chapter is pretty serious. (Sorry Katie fans, no jokes for you in this chappie!) And now if you excuse me, I'm going to go see if Megatokyo updated yet... (checks and discovers it hasn't.) DAMNIT! By the way, I'm going to put up another chapter of 'Behind the Terror' up later tonight. Maybe around 6:00. So be on the lookout!


"Mother!" Cedric screamed, "Don't do this!"

" I must do what my heart tells me." His mother responded, "One day, you will understand."

"I don't care!" He cried. The 6-year-old boy was on the verge of tears. "I won't let you!"

"Cedric, when your heart tells you something, you must listen. It will guide you." She said softly, "My heart tells me that I must aide your father in his experiment. Perhaps we can banish the darkness with it."

"Please mother!" Cedric cried as tears spilled down his face, "I…I can't live without you! I don't need anyone else, but you and father!"

"Cedric, I am sorry. I love you my son. But I must play my part in this great destiny. Take care of yourself." With those words, she passed through the doors and vanished. Cedric sank to his knees. He buried his face in the floor and sobbed. He already knew he was never going to see his mother again.

"What my heart tells me?" He cried, "I hate my heart! Why should I have to listen to it?! WHY?!"

Cedric jolted awake. He sat up in bed and looked around his small stone room. He wiped the tears and sweat off his face and sighed.

"Mother…" He thought, "It all happened when I was six…why do you haunt my dreams? Why can't you leave me in peace? Are you trying to tell me something? Have you been trying to tell me for 13 years?"

He swung his feet over the side of the bed and stood up shakily. "Trust my heart?" He scoffed to himself as he walked out into the hall. "The last time I trusted my heart, I fell in love with someone who loved another…" Cedric's thoughts drifted to Mia. He sighed miserably. "I still love her…no matter what, I cannot simply STOP loving her."

He walked out onto a balcony outside the temple. The temple itself, floated in the middle of Interspace. Therefore the dark blue sky was visible, but it occasionally glowed softly with different colors, giving the temple the appearance of eternal night.

Cedric strode over to the railing and leaned on it and gazed sadly out at the sky. (If you could call it a sky). He was secretly disgusted at himself. He had kidnapped Mia twice, put the people she loved through hell, and now he was still pining over her.

"Cedric, you are so pitiful…" He growled. "God damnit…I hate myself…"

"Who do you hate?" A voice called out. Cedric felt a chill run up his spine. He knew that voice. He spun around and stared at the person who had addressed him.

"M-Mia…" He gulped. He turned his head; he wouldn't meet her gaze.

"Mind if I stay out here?" She asked, "I can't get to sleep."

"S-Sure…" He stammered. He turned and quickly pretended that he was focusing on the sky again, but he was really panicking inside his mind. "Oh jeez…" He thought franticly, "What now?!"

"You're all sweaty." Mia said frowning. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing…" He sighed. He silently patted himself on the back for not stammering with that word.

She smiled and stared out at the depths of Interspace. "Oh wow! It's been so long since the last time I rode in the Gummi Ship! I almost forgot what Interspace looked like! It's so pretty, isn't it Cedric?"

"Uh-huh…" He said. Then he silently added to her, "But not nearly as pretty as you."

"So, what brings you out here?" She asked.

Cedric shrugged. "I had some dreams about a part of my life I would've been happier to forget."

"Your mother?"

Cedric nodded. It never ceased to amaze him how Mia could see right through people. Was that why she had chosen Riku? Had she been able to see through the heart that had been corrupted by darkness at some point? Had she been able to see through to the person inside? Cedric's heart began to race.

"I know how you feel." Mia sighed. "Both of my parents were killed when the heartless attacked Infinity Islands. I found out right after I returned for a little while. I was so desperate to leave, and in a few months that desire became so strong that I was able to go to Destiny Islands. I have no one left in Infinity Islands, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to bring myself to leave."

Cedric was quiet. He'd had no idea that Mia had been suffering so much inside.

"Does…does Riku know?" He managed to get out.

"No. If I told him, I just know that somehow he'd feel partly responsible. I don't want to cause him that kind of pain." She sighed. "Riku may seem tough and strong sometimes, but he has weaknesses just like anyone else. And it hurts just as much when-"

She was cut off suddenly when Cedric flung his arms around her in a tight hug. He could hardly believe he'd done it, but it had been an impulse that he couldn't control. Mia's mouth hung open in shock.

"Do you really love Riku that much?" Cedric asked sadly, "I know that you don't feel that way about me, but I can't forsake how I feel! I love you! I've loved you from the first moment I saw you!"

Mia pulled herself free from his grip and glared at him. "How can you do something like this?!" She snapped, "You know how I'm engaged to Riku, and you still chase me like this!"

Cedric stared at her helplessly. "I consider Riku to be one of my only true friends. You think I ENJOY being hopelessly in love with his fiancée?! I can't help it!"

Mia's eyes softened slightly, but not much. "Well you better stop." She growled.

Cedric shook his head. "That's easy for you to say. Don't you think I've TRIED?!" He stared at her sadly. "But…when I look at you…" He placed his hand on the side of her face. "I mean…look at you…" He suddenly pulled her close and kissed her passionately on the mouth. Mia's eyes widened in shock, then they narrowed in anger. She ripped herself free from his grip. For a moment, she just stared at him in fury. Then she raised her right hand and slapped him across the face. She stormed off angrily.

Cedric felt the side of his face. It stung badly, but it was nothing compared to the pain in his heart.

Around the corner stood someone who had been listening to their entire conversation. Tira's eyes were full of sadness. She glanced back at Cedric, who was rubbing the sore side his face. She then shook her head sadly, turned, and walked away.