A/N: Wow, it's been so long since I updated any of my stories, I'm sorry about that.
Well, my birthday was Jan. 29 and I had hoped to get this chapter up by then, but of course it didn't get out in time to be my birthday present to myself. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter.
Also, I want to thank Wonderful Failure, cause you're writing has inspired me to write so much, and it's a great honor to know that you enjoy my work. I haven't seen you in a while, welcome back, and I can't wait for you next story.
Finally, I want to thank everyone who has reviewed my stories and to those of you who have been there from the beginning, I consider you a blessing, and all of you have inspired me to keep writing. Until next time,
GrayFox
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Quistis' eyes opened slowly, thoughts of the previous night swimming in her head. The sounds of rumbling in her room made her shoot out of bed and clutch the bed sheets around her naked form.
It was Zell, standing next to the door with a harsh look on his face.
"Good, you're up. Let's go. I packed your bags, I'll drop you off at the airport." Zell's cold tone frightened her still.
"Zell, I am not going anywhere, I'm staying right here." Quistis stated bluntly, trying to hold up the façade that he didn't scare her. Zell's eyes flared. He started to storm out of the door into broad daylight as she caught his wrist and was pulled from the room.
"Zell, wait! Stop, please Zell, please stop!" Quistis said trying to hold him back as he walked ever faster away. Zell suddenly stopped and turned around.
"Why are you here? I didn't want you here, and you're leaving." Zell's voice was venomous and held the rumble of a jaded man.
"I'm doing nothing of the sort, Zell. You can't tell me where to go, I came here on my own, where is it your business to tell me what to do?" Quistis' voice carried across the length of the motel.
Zell fumed as he whispered back. "Then let me make this very clear…I don't want to talk to you, I don't want to see you, I don't want you anywhere near me, do whatever you want to, it's your choice, but I don't want any form of contact with you at all, understood?" As soon as he finished his sentence, his pace quickened and he started to leave Quistis' presence.
"Zell, wait! Zell, WAIT! Could you listen to me for just one time in your entire life? ZELL!" Quistis yelled at him, waking many from their morning slumber.
It was as people started looking out their doors and staring at her, that she realized she was clothed in nothing but a thin bed sheet. Her face flushed magenta, and she hurriedly rushed back to her room.
(I can't believe this, this is my greeting after two months. Could he really have changed that much?) Quistis thought as she closed her room door, locked it, dropped the sheet from around her and headed to the bathroom.
She turned on the faucet, and stepped into the shower. The hot water caressing her skin, flowing down her back, and off her delicate legs. The water was the most refreshing thing Quistis could remember in a long time.
Yet, like so often lately, she found her thoughts drifting back to Zell. Scenarios played through her mind.
She had just awoken to see another glorious sunrise in Winhill. She got in the shower, and the best prize of all, once she got out, she would be able to creep back out and tiptoe to Zell, who was still lying in bed. She would slip under the covers and gently pull his arm around her body and snuggle close to his warm body. When he finally awoke, she'd be pretending to be asleep as he pulled her close to him and planted a gentle kiss on her cheek. Zell would whisper something about how much he loved her.
Quistis opened her eyes and shook the reverie off.
"I miss Seifer…" She murmured to herself. It was more of a reassurance to herself that she still loved Seifer rather than a statement of how she missed her boyfriend.
Quistis got out of the shower, walked over to the closet, and pulled out her clothes. She slipped them on, enjoying the time she had to relax before she went off to go find Zell again. She could assume that he wouldn't be pleasantly surprised to see her.
She brushed her hair while looking in the mirror, she tried to put on a smile but it seemed impossible. When she finished, she grabbed the key to her room, made sure the room was locked and headed off to the bar.
When she got outside, she started to feel a little better. The town wasn't near as dreary during the day. The sun even shone above making the place look like a little quiet town. It was a huge relief to Quistis and it brightened her mood considerably.
She slowly walked towards the bar, surveying the landscape around her marking the various buildings in Winhill. Over to her right, there was a grocery market, to her left, far off in the distance there was a giant field of tall grass, and she could see a few roofs over there. She assumed they were houses that people lived in out there. She reached the bar door and opened it.
It wasn't as crowded as it had been last night. It was relatively quiet. There was only one other person in the bar besides herself and the bartender.
She sat down at the bar and the bartender without so much as a glance at her set a glass of water next to her.
