(For disclaimer and author/story/series notes, see the Prologue.)

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Day 6: The Do-Over

The forest seemed endless as they walked through it toward a destination only Zelos knew. Sheena was enjoying the walk itself—whether it was just who she was or because she was a ninja trained to 'be one with nature,' she really did love being outdoors, especially soothing, fragrant forests like this—but she had a strong hunch her date was not. Ever since she'd showed up at his mansion with his alternate an hour ago, he had been acting extremely quiet, subdued, and guarded toward her. His alternate had warned her that 'her' version of him might act oddly toward her for awhile and that she shouldn't take it personally, but that was easier said than done when he'd barely looked at her since they'd left Meltokio, let alone talked to her. But again she reminded herself that she couldn't let herself jump to conclusions about him—in this case, that Zelos really didn't want to be there with her—and instead she would wait and see what happened once they reached their destination, letting her mind instead play over the things his alternate had told her earlier.

He hadn't been at all surprised when she'd told him she had pushed 'her' Zelos for another date. In fact, he'd seemed even less surprised about it than she still felt herself knowing she'd actually made and carried out such an uncharacteristic decision. Instead he'd just insisted that 'his' Sheena had basically done something similar when they'd started dating. That knowledge, that 'she' had made the same choice in the alternate world, had actually gone a long way toward easing her mind about her decision, seeing as it meant she might be on the right track after all. She hadn't been quite sure what she'd been doing last night, but her view of Zelos Wilder and his choices and actions had changed drastically after everything he'd told her, and she'd refused to let it end there. This had seemed the most logical choice, to try to learn more about the 'real him'—and hopefully share some things with him about herself, too—and she was still determined to see it through.

Granted, the alternate Zelos had also reminded her, with surprising somberness, that despite everything he'd said, just because he and his wife were happy didn't mean she and 'her' Zelos had to make this work. And as much as she had come to realize she wanted everything her alternate had, Sheena had to acknowledge he had a point. Here, she had married another man, and Zelos had reacted extremely poorly to it; that hadn't happened in that alternate world. That meant they had other major obstacles to get past, and they had no guarantee they could. And it had also been six years since all of that had happened. Maybe the time for reaching that coveted point where their alternates were had long since past and the same couldn't happen here; based on the way he was currently acting, Sheena couldn't dismiss the possibility that Zelos didn't feel the same way about her that he once had. Maybe he didn't love her anymore, and maybe he never could again. But while Sheena acknowledged that and took his alternate's warning for what it was, it still hadn't changed her mind about giving this 'do-over date' a try.

And even after pondering everything that day while working in Mizuho, wondering if she really wanted to do this again, she still hadn't changed her mind, no matter how nervous she currently felt, how much she wondered what she was getting herself into, or how quiet Zelos currently was. But despite his aloof attitude, he hadn't turned her away when she'd knocked on his door, and he hadn't suggested they call it off, and she chose to take that as a good sign. In fact, part of her thought it looked more like he was afraid. Of what, she had no idea—of saying or doing something wrong? Of being hurt or rejected? Of hurting her again? Of her?—but the more she noticed how tense his body was, the more she knew she was right about that. Well, that and he most likely still felt guilty, maybe even sad.

His solemn behavior was so un-Zelos like that it was unnerving, and it made Sheena wonder how long he'd had been like this, so...unhappy. It was like he'd lost all his life and fire and drive and boisterousness and playfulness. Had he been like this ever since she'd married Orochi? Or had it only been the past few days since they'd run into each other again? She didn't know, but it amazed her to realize how much she didn't like seeing him like this, how much she wanted to see him happy, maybe because she'd seen, through his alternate, how beautiful he was when he was truly happy. She also didn't know how she could help him relax, especially if he still felt as awful about everything he'd done to her as his alternate implied he did, but one thing she did know was that if she couldn't manage to change his mood, then this date was over before it could even start. She just had to keep reminding herself that she'd chosen to be here with him, to take this chance and see if anything might come of it, and that she was determined to see this through and try to learn more about who the man really was.

Rather than taking her back to the restaurant, Zelos had suggested they try a picnic away from Meltokio, and Sheena, relieved to not have to deal with any more of his hunnies, eagerly agreed. Sebastian had made them an impressive array of food, and so once the alternate Zelos had seen them off, surprisingly not trying to give them any last-minute advice, with Sheena carrying the blanket and Zelos carrying the basket, they'd made their way out of Meltokio into this nearby forest. The length of time they'd been walking so far was confusing her, but every time she asked where they were going and how much longer before they reached it, Zelos didn't have much to say except, "We'll be there soon."

And eventually, as promised, they did reach what appeared to be the perfect spot for a picnic: a small clearing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean. It was a beautiful sight that took her breath away. Sheena tried to express her awe and appreciation that he'd chosen this spot to bring her, but Zelos only replied that he was glad she liked it...a surprisingly curt response that curtailed her excitement.

They set up their picnic site—with Zelos still barely talking except to make an occasional suggestion about how to arrange things—and began eating. Again, Sheena went out of her way—and out of her comfort zone—to make small talk about how good the food was and try to perk him up, but he just kept brushing her attempts aside with one- or two-word answers. And suddenly Sheena found herself wondering if this really had been a good idea. It was painfully obvious he didn't want to be there, and while she'd thought—hoped—that his attitude might change once they'd reached their destination, clearly she'd been wrong. Maybe he wanted her to have a bad time tonight so she would declare this 'thing' between them, whatever it was, to be over for good? He had said he thought this was a 'bad idea' and that he 'didn't want to hurt her' again; maybe this was his way of making sure 'they' didn't go anywhere so he couldn't hurt her again? Maybe this was his latest way of pushing her away so she went looking for someone 'better' than him? Sheena wasn't sure yet, but she refused to admit defeat. She'd seen too much of what Zelos Wilder was truly capable of thanks to the other 'him,' and she would not give up until she was sure it wasn't possible for this man to achieve the same.

Now, if only she knew how to begin addressing the many issues they had to work out—issues that might, if they were resolved, get him to begin feeling more comfortable with her.

Sheena was still struggling to figure out how to broach those many issues when they both finished eating. It was only then that Zelos cleared his throat, folded his arms to his chest, and leaned back against a tree trunk, his voice a flat whisper as he spoke. "What are we doing here, Sheena?"

While she was grateful he'd made the first move, even though after how he'd been acting she'd figured it was up to her to do so, she wasn't sure how to answer. Finishing the last bite of her cookie, she tentatively peered up at him. Heaven knew she had a hundred reasons for being here right now, most of which were very serious, but the expression on his face—of someone resigned to a fate he was dreading—made her want to lighten the mood a bit before she delved into that. Seeing him like this was so wrong that she was afraid she'd never get anywhere unless she could get him to relax. While she knew how unlike her this was, she couldn't help herself; despite his reclusive mood, she refused to give up all sense of courage and hope. This was their last chance to fix anything, and so if she really wanted this to work, she had to make it work. And that meant making him more receptive to what she had to say. Hopefully this would do the trick.

She chuckled softly, shyly. "I was actually going to ask you that, what possessed you to bring us all the way out here into the wilderness. But then I figured you picked this spot because you knew I wouldn't be able to run off on you again. It worked, too, since I have no idea how to get back to Meltokio."

To her relief, her tactic worked, at least a little, since he cracked half a smile. "Yeah, well, that goes both ways since it guarantees I can't run away this time, either."

She arched an eyebrow. "Were you thinking of doing that?"

"I have to admit, it is tempting."

"Yeah, tell me about it," she mumbled, looking down at her hands and picking at a jagged edge on her thumbnail.

He eyed her a moment but then shrugged. "Of course, if I ran away, I'd just have to face that half a spider figurine in my mansion again, reprimanding me for being a coward and doing what I swore I wouldn't do."

...Oh, right, that creepy spider they'd received during the journey with Lloyd. She still had the other half of it sitting on a shelf in her living room. She hadn't thought about it in ages, but it was always there, reminding her of that moment she'd decided to stop running and scolding her every time she failed. She hadn't realized he'd kept his half; she'd figured he would've thrown it away years ago. It was telling that he hadn't. "Yeah, I know that feeling, too," she whispered.

Zelos fell silent again, his gaze falling to his knees, any trace of his earlier smile gone. After a moment, he cleared his throat and looked up at her again, his blue eyes still guarded. "Seriously, Sheena. Why are we here? I still think we have way too much baggage to ever be able to make something work between us. They might have made it past all of their issues, but we stopped being them years ago. That other 'me' didn't do half of the crap to his wife that I did to you. You said it yourself: you can't forgive me. And honestly, I can't forgive myself. All things considered, I just...I'm having trouble seeing any hope for us."

Sheena quickly shook her head and gave him a pointed look. While part of her shared in his doubts, especially after his alternate had issued that warning earlier, she couldn't entertain it, not yet, not until she'd exhausted all of her options. And this was something he needed to know; she couldn't let him keep thinking that. "Yet, Zelos. I said I couldn't forgive you yet. That doesn't mean I won't ever be able to. And as for there not being any hope for us...well, I refuse to believe that. I refuse. Not without seeing for myself if there really is or not."

