Dance of Memories.
Stitch stared at himself in the mirror. He was wearing a black tux, he had rented it for the dance. It looked great, a dark blue with a white shirt and blue bow tie. Yet he was worried, the tux looked great, but he still felt sick, he still was worried.
6-2-5 walked in, wearing a white tux. He stepped in front of the mirror beside Stitch. He hooked his arm around Stitch's neck, putting him in a choke hold, "Pah! Has the mighty Lilo subdued the un-subduable? Has mighty Stitch fallen for an Earth girl?"
Stitch wiggled out of 6-2-5's grip, and smiled, "Come on, you know I'm just...nervous."
6-2-5 thumped Stitch on the back, "Never gonna know whether or not the waters great unless you jump in, right? Now come on, Angel's waiting."
The two walked into the living room where Angel was waiting. She was wearing a beautiful white dress. They both stared at her, she was beautiful.
She motioned for the door, "Well? What are you waiting for? The cab's here!"
Angel and 6-2-5 walked out, Stitch followed behind, the icy feeling still held his gut.
Lilo stared at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a lovely red dress, she had rented it for the dance. It looked divine, a white rose stuck from the breast. She felt worried though, the dress looked wonderful, but she felt nauseous, something still worried her.
Gloria walked in, and looked Lilo over. Gloria wore a dark green dress, she was going with someone she had met in town, "Come on! That Keoni guy isn't going to wait forever!"
Lilo looked at her friend and smiled, "Do...do you think he'll like it?"
Gloria looked at Lilo, and chuckled, "I don't think he'll care what you wear, I think he'll love the fact your going with him."
Lilo nodded, and turned back to the mirror. She still felt nervous...
"Come on you two!" Nani called from the lower level, "Let's go or we'll be late!"
Gloria patted Lilo on the back, "Come on, let's go."
Gloria turned and headed out the room and down the stairs. Lilo glanced once more in the mirror, she still felt nervous. 'But then again,' she thought, 'I'll bet he's just as nervous.'
Lilo turned and walked down the stairs, to destiny...to Stitch...
The music enveloped him. It was a fast tune, very upbeat and lively. Others danced in front of him, but Stitch sat by the beach, watching the waves come in and out. The dance was raised on a platform, tables were set up around the edges, Stitch sat in one now. He watched the waves, waiting for Lilo. He observed the platform once again, everyone else was dancing a storm in the middle, the DJ firing a plethora of music. Stitch watched the waves once again, thinking, 'Oh God, what if she doesn't come?'
"Stitch?"
Stitch turned to see Lilo. She was dressed in a beautiful red dress. His heart skipped a beat, she looked absolutely radiant. She looked at him and smiled, his favorite sight in the world was to see her smile. She sat down beside him, he still stared at her, she noticed, and asked, "Do you like my dress?"
Stitch nodded, "Yeah...it looks wonderful on you..."
Lilo smiled and blushed, "Thanks, you look handsome tonight."
Stitch blushed as well, "Thanks."
The DJ began to play an upbeat pop song. Lilo looked at Stitch, "Come on! Let's show em' how to dance!"
Lilo got up and grabbed Stitch's hand and dragged a stuttering Stitch to the dance floor. They got to the center, and Lilo started dancing. Stitch began to 'attempt' dancing, but he looked stiff. Lilo noticed, "Stitch, just let loose! What are you? Nervous?"
Stitch gulped, then he looked at Lilo. He felt better looking at her, he felt more confident. He started dancing, letting the rhythm of the beat carry him away. They danced in the middle of the floor, laughing with their good time, truly having a good time.
The dance continued, many more upbeat songs were played. Another song started up, and Lilo led Stitch from the floor. He was having fun, yet she was exhausted. They got to the condiment stand and Stitch poured them each a glass of punch. They stood watching the others for a moment. Lilo stepped closer to Stitch, "Isn't this fun?"
Stitch took a gulp of punch and nodded, "Yeah, this is great."
Stitch looked out on the floor to see Serenity and Komalla dancing together. They laughed and giggled. Serenity was dressed in a little pink, frilly dress. Komalla was dressed in a small suit. They seemed to be having a marvelous time.
Lilo saw them and smiled, "Those two are inseparable."
