Okay, this is the last chapter of this story. I really did enjoy this because I am obsessive over this couple. I love it more than the Storm and Yuan pairing so I really liked retelling this story. It was fun! Anyway, thanks for the reviews and I hope you like this last chapter. Enjoy!


Chapter 17: Goodbyes

This was it, the worlds had actually been reunited. Somehow Lloyd had managed to pull it off and keep the worlds together and awaken the new mana tree. Zelos didn't know exactly how they managed to win, but here they were in a new time of peace. It felt so strange, to not be running from anything anymore. He was free, his title no more. He took in a deep breath of the fresh air, finally realizing just that. He could relax and live his life like he wanted to.

There was only one problem with this thought. As much as he would have loved to be happy about the whole situation, he couldn't be happy when he thought about where Storm was going. She was leaving and tomorrow was her last day on the newly formed worlds. He had wanted to live his life like he wanted to, but it would be hard without her in his life. She made him feel like he could actually be serious at times instead of always being a playboy. She let him be himself, something he had always wanted to be accepted for anyway. He didn't know what he would do without her.

She couldn't believe it. Tomorrow was her last day here on this world and she would return to her real home, Derris Kharlan. She knew she had to go back. She knew, like her father, she had to make up for everything she had done for Cruxis. She had to finish the job of cleaning up Mithos' mess. Her father hated the fact that she was going along, but she couldn't leave him alone, not after everything they had been through together. She had to go and that was it.

She had grown close to the group, but she knew that she didn't exactly fit in with them. They had spent their whole lives on this world, but she had grown up in Derris Kharlan and it was still more of a home to her than the world below could be. The only thing it was missing were two important people in her life. Her new brother Lloyd...and Zelos. She had to admit that it was going to be hard to leave both of them. If it wasn't for either of them she never would have found her lost emotions, and never would have found the strength to break away from her horrible life in Cruxis. She owed them so much more than they owed her. That was the only thing that really bothered her about her decision to leave for Derris Kharlan.

Storm was going to give Zelos one last visit. Her father had wanted to come with her, but she woudn't let him. She didn't exactly want him knowing everything about their relationship, and his whole presence could ruin the whole goodbye. He allowed her to go on her own, but told her that he would pick her up at the end of the day.

Storm couldn't help but laugh at her father's overly protective behavior when she was around Zelos, and she was sure he wasn't too thrilled about her spending the entire day with Zelos. She shrugged her shoulders and figured that he would get over it eventually as she continued towards Zelos' house.

She was in Meltokio and closing in on it quickly. She could feel her heartbeat quicken as she closed in on the house. She walked to the door, staring at it for a few seconds. She wondered if she should really be there. Did she really want to say goodbye to him? It was hard enough already without saying it to his face. She continued to look at the door as she thought things over in her mind.

Zelos watched as Storm approached the door, ready to jump to answer the door when she finally got there. When she got there he watched her through one of the windows. She stared at the door sadly, not even moving to knock on it. Zelos wondered what exactly she was thinking of. Maybe she didn't really want to visit him. Were those feelings back at the Tower of Salvation just something that happened in the heat of the moment? Did they mean anything now? Maybe he was the only one who felt so strongly about her.

Zelos then watched, horrified, as Storm turned slowly and began to walk away from the door, heading back towards the street. He froze in his spot for a moment as his heart fell to the floor and he caught a lump in his throat. He then snapped out of it when he realized that he would lose her forever if he let her get away. He couldn't bear not saying goodbye to her. He sprinted for his door and threw it open as he rushed out to her.

Storm spun around when she heard the door being thrown open from Zelos' house. She had a look of shock on her face as she watched Zelos running towards her, desperate to catch up with her. She looked at him as he finally caught up with her, panting, as he stared at her with worry written all over his face. Was he worried about her? What was he worried about?

"Zelos...?" she asked as he tried to catch his breath.

"Where were you going?" he finally managed to struggle out.

Storm could feel as a blush spread across her face. She realized that it looked horrible as she walked away. He probably thought that she hated him when it was just the opposite. She stared at him sadly as he looked to her waiting some sort of response. His heart was pounding so loud he swore she could hear it.

"I...I didn't want to say goodbye," she said softly, her face dropping to the ground.