He arched an eyebrow, but no smile or amusement lit his face to match his words. "Well, well, aren't you unexpectedly confident about this?"

Was she? Sheena felt herself blush, and she let out a soft laugh, her eyes falling downward again. "No, not really. Honestly, I'm just as uncertain about this as you are. I mean, even now, whenever I look at you, I can't decide if I want to hug you or hit you." But he needed to know this, too, so she forced herself to meet his eyes again. "But I refuse to give up without putting up a fight."

He watched her a moment thoughtfully. "You've changed. There was a day and age when you would've eagerly latched onto any reason you could find to have nothing to do with me. And you certainly never would've just admitted that to me." Her face grew even warmer, but before she could counter that, either by dismissing it, as her pride wanted her to, or explaining her reasoning, he went on, "And yet...you're exactly the same as I remember, too. You're still a stubborn fighter, aren't you?"

She smiled faintly. "To the end."

"Good," he replied. "Don't ever change that. That's one of the things I've always loved most about you."

Her blush deepened further at his use of the word 'love,' and suddenly she found herself tempted to tell him that he had certainly changed. He was more mature now, less shallow and flighty than she remembered, and yet he was clearly more insecure and unhappy than he had been back then. Unless...unless that had always been true about him and she just hadn't seen it. That thought made her heart sink. After everything he'd said last night, calling himself 'pathetic' and 'worthless' and 'hopeless' and saying his life was a 'waste of time and space,' it wouldn't surprise her; those sounded like things he'd always thought about himself and had hidden behind 'the mask of the Chosen One,' not just an impulsive response to her telling him how he'd always made her feel. And if that was true, that he'd always viewed himself like that, and she'd missed it all these years...well, then she owed it to him to find out if it was true, see if he still felt that way, and, if so, help him get past that.

But she had a hunch he wouldn't be happy to hear such things right now, and before she could decide what to say, he went on, more insistently than before, "No, seriously, Sheena, why? Why did you insist on this 'do-over date'?"

Okay, so he clearly wouldn't give up until she'd answered that, would he? Saying things like this to anyone was weird, let alone to Zelos Wilder, a man around whom she had always had to watch every word she said for fear he would twist it to make fun of her. But here again she had to take a chance, step outside her comfort zone, and be honest with him, and fortunately, thanks to his alternate and the truths he'd lured out of her simply by being there and prodding her when she'd needed it most, she thought she might be getting the hang of it. Besides, she reminded herself, she couldn't see him using her words against her when he was in such a serious, somber mood. And really, this was why she'd brought him here in the first place, wasn't it? To be brave, take a chance, and tell him these things in hopes it might help them understand each other better and move them toward a future where they might be able to work together to fix their issues? She doubted she would get another opportunity as perfect as this to lay it all out there for him, and so she had to quit thinking and take it.

"Honestly?" she began, meeting his eyes. "I did it because you told me a whole lot of secrets about yourself last night, things I'm sure were extremely difficult for you to admit. Now I owe you the same."

Instantly, he stiffened, his blue eyes growing duller and more distant. "If that's the only reason we're here, then we can pack up and go back to Meltokio right now. You owe me nothing, Sheena. I'm serious about that. In fact, I owe you so much that I could spend the rest of my life trying to make it all up to you and still never make a dent."

One look at his face told her she wouldn't be able to change his mind no matter what she said, and so, since she really didn't feel like fighting with him right now—and really, she noted, how weird was it that he had yet to do anything that made her want to smack him? No, no, Sheena, focus—she wasn't going to fight him. After all, if she really wanted to, she could argue again now, as she had last night, that she was as much to blame for this fiasco as he was. But she wouldn't. She had other things to address first far more than that.

"Okay, fine," she said. "Then I'm not here because I owe you anything; I'm here because there are things I need to tell you about myself...things you deserve to know. You told me your story last night, or at least part of it, and now I want to tell you mine." She arched an eyebrow. "Is that okay?"

He considered that a moment before leaning back again, nodding faintly. "Just so long as you're not just telling me because you think you have to."

Sheena shook her head. "I'm not. I really do want you to know these things about me."

"Okay."

Taking a deep breath, her heart pounding faster knowing it was finally time to do this, she mentally ticked off all the things she'd realized she needed—no, wanted—him to know, and then began. "You were right about everything you said about me and Orochi all those years ago. I never loved him, and I never should've married him, and the fact that I did is a choice I'll regret for the rest of my life."

Zelos's face twisted in pain and guilt, the same expression she'd seen last night after she'd vocalized her devastating realization that this man really was the same as the Zelos from the alternate world and that that alternate life they had together could've been theirs had a single event played out differently. "Sheena, I am so, so—"

"No, don't apologize again," Sheena cut him off. As much as she appreciated his apology, her heart couldn't stand to hear his voice break again right now. And besides... "You've already done that, multiple times. If you keep it up, I'll think you've been hanging around Colette too much." She realized too late, as he cringed and looked away from her, that she shouldn't have said that; she knew very well that he hadn't seen Colette in years and that he likely felt horrible about that. Needing to change the subject, she cleared her throat. "What did your alternate tell you about Orochi and why I married him?"

He eyed her a moment sadly before looking down at his knees. "He said you needed something called a...chief consort?...before you could become chief, and that's why you married him."

Sheena nodded. Good, at least he knew that much. "It's a requirement in Mizuho that a new chief be married before they accept the role so they have someone they trust with them to help lead the village. Basically, the chief's spouse takes on half of his or her duties. The role is called the chief consort. My grandfather wanted me to become chief, and that meant I had to find a suitable spouse to be my chief consort. Orochi...Orochi was the only option I thought I had at the time, and so I took it. I was never happy about it, because like you constantly pointed out—and rightly so—I didn't love him, but I liked him well enough, and I knew he loved me and would be a good husband and co-leader, and...well, I hoped, in time, that I would grow to love him." Her gaze lowered to her hands and her voice fell to a whisper. "And maybe in time I would have. I'll never know now."

"What happened to him?" Zelos asked, watching her carefully again.

Words couldn't express how much she hated talking about this, but she'd already determined that this, too, was something he needed to know, and so she wouldn't run from it. "He...he gave his life to save me. When Mizuho was poisoned, Orochi and I had to go to Latheon Gorge to get one of the ingredients for the antidote. While we were there, we were attacked by some plantixes. One came after me, and he pushed me out of the way, saving my life, but in the process he was killed." Sheena swallowed, quickly losing the battle against her tears. But she refused to let that stop her from admitting this. "I never loved him, but he loved me so much that he died for me. And I've never forgiven myself for it, for costing him his life when I can't be sure I would've done the same for him."

She blinked deliberately, trying again to push back her tears, then, once she had, she looked up at Zelos, finding his lips parted and his eyes wide with horror. She needed to get this across to him. "Like I said, Zelos, you're not the only one here who's broken. Since he died, I've been terrified of letting something like that happen again, of being loved by someone so much only to feel nothing for them in return. I've been terrified of using and then hurting anyone else the way I used and hurt him. I've been...I've been terrified that I wasn't capable of truly loving someone. And I was too scared to even try for fear I'd just confirm that fear. I swore I'd never lead anyone on again unless I thought there was real hope for something more...that there was hope I could love them the way they deserved to be loved. And ever since that day, that fear has paralyzed me, preventing me from keeping my eyes open and seeing what was in front of me for what it really was." She met his eyes, needing him to know—and, more importantly, to believe—this. "That's not because of you, Zelos, because of anything you said or did. That was because of me, because of all the bad choices I made."

"That you were forced to make," he pointed out.

She shook her head. "That's not entirely true. I could've prevented it. I could've turned down Orochi and asked my grandfather for more time to find a spouse. I could've talked to our friends, explained the situation, asked if they thought I was making a mistake, and tried to find a better option. I could've told Orochi the truth, that I felt nothing for him and likely never would, and given him the chance to decline. I could've...I could've seen everything you said and did for what it really was." The words and actions of a man who loved me more than I ever would've guessed trying to prevent me from making a terrible mistake that I would—and will—regret the rest of my life. "But I didn't do any of that, and now I have to live with the choices I made and with all the guilt and regret that came with them. You may have been a jerk about it, Zelos, but that doesn't mean you weren't right. And for trying to stop me and spare me from that pain, even if it didn't work...thank you."

Zelos didn't respond; he just looked down at his knees again, his expression once again twisted with anguish and guilt, most likely thinking she had no right to be saying that to him. Sheena felt her tears building again, that time over all the unnecessary pain they had both inflicted on themselves, but again she took a deep breath, fighting them back. There was more she had to say before she could let herself cry.

"In any case, for years I've believed that, that I was incapable of truly loving someone the way they deserved, and I was too afraid to try to change it, to see if I was right. And then...the other 'you' showed up here."

He blinked once, then twice, then his eyes snapped up to hers, widening with recognition. "You fell for him," he whispered.