Stitch laughed, "Kinda reminds me of us..."
Lilo nodded, "Yeah, kinda..."
Stitch let his eyes wander and saw Gloria and Keoni dancing, he laughed, "Well look who Gloria bagged!"
Lilo chuckled, "Yeah, poor Keoni doesn't know what he's gotten into..."
They watched the upbeat dance finish. Stitch watched as the lights dimmed, a part of him knew what would come next. A slow song began to play. Everyone paired up, lovers with lovers, couples danced together, dancing together under the evening moon.
Lilo put down her cup. Stitch looked at her. She reached over and grabbed his hand, and smiled in his eyes, "Dance with me Stitch..."
Stitch looked at her, his heart leapt, "Y-yeah, s-sure, o-okay..." he stuttered.
Lilo led him to the middle of the floor. She turned and looked at him and brought him close to her. Stitch felt a lump grow in his throat. Lilo took his arms, and put one on her shoulder, and the other around her back. Then she got close to Stitch, and all of his worries were washed away, taken from him, evaporated into thin air...forever...
They were taken away, rushed away from the real world. They danced as if they were in a dream, everything was perfect. She danced close to him, he looked into those brown eyes to see them watching him, knowing him. They danced, slow and wonderfully on the beach. Everyone around them seemed to disappear, they only saw each other, no one else seemed to matter, the only person that mattered was locked in their arms. The song played out their feelings, rhapsodized them, they listened yet did not hear the song, the only sound heard was the thumping of two hearts, beating on with the rhythm of love...
The song was coming to an end. Lilo stared into his eyes, and Stitch into hers. They leaned close, their lips brushing against one another. And they kissed. A beautiful moment that lingered in the air, nothing seemed more right. It didn't matter what species they were, everything else was forgotten in the rush of the moment. The song ended with the kiss, and they stared into one another's eyes. Reaching out to one another, feeling their hearts beat on, the rhythm of love playing through their beating hearts. Emotions never even uttered, were now shown, emotions thought wrong, were proved to be all too right...
Lilo fell into Stitch's arms, and they embraced.
They sat swinging in the hammock overlooking the ocean. Lilo hugged Stitch close. Stitch held her close as well. They sat looking out to sea.
The dance had ended well, everyone seemed to go home happy. Lilo and Stitch had walked to the hammock overlooking the Pelekai house. The waves crashed against the rocks below.
Stitch smiled, "Thanks for dancing with me..."
Lilo smiled back, "It was my pleasure..."
Stitch watched the ocean, it was so serene, so happy. The ocean represented how he felt that night.
"Stitch?"
"Yes?"
"Please, please don't ever leave me again..."
Stitch sat there a moment, the memories rushed back to him, memories of something that tore apart their friendship, and turned their world upside down...
Stitch walked slowly up the stairs to the house, 'What am I going to do? How will I tell her this?'
He walked up the stairs, fear gripped him. One of the only times, no, the only time he felt fear, was around Lilo...he was always afraid he would say the wrong thing around her. This time, no choice he took, seemed to be the right one.
He walked inside, to face what may come, prepared for the worst, hoping for something else.
Lilo watched the ocean come and go, and she remembered too, a mistake she made long ago...
Lilo sat in the living room alone. Watching TV. Stitch came in, she looked up at him, he looked worried. "Stitch? What's wrong?"
Stitch came over to her, he seemed afraid, "Um, Lilo, I need to talk to you about something..."
"What is it Stitch?"
Stitch took a deep breath, as if steeling himself for something horrible. "Lilo, it's about Ricky..."
Lilo sighed, "I don't want to hear it Stitch."
Stitch looked at her, "Please..."
Lilo shook her head, "You've had nothing good to say about him Stitch! You've never even given him a chance! So what is it? Huh? What do you need to tell me?"
Stitch seemed scared, for such a mighty experiment, he seemed terrified, "Lilo, I...saw Ricky, with...another girl..."
Lilo's anger boiled, "What? How could you Stitch?"
Stitch looked at her quizzically, "Lilo, wha-."
"Oh come on! How can I believe that! You haven't said a single good thing about him, why should I believe you now!" she was on the verge of shouting.
Stitch stared at the ground, "Lilo...it's the truth, why would I lie to you?"
