The Author says thanks: I thank all of you very much for your kind reviews. They've motivated me to sit here on my first night off of the week and write up this chapter instead of giving into my "needs" and "wants" of playing Zelda: Wind Waker I give my humble apologies if you find any spelling or grammatical errors—I had attempted to edit, but I'm not sure if I was completely awake enough to do a decent job. Hopefully I pulled it off. Oh, and a special thanks to Black Mors for the lovely review! It touched my heart—honestly. Enjoy y'all.

Chapter 14: Against all odds

Sitting around my drab little apartment for two days straight did nothing for me. I hoped it'd give me a time to relax and let myself unwind after my terrible week of horror and pain. It didn't. In fact, it was probably the worst thing I could have done to myself. I sat around with either the TV on and stared at talk shows and soap operas or sat around doing nothing in utter silence. I attempted to go shopping since buying myself clothes or whatever usually made me feel better. Sure, I was out of my living space and around society again, but it wasn't enough. I didn't know what to do at this point…it was driving me nuts.

Finally, I gave up. I called my mom again in hopes that maybe she'd think of something; actually, I hoped she'd invite me up for a while, but she didn't. She and Dad were to be hosting some party—a black tie affair—and I could tell when I wasn't wanted. They didn't need to worry about my problems right now. Especially when she told me my brother's wife was pregnant again. Joy to the world…

I called upon my best friend who was on a business trip in China, but the extent of our conversation was her wedding plans. Everyone was happy; everyone found someone they were attracted to. I hadn't. I was still alone in this oversized world with not even a career to work for anymore. Just why the Hell did I quit?

The only thing I could think to do that night was put on my biggest t-shirt that came down to my knees, heat up a cup of tea and crawl into bed while watching the news. Again, another mistake…..

"The top story today is what will happen the day after tomorrow," Don Doel said with an annoyingly eerie voice.

"That's right, Don," John Smuts replied and the camera focused on him alone. "The Cell Games are due to begin in less than thirty-six hours. Yet I don't think that'll be a problem since early this morning Martial Arts Champion for the past two years, Hercule, announced that he plans on putting a swift end to the threat."

The screen switched to show several microphones pushed under the nose of a tall man with dark, bushy hair. His brow was nearly as large as his chin and the confidence that he gloated was sickening. It was even worse when he opened that big mouth of his; "I have one message for Cell—get ready to meet your maker! You have NO chance of winning when you're in the same country as the great Hercule!"

"Please," I said and switched the station.

"Hercule has closed his doors for the next twenty-four hours so he can practice and mediate in private to prepare for his big, but probably more than simple, fight with the murderer, Cell," said the newsman on the next station, which gave me more reason to flip the channel.

Finally I gave up. I couldn't take the sound of other people's voices anymore. I turned the device off and flopped down under the warm covers. But sleep didn't come. Instead, I laid there staring at the white ceiling. Deep down I had a terrible feeling I knew what was going to happen; I knew what I needed to do. It's just…did I want to do it?

I suppose I did enough to do it. The next morning I packed up a small duffle bag with a change of clothes, food and a couple bottles of water. Then I headed over to the airport where I was able to rent a car. I hoped I could find my way back out to the desert. I figured it couldn't be that hard…just head down the same road we did a few days ago and it'd bring me right to the ring…

As I drove with the radio on a low volume control, I realized that this trip was inevitable. I should have known this before I even left the first time. That monster had done what he actually might not have expected to do even though he pretended to do so! And that barely even made sense as I thought of it! That…bastard…hooked me. He hooked me to the point where now he was reeling me in. Who knew what would happen after I got back there. Would he laugh in my face? Finally decide to kill me 'cause he was bored with me and no longer had any use for my pitiful existence in his presence? Or…would he wait until the morning of his Cell Games and then put me on display as the trophy to the winner of his tournament…?

The possibilities swam around and around in my shrinking head for the entire trip. What was I thinking…what could I possibly be thinking. Going back to that arena would solve nothing. I was miserable when I was there….I was miserable when I wasn't. I don't know what the meaning of my life was anymore! I needed a way out!

Layrial, get a hold of yourself, for Heaven's sake!

I slowly brought the car to a halt on the side of the road. My hands slid off the steering wheel and I stared at the Mitsubishi logo designed into the center of it. Honestly, what I was I doing? What did I hope to accomplish from this? If I figured it out right, I had only twenty more miles or so to go. Why was I driving out here to put myself into a place…a position that I had been miserable in?

For the longest time I stared at that logo as if it would produce the answers. The thought of going back kept telling me that's not what I had to do or what I wanted to do. No, I had to do this. If I was sealing my own fate then so be it; I needed to see what would happen as strange as that may sound. And it all came down to one, bittersweet thing….

I loved him.

Even if it was a bit of a strong statement, I loved him against the faith of all mankind. I alone was the one person that had seen a side of him that snatched me up from the little world I was living in. He was vicious, cruel, and a cold-hearted murderer, but it was what lay beneath all that that I wanted more of. It was his way of conducting his mannerism. It was probably a weak and poor reason for liking a killer and android to boot, but it was what I had finally come to terms with. I was willing to admit it to anyone who asked me. Even Cell himself.

I took the car out of park and continued down the road. In twenty miles I'd be face to face with him and I'll find out for sure if I had lost my mind completely or if I had done the right thing. Just maybe…a secret desire of mine…I'd be able to turn him from his intentions…

I was somewhere around a quarter of a mile away from the grand arena Cell had built and where he still stood directly in the center like a statue. I brought the car to a stop next to the side of a large rock formation and turned off the engine. I was pretty sure Cell saw me—he'd have lost his touch if he hadn't. Whether he knew who it was or not yet, I'd see what he'd do in a matter of minutes.