Sheena shook her head. "No, I didn't. Don't get me wrong, I could have, but he was smart enough not to let me. I think he could tell it was happening, and so he stopped me before I could...in retrospect, that's probably why he got you involved in this. But he was so sweet, and thoughtful, and helpful, and handsome—" Her eyes widened as she realized she'd just said that aloud, admitting that she found him to be attractive, and she pointed at him sharply, her face suddenly blazing. "Don't you dare tease me about that."

Zelos gave her a faint smile. "I wouldn't dream of it."

...He didn't really expect her to believe that, did he? She arched an unamused eyebrow at him. "Yes, you would."

"Well, yeah, okay, I would," he conceded with a chuckle, but then his face grew serious as he met her eyes again. "But I won't. I've learned my lesson."

And the thing was, he truly seemed to mean that. She smiled, relieved, suddenly unable to resist teasing him. "Good. Maybe there's hope for you after all." His smile returned, a little broader than before, and, to her surprise, his eyes fell downward almost shyly. It was an uncharacteristic look for him, but it still made her heart leap a little in excitement. That was another subtle clue that she was on the right track with this if she could elicit real reactions from him, not reactions filtered through a mask of fakeness. She cleared her throat. "Anyway, even after I realized that I was falling for him, I still maintained that was as far as it went, that it was only directed at him; I refused to entertain the other implications that came with it. But then last night..." She swallowed. "Last night I saw it. He was right about you. You two are the same man."

Zelos shook his head, his face somber, his smile gone. "No, we're not. I'm not him."

"No, you're not, not exactly," she admitted, recognizing his point. They were two different men, because that was what two different lives had done to them. But she refused to stop there and let him go on believing that. "And yet you are, Zelos. You might not see it in yourself yet, but I can. You could become that man one day. You have it in you; it's who you are, that kindness, that concern for others, buried beneath that mask you wear...that concern for me, even if you haven't always been the most obvious about showing it. Last night was the first time I could see that possibility in you, that similarity between you two, and I can still see it now...now that I know what I'm looking at."

His eyes as they met hers were still uncertain and guarded, but there was something else there, too, that told her he was also hopeful—hopeful he was understanding her correctly, even if he was still afraid of embracing it. And the thing was, the way he was reacting right now—letting her speak her mind, not twisting her words against her, in no way acting arrogant or stupid or making her feel uncomfortable—was just encouraging her to keep going, to tell him the rest. He really had 'learned his lesson'; he was proving that right now by not embarrassing her for telling him this, something that would be easy for him to do given how much vulnerability she was exposing to him.

Sheena took another deep breath. It was time to find out something else. "Did the other 'you' tell you why he was here?"

"He said Verius brought him here," he replied softly.

Her eyes narrowed at what he wasn't saying, though. "Right, but did he tell you why Verius brought him here?"

He shook his head. "All he said was that Verius was playing some kind of joke on you two."

...He said what? Oh, right. She should've known. "Of course he did," she murmured to herself, letting out a soft laugh. "He wouldn't have told you something like that without asking me if I was okay with it first." As if she'd needed any more proof that Zelos really was a kind, trustworthy, caring man at heart. She cleared her throat. "That's...not entirely accurate. Verius actually brought him here in answer to a wish tag I had made. I finished making it the night before he showed up."

"A...wish tag?" he repeated, his eyes widening slightly, to which she nodded. "I'd ask what you wished for, but I'm guessing it's something personal that you'd rather not share."

"You're right, it is."

"You don't have to tell me, Sheena," Zelos said, his face once again serious. "I mean, I think it's safe to assume you didn't ask for me, not even an alternate version of me."

...And there was even more proof that he really did care about her, enough to step back and not pressure her for something she knew he had to be curious about, the same way he had once stepped back and denied himself something else he had obviously wanted—a relationship with her—because he'd thought it would be better for her to not be associated with the Chosen. That realization reassured her that it was okay to tell him this. He wouldn't intentionally hurt her again. "No, I didn't. And I know I don't have to tell you, but...it's okay. I don't mind if you know." He lifted his eyes to hers, clearly surprised by that, and waited for her to begin. And so she did. "I wished for companionship. I wished for help rebuilding Mizuho. I wished...I wished for love. I didn't want to be alone anymore; I didn't want to feel unloved anymore. I wanted to be able to feel something other than emptiness, guilt, and regret; I wanted to know what it felt like to be madly in love with someone, someone who loved me in return. I wanted to be able to trust myself again."

Zelos didn't say anything as she paused, just watching her carefully, and after a moment, encouraged by his patient attentiveness, she went on. "For days, I couldn't understand Verius's reasoning in bringing another 'you' here in answer to that wish, what he'd hoped to accomplish when I'd been sure I never wanted anything to do with you again. I kept wracking my brain, trying to figure out why he thought that would help me, not just torture me with painful might-have-beens. But then last night...last night I got it. He didn't bring the other 'you' here to hook us up; it was simply to open my eyes, not only to the possibilities right in front of me that I was too blinded by anger and incorrect assumptions to see, but to the reality of everything I was seeing, to look at everything I thought I knew with new eyes. He wanted me to see what's been there in front of me this entire time. And what I saw when I opened my eyes was you, Zelos. I saw the sweet, kindhearted man who had once been my best friend still existed in you, and that he'd never truly left."

Zelos sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Sheena, but I still don't see him. All I see is someone who's hurt you more than can ever be forgiven, someone who would be a fool to trust himself to never do it again."

Sheena smiled as his eyes lifted sadly back to hers. Oh, how well she knew that feeling. And suddenly she knew her answer, one that had become so obvious the past few days that she'd have to be blind not to see it now. It was an answer she would no longer deny, and she would make sure he one day saw and accepted it for himself, too. She wanted him to. "That's okay, you don't have to yet. I do, and that's what matters right now. And no, like we said, you two aren't identical, because life took you in two very different directions. I'm sure I'm just as different from his wife as you are from him. But you're identical in all the ways that really matter, just like your alternate said I was identical to his wife in all the ways that really matter. You may have always acted like a perverted idiot and jerk, Zelos, hiding behind a mask and keeping everyone at arm's length, but beneath that you have a good, kind, loving heart. I've seen it now quite clearly in both you and in him. And despite what your mother might have said to you, you deserve to live and I'm glad you were born." She took a deep breath and met his wide-eyed gaze. "If you let me, I'll make sure one day you're able to see that goodness in yourself, too."

For a moment, all he did was continue staring at her, his lips parted, stunned amazement on his face, as if he was waiting for the other shoe to fall even while desperately hoping it never would. While it felt strange to do so, she made a point to smile and hold his gaze, refusing to give him any reason to think she was lying—because she truly wasn't. And finally, she saw his body relax a little, the tension that had been plaguing him the past few hours beginning to dissipate, and he rewarded her with the faintest of smiles, one so different from every other smile she'd seen from him before that she was mesmerized by it, her heart skipping a beat. Was that a real smile? And...did that mean every other smile she'd seen from him before hadn't been real? She really did have a lot to learn about him yet, didn't she?

"That other 'me' was right about something else, you know," he finally said, his voice soft, that incredible smile still lingering on his lips.

Sheena eyed him uncertainly. "What's that?"

"You really are an amazing woman, Sheena. Amazing and beautiful." Unable to catch herself in time, she let out a soft laugh and looked down, her stomach fluttering and her face suddenly very, very warm. He arched an eyebrow, but his smile never faltered. "You aren't going to run away again, are you?"

She chuckled again shyly...and suddenly the strangest, most unexpected and irresistible impulse overwhelmed her—an impulse she had only experienced once before, just a few days ago. And as much as it took her aback and embarrassed her, she reminded herself of something else the other Zelos had told her earlier—"Listen to your heart, Sheena, not your head, or you'll likely be second guessing yourself and your choices for the rest of your life, wondering what might have been"—and, soundly ignoring the voice of resistance in her head, she surrendered to the impulse. Never had she imagined she would be the one instigating this, a week ago she would've rather killed herself than even consider doing this, but she couldn't help it; her heart was telling her she had to do this. And hopefully this time, unlike when she'd tried it with his alternate, he wouldn't stop her.

Leaning toward him, slowly so as to make her intent clear and give him a chance to turn her away if he really didn't want this, his eyes widening slightly the closer she came to him, Sheena kissed him, brushing her lips lightly, tentatively, against his before pulling back to gauge his reaction, his now-half-lidded eyes watching her carefully. When he didn't back away, his eyes instead falling to her lips, she kissed him again, that time letting herself sink into it, relieved to feel him quickly reciprocate. His hand lifted to her cheek to draw her closer, her hands lightly grasped his shoulders to steady herself, and her eyes slid shut as she reveled in the sensations and emotions that swept through her. The kiss was electric...it was explosive. It was a kiss that sent tingles throughout her body, from her lips down to her feet, making her toes curl and her head spin and her heart race and her body ache for more, for the kiss to go on forever.