Lilo glared at him, "I don't know! I've noticed you Stitch, glaring at Ricky like you do! It's obvious to see your jealous!"
Stitch shook his head, "No, just..."
Lilo stood, "I can spend time with you too Stitch! I'm just not going to limit my time to only you! I have a new life! You should get one too!"
Stitch stood, and Lilo was surprised, he was crying, "Do you think that's what's bothering me? Do you?"
Lilo stared at him, they were both angry, Stitch continued, "I swear to you, I thought you of all people would believe me, but no...you chose him! Fine! Find out for yourself! You think I don't have a life...FINE! I'll find one, even if I have to get one off of this damned rock!"
Lilo shouted, "Fine! Leave! See if anyone misses you!"
Stitch turned and walked to the door, he turned, "Find out for yourself, you think you know Ricky? Think you know love? You haven't seen love's face, or you have, you just can't recognize it..."
Stitch walked out the door, slamming it as he left. Lilo stood there a moment longer, knowing she was wrong, 'God...I shouldn't have...but he shouldn't have...'
Had she known what would happen, Lilo would have followed him, said something. Yet he left through that door, not to return for a year...
They swung in the hammock. Stitch remembered signing up for the war a couple of days after the incident. Lilo remembered, she had walked into town later that day, to see Ricky and another woman sitting together in a café. Lilo remembered watching in horror as they kissed, and remembered running home, and crying the night away...she hadn't had the courage to go after Stitch, and in a week, he was gone. Lilo left later, bound for college in California.
Yet now they swung, peaceful again. They had returned to one another, found their place. Stitch looked down at Lilo, her eyes heavy with sleep. He shook her gently, "Come on, let's get you home."
They stood and descended down the hill. They reached the Pelekai house, and Stitch walked Lilo to the door, where they held each other again.
"Hm, I think I've fallen for you Stitch."
Stitch grinned, "I fell for you long ago..."
Lilo kissed him tenderly once more, then looked into his eyes, "Stitch..."
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry, for what I said a year ago..."
Stitch thought about it, and said, "It was a misunderstanding, that has now been reconciled."
Lilo smiled, and reached up and kissed him once more. She turned and said, "I'll call you tomorrow..."
Stitch waved, "Sweet dreams, Lilo..."
Lilo turned inside the doorway, "Stitch, I was wrong, there was someone that missed you, and I'm glad your back..."
Stitch smiled, "I'm happy to be back with you too Lilo."
Lilo smiled as she disappeared into the door. Stitch turned and walked away. He walked down the path to the road, thinking, 'That feels good, to get that argument finally settled. Lilo...a kiss...fallen for me...'
His thoughts continued to whirl as he walked the dark stretch of road, yet his night wasn't over yet...
The cloaked figure watched from a hillside. Boredom filled him. He was waiting, waiting for the hunt to begin. He watched the Pelekai house, watched the two embrace and kiss. He felt sick watching it.
"The degradation! Kissing that...filthy being...Stitch should know better..."
The figure stood. He remembered the dance, watching, his muscles yearning for a fight. The anticipation building up, pressuring him to unleash his energy, to attack the dancers. Yet he did not wish to be seen in such a large crowd, it simply wouldn't do...
Plus, she had interfered.
He remembered the conversation...
The figure watched the dance from above. He wanted to attack, he wanted to kill. Yet something barred him, held him back. He heard the voice, the voice of the light he so loathed...
"Don't do it. Leave them be."
He had chuckled, "Why? Afraid I'll hurt someone close to you?"
"You have no right to attack these innocent people, leave them be."
He felt angry, "You've changed. You've become a sniveling animal lover."
"I loved you once, big brother..."
The words stung him, he turned from the dance, "Very well, have your fun. But the game is not finished yet, soon I will hunt, and you will not be able to protect him for much longer."
"We'll see about that."
The figure turned and left the dance, he saw Lilo and Stitch leave, and followed them home.
He now walked in the town. Feeling for his prey. He found it, and the adrenaline pulsed through him once more...
"Sparky, have you come out to play? Come to see if you can finish this? Very well, let your judgement commence..."
The figure hastened his step to meet Sparky, where he would inadvertently meet a new prey...