A/N. And…We're back. Ready to find out what happens? How Levi and the others take it? Well, here it is!
Levi's Point of View
Effie sort of shoved me inside as she exited, making my entrance slightly awkward. I stumbled into the room, but Nix seemed too weak to notice my amusing entrance. She smiled slightly as she saw me. Oh, Yevon, how can fate be so cruel. I bite my lip and sit down by her.
She looks into my eyes with her own two-colored eyes. How could I have waited so long? My hand slowly migrates from its spot on my knee to brush away a strand of stray blonde hair on her cheek. How cold she is! If only I could take her into my arms and hold her, hug her. I would, maybe, if I knew how she'd react.
She looks at me, expectantly, waiting for me to say something. I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out, and I feel as speechless as the girl in front of me had been but a half hour ago. My eyes search out her wounds, her arm was still pushing out a lot of blood, but, at least, her leg had slowed to a trickling stream. Nix takes a shuddering breath, and I echo her, though not for the same reason.
I need to tell her. I need to tell Phoenix that I love her…But how? Just saying it can't be enough, yet I find time running thin. Again I open my mouth with a newfound strength, "Nix," I say, her eyes lock onto mine. "I've been meaning to tell you something. Something I've wanted to tell you for a while. Almost forever."
Nix takes a shuddering breath, obviously, breathing still pains her. "What?" She asks, pulling out each syllable as if she could word it no other way.
"I love you," The words slide out of my mouth like grease. At first, there's a shocked expression on her face, as though she can't believe it. Then it's blank, she opens her own mouth to speak.
"Levi," She says, taking another shuddering breath. "I…" A loud cough shatters the almost silent room. "I…" Phoenix takes another long breath and I hang on every second. Something's wrong. She takes sharp breath after another in a short sequence, and her eyes flutter open and shut until finally everything stops. Her eyes shut, and her breathing is…Gone!
"Phoenix!" I cry out, but she's still as stone. The others barge in, but I'm already running out. They'll never find me, only Effie and Phoenix would have, maybe Aruna. They know better than to look for me though. Maybe I'll just die. I can feel tears running down my cheeks. She found out how I felt, but I'll never know if I was just a friend or more than that or less.
End Point of View
Within all the commotion, only one person was running away. Levi. Normally, Phoenix, Aruna, or Effie would have chased after him, but everyone was in need to know what had happened to their dear Phoenix. Yuna was sitting by her, feeling for a pulse. A ripple of murmurs between the small group were asking each other if Phoenix was dead, alive, or somehow, somewhere in between.
"She's alive!" Yuna shouted over the commotion, and everyone stood, silently, waiting. "She's just unconscious, likely in a coma. Stand back everyone, I have to heal her now." Everyone stood back except Runey who followed the footprints Levi had left.
Runey followed the footsteps until she realized where he had been going. The old hangout where they used to play 'Pirate' or 'Ghosts' or some other child's game, it was in a small cave just behind the waterfall. Carefully, Aruna felt her way down until she felt the slippery smoothness of the boulder that had once saved her life. She bent to walk on all fours until she was behind the waterfall. From there, she leapt into a small opening. It looked like a shallow cut in the rock unless you really looked. Aruna felt the top of the cave until she found a small crevice. She pulled herself up to find Levi crying alone, and it took him about a minute to realize she was there, sitting Indian-style across from him.
"Go away." He said, turning so he wouldn't face her.
"But…"
"Go away!"
"She's alive!" Levi suddenly stopped, his breathing slowed and he looked at her with his tear stained face.
"What?" He asked hoarsely.
"Alive." Aruna said, and before she knew it, Levi had disappeared. Aruna, once more, followed him, normally, she was faster than him, but it seemed too important for her to beat him there.
There was a small crowd, the normal people, standing in an arc by Phoenix who was staring at them blankly.
Aruna and Levi hugged her, but she pulled away, glaring at them.
"Who are you people?" Phoenix asked, crossing her arms.
A/N. Yet another amazing cliffhanger. Oh, I do love doing this to you people.