And just like that, she got it, what it meant to have chemistry with someone. He'd been right when he'd declared that they had it, and now she understood why he'd made such a big deal out of it. Kissing Orochi had never felt like this, not even once. Those few times they'd kissed, it had felt like she was kissing a rock—cold, empty, lifeless, forgettable, boring. This kiss, though, made her feel more alive than she had in years, made her feel like she was soaring, made her feel eager for more and excited for the future. Where she and Orochi had had no chemistry, passion, or spark, she and Zelos most certainly did. All things considered, she should've known that all along, looking back at how violent and easily roused her emotions were whenever she was with him...that must be how he'd known that himself. The feeling was addictive, and suddenly she wanted more of it, more, more, more, so she pressed her body even closer to his, moaning softly at the enticing heat that enveloped her and thrilling at his responding groan, one originating from deep in his throat.

Oh, Jizou. This is incredible.

Does this answer your question, Zelos?

The kiss continued another moment, her lips moving slowly, softly, against his, until, to her disappointment, Zelos suddenly broke it, pulling back just a little, his eyes opening languidly yet betraying a guardedness as he looked at her that concerned her. "Sheena, if you're just getting my hopes up to make it worse for me when you change your mind—"

She quickly shook her head, albeit not pulling back any farther yet because, well, she really hadn't been in any hurry to stop kissing him. "I'm not," she replied, surprised by the huskiness in her voice but ignoring it to focus on easing his concern. Because the truth was that it was okay for him to get his hopes up. "I wouldn't do that to you, Zelos. Like I said, after Orochi died, I swore I'd never lead another man on again unless I thought there was hope. I wouldn't have just done that unless I thought there was hope for us."

She could see him swallow, his gaze darting down at her lips again before lifting back to hers. "Are you sure about this? Is this really what you want?"

Sheena laughed softly, shyly, and reluctantly pulled away, sitting back down on the blanket and lowering her hands to her knees. As much as she might want to kiss him again, this, too, they needed to discuss. "I guess that's the question, isn't it?"

"You know, we really don't have to do this," he said, his face still guarded. "We could both go our separate ways and never look back. It's possible you've learned everything you needed to from this whole bizarre experience and can now find the happiness you deserve. It doesn't have to include me, a hopeless idiot who's constantly finding new ways to hurt you. I still think you'd be better off without me in your life at all."

Yeah, she was starting to expect as much from him, now that she knew he was willing to push her away because of how much he did care about her, thinking she'd be happier without him. But this past week had proven it wasn't that simple and that his best intentions didn't necessarily mean she'd be happy with the outcome. "Believe me, Zelos, ever since I made that wish tag, I've been giving a lot of thought to what it is I want. And while it's taken me awhile, especially since I'd been so caught up in what I thought I wanted that I had trouble seeing what I really wanted, I do think I'm starting to get a picture of it."

"And what's that?" Zelos asked cautiously.

Sheena swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly dry and the butterflies fluttering nervously within her, and met his eyes. This was the major realization she'd had last night that had led her to push for this date, and while she'd initially been reluctant to accept it, the longer she'd mulled it over, the more she'd come to accept it...and realize it was what was truly in her heart. And now she needed him to know this. "I want what they have. The happiness, the companionship, the family, the love they've found with each other...I want it all."

Zelos blinked at her, the intensity—and, perhaps, fear—in his eyes obvious. "With...me?" he whispered, so softly that she barely heard him.

"I think it's too early to say for certain one way or the other, because we still have a lot of issues to work out and things we need to know about each other, but...I think it's a good possibility." She didn't want to know how red her face was, and while the thought of telling him this was embarrassing, her gut insisted she had to; if she truly wanted him to be open and honest with her, then she had to be open and honest with him. "I've never felt anything quite as amazing as I did when I just kissed you."

His lips quirked upward in a smile that held no trace of arrogance, just a beautiful sincerity that warmed her heart knowing she had put it there. And just like that, Sheena could see the transformation wash over him, one that amazed, excited, and encouraged her: his guard had just dropped. "Heh. I've never kissed anyone and had it feel anything like that before."

Her heart skipped a beat. So she hadn't been the only one wowed by that kiss, huh? Although maybe she should check before jumping to too many conclusions, because it could just be wishful thinking on her part. "What about you?" she asked, suddenly afraid to hear his answer. "What do you want? Do you want to go back to your normal, carefree life and all the hunnies you could ever want? Because if you do, you can. I won't stop you. Nothing has to change just because he showed up here with all this talk of a different life for us in an alternate universe. Ultimately, this was my wish, not yours, and if that's what you want, you can have it. I'd just rather know now, before..." Her face grew even warmer, and her gaze fell to her knees. Was she really going to say this? Aw, hell. She was. "Before I'm too far gone."

"Oh, Sheena," he whispered, lifting his hand to her cheek again, drawing her eyes back to his, and giving her another faint yet sincere smile. "If you knew how long, and how much, I've wanted to get rid of that life, you wouldn't even be asking me that. No, I don't want my current life and my hunnies. Not even a little. Not if there's the possibility for something better to replace it."

Sheena swallowed again, still reluctant to get her hopes up that he was implying what she thought he was: that the possibility for 'something better' meant a life with her. As awkward and embarrassing as this was to ask, she had to know. She bowed her head shyly. "Do you...do you still love me? Even after all these years?"

Her eyes darted up at him as his hand fell from her cheek to her arm, and he sighed, watching her carefully, but his face was still soft and tender. "Honestly? I'm not sure. And one thing I do know is that I'm not willing to call it that unless I am sure. I mean, we went years without seeing or talking to each other, and I spent most of that time trying not to think about you. I thought I'd done a decent job of it, too, but then I saw you a few days ago, and it..." He paused, his fingers grazing her skin. "It was like, in that instant, a dam I hadn't realized I had inside me crashed. All I know is that, despite my best efforts to forget you, those feelings are still there. They always are, it seems; in all the years I've known you, that's one thing that's never changed, no matter how long I've gone without seeing you...no matter how hard I've tried to deny it. I guess I just can't get over you. That doesn't make it love, but...I think it could be again." He smiled faintly. "I don't think it would take much; as it is, I'm probably already halfway there. I suspect one or two more kisses like that last one will do the trick, even if nothing else did."

Oh, thank Jizou. His honesty was a relief, and she let out another shy laugh. And honestly, she wouldn't call what she felt for him love yet, either; it was way too early, and too complicated, to know that for certain. She didn't want to call it something based on a hunch or what this feeling had turned out to be in another life where she had married him. But she couldn't deny that she could feel it happening, far more quickly than she'd expected—maybe even more quickly than she felt comfortable with—and she wanted to see where it went and how these feelings might evolve. Because that was one thing she was now determined to do: not over-think this. She wanted to just let herself fall, as hard as she could, no matter how scary it might be. She wanted to experience that exhilaration, that excitement, that adventure into an unknown realm. If that was what it took to be free of her debilitating fear and guilt and emptiness, and if it meant bringing happiness and love into both of their lives, then she would embrace it. And judging from how fast her heart was fluttering and the wave of emotions currently coursing through her, it shouldn't take long.

"So...you want this?" she ventured.

His smile broadened. "Sheena, I would trade my old life in a heartbeat for a real chance with you, even if it ultimately goes nowhere." He shrugged. "Granted, this whole thing has been a little sudden, seeing as I'd never expected to talk to you again, let alone be sitting here with you right now, discussing this, but it's not like it's the first time life has thrown something crazy at me out of the blue. I mean, you have no idea how jealous I am of that other 'me' and of everything he built for himself. In fact, I don't think I've ever felt so jealous of anyone in my life. And then for that person I'm jealous of to be another version of me, meaning I could've had it all along if only I'd done a few things differently? No, believe me, I want it as much as you say you do. I always have. He has a wife, a daughter, a family, a home. He has love, respect, faith in himself, a meaningful life. He's free of the fakeness of Meltokio. He has real friends who don't give a damn about his rank in society." His voice lowered and his smile faltered, but the softness and light never left his eyes. "I would give anything, everything, to have that for myself."

Sheena could feel her heart racing again. If this really was what it sounded like, and it sure seemed like she was interpreting it correctly, then for the first time in years, she had hope again—real hope for a brighter future. She never, ever would've thought that future would include him, but they were where they were, and she couldn't—wouldn't—deny it any longer, what she was feeling at that moment, what they had discussed, what they had discovered about each other, and what they had both declared. She might never have experienced love before this to know what it felt like, but she had a strong hunch this was it—or if not this, then this was the first stirrings of it.

"Then...are we really going to do this?" she asked. "Give 'us' a shot?"

He considered that a moment, watching her closely, his lips quirking upward again. "Y'know, I think we're really going to do this." His voice was low, but even Sheena could hear the amazement, awe, and excitement in it, the same as she was currently feeling. Without warning, though, his face grew pointed. "You know this won't be easy, though, right? This may be a start for us, but we still have a lot of hard issues to work out before we'll be in any position to consider ourselves capable of achieving what they have. There are a lot of important conversations we'll have to have. There are a lot of things you need to know about me, and I'm guessing it's the same for you."