"Thank you." Quistis whispered and the bartender nodded. She took a sip and thought some more about the events of the morning. Zell barging out like that really shocked her. She had seen what he was like her first night in Winhill, but that blew her away.
(Well, where would I start? Zell could be in Winhill or any of the surrounding area. Winhill itself isn't very large but there's large stretches of land that are considered part of Winhill. He could be anywhere around here.)
She started to ask the bartender a question. "Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to know where I might find a Zell Dincht would you?" The bartender wiped his towel around a glass and shook his head.
"You mean that guy you were yelling at last night?" The man at the table asked her. "Yes." she replied hoping for any starting point to find him.
"He lives out in the plains, in a house, southwest of here, down by the coast." The man rambled on. "Nice little place, maybe needs to be fixed up a little, but it was cheap to him and it's still buying me beer."
Quistis interrupted him. "You sold him your house?" She asked incredulously.
"I'm letting him rent, I wouldn't ever sell that place, too good a spot, right out by the water, right near the coast, great location." The man kept speaking.
"How far would you say it was from here?" Quistis asked ready to head out to find him.
"I don't know, a couple miles southwest from here, not too far. Let me warn you though, Dincht doesn't seem like the kinda man who'd like to be disturbed, even by a pretty woman like yourself." He rambled continually as Quistis got up and headed for the door.
"HOW MUCH HE PAY FOR YOU WOMAN? YOU GOT A HOT LITTLE BODY ON YOU!" His words fell on deaf ears though, Quistis had already shot through the door and was heading southwest from Winhill.
She realized that her journey wasn't going to be as simple as she thought it would be. Up ahead, tall grass covered vast areas of land, the grass went up to her stomach. She started to walk through it, and kept heading southwest.
Every once in a while she would notice clearings, there were houses in a few of them but she wasn't even near the coast. So she kept pressing onward, noticing the landscape.
Far off in the distance, stood tall misty mountains, that guarded the hazy town, over to her right was a thick forest, that thinned out into the tall grass. To her left, as she kept walking she could water come closer into view, it was still far off but it got closer with each step she took.
A house came into view as she walked further, the back of the house was facing. The front of the house watched the coast and looked out to the sapphire sea. The house was set in a clearing with a path leading down to the beach, it was a long walk from the house to the beach but she could clearly see the path from the house to the beach.
She reached the front door and knocked on it. She nervously looked around, and as she glanced out at the beach, she noticed that someone was out there. It was him, he was sitting on a long piece of driftwood with his feet in the sand. She looked back at the house one more time and started walking towards the beach.
As she walked along the path, she brushed her hand along the tall grass that lined the sides of the path. She could see him, he was staring out at the water his eyes lost in the distance.
"Zell…" She whispered to herself.
She walked out onto the sand, removed her shoes and socks, and quietly walked up behind him. She was scared of what his reaction would be.
She slowly sat down beside him, and she heard him let out a sigh. He didn't seem to be the same angry man he was when she first saw him.
His eyes were gazing out into the water, reminiscing and wistful. He never even looked over at Quistis, he just continued staring forward. They sat in silence, Quistis staring over at him, until Zell spoke.
"You're not gonna leave, are you?" He asked her. She shook her head. "You want something to drink?" Zell asked. Quistis noticed for the first time the cooler to his left, he fumbled around for a coke and handed it to her. She opened it and took a sip. She sat it next to her.
"You know, I haven't thought about you guys in a long time…I try not to." He sighed deeply after he said this. Quistis noticed Zell leaning back on his hands, placed on the log on either side of him. She copied his position and gently slid her hand onto his. Zell pulled his hand away quickly.
"Don't…" He whispered, still staring out at the water. He finally took a deep breath and looked over at her. She stared deeply into his sapphire pools. He looked like a hurt child, not the hard eyes she had seen just this morning. She smiled at him, she couldn't help it, she had found the man she was looking for. Those wistful, dreamy eyes told her that. Her heart raced, knowing it was the same Zell she had known, he was just hidden under a rough exterior. She could help, she could free him of his problems, she was going to do it, she was going to succeed, no matter what it took.
He looked back out at the ocean, and she stared at it with him. They sat there in silence, for a couple hours, each left to their own thoughts.
Quistis stood up and as she walked away, placed a hand on his shoulder and headed home.
Quistis couldn't have been happier, as she left Zell sitting on his log, remembering the beaches of Balamb.
