Well, I'm already getting another chapter done wow, unusual for me, at least lately. This is feeling really good. Anyway, hope you enjoy chapter 14.

Zell opened his eyes and realized he was laying on the couch in the living room. He had migrated to the couch when Quistis left and shut his eyes, thinking about what he had said to Quistis. He awoke this morning, their conversation still hanging fresh in his mind. Her remark hadn't hurt him as bad as she thought it did. It definitely struck a chord in his heart, one that he imagined would never leave. Especially considering it flared up every time someone mentioned the words "Trabia Garden."

He was much more concerned about what he had said to Quistis though. He really hadn't meant to hurt her in anyway. It just kind of spouted out. He had used things he knew were true to intentionally hurt her.

(I have changed; I was never the kind of person who'd intentionally hurt someone, especially someone I loved as much as Quistis…who am I kidding, as much as I love Quistis.) Zell reflected. (It's true though, she was in love with Squall for so long…) Zell smiled to himself a little. (I used to be so jealous of him, who would've thought she'd fall in love with another gunblader, and of all gunbladers one with a reputation like Seifer.)

Zell swallowed hard as he realized what he had just thought.

(She…fell in love with him. She's in love with Seifer. I guess it's time I realized she didn't come back here to say she's sorry and that she's been in love with me this entire time. She already is in love with someone and I need to respect that. I should be happy for her, I love her and now she's finally happy. So I should be ecstatic.) Zell thought to himself.

He stood up and stretched his muscles. They were aching slightly because he had slept in such an awkward position. He walked towards the door and opened it. He had no idea where to even begin to look for her. He felt something brush his foot as he stepped outside. It was a note that had been left on his doorstep. He picked it up and read it.

Dear Zell,

I am so sorry about everything I said; I didn't mean to hurt you. I won't be coming today because I'm assuming I'll be locked up in my room crying. I can completely understand if you don't want to see or talk to me but really I wanted you to know how truthfully sorry I am. I hope you can forgive me Zell.

With all my heart,

Quistis

Zell felt horrible. He was the one who had been mean to her, he should be apologizing. He ran out the door, and started to jog towards town.

(Good move, Zell. Great thinking, bringing up Squall.) Zell thought and sighed to himself as his next thought surfaced. (Why is she in love with Seifer? No…no, I said I was gonna start being happy for her, and I am happy for her. Ecstatic, enthralled with the thought of her and Seifer together.) A heavy frown creased across his face. (Quistis is happy, so I'm happy.)

When he reached town, he wasn't so sure of going to see her anymore. What if she didn't want to see him and he certainly wouldn't be giving her the impression to leave him alone.

He faltered and found himself at the grocery store. He walked in and saw the kind elderly lady who worked there.

"Well hello there, Mr. Dincht." The elderly lady said.

"You need any help?" Zell asked sweetly. Zell smiled at her.

"I would love some help putting away these boxes." She said sincerely.

Zell walked up to her and took the box out of her hands and began to put it away on the shelf as she directed. As Zell continued working, the woman began to start up a conversation.

"So how'd it work out with that young lady-friend of yours?" She inquired. "She seems like she would be a good woman for you."

"You must've misunderstood. She's not my girlfriend; she's just a close friend of mine." Zell corrected her.

"Zell, believe me, I may be old but I can still tell love when I see it." The elderly woman insisted.

Zell's heart ached when she said this. He was so in love with Quistis and he honestly couldn't believe that she was in love with him. Zell finished putting away the boxes for her and had made up his mind to go see Quistis.

"Well, I'm gonna get going." Zell said smiling at the woman. "If you ever need any more help, just call."

"Oh you can bet I will. Go get her Zell." She smiled genuinely.

Despite his heartache, Zell laughed. She seemed like such a bubbly old woman. She was excited to see something that could be considered love blossoming in Winhill.

Zell walked over to the motel and headed for room 103. He knew she had been staying there from that first night they met, when her first greeting was a slap across his face.

He reached her room and checked to see if the door was locked. It wasn't, he sighed, and opened the door. There lying on the ground, with her head on the mattress was Quistis. She was sobbing profusely. She hadn't even noticed that Zell had walked in.

Zell walked over slowly to her. He placed his hand on her shoulder and rubbed it gently.

Quistis turned around and her eyes were full of tears. She looked up into Zell's face and didn't see any anger or resentment. She just saw a very sorry, consoling man looking back into her eyes.

She shot up into his arms and threw hers around his neck. Zell gently embraced her as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I'm sorry Zell…I'm so sorry, forgive me Zell…I'm sorry." She whispered between sobs.

"Ssssshhh. Be quiet Quistis, it's not your fault. I should be the one saying I'm sorry. I am so sorry Quistis." Zell responded quietly. Zell began to pull away so he could look into her face but she quickly pulled him back to her.

"Just let me hold you for a little while longer." Quistis spoke into Zell's ear. "I don't know when I'll get to do this again."

"Quistis, you look tired. Why don't I help you into bed?" Zell suggested.

