Note: Be warned, this fanfic contains spoilers for PHASE 32. The first part occurs the night before Shinn returns Stellar to Neo. The last part is from PHASE 32 and thereafter.
"My song will ride the wind
Far, far away to your side.
Someday two skies will become one,
And I'll be able to return to you."
As rivers reach the sea
by MidnightReverie
Three long hours passed by and he could not get into sleep. Silent as possible he stepped out his bed and got dressed. The roommate did not seem to be disturbed by the sleepless one.
Shinn left the room.
The battleship never ceased to light its halls even during the late nights and so he resumed the road to the infirmary as if it was daylight. He arrived there, opening the doors, but before entering he first double checked if there were any nurses around. No one. No one would watch his back. Shinn progressed to walk to the chair in the corner, picked it up and moved it next to the bed.
The girl slept, not noticing her protector sitting close to her. He watched her features; a normal girl, most likely younger than himself. The area around her eyes slowly had gotten a blue shade.
"Stellar!" He called her, holding her hand. She did not respond.
"Stellar!" He called out once again. Shinn touched her chin with his hand, noticing her skin was cold, he caressed. She awoke. He did not know what brought him to be infatuated with this girl. Was it a part of his remembrances that longed to remain intact? Her gaze slowly shifted to his direction and she weakly smiled.
"Shinn."
The young man smiled back. She had such a childlike voice, that he wanted to stay there. It was something he missed for a long time, being the leftover of their innocence. He would do anything to make it stay.
"I was with Neo and my fish." Stellar told, still gazing weakly at him.
What? Shinn tried his best not to make a face at this strange announcement.
"Fish?" What could she be talking about?
"My pet fish." She clarified.
"Oh really?" A dream? He wondered.
"We were near a waterfall." Stellar continued. "Neo threw my fish in the waterfall and told me to search for it. He said the fish leads me to a beautiful place."
Shinn lifted an eyebrow. A place?
"The fish fell in the small lake and later on it swum in a river. Then I..."
It seemed she did not remember it quite well.
"...went to follow it?" Shinn tried to help Stellar.
"Yes, but I didn't find anything." She replied sadly.
"Oh that's a pity." He started to look at his feet.
"But then Neo left... and you came." Stellar started again.
"Me?" He was baffled and that thought made his face flush a bit.
"We went to walk on the river bank to find my fish."
She did not go on anymore and started staring blankly at the ceiling. This might indicate the dream was over. He went quiet after this.
"I wonder where it could be." Stellar said after a moment of silence.
"Well," Shinn said thoughtfully. "Rivers always reach the sea."
"Sea... I want to go to the sea."
"You'll find your fish there." A slight hope could be heard in his voice.
"My fish..."
Then after some good thinking he was determined of what he needed to do.
"Stellar, I'll take you to the sea!"
"Shinn, really?" Her eyes went wide.
"I'll definitely take you there when this is all over!" Shinn exclaimed, balding his fist.
"When it's all over?" She repeated.
"Yes," He confirmed her. "I will get you there. That's a promise."
"The sea..." Her eyes closed finally. She was exhausted yet seemed to be content.
Shinn sighed. Was this all he could ever do for her? He felt rather bad about this, though he had a frail hope of making her wish come true. He stood from the chair, and then walked to the portal. An idea that occurred in his trail of thoughts stopped him from leaving. So Shinn went back to her side. First he hesitated, but then placed a kiss on her cheek before leaving.
"Have nice dreams." Shinn whispered, then adding in his thoughts. 'May they come true.'
"Stellar!
Stellar!
Why did it have to be like this?"
"Shinn… came to see me?"
"Shinn…
protect Stellar…"
"Stellar!"
He called her, holding her hand.
"Shinn… I love you."
He watched as Stellar passed away at last. A girl who was so childlike.
Her hand fell.
"Stellar!"
She did not respond.
He did not know what brought him to be infatuated with this girl. Was it a part of his remembrances that longed to remain intact?
When her hand...
Flashes of earliest memories crossed his mind. The past and the present joined together and he had to experience it again.
Even now that he had the power it happened again. Why?
Silently he wished she would wake up. Just like that time.
He did what he could to make it stay.
Now it's all over.
They would go to a place; the sea that knew of their existence, where it all started and where it would never end.
The frail hope of his heart blossomed in vain; as if he saw the river.
For the waters would take her back, as rivers reach the sea.
End.