She nodded. "I know." And she truly did know that. She wouldn't pretend everything would go smoothly after this just because they both wanted what their alternates had. As the other Zelos had warned her, even if they tried this, there was no guarantee they could get past those issues, and no matter how hard they tried, they might never find the same happiness he and his wife had. It was entirely possible that their fledgling relationship was already doomed simply because of who they were and everything they'd done to each other. "But I'm willing to put in the work to at least find out. If you are, that is."

"Yeah, I am," he said, his smile reappearing. "Granted, it's a pretty dark, dreary place in my head—in my life, for that matter—but...maybe you can help me find some light in it."

Was that an actual plea for her help? Oh, Zelos. She gave him a wistful smile. "Well, I can't make any guarantees, but I'll try. But you have to do the same for me, because I have an awful lot of darkness and dreariness in my life, too."

"Deal. Maybe we'll have more luck with each other than we do with ourselves."

"I hope so," she murmured. But this, too, was something he not only needed to hear, but agree to. She pointed at him. "If we really do decide to do this, though, you have to be honest with me. You have to let me see you again—the real you, the one you've been showing me the past few days. You have to promise there won't be any more hunnies, any more lies, or any more teasing. And you can't push me away again without explaining your concerns and discussing it with me first. Got it?"

He nodded curtly. "Got it. I promise I'll do the best I can to be a better man for you, the kind of man you deserve. I can't guarantee I'll be able to, because I really am a mess, but I'll try."

"That's all I ask: that you try." She took a deep breath and met his eyes. "Then I say we give it a shot and see what happens. I mean, what do we have to lose?"

Without warning, his face grew somber again. "A lot, actually. We both could end up hurt again...or, worse, hurting each other again."

...Oh. Right. Yeah, he had a point, didn't he? They'd both proven plenty of times how easy it was to hurt each other. But still, right now she didn't care. It was hard to care when there was finally hope again. "Maybe, but I have trouble believing that anything that happens after this could be worse than what we've already put each other through."

"Oh, believe me, it could. If we let ourselves fall in love and then it all falls apart and nothing we try fixes it, it'll be far worse for us both." Zelos paused, giving her another pointed look. "I could break your heart, Sheena. We both know how good I am at hurting those people I care about."

"Don't forget I'm just as good at hurting those people who love me as you are, so I could very well break your heart, too," she quickly replied. There was no way she trusted herself yet not to use any man like she had Orochi again, only for him to pay the ultimate price for it, and the truth was, she couldn't deny that she was terrified that would happen again with Zelos. He didn't deserve that, and it wasn't like she wanted to do that to him, but it was still a possibility. Until she had proven otherwise, that was just how it would be. "Then I guess we'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen, won't we?"

He eyed her again but then sighed, his voice falling to a murmur. "I wish it were that easy. But I know me, Sheena. Wrecking things is a talent of mine."

"I'm not under any illusions this will be easy," she countered, because her gut was telling her this would be damn hard no matter how much they wanted it and no matter how hard they tried to make it work. "And don't forget I'm the same when it comes to wrecking things. But I still think if that other version of us managed to make it work, despite all the difficulties they've faced—and I don't know how much the other 'you' told you, but he made it pretty clear to me that they've faced more than their share of problems, before and after they got married—then I think it's safe to say we truly do have a shot."

"Heh. I hope so." He shrugged. "I guess we won't know for sure unless we try, will we?"

Sheena shook her head. "No, we won't. Like you always used to say, 'Whatever will be, will be'...right?"

And just like that, his face lit up. "...Right."

Oh, Jizou, this was really happening, wasn't it? They were actually going to embrace these budding feelings, take this chance, and see what came of it. It might turn out to be nothing...but then, it might turn out to be everything, including the answer to her wish, one she'd never expected but that might just prove to be exactly what she'd always wanted. Maybe the broken mirror could be fixed, and the bad luck that had accompanied it and plagued them both ever since might finally be over. That mirror would never look the same as it once had, nor would it ever look the same as the beautiful mirror that existed in that alternate universe, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that it had existed once, they were going to piece it back together now, and whatever they ended up creating, it would be theirs.

For a long moment, they just observed each other, smiling nervously yet excitedly...but then, without warning, Zelos's smile turned into a smirk tinged with playful wickedness. "So now that we've figured all of that out...if I were to, oh, say, ask for another kiss, would I actually get a kiss or would you smack me?"

Instantly, Sheena felt her blush return, and she gave him the best mock-glare she could, a habitual response whenever he made her feel uncomfortable. Being asked by him for a kiss was no exception. Of course, now that she thought about it, she couldn't help wondering how many of those times he'd 'asked' for one before had been for real and how many had been just to 'push her away'...but right now that wasn't important. No, right now she couldn't help the little leap her heart made at the thought of kissing him again, nor could she help the desire that overwhelmed her for that very thing. Soon enough, her glare had vanished and she was smiling at him softly and laughing shyly, and then she was leaning toward him again, eager to comply, relieved to see he was finally starting to act a little more like his usual self again. And then their lips were lightly brushing each other's, sending another thrill racing down her spine, and Sheena closed her eyes, pressing her lips more fully against his, savoring the taste and the warmth and the way his hand cupped her cheek...

Her eyes flew open as he abruptly pulled back, his face alight with realization, and she stared at him, stunned. Now why was he interrupting this bliss? For someone who professed to love kissing women so much, he sure was quick to cut it off. "Oh! Hold that thought, sweetheart." Her blush deepened, even as her heart leapt again at hearing him call her that, a term of endearment the other version of him had occasionally called her. "There's something important I forgot to do."

She arched an eyebrow as he began rummaging around in the picnic basket, looking for something. "What could possibly be important enough to interrupt that?"

He glanced up at her, smirking. "Well, I don't know that this is more important, but I'm afraid if I don't do this now, I'll get so distracted that I really will forget. Don't worry, we'll get back to that in a minute."

Her face was burning again. "Well, I wasn't really worried..." she mumbled, flustered.

"Yes, you were," he stated. "Anyway..." With a cry of triumph, Zelos suddenly pulled something out, his smirk vanished, and, to her surprise, his face suddenly grew serious again. He held up a tiny box toward her. "Here. This is for you."

...Huh? It was a small package that had been wrapped in pretty purple and silver paper and tied with a shiny purple bow. "What's this?" she asked, her eyes snapping from the box to his face, watching him carefully. "And don't tell me a present, because I can see that much."

His gaze fell downward guiltily. "Yeah...so, you remember that New Year's all those years ago?" Her eyes widened as he met her gaze again; of course she did, because that day had been the beginning of the end for their friendship, the day he'd started acting downright cruel toward her. He must have been able to see the recognition on her face for he quickly nodded. "I know. I was a gigantic jerk toward you, and I handled the situation—and my own feelings—very poorly. That was just one of many times that I intentionally hurt you."

"So...you got me this present to make up for forgetting to get me one then?" Sheena ventured, still not sure what he was getting at.

Zelos smiled awkwardly. "Not quite. I actually had gotten you something back then." His voice lowered and his face sank. "As if I could've forgotten to get you something."

...Wait, what? "You...did?" she whispered, her heart pounding faster. And yet, of course he had; if he had truly loved her back then, then he never could've forgotten about her. She'd just had no idea. Was this yet another thing she'd had wrong about him all this time?

"Of course I did," he whispered. "After I found out about you and Orochi, though, I was a royal, jealous, frustrated idiot who apparently regressed to being a seven-year-old and decided not to give it to you." His eyes met hers, sadness once again etched in them. "I'm sorry, Sheena. I should have been a better man back then and given it to you anyway."

Sheena shook her head. She was tired of living in the past, where all she saw was loss, heartache, and misery. The future was ahead of them, looking brighter than anything she'd seen in ages, and right now she wanted to look forward to that far more than she wanted to dwell on things they couldn't change. "It's over and done with, Zelos. Don't beat yourself up over it anymore. We have a chance to move forward, but that'll never happen if we keep living in the past. Whether you deserve it or not, I'm giving you a second chance, so stay focused on that future we both want and don't make me regret giving it to you, okay?"

Thankfully, his beautiful smile returned. "Right. Thank you. Keep reminding me of that, because chances are I'll need to hear it again. Anyway, just because I didn't give this to you then doesn't mean I didn't keep it. And...well, I want you to have it." To her amazement, a light blush appeared on his face. "Heh. Actually, it's even more appropriate now than it was then considering who it was who ultimately brought us back together again. So...go on. Open it."

She eyed him another moment, still not sure why he was so determined to give her this right now, but then she took the box from him. Pulling off the card, she opened it—it was still sealed, meaning if he was telling the truth about what this was, then it hadn't been opened in years and had preserved everything he'd wanted to tell her back then—and, after eyeing him another moment while he motioned at her to go ahead and read it, she did.

*~0~*

Sheena,

Wow, what a year it's been, huh? It seems like everything we've ever known has changed thanks to Lloyd and the gang. I know you sure have—you're even more gorgeous now than before! I didn't think that was possible, and yet you are. Trust me, I know these things.