Well, my birthday was Jan. 29 and I had hoped to get this chapter up by then, but of course it didn't get out in time to be my birthday present to myself. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter.
Also, I want to thank Wonderful Failure, cause you're writing has inspired me to write so much, and it's a great honor to know that you enjoy my work. I haven't seen you in a while, welcome back, and I can't wait for you next story.
Finally, I want to thank everyone who has reviewed my stories and to those of you who have been there from the beginning, I consider you a blessing, and all of you have inspired me to keep writing. Until next time,
GrayFox
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Quistis' eyes opened slowly, thoughts of the previous night swimming in her head. The sounds of rumbling in her room made her shoot out of bed and clutch the bed sheets around her naked form.
It was Zell, standing next to the door with a harsh look on his face.
"Good, you're up. Let's go. I packed your bags, I'll drop you off at the airport." Zell's cold tone frightened her still.
"Zell, I am not going anywhere, I'm staying right here." Quistis stated bluntly, trying to hold up the façade that he didn't scare her. Zell's eyes flared. He started to storm out of the door into broad daylight as she caught his wrist and was pulled from the room.
"Zell, wait! Stop, please Zell, please stop!" Quistis said trying to hold him back as he walked ever faster away. Zell suddenly stopped and turned around.
"Why are you here? I didn't want you here, and you're leaving." Zell's voice was venomous and held the rumble of a jaded man.
"I'm doing nothing of the sort, Zell. You can't tell me where to go, I came here on my own, where is it your business to tell me what to do?" Quistis' voice carried across the length of the motel.
Zell fumed as he whispered back. "Then let me make this very clear…I don't want to talk to you, I don't want to see you, I don't want you anywhere near me, do whatever you want to, it's your choice, but I don't want any form of contact with you at all, understood?" As soon as he finished his sentence, his pace quickened and he started to leave Quistis' presence.
"Zell, wait! Zell, WAIT! Could you listen to me for just one time in your entire life? ZELL!" Quistis yelled at him, waking many from their morning slumber.
It was as people started looking out their doors and staring at her, that she realized she was clothed in nothing but a thin bed sheet. Her face flushed magenta, and she hurriedly rushed back to her room.
(I can't believe this, this is my greeting after two months. Could he really have changed that much?) Quistis thought as she closed her room door, locked it, dropped the sheet from around her and headed to the bathroom.
She turned on the faucet, and stepped into the shower. The hot water caressing her skin, flowing down her back, and off her delicate legs. The water was the most refreshing thing Quistis could remember in a long time.
Yet, like so often lately, she found her thoughts drifting back to Zell. Scenarios played through her mind.
She had just awoken to see another glorious sunrise in Winhill. She got in the shower, and the best prize of all, once she got out, she would be able to creep back out and tiptoe to Zell, who was still lying in bed. She would slip under the covers and gently pull his arm around her body and snuggle close to his warm body. When he finally awoke, she'd be pretending to be asleep as he pulled her close to him and planted a gentle kiss on her cheek. Zell would whisper something about how much he loved her.
Quistis opened her eyes and shook the reverie off.
"I miss Seifer…" She murmured to herself. It was more of a reassurance to herself that she still loved Seifer rather than a statement of how she missed her boyfriend.
Quistis got out of the shower, walked over to the closet, and pulled out her clothes. She slipped them on, enjoying the time she had to relax before she went off to go find Zell again. She could assume that he wouldn't be pleasantly surprised to see her.
She brushed her hair while looking in the mirror, she tried to put on a smile but it seemed impossible. When she finished, she grabbed the key to her room, made sure the room was locked and headed off to the bar.
When she got outside, she started to feel a little better. The town wasn't near as dreary during the day. The sun even shone above making the place look like a little quiet town. It was a huge relief to Quistis and it brightened her mood considerably.
She slowly walked towards the bar, surveying the landscape around her marking the various buildings in Winhill. Over to her right, there was a grocery market, to her left, far off in the distance there was a giant field of tall grass, and she could see a few roofs over there. She assumed they were houses that people lived in out there. She reached the bar door and opened it.
It wasn't as crowded as it had been last night. It was relatively quiet. There was only one other person in the bar besides herself and the bartender.
She sat down at the bar and the bartender without so much as a glance at her set a glass of water next to her.
