Chapter 4: Memories and Happiness

Squall and Rinoa were sitting together, the silence becoming awkward as they watched Zell continue to gaze up the heavens. They were in the secret place inside the Training Center, and couldn't help but feel sorry for Zell.

Rinoa stood up and went to Zell, "Zell…?"

He turned to her then, and forced a small smile from his lips. "Yes, Rinoa?"

Something in Zell's voice made her even more uncomfortable and she swallowed before she spoke, "Are… are you okay? You have been standing there for almost three hours now…"

"I am fine, Rinoa." Zell said formally that it shocked Rinoa, "Please don't worry about me."

Squall came to him then, looked into his eyes and said seriously, "You can't forget her, can you? Even if it has been three months."

Something in Zell's eyes flickered at Squall's words, and his voice broke as he spoke, "No… I can't forget her. I can never forget her."

Squall sighed as he patted his arm, "It's hard to forget her, I know, but just because she's frozen doesn't mean you have to be too. I'm sure that Meiou would've wanted you to move on. You can't dwell in her memories forever."

Zell shook his head, and the coldness in his voice and eyes became evident again, "You don't understand, Squall. Meiou is different. I can never love anyone else except for her. If I have to dwell in her memories forever and remain frozen, then I would do it." A serious tone entered his voice, "I love her more than anything. And no one can ever replace her."

Something in his voice worried the two of them. Rinoa was about to speak then, but Squall put a hand on her lips to silence her. He spoke again, "Suit yourself, Zell, but remember you can't be frozen forever."

Zell turned again to look at the moon as Rinoa and Squall left. He just stood there, watching the stars. It was when everyone left the area that he did what he wanted to do there… which was to cry and grieve for the silver angel who was supposed to be there with him.

Zell stood on one of Balamb piers, smelling the salty scent of the ocean as the wind blew. He sighed, seeing the blue ocean and thinking about the decision he made.

He left Balamb Garden for a while, and decided to stay awhile at his house. He left mainly because the others wouldn't leave him alone and they kept pestering him with advices that he didn't need. Edea was willing to let him go, but not before telling him, he always had a place in Balamb.

He sighed as he sat on the pier, taking his shoes and socks off, and dipping them into the water. The water relaxed him, and he got ready to reminisce about Meiou when he heard a voice behind him.

"Sir, please be careful. You might fall off."

The girl's voice was rather familiar. He didn't turn, but remained silent. Maybe the girl would leave he just stayed quiet.

"Is there a problem, mister? You don't look so good."

He sighed when he realized the girl wasn't going to leave. "Look, I came here to grieve and be alone. I don't know you and I don't want to know you. So please leave."

"Well… who are you grieving for?"

He sounded impatient, "My girlfriend… it's not like you know her."

"Why are you grieving for her? Is she dead?"

"Stop butting into other people's business, kid."

"Well, I just want to know. It seems like a really nice story."

He sighed again as he answered, "Yes. I came here to grieve for my dead girlfriend. There! Are you happy now?"

"Are you sure she's dead? Is she bleeding or something?"

Persistent little twit. "No, she's not dead. She's frozen."

"Well, she was just frozen. Why didn't you check to see if she was alive? Some people can still live or revived when they're frozen, right? Why didn't you check?"

He started to get angry, "Look, I don't know who you are! Just leave me alone! I didn't check if she was alive when she was frozen, okay? It's not like it's going to matter…"

"I think it just might matter to you if you checked…"

"Yeah! And why did you say that!"

"Well… 'Cause she might… you know, come back to life again and stand right behind you."

Zell's eyes widened at the girl's words and he immediately turned to see who it was.

It was a girl, all right, and a very familiar girl at that. He gasped as he tried to stand up. "Me…Meiou?"

She smiled then, and Zell's eyes watered as he looked at her. Gone were the wings and the white dress and cloak. Instead, she wore a SeeD uniform, with a pair of daggers on her hips. Her eyes, which now had black pupils, were now ocean blue in color. Everything about her was the same, except for the fact that she didn't look like a sorceress. She looked like she was one of them. She looked like a SeeD.

"What are you…?"

"I came back." She answered, smiling even more. "Adel left my body after I gave myself up, because she thought I was useless now. Odine contained her spirit and soon he destroyed her." She shrugged, "When they saw me, I was back to normal again. My wings were gone, my powers were gone and I now look normal. Laguna pitied me and he released me from Sorceress Memorial. He prepared some papers for me, and he claimed me to be his daughter. He knew I was supposed to be a SeeD now, and fixed everything with Matron. So now, I'm enrolled in Balamb as a SeeD trainee. I'll have my Inauguration this year."

He came closer to her as he reached out a hand. But he drew his hand away and just stared at her. She looked at him curiously, "What's the matter?"