I know you won't believe me, but I've changed, too. Or at least I'd really like to believe that. I know, I know, I'm still as drop-dead sexy as ever, but...a lot of things in my life are different now. Huge things. That's why I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. I don't particularly enjoy doing such heavy thinking, but I can't help it. With all these new, different things in my life, I need to figure out how to deal with them. I need to figure out what I truly want. Right now I'm not sure yet, but I'm working it out. I'm getting closer; I have a vague image in mind. I just need to figure out how to get there, and if it's something I'm even capable of getting anymore.

One of those things I've been thinking about a lot lately has been you. Listen, I owe you an apology. I owe you many apologies, actually. I know I haven't been the greatest friend to you the past few years. I know I've said and done a lot of things that have pissed you off and made you hate me, and you're right to want to steer clear of me.

I can finally say it now, though: I'm sorry. You deserve better from me than how I've always treated you. I had my reasons back then, but they're not important anymore. Right now I just need you to know that none of my idiocy was your fault, and I hope you never thought it was. You're an amazing woman, Sheena, and you deserve a friend who'll be there for you and not make you angry all the time. Whether I can be that friend or not, I don't know yet. I'm not always the best at giving people what they need. I'm usually too selfish to do that. But things have changed so much for me this year that I really want to give it another try. I want to try to make it up to you, because that's what you deserve.

I know I don't deserve a second chance, but I promise, whether you give it to me or not, I'm going to do my best to be that friend to you. I'm going to try to change and treat you better. I'm going to work as hard as I can to earn back your trust. You called me a 'good person' once not long ago, and I want you to know how much that means to me. I've never seen myself as such, and for believing in me even when I don't and for making me want to live up to your faith in me...thank you. Truly, thank you.

There are a lot of other things I want to tell you sometime, things you should know. Would you give me a chance to do so? Just once is all I need, and just to talk. No teasing, no groping, no flirting, no lies. I promise. You can tear me limb from limb if I break that promise. I know your gut is probably telling you no way, don't do it, but think about it, okay? I have time. I'm not going anywhere.

Anyway, I thought you might like this little gift. Whenever you feel alone—and I know you often do, since I do, too, and we're a lot alike in that way—I thought you might like to have this, as a reminder that your friends are always with you and that we care about you. New Year's is for looking forward to the future, but we always have certain links to our past that strengthen and guide us whenever we have to make choices. Some of those links are meaningful and deeply treasured and not something we ever want to forget. Well, some we do want to forget, but this one I'm pretty sure you don't. So keep it close, and just remember that while I say and do a lot of dumb things, I'll always care about you the same way this little guy did.

And that's enough rambling from me, so I'll wrap this up. I hope you're willing to talk again—really talk, like we used to—one of these days. If you're ever in Meltokio, you know where I live. You're always welcome there, to stay an afternoon, a night, a day, a week, whatever, whenever. Always.

Anyway, happy New Year's, Sheena. I hope this year brings you everything you wish for. If there's any way I can help make that happen, please, let me know, and you can consider it done.

Love ya always,

That Idiot Ex-Chosen

*~0~*

"Open it."

Sheena started as his voice interrupted her concentration on the letter, and she was startled to realize she'd been sitting there with tears in her eyes the past few minutes, her heart breaking at the letter he'd clearly written years ago. In her hands she held the proof that Zelos really had loved her back then, that he'd wanted to rekindle their early friendship, apologize for how he used to treat her, and pursue something more with her. If she hadn't announced her engagement that night...where would they be today? Had they really lost all these years of potential happiness together because she'd said 'yes' to Orochi just a few days too early to see the other, better alternative waiting there within her reach, one that made her feel alive and excited for the future?

Swallowing hard and forcing herself from her thoughts, she looked up at him, her heart pounding, saddened by the wistfulness and regret she saw in his eyes. Did he even remember what he'd written to her back then? Did he remember how heartfelt and hopeful this letter was? The look in his eyes seemed to indicate he did. Still not smiling, Zelos motioned at the box, urging her to open it, and so she nodded, looked down at it, and began carefully unwrapping it, admiring the pretty, shimmering, purple and silver paper. All this time, he had kept this, even though he'd never thought she would speak to him again or that he'd get another chance to give it to her. That, too, told her far more than she'd imagined possible about the true man within the 'Idiot Ex-Chosen' before her.

Upon revealing the box beneath the paper, Sheena tentatively opened it...and her heart melted. Now she understood why he'd said it was even more appropriate to give her now: because Corrine was ultimately the one who, through Verius, had bestowed upon her this incredible gift of a second chance with Zelos. Pulling it out of the tissue paper, she held it up, admiring the precious beauty of the little figurine of her long-lost friend...the one who now existed as the creature who'd been gracious enough to answer her wish tag in the most unlikely yet effective way imaginable. Unable to restrain her tears anymore, she finally let one fall, smiling and biting her lip as it trembled. Zelos had wanted her to remember that she always had friends who cared about her enough to give her something like this, something that would remind her they were always there, with her in her heart, just as Corrine was.

And for a moment, she wondered what would have happened if Zelos had given her this back then, if it would've changed anything between them, if they would already be where their alternates were now. Part of her doubted it, because she still probably would've married Orochi, believing that to be her duty to Mizuho, but she still couldn't help wondering. If they'd remained friends...after Orochi had died, would Zelos have been there for her? Would they have begun a relationship then? Would he have been able to help Mizuho? Would they be happy now? But he had already apologized for that, for not being there for her and for pushing her away like he had, and so had she, and so there was no use dwelling on it when it wouldn't accomplish anything anyway. He'd given this to her now, better late than never, and they had this chance to start over anew, and she'd be damned if she didn't take it. This little figurine was yet another reason to believe her life was finally on the right course.

Unable to resist any longer, Sheena looked up at Zelos, threw herself at him, wrapped her arms around him, and gave him a tight hug. She could feel him stiffen, clearly surprised by her action, but he quickly recovered, wrapping his arms around her in return. "Thank you," she whispered to him. "It's perfect...I love it."

She could feel him swallow hard before murmuring in her ear, "I wish I'd given it to you years ago, Sheena."

"I wish you had, too. I wish everything back then had happened differently." Pulling back a little, she gave him a warm smile. "But we've been given another chance now. Let's do it right this time."

To her relief and encouragement, Zelos returned her smile, his eyes reflecting pure happiness. "Whatever will be, will be." And then he kissed her again, and that time there were no more interruptions for a very long time.

0~*~0

It had long since turned dark by the time the two finally returned to Zelos's mansion. They had spent hours out on the forested bluff, watching the sunset over the ocean, talking, and getting reacquainted, until darkness had settled and they'd had to reluctantly call it a night and head back. Zelos was feeling utterly euphoric, and he had been ever since they'd worked out that yes, they really did want to give this a shot. In fact, he was feeling downright giddy—something he was pretty sure he'd never felt before. Apparently this was what being in love felt like; he might not be ready to tell her he loved her yet, not until he was sure, but that didn't mean he wasn't almost positive that was what this was. That sure hadn't taken long, had it? It was such a far cry from the lust he was used to...and he liked this better, this feeling of being cared about by someone he cared for just as deeply, of looking at someone and just knowing that person was your future, of the leap of excitement he felt whenever she gave him that oh-so-cute, adorably shy smile. And, even better, Sheena seemed to be feeling the same, based on the brightness and excitement in her eyes every time she looked at him.

He had to admit he hadn't been sure about this when they'd left on their date; he'd been certain it, they, had been doomed to fail. And there was no denying the date had had a rocky start. He'd had to constantly watch himself so he didn't accidentally call her 'hunny' or anything else that would piss her off; he'd had to listen to her tell him a lot of things about herself that just drove the knife of guilt deeper in his chest; he'd had to tell her things he wasn't comfortable telling anyone. But now...well, while he still wasn't entirely convinced that giving this a shot was a good idea, nor was he convinced yet that he could trust himself not to mess this up like he always did, he refused to back out. No, if this was going to fall apart, he wanted it to be her choice, because she'd realized how dumb it had been to get involved with him. But for now Sheena didn't seem to care that he was a mess, she truly seemed to believe in him—a thought that boggled his mind but gave him hope that maybe he was capable of doing something right with her—and all of that combined made him feel, for perhaps the first time ever, like he wasn't a complete waste of space.

And to that end, he refused to back out, especially knowing what kind of life he'd be going back to if he did...and especially knowing that Sheena clearly wanted this to work as much as he did. He didn't want to disappoint her again. He wanted to hold onto this amazing feeling of happiness and hope forever. Maybe that was selfish of him, but Sheena didn't seem to mind. And the best part was that he was finally getting to see her in a new, happy, less violent and angry light, and he loved seeing her constant smiles and hearing her sincere laughter. So for now he would enjoy this feeling as long as it lasted. It had been years since he'd last left his future in the hands of fate, but he would do so again now, only with far more effort on his part this time to make sure 'they' lasted.

