What it Takes...

Ch.6: Separation

The sun seemingly rose from the Earth's crust and took its rightful place in the heavens. With an arm haphazardly slung over Zell's face, he was immune to the sun's rays. After an hour or so, Zell finally begins to stir.

The small blonde sits up, and removes the blankets strewn about him. A lather large yawn escapes the small man as he sits on the edge of the bed and rests his elbows on his knees. Another yawn exudes the small blonde as he stretches floridly.

He stands up and then stumbles his way to the bathroom. He turns on the faucet and pulls off his boxers. He learns up again the shower door, listening to the torrent of water crash against the tile floor.

After a few moments he jumps in and proceeds to clean his body. It didn't take long, before he was all clean and already drying off. Zell's ears perk up as a loud rapping appears at his door.

"Yup, hold on." Zell groggily calls from inside.

Zell throws on a tee and some shorts and makes his way to the door, despite his ridiculously fluffy and frizzy hair. He pulls the door open only to be staring directly into puffy, bloodshot eyes.

"What in Hyne happened to you?" Zell asked concernedly. "You look like the living dead!" Zell smirked and playfully poked Quistis in the arm cautiously.

Quistis' head hangs low and her usual shiny honey colored hair is now extremely uncharacteristically greasy, as it slithers down her neck and drapes over her face.

Zell could hear muffled sobs coming from the blonde standing before him. Zell begins to frown, wondering what could possibly be the matter, but he disregards that and lovingly wraps her in a tender hug. He pulls her close and soothingly strokes her back, trying to console her.

"Quisty…What is wrong? What's the matter?" Zell's whispers in her ear.

Quistis didn't even return Zell's warm embrace, this made him very nervous. A worried look shrouds his features when Quistis doesn't respond or even react to anything Zell is doing or saying.

"Qui…Quistis, please tell me what's wrong!" Zell's tone becomes more frantic with each passing moment, as the love of his life stands before him, tears streaming down her face and completely silent.

Finally he could feel her body tense up, and two tiny hands placed on his chest. A smile starts to overcome Zell, but is quickly dispersed as those same hands begin to push the two lovers apart.

Reluctantly Zell's grasp is broken and he stands utterly confused with what's going on.

"Zell…" Quistis starts shakily while staring at the floor.

"Quistis what is going on here! Why…why wont you look at me?" A look of panic overcomes Zell, as he just stares at greasy hair.

Silence once again reigns over the two. Zell slowly reaches his hand out and tries to cup the slightly taller blonde's chin to make her gaze meet his. Just as Zell's fingertips gently grazed Quistis' quivering chin she pushes his hand away.

Zell cocks an eyebrow, completely oblivious to what is wrong.

"Zell…I…we…" Quistis stuttered, through unshed tears.

Zell could feel his heart's thunderous rhythm pound through his chest, echoing in his ears, and shaking his entire body. His throat becomes dry, and tears begin to sting his eyes. Now he is not so sure he wants to hear what Quistis has to say…

"Zell…we…I…I think it would best if we don't see each other for a while…" Quistis managed and continued her reluctant bawling beneath her blanket of hair.

Zell's heart stopped as a fist of ice plunged into the depths of his soul. His eyes went wide with shock, he couldn't believe what she had just said, and he didn't want to. He could feel his hands begin to uncontrollably shake and his breathing became short and accelerated.

"What…?" Was all that would come out of the young blonde's mouth as he stood there stupefied.

Quistis could feel her heart ache as she had just crushed Zell. All she wanted to do, is tell him it was one sick joke and run back to him with loving arms and hold him forever and never let go.

'Oh Zell…' Quistis cried in her mind.

She couldn't take it anymore; she couldn't bear seeing Zell hurt this way, and know it was because of her. She turned around and began to leave, as tears flowed from her eyes freely.

"But you made me promise...we would always be together! You…you said you…loved..me…" Zell choked on the lump in his throat.

Quistis stopped in mid-stride. She did promise Zell that, and she wanted to promise him so much more, but she couldn't…It wasn't her decision.