Zell swallowed, "I… I'm afraid you would disappear if I touched you."

A tender look came into her eyes as she walked closer. When she was within arms length of Zell, she reached a hand and took his. When he felt the warmth of her hand, he felt his knees buckle and he fell on his knees to the floor. Tears gathered in his eyes as he clutched her hand.

"Meiou… Thank God you're alive…" Zell felt himself sobbing uncontrollably as he drew her close and embraced her, his face burying on her tummy. She merely stood above him, stroking his hair as he cried.

"Yes, Zell. I'm back… and I'm never leaving you again."

The word he longed to hear his whole life finally came out of her lips, and he pulled himself up as he crushed her to him as kissed her without any abandon. She replied his kiss with her own in earnest.

Then she stopped kissing him and looked at him. An impish look got into her eyes as she whispered, "Zell?"

Zell couldn't get enough of her as he kissed her neck, "Yeah?"

"Do you have a hundred Gil with you?"

He continued to kiss her as he looked around in his pocket. He felt the bill in his hand and he nodded on her neck. "Yeah. I got a hundred. Why'd ya ask?"

She grinned, "I don't believe I visited the Balamb Inn yet…"

His lips stopped kissing her and he pulled his face off her neck. As he looked into her eyes, she caught her meaning and he laughed for the first time in three months. She laughed with him, as he pulled her with him to the inn.

"So tell me, was it true that you cried when you saw me frozen?"

Zell looked at her, and he laughed again as he ran a hand through her hair.

They were in the secret place, and they sat in one dark corner as Squall and Rinoa stood in one corner and Selphie and Irvine were arguing in one side. Zell saw the four of them smile at him, and he smiled back at them before turning his attention to her again.

"Where'd you get that itty bit of information, eh?"

She pointed at Squall, her legal brother with Laguna as their father, who looked rather guilty as he spoke to Rinoa again.

He laughed out and crushed her to him, his other hand touching her face, "Yes, I did. You happy?"

She nodded vigorously, "Yep, now I know you aren't made of stone… except in some places."

He kissed her forehead as he laughed and he looked around, "You know, a long time ago, I was scared that I'd never come here with anyone."

"Boy, you sure are lucky to find me…"

He laughed again. It seemed that ever since she returned, he had been laughing everyday. He had to admit; it felt good to laugh again. "Yep, I sure am lucky."

She kissed his tattoo as she raised a hand to the moonlight, "So… will you still consider me as your sister? If you are, then you're doing one terrible sin."

He smiled as he removed the glove on his scarred hand. He looked at it too, thinking deeply before answering, "Nah. You're not my blood sister anymore, but you're still going to be a Dintch…"

"And how is that going to happen?"

He smiled as he reached into his pocket and drew out a ring. Meiou looked at it in surprise and admiration, and he felt her breath quicken. "You will be a Dintch…", he said solemnly, "If you would become my wife…"

Her eyes watered as she nodded. Zell didn't need to hear the words, for the look in her eyes was enough. He slipped the ring in her finger, and Meiou studied it with tears in her eyes.

It was silver, and on it was a minute silver feather with a shining diamond on it. It sparkled on her finger and fitted perfectly. A fat tear rolled down her eye as she gazed at it lovingly.

"I… made that myself…" Zell said, blushing, "I wanted to give that to you when we got to Balamb, but… you know…"

Meiou looked up at him, and without saying a word, kissed him fully on the lips. He wanted to say how much he loved her, and Meiou wanted to say the same, but they didn't have to say it because what they were doing is enough.

And so they kissed, under the moonlight, engaged and soon to be married with their other friends clapping at their engagement, knowing that their life was about to get better.

Meanwhile a lone figure stood outside the balcony, hidden in the shadows. The figure sighed and stepped back. The light behind her shone directly on her face and figure, and the light showed that it was actually Quistis, who had been watching the unraveling of events in the shadows.

"Why am I always the one to be left behind?" She asked herself, "Maybe I'm not supposed to get married…"

Then with a longing sigh, she walked off towards the entrance of the Training Center when a stranger bumped into her. She looked up at the man and gasped.

It was actually the CC Club's Joker, but he seemed different somehow. He was all dressed up in SeeD uniform and he looked more handsome than ever.

"Miss Trepe, are you alright?"

Quistis nodded, dumbfounded. Joker smiled at her again, "Well, let me escort you to the canteen. There are many monsters this time of night, and I'm sure a cup of coffee could warm you…"

Joker looked hopefully at her. Then before she could even think of what she was doing, the words popped out of her mouth.

"I'd love to."

Joker's smile got broader as he offered his arm to her. And as her gentle hand looped through his arm, she realized that everything was okay to work out okay…

The End.