On the way home they'd decided that, since it was so late, Sheena would stay overnight in his guest room and then head back to Mizuho in the morning—at which point he'd reemphasized his invitation that she truly was welcome there anytime. After all, he hadn't been lying when he'd said he'd missed her, and he hoped this was the start of seeing her again on a regular basis. He really had enjoyed their conversation tonight, too, and he hoped that boded well that more such conversations awaited them; he was pretty sure he'd never had a heart-to-heart like they'd just had before. It had been enlightening and amazing—and, once they'd decided what they wanted, it had even become surprisingly comfortable, just getting reacquainted and tentatively uncovering more 'secrets' about each other. Even when the sun had set and their conversation had trickled off, it had remained comfortable. Of course, he still wasn't sure how physical she wanted to be; she liked kissing him—he'd figured that out quickly—and she'd willingly hugged him, but he hadn't wanted to push his luck and so he'd refrained from trying anything more than that, not even allowing himself to try holding her hand. This was still new for them both, they were still feeling this new relationship out, and so he'd decided that he would take this slow and let her set the pace. This time he would do things right with her. He would work his butt off not to push her in any way that might make her regret choosing to give him this unexpected, unwarranted chance.

Reaching his mansion, Zelos held the door open for her—which he was tickled to see elicited a blush from her, clearly not used to being treated like a lady—and then he offered to get her something to eat or drink, although she politely turned him down, saying she was still full from supper and was just ready to head to bed, considering the busy day she'd had before their date had even begun. He then ushered her upstairs, where they stopped in front of the guest room.

And just like that, even after how open and honest they'd been with each other all night about their thoughts and feelings, her blush returned as she gave him another shy smile. "I, um, I had a great time tonight."

He'd thought as much, considering how happy she'd been almost the entire time, but it was still good to hear those words. He grinned. "Me, too. I hope we can do that again sometime."

"I'd like that."

For a long moment they just stood like that, Zelos watching her carefully—she really did look tired—until he realized, if he wanted to do this right, he had to be a gentleman and let her get some sleep. And so he would. He reached up and lightly touched her cheek, brushing a stray lock of dark hair back behind her ear. "Good night, Sheena."

Her eyebrows rose. "You aren't gonna ask me to come to bed with you?"

Oh, how he wanted to, to hold her in his arms all night and make love to her and show her, without words, how he felt about her, but that definitely didn't work with his determination to leave the pace of this relationship solely in her hands. And while sure, he was tempted to tease and flirt with her, he was also pretty sure they weren't ready for that next step yet. This relationship was still too new, he was still trying to find his feet with her and learn what it meant to be in a serious relationship with someone he cared this deeply about, and tonight was way, way too soon for them to even start considering adding sex to the mix.

He shook his head. "No, I'm not."

"Really?" she pressed.

"Really."

And then something happened that Zelos definitely wasn't expecting: her smile faded and her face hardened. "What, so I'm not good enough for you? Or is it that you really aren't attracted to me?"

Whoa, was he interpreting this right? Had she actually wanted him to invite her into his bed? Sheena really had changed these past few years, hadn't she? But still...no, no matter what she might be implying. He gave her a pointed look. "Don't you ever think that, Sheena. Ever. Because that is the farthest thing in the world from the truth."

She folded her arms to her chest and gave him a disbelieving look. "And yet that's what you've done with every other hunny you've ever dated, isn't it? Invited them to bed with you?"

Oh, yeah, she still had trust issues with him—and he couldn't blame her. Well, the only way he could fix that was to prove he could be trusted—even if he wasn't sure yet that he could—and right now, following his alternate's instructions and being honest with her was probably his best bet. "You're right, that's what I used to do with every hunny I dated who I didn't care anything about. Sex with them was...well, it was very selfish. It was all about me. I didn't give a damn about any of them; half the time I didn't even know their names. I used them all because they wanted me to use them, not because I felt anything for them. It was empty, and honestly, I usually felt worse afterwards than I had before. I hated myself for doing that, but I had no reason to stop and so I didn't.

"Everything's different with you, though, Sheena. Everything. What I feel for you I never felt for them; I care about you, I respect you, far too much to risk wrecking this, whatever it may turn out to be, by moving too quickly or resorting to my usual tactics. I refuse to use you like that. You mean way too much to me. You've given me this amazing second chance with you, and I want to take this slowly and do it right and not do anything that makes you question my motives. And tonight that means letting you go to bed in your own bed, not asking you to join me in mine. That doesn't mean I don't want you, so don't ever think it does; it just means I don't want you unless you want me, want that, as much as I do. Hopefully one day that will change, when we're both ready for it. It'll be your call. Just keep in mind that walking away from you tonight instead of pushing for more is extremely hard for me, so don't tempt me. Okay?"

Thankfully, her face immediately softened, a blush settled on her cheeks, and her gaze fell downward shyly, her smile returning. "Okay. Thank you. I wasn't implying you should be asking me; I was just wondering why you weren't. I appreciate your reasoning, though...and I'm grateful for your consideration."

Zelos returned her smile as she looked up at him again, but suddenly he couldn't resist smirking and waggling his eyebrows. "I wouldn't be opposed to a good night kiss, though..."

Sheena rolled her eyes, but then she let out a soft laugh and gave him a sweet peck on his lips. Pulling back, she looked up at him again, her brown eyes shining with warmth and happiness, and then she kissed him again, longer and deeper that time, her hand lifting to his neck and holding him close, making him groan softly in appreciation. When she finally pulled away, he returned the gesture by touching her face, observing her with the utmost reverence. He couldn't help but be amazed that she was standing here with him, that she was giving him this chance...that they even had a chance thanks to her wish and her capacity for love and understanding. No, he was going to do this right. He would not mess this up. He wanted this to last; he wanted to feel this hope, this sense of happiness, forever, to keep it close to his heart and never again feel that same emptiness and despair for the future that he'd felt for most of his life.

He wanted her. And now that he had a chance with her, he'd be damned if he let anyone, himself included, take it away from him.

"Good night, Sheena," he whispered to her.

"Good night, Zelos."

Still watching him, she took a step backward, then she disappeared into the guest room, giving him one last shy, happy smile as the door closed behind her. Once it was shut, Zelos leaned against the wall beside the door, his heart pounding, closing his eyes and smiling. It felt really, really good to be this happy for a change. Sure, he still had plenty of doubts about where this might go and whether or not he could do this right, but right now he wasn't going to dwell on those; he was going to dwell on the beautiful, promising smile Sheena had just given him and enjoy this incredible moment as long as he possibly could.

...Which didn't turn out to be long, seeing as his bliss was quickly interrupted by the sound of his own voice coming from the lower level of the mansion. "Good call."

Annoyed, his eyes opened again, but he couldn't stay upset long as he noticed his short-haired alternate standing near the main door, looking up at him and grinning. He hadn't even known the other 'him' had been there...not that he minded seeing as it wasn't like the guy was trying to steal Sheena away for himself or anything. After all, if it hadn't been for him, they wouldn't be where they were right now, and he clearly knew it, judging from the smug, knowing look on his face. Ah, well, Zelos didn't mind chatting with him about this. How could he when the guy was essentially him?

Pushing himself away from the wall, he began heading down the steps. "Good call about what?"

The other 'him' motioned at the guest room. "Deciding to wait and leave the whole 'sex' decision in her hands."

"Ah." He stopped at the bottom of the steps, his curiosity suddenly piqued. How often did someone have the opportunity to get a mental picture of the future that could potentially await them, after all? "So how long did you and your wife wait?"

"Until our wedding night." For a moment, Zelos blinked at him, waiting for the punch line, but his alternate just grinned. "Seriously. In our world, Mizuho had a rather extreme rule in place at the time that said women there couldn't have sex before marriage, under threat of exile or death, and because Sheena was set to become chief, we had no choice but to follow it. So we waited until there was no more threat and then we...made up for lost time." He shrugged. "Honestly? It was the best decision given our circumstances, seeing as being forced to ignore sex helped me focus on the real issues, figure out what I wanted, and realize yes, I really did want to marry her. I needed to know where I stood on our relationship before sex entered the picture. Waiting was difficult at times, but I don't regret it." For a moment, Zelos just gaped at him, horrified. Was his alternate implying that he and Sheena couldn't have sex unless they got married?! Zelos was willing to wait as long as he had to to make sure Sheena would be comfortable with it when they did take that step, but that was pushing it. His alternate, however, clearly saw his reaction and shook his head. "It was hard, but not impossible. And keep in mind that before that, I hadn't slept with anyone since I was a teenager. Once the worlds were reunited, Sheena and I started dating almost immediately. Waiting an extra year wasn't that much different from the years I'd resisted sleeping with anyone before that."

Okay, he understood that, but still... "I don't know that I can wait that long."

Thankfully, his doppelganger shook his head. "You shouldn't have to. Sheena's...well, she's not exactly a virgin anymore, so that whole silly rule of Mizuho's is a moot point now."

Oh...ugh. Zelos knew what his alternate was implying, and he wasn't particularly enthused about it. His face twisted in disgust. "Yeah, don't remind me. I really don't want to think about what she and Orochi might have done after they got married."

The other 'him' snorted. "Yeah, I know the feeling. The thought of them together like that makes my skin crawl. Just keep in mind that while this Sheena has had sex before, she's never enjoyed sex before, so you have a good opportunity to fix that for her."