Quistis' head was slumped against his shoulder. He pulled her off of him for a second and realized she had fallen asleep in his arms. He gently lifted her up into his loving arms and laid her on her bed. He reached over to the other side of the bed and pulled the covers over onto her.

He stared at her beautiful face for a second, the wistfulness fully apparently in his eyes. She was so gorgeous when she slept and a piece of hair had draped itself along her nose. He slowly swept it back behind her ear, into it's natural resting spot. As he pulled his hand back, he delicately rubbed her cheek.

Zell walked towards the door and with one last glance back at Quistis, shut it behind him. He sat down along the wall next to her room with his legs bent out in front of him. He rested his arms on his legs and buried his face into his arms.

"I'm so alone." Zell whispered to himself.

Quistis awoke to find herself sprawled out with covers flung around her. She shot out of bed.

"Zell, Zell! No…No, it was all just a dream." She said quietly and began to sob again.

Her door burst open and Zell ran in.

"What is it Quistis, what's wrong?" Zell asked urgently. Quistis' eyes were wide open in shock. She jumped up and threw her arms around him.

"It wasn't a dream, you're really here." Quistis said rejoicing.

"Yeah, I'm here…I'm sorry Quistis." Zell said regretfully. Tears starting streaming down Quistis' face again.

"I am so happy that you are here Zell." Quistis said joyfully through her tears. She grabbed him and flung him on the bed. Laughing, she climbed on top of him and just stared into his eyes. Zell was looking back up at her and laughing with her.

"There's my Zelly." Quistis smiled as she spoke and rubbed her hand along his jawbone. The smile quickly faded from her face and they both got very serious.

Quistis' hair had fallen all around Zell's head and swayed lightly across his face. Her expression had become serious very quickly. The hand that had been rubbing his jawbone traveled up to his cheek. Yet she never broke her gaze off of his eyes. Quistis' face hovered ever closer to his until her nose was rubbing back and forth against his. With her lips parted slightly, she finally lowered herself and enveloped his lips up into hers.

Zell's taste was so different than Seifer's. Zell's felt wild, untamable like there was fierce passion behind it. It was so different from the calm, stable, comforting taste of Seifer. She loved the feeling of it. She felt Zell responding to it, yet she noticed a hesitant part of him that was holding back.

Zell was still somewhat in pure unbelief. He had waited for so long just to grace her lips. The first thing he noticed was how soft they were. It was like stroking divine silk against his lips. Zell couldn't begin to describe it. If beauty was fashioned into a taste and then formed into two regal lips, it would taste like Quistis' lips did. It was everything he had wanted and more. He decided to just embrace the moment while he had her in his arms. He lifted his hands and ran them through her silky blonde hair. His nostrils breathed in her scent. It lingered in his nose and thoroughly intoxicated him.

Quistis' lips had been toying with Zell's lower lip as she slowly drew it away from his mouth and reveled in it's taste. Her lips slowly fell to his cheek and followed a path down to his neck. She engaged his neck with an utter passion that surprised even herself. She hadn't felt this way for anyone before.

It was at this point Zell finally realized why he didn't like what he was doing and was holding back. She wasn't his, she was still Seifer's. Although he loved her with all of his heart, he just couldn't stand the thought that she was still in love with another man. It felt to him like she was just having her fun with him and she would let him go to go back to Seifer as soon as he showed up. This was her way of letting out her passion without having to worry about the consequences. Zell believed that there might be more to Quistis' feelings towards him than he originally believed. However, it still felt cheapened with the thought of Quistis and Seifer hanging over his head.

His mind wandered back to the first time he had seen them kiss. It was the final thing that threw him over the edge. The final element that solidified his idea of leaving Balamb, the only home he'd ever known. They looked so happy together, he didn't want to make any more trouble for the relationship than he had already caused by leaving. Even more important to him was that he didn't want to make the situation any more painful for himself than he had already.

Having her hold him close like this made him ache, he knew he had to stop it before he crushed himself even further.

"Quistis…don't do this to me." Zell protested quietly to her. Zell found himself so close to professing his love for her as she found her way back to his lips and lovingly encased them. Zell's head turned away from her but it didn't stop her fervent attack of his face.

"Quistis…I…" Zell stumbled across the words he found replaying themselves in his mind. Quistis lifted her head momentarily. She leaned in to his ear and whispered to him.

"Zelly…just this once. I just want to be near you while I have the chance. Don't leave me."

Zell's heart was shattered. She was just using this to let out her passion. She actually thought that he didn't want this and was pleading for him to just be with her this one time and she'd never ask him for it again. She believed the exact opposite of what Zell had in mind. She didn't even realize that he wanted it; but not this one time, he wanted it forever.

Zell nudged her off of him and sat up slowly. She fell back onto her bed and still pleading with him, asked him one final time.

"Just don't leave then Zell, at least stay with me, please."

"Think about Seifer, Quistis. You're in love with him, aren't you?" Zell spoke softly yet it seemed to echo throughout the room.

Zell hadn't meant to add the last thing he said but it came out nonetheless. He slowly got up and left Quistis to ponder the answer to the question he