"Why not?" he asked her as he cocked his head to get a better view of her face.

"It's...too hard," she choked out, tears forming in her eyes and her throat straining as she tried to hold them back. She had her arms and hands clutched tightly to her chest as she watched the ground waiting for a response.

Zelos didn't say anything as she continued to look at the ground. She wondered if maybe he didn't feel the same way about her as she did him. Suddenly, she felt him as he walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her. Storm's breath hitched a little as she felt herself surrounded by him. She could feel the heat of his body all around her and she felt comforted. She was surprised at his reaction nonetheless and it took a few seconds for her to finally relax and to lean into his chest. Soon she felt a him lay his chin on her shoulder as they stood together.

"Why can't we just stay like this?" Zelos finally asked Storm after what seemed like an eternity. She was still held within his embrace as she gave her answer.

"You know we can't...you know I have to leave," she reminded him sadly.

Zelos broke the embrace to look at her. "But you don't really want to leave, do you?" he asked her as he stared at her.

"I have to do this...I know I do," she told him. Zelos looked a little sadder at her answer, knowing that she had completely made up her mind.

"Will you come back?" he asked her cautiously, afraid of what her answer might be.

"I really don't know, but I hope so," she told him honestly.

"I'll wait for you," he finally told her as he grabbed her hand and looked into her eyes.

She giggled a little at his response which confused him a little. "You're crazy. You can't sit around and wait for me if you don't know if I'm coming back. I wouldn't want you to be alone forever just for me," she told him. "Besides, it's not in your nature," she added as she smiled at him.

"Catching every girl on the street isn't my style anymore. Now when I look at a girl I can only think of you and how much more amazing you are than they are. You understand people better than them, and you're a better person than them," he told her. "Besides, now that I lost my title no one will care about me here anymore anyway," he added.

Storm took her hand and placed it on his cheek as she looked at him. "Just remember that you are loved," she told him as she went up on her tiptoes towards his lips. He saw her and came down and met her half-way, their lips locking in a passionate kiss.

Once they broke apart he took her hand and led her to the house. "I think we've spent enough time outside. Besides, there is something else I want us to do today," he told her as she cocked her head at him in confusion.

Once they got inside, Zelos spun around and locked lips with her. Once again which she responded to him by wrapping her arms around his neck. She melted into him, he felt so right. His hands wandered to her hips and he brought their bodies closer to each other in another embrace. Once they parted lips, Storm put her hands to the sides of his face as they rested their foreheads on each other.

"I love you Zelos," she told him with her eyes closed and her head against his.

"I love you too," he replied before he reached down and picked her off the ground. She shrieked from surprise at his action as he carried her to his room for the rest of the day.

Before long Storm and Zelos heard the knock on the door that they were both dreading. Her father was here and she had to leave. He had no idea when she would be back, assuming that she would come back. He grabbed her hand as they walked to the door. He let go of her as he opened it to reveal Kratos, ready to get his daughter back.

"Are you ready Storm?" he asked her impatiently.

Storm looked over at Zelos sadly, knowing that this would be the end. She didn't want to say it. These were the words that had caused her to almost run away, the words that she dreaded more than anything.

"Yes. Goodbye Zelos. Please don't forget me," she said.

"Goodbye Storm. I don't think it's possible for me to forget you," he told her as he wrapped her up in another hug.

Kratos watched as the two hugged and finally, after they wouldn't let go, he grew uncomfortable with the situation. He pulled them apart and gave Storm a look only a father could give his daughter at a moment like that. She looked at him sadly as he led her away from the house.

Zelos hated it...he didn't want it to end this way. Their relationship had just began and now it was ending, not because either of them wanted it to, but because fate wanted it to. He would find her again someday, he was determined to do so.

Storm watched as Zelos slowly disappeared out of sight, tears trickling down her face as she lost the man she truly loved. She hoped they would be together again someday soon, but only time could tell.


Well, that's it. This story is officially completed. Yay! And I think this chapter turned out better than I thought it would. Let me know what you think. Also, let me know if you would like another Storm and Zelos fic about their relationship in the second story, I might consider it if enough people want one. Anyway, please review and thanks for the reviews last chapter.