"Thank you." Quistis whispered and the bartender nodded. She took a sip and thought some more about the events of the morning. Zell barging out like that really shocked her. She had seen what he was like her first night in Winhill, but that blew her away.
(Well, where would I start? Zell could be in Winhill or any of the surrounding area. Winhill itself isn't very large but there's large stretches of land that are considered part of Winhill. He could be anywhere around here.)
She started to ask the bartender a question. "Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to know where I might find a Zell Dincht would you?" The bartender wiped his towel around a glass and shook his head.
"You mean that guy you were yelling at last night?" The man at the table asked her. "Yes." she replied hoping for any starting point to find him.
"He lives out in the plains, in a house, southwest of here, down by the coast." The man rambled on. "Nice little place, maybe needs to be fixed up a little, but it was cheap to him and it's still buying me beer."
Quistis interrupted him. "You sold him your house?" She asked incredulously.
"I'm letting him rent, I wouldn't ever sell that place, too good a spot, right out by the water, right near the coast, great location." The man kept speaking.
"How far would you say it was from here?" Quistis asked ready to head out to find him.
"I don't know, a couple miles southwest from here, not too far. Let me warn you though, Dincht doesn't seem like the kinda man who'd like to be disturbed, even by a pretty woman like yourself." He rambled continually as Quistis got up and headed for the door.
"HOW MUCH HE PAY FOR YOU WOMAN? YOU GOT A HOT LITTLE BODY ON YOU!" His words fell on deaf ears though, Quistis had already shot through the door and was heading southwest from Winhill.
She realized that her journey wasn't going to be as simple as she thought it would be. Up ahead, tall grass covered vast areas of land, the grass went up to her stomach. She started to walk through it, and kept heading southwest.
Every once in a while she would notice clearings, there were houses in a few of them but she wasn't even near the coast. So she kept pressing onward, noticing the landscape.
Far off in the distance, stood tall misty mountains, that guarded the hazy town, over to her right was a thick forest, that thinned out into the tall grass. To her left, as she kept walking she could water come closer into view, it was still far off but it got closer with each step she took.
A house came into view as she walked further, the back of the house was facing. The front of the house watched the coast and looked out to the sapphire sea. The house was set in a clearing with a path leading down to the beach, it was a long walk from the house to the beach but she could clearly see the path from the house to the beach.
She reached the front door and knocked on it. She nervously looked around, and as she glanced out at the beach, she noticed that someone was out there. It was him, he was sitting on a long piece of driftwood with his feet in the sand. She looked back at the house one more time and started walking towards the beach.
As she walked along the path, she brushed her hand along the tall grass that lined the sides of the path. She could see him, he was staring out at the water his eyes lost in the distance.
"Zell…" She whispered to herself.
She walked out onto the sand, removed her shoes and socks, and quietly walked up behind him. She was scared of what his reaction would be.
She slowly sat down beside him, and she heard him let out a sigh. He didn't seem to be the same angry man he was when she first saw him.
His eyes were gazing out into the water, reminiscing and wistful. He never even looked over at Quistis, he just continued staring forward. They sat in silence, Quistis staring over at him, until Zell spoke.
"You're not gonna leave, are you?" He asked her. She shook her head. "You want something to drink?" Zell asked. Quistis noticed for the first time the cooler to his left, he fumbled around for a coke and handed it to her. She opened it and took a sip. She sat it next to her.
"You know, I haven't thought about you guys in a long time…I try not to." He sighed deeply after he said this. Quistis noticed Zell leaning back on his hands, placed on the log on either side of him. She copied his position and gently slid her hand onto his. Zell pulled his hand away quickly.
"Don't…" He whispered, still staring out at the water. He finally took a deep breath and looked over at her. She stared deeply into his sapphire pools. He looked like a hurt child, not the hard eyes she had seen just this morning. She smiled at him, she couldn't help it, she had found the man she was looking for. Those wistful, dreamy eyes told her that. Her heart raced, knowing it was the same Zell she had known, he was just hidden under a rough exterior. She could help, she could free him of his problems, she was going to do it, she was going to succeed, no matter what it took.
He looked back out at the ocean, and she stared at it with him. They sat there in silence, for a couple hours, each left to their own thoughts.
Quistis stood up and as she walked away, placed a hand on his shoulder and headed home.
Quistis couldn't have been happier, as she left Zell sitting on his log, remembering the beaches of Balamb.