"Zell…" She stopped, knowing that she shouldn't tell Zell, but her mind cried that he should, as did her heart.

"But…why…why Quisty, is it…is it because of the last mission, I…I know I messed up really bad, but I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, I'll, I'll try harder! Please, I promise I'll try harder! Don't leave me, I…I need you…"

Quistis could feel her heart rip in half right there, she couldn't believe what Zell had just said, it tore through her soul, her being, everything. Zell said he needed her, for once in her life she was needed, and not just because it was for a mission, but because she was loved. But that wasn't what ripped through her soul, it was the other part. All her life she had never known Zell to say he would try harder, because unlike everyone else he was the only one who would give it his all and then some EVERYTIME!

Everyone knew Zell to be like that, he didn't have anymore to give. He was the only one they could count on to put in literally 110 percent. He was the best person to go on a mission with, because no matter what he would never give up.

"Zell! It's not you! Don't say that, you give it your all every time, and that is enough!" Quistis yelled, as she whipped around, her gaze intense, as she stares deep into Zell's dejected eyes.

Zell lowers his head, "Obviously this time it wasn't enough…" Zell whispered, through hurt words.

Quistis couldn't take it anymore, she finally broke. "Zell I'm so sorry, you know I would never break a promise Zell, especially not to you…I…I truly love you Zell!" Quistis spoke sincerely, her gaze softened as she gazed into Zell's two azure orbs, embedded into his head.

"Zell I still love you, but it's just that we need to be in top shape for the next few missions, so we just can't spend as much time together that's all. We can still be going out, but we just won't have the official title. I still love you and hopefully you still love me and there is nothing and I mean NOTHING that can change that. All we need to do is focus more on our training and planning, but we can still see each other every now and then, ok?" Quistis rambled as her emotions got the best of her, a small trait she picked up from, whom else…Zell.

Zell's eyes brightened up slightly and Quistis took notice, she knew this was a small, but good gesture.

"Ok, Quisty, of course I still love you, and I really am sorry about the last mission." Zell spoke softly and understandingly.

Quistis cocked her head, much like a curious puppy and looked deep at Zell, wondering if he was really telling the truth, or if he was still hurt, but Zell took notice.

"Quisty, you're the best! You know this may be a good idea, I do need some brushing up on my combat skills." Zell spoke through his normal façade and put on his effervescent toothy smile.

Quistis just smiled at her goofy "boyfriend" and gave him a quick but loving kiss on the lips, letting him know, she truly does love him.

"Well Zell, I should probably get going, I don't want anyone seeing the "living dead" as someone so elegantly put it." Quistis teased.

Zell blushed and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah, I was just kidding, you always look beautiful to me." Zell replied with a wink.

Quistis just shook her head and was off on her way. Zell watched as his goddess walked down the hallway back to her room. When she was out of his sight he shut the door, and leaned his back up against it, while his mind replayed the moments just seconds ago. He sighed.

Zell's body tensed up as the images made him want to vomit. A frown cursed it's way onto his features. Zell was speechless as anger cursed through every fiber of his being.

"What's wrong with me?" Zell cursed himself aloud. He flipped himself off the door, and then clenched his fist tight. He whipped around with blinding speed and slammed his fist into the adjacent wall.

He couldn't feel any pain; all he could feel was anger…at himself…

As he pulled his fist from the wall, tiny pieces of sheetrock spewed from the hole. A slight dripping noise caught Zell's ear, he gazed at the source of the noise on the floor. A small bright puddle of red lay beneath his feet, with a steady drip feeding it. His gaze falls to his hand, and he sees the gashes and lacerations, the source of the blood.

His frown just becomes more intense with a severe disdain.

"…Weak…"

A/N: Well I'm sorry this took so long to post, usually I post at least once a doy, but with two sotries it is kind of difficult. But I just want to thank my newiest reviewer Draven Nightly, because without his review this post probably would have taken much longer. So I hope you like this chapter, and hope you still read this story, along with my other one! And keep reviewing, cuz lord knows I need them! Well thanks a lot, and hopefully the next chapt. will be up soon, because things are about to take a turn for the worst!