I opened the door and got out, but my eyes remained glued to the ring. If my eyes were serving me correctly, he was watching. Obviously he was much too far away to tell what sort of expression was plastered on his face (probably none, knowing him), but he knew I was there. I wondered what he was thinking….

Tossing the duffle bag over my shoulder, I locked up the car and started my casual walk to the white-tiled platform. As I approached I saw that Cell still had made no move, but his eyes were definitely watching me closely. The closer I got, the more I came to realize that instead of a smile I was hoping to see I saw a look of frustration? Dissatisfaction? Unease? It was hard to tell, but that didn't stop me. If he wanted to kill me because I showed up he would've done so already. Then again, he might want to wish me well in the next life before he slaughtered me.

I boldly stopped when my knees nearly touched the edge of the arena. He made no move and at first neither did I. "Hello, Cell."

Cell remained silent, but finally his foot pivoted and his body was now facing me directly. "Why on Earth have you returned, Layrial?" His tones were so hard to figure out it hurt. It almost sounded like he was just plain confused, but a brief sigh before he spoke had said otherwise.

I stepped up onto the ring and dropped my bag in the corner beneath the cone-shaped column. "I wanted to."

"You wanted to," he repeated. "That's not a conclusive response. I'd like a better explanation."

I shrugged as I walked closer—damn I was getting braver and braver. I hoped I could remain brave while he choked me again. "I was in the hospital for three days, although I only remember one. Then I was home by myself for two days. And during that time I realized there was something…just something about you that intrigued me."

He laughed, his eyes closing for a moment while doing so. "I intrigue you, eh? My dear girl, how does it come to be that I, Cell, the most powerful being in the universe came to be an intriguing creature to a mere human?"

I shrugged for the second time. "I can't explain it. If I was able to then I probably would've found a way to talk myself out of coming here."

"It might've been the wiser choice," he replied in a deep voice. "You're putting yourself in the middle of what will be the fight for the survival of your planet."

"I don't care." I had done it. I had surprised him enough that his eyes became a bit wider and his lips parted slightly. I'm sure he had never expected me, or anyone for that matter, to say something like that. I had no way of defending myself against him and for me to say I didn't care what happened to me must've struck the right chord.

"Brave," was his reply and I should've predicted it. "Foolish but brave. I suppose I should be honored."

"Yeah, you should be," I said. "It's early in the morning, I haven't had my coffee, and I'm trying to overrule the fact that I'm insane."

"I wouldn't go as far as calling yourself insane, Layrial. Perhaps a bit confused."

"What do you mean confused?"

Cell's perfectly straight, white teeth gleamed through his smooth grayish lips. His cool demeanor was overpowering, but I held my ground well enough. "You think I have some sort of concern for your well being. You are also trying to convince yourself, if not secretly hoping that I have a mutual care for your affections." He snickered. "I hate to be the bringer of bad news, but none of the above is true on my half."

Did someone throw a rock at my head? Someone tell me if someone threw something at me. Please. Because my head and chest ached terribly the moment those words spilled from his mouth. But then my mind worked quickly—I wasn't going to let him get away with it. There was no way. I hadn't come all this way to be rejected—not me. Not Layrial Adercon.

"Oh really now? So my assumption on you not being the one who rescued me was true then." Honestly, I don't know how I formed the question so nicely in my head that quickly. Usually I don't think of stuff like that until hours after it could've been used. But I thankfully discovered that the way the sentence was structured would force him to tell me what happened either way, since I didn't know who had brought me to the hospital. Then again, he could lie, but somehow I doubted that he'd do so.

Cell's smile faded slightly though and I became nervous. "As a matter of fact, I had done the deed. I'm surprised you made it as far as you did after I got over the initial shock that you had the guts to go through with leaving me."

That rock came back and hit me again. Hell, it wasn't a rock; it was a bloody boulder. Had he…had he just said what I thought he said? He really did save me? But….

"Is that so hard to believe?"

I shook my head like the cartoon characters did when they were in a trance. "Say what?"

"The look on your face suggests you really didn't think I had."

"A very, very small part me wondered, but no, I didn't think you had done it. I thought it was beneath you to do something nice…" I was going to say 'nice for once' or 'nice for a human' but I thought better of it.

Cell looked away, one side of his brow looking a bit higher than the other. "Trust me, if I hadn't acted so absurdly I would've just left you there to die."

My mouth twisted into what had to be an odd, what-the-hell sort of way. "Then why the heck did you do it?"

"I couldn't tell you."

"Cell, lets just be honest with each other," I said after a long pause. "Obviously there's something between us, even if neither of us have figured it out completely or if we have we don't want to admit it."

"Perhaps," was the simple response. "But don't get any ideas from it."

"Like what? You think I'm going to ask you to run off with me and get married?"

"Please," he snorted and looked at me again. "I refuse to even acknowledge the deceitful ties you humans make with one another."

"They're not deceitful if you love the other person," I said. "And I wouldn't marry you anyway. So don't flatter yourself."

"Oh trust me, I won't. But I assure you for the sake of settling your mind and admitting it openly to myself that there is something there that I'm not sure I completely want to comprehend; especially now. My Cell Games begin tomorrow morning and nothing will hold me back."

"I figured not," I replied…but what was going through my head was the fact that he said exactly what I had been thinking. At least he came out and said it because now it definitely sank into my thick skull.

Last Note: Draguna was correct with predictions. I'll have to say it was rather predictable that this chapter would happen, but honestly, do you think I'd let all you wonderful people, not to mention Layrial (lol) just drop everything? Please…you should know me better than that.