Oh...oh. Zelos's eyes widened and his face fell. If that was true...then what he'd said to her that last time they'd seen each other after her wedding, about how she'd 'had a bad wedding night' and had come to him to find out how it was supposed to be done...oh, crap. How could she possibly be so forgiving now after all the dumb, cruel things he'd said and done? He really had been a jackass toward her back then, hadn't he?

The other 'him' nodded knowingly. "Yeah...I know what you're thinking, and some of those things you said back then probably did cut a little too close to the truth. But I've also mentioned to her that my Sheena loves sex, at least with me, so I'm sure she's curious what it's like. In any case, you shouldn't have to worry about waiting that long before taking that step, but I wouldn't recommend rushing into it, either. Do what you said and leave that decision in her hands. My Sheena appreciated my patience and the fact that I never tried to pressure her for something she wasn't ready for. And when we did finally take that step, it was worth the wait and made it that much more special for us both."

Ah. Well, he couldn't really argue that, could he? "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks."

His alternate smiled, then motioned upstairs again. "So I take it from what I saw before that everything went well tonight?"

And suddenly Zelos couldn't help the giddy, most likely sappy, smile from reappearing on his lips. "You could say that. We worked out a lot and decided to give this a try and see what comes of it—hopefully something like what you guys have."

"Good," he replied with a grin. "I'm glad for you. Now I can leave here tomorrow with the knowledge that things are heading in a better direction for you both."

So tomorrow was the end of his tenure here and then he'd be returning home, eh? Zelos had almost forgotten that this guy wouldn't be here permanently. But right now that wasn't important seeing as other issues he'd just uncovered were currently foremost in his mind. "We still have a lot of stuff to work out, though. I'm pretty sure she doesn't trust me yet."

The other 'him' shook his head. "Not completely, no, I'm sure she doesn't. You treated her like crap, and it'll take her time to overcome that. But for now, the trust you do have from her is enough. Chances are you just earned a few more 'trust points' in her book by leaving the sex matter in her hands. Just keep working on improving yourself and trying to live up to her faith in you, and soon enough she'll trust you fully. And like I said, don't forget that if guilt ever starts getting the better of you and you start thinking about leaving because she would be 'better off without you'...well, don't. You'll only hurt her again. She wants this 'thing' with you to work—I could see the that in her eyes just now—and to have any building hope she has crushed because you decide to dump her 'for her own good' would be unforgivable, and it would probably scare her off from ever trusting you, maybe even anyone else, ever again. I get it, though; it took me a long time to get over what I did to my wife, and I'm sure you have even more guilt than I did. In fact, I'm pretty sure I only stayed with her that long because I didn't want to hurt her. It was only once Sheena smacked me on the head and insisted she didn't want anyone else, that she was truly happy with me and wasn't going anywhere, that I finally started letting go of that fear, accepted myself, and began looking toward our future together."

Zelos sighed and folded his arms to his chest. He really hoped this guy was right, because despite how happy he was that things were looking up for him, a niggling doubt remained in the back of his mind, reminding him that Sheena should be looking elsewhere for a companion and lover because nothing good could come from being with him. He was trying to ignore it and remind himself that in that alternate world, Sheena really was happy with him, but that was easier said than done. "I really was an ass to her back then. She hasn't forgiven me for it yet, and she's right not to."

"Give her time," his alternate replied. "She will, and probably sooner than you expect. I know her well enough to know that, assuming you don't do something really dumb like, oh, cheat on her. If you did, she would write you out of her life for good...and that you really would deserve."

Oh, that was one thing Zelos was sure wouldn't be a problem. Give up those garish hunnies and the empty sex that made him feel horrible afterwards for a chance at a real future with the woman he loved? What was there to consider? "No problem there. I'm glad to finally have an excuse to get rid of them. But as much as I want this with Sheena, I'm just having trouble accepting it's really happening. I don't deserve this, not even a tiny sliver of the happiness you guys have. I keep thinking it'll only last a few days before she—"

"—Comes to her senses and dumps you?" his alternate finished for him. "Yeah, been there, done that. But you'll see. Just don't push her away again and eventually it'll become clear that what you think of yourself and your own worth doesn't matter; what she thinks of you does. And in time, thanks to her help, love, and encouragement, your view of yourself will improve. Mine did. It'll probably take months, but it will eventually happen."

Well, Zelos might not believe that yet, but his alternate had been right about too many other things so far for him to dismiss it. "I hope you're right."

The other 'him' smiled. "You'll see. I can't say this enough: that woman is incredible. She changed my life for the better, and I wouldn't go back to how I used to be even if I could. She helped me become someone I'd always wanted to be. Everything I did after we started dating was to make it up to her and live up to her faith in me, and in doing so, I actually started to like myself.

"And as for the rest...well, your concerns are valid. You guys have more issues than we did, and it's possible you won't reach the point we have. I mean, my wife and I still run into plenty of issues, some pretty major. We're both human, and we've never stopped being who we are. Sheena is still the most frustratingly stubborn, independent woman I've ever met, and that has caused us problems. It probably always will. She tends to make decisions without consulting me first, not because she doesn't value my opinion, but because it doesn't occur to her to tell me something she thinks only affects her and that she can handle herself. It's especially problematic when it really does affect me, only she didn't realize that until too late. I've just had to accept that's who she is and that she doesn't do it to hurt me. It doesn't stop it from hurting or frustrating me whenever it happens, but at least I know she's aware of the problem and is working on it. And me...well, we both know my shortcomings. I've made plenty of dumb choices that have pissed her off. And, worse, I've made choices for Mizuho that have pissed her off. From my perspective they were the right ones to make, but she didn't see it the same way. Not to mention I really can be a lazy bum at times and not take things seriously. There again, though, she knows I don't do it to hurt her, not that that stops it from happening. We just view things differently and have different ways of achieving our goals that don't always mesh."

Zelos motioned at his alternate's wedding ring. "And yet you're obviously still together."

He nodded. "It's taken a lot of work, conversation, and compromise, but yeah, we are. In fact, issues like those always seem to make us stronger once we've worked through them. Love doesn't take away all our problems, but it does serve as the glue that keeps us together long enough to discuss those problems, work through them, and reach a solution. Always keep that in mind, because if your relationship lasts, you'll have to deal with the same eventually."

Wow, he really had matured when it came to relationships, hadn't he? But then, he supposed being married that long brought with it a number of major life lessons. At least Zelos knew this other him had learned from them, used them to grow, and figured out how to keep his marriage going. It was encouraging, and he hoped one day he could do the same, whether it was with Sheena or someone else. "Good to know."

"Also keep in mind that for as different as you two are, you also have a lot in common," his doppelganger went on. "I, personally, have yet to meet anyone who understands my guilt and regret over hurting those I care about the way Sheena does. Don't forget what happened to Mizuho because of her. And I don't know if she told you about everything that happened with Orochi, but that's yet another thing she's struggling with."

Zelos's heart sank. Oh, how he wished she hadn't had to go through that and have to live with the resulting emotional scars he suspected would never completely heal. "Yeah, she told me about how he died and how guilty she feels about it."

His alternate's eyebrow flew upward. "Wow, she did already, huh? And I didn't even have to prod her to. Good. I'm glad she told you, because that's something you need to know about her. It'll probably haunt her the rest of her life the way some of the things you've done will haunt you. Don't lose sight of that, how similar you two are in that way. Use her strength, and lend her yours. You'll both need it."

"And yet it's all worth it, huh?" Zelos said.

The other 'him' grinned, but his eyes were soft. "You'd better believe it. The good and the bad...in the end, it's all worth it. I'm glad you'll get to experience it now, too."

He released a low sigh and looked up at the guest room on the second floor. "Assuming it lasts."

His alternate nodded curtly, conceding that. "Assuming it lasts. But since you've been through so much crap together and have already seen each other at your worst, there's a good chance it will." He gave Zelos a pointed look. "Don't waste it."

Zelos smiled. He suspected in the upcoming weeks he would need all of these reminders to keep him from walking away when things got rough. "I won't. Thanks for the advice."

The other 'him' mirrored his smile. "Don't worry, you two will make it. Just don't give up on her, and she won't give up on you. And don't lose sight of the future you both want." Zelos nodded, and his alternate motioned at him. "Anyway, you look exhausted."

Big surprise there, given everything he'd been through lately. Zelos rubbed his neck. "Heh. I've barely slept this past week. Ever since that morning you showed up here, in fact."

"I'm not surprised. Get to bed and get some sleep." He grinned. "Your future awaits you tomorrow."

That wasn't a bad idea. Maybe now he would be able to. "I think I will. What about you?"

"Me? Eh, I'll just crash on the couch tonight and then head back to Mizuho in the morning."

"Okay. Then I'll see you in the morning." And with that, Zelos gave him one last grateful smile and turned and headed back upstairs to his room, his mind racing and his hopes soaring, for the moment drowning out his lingering doubts. He may not know yet what tomorrow would bring, but at least he now knew he was no longer alone in this crazy life.

And it was a really, really good feeling.

0~*~0

(Continued in Day 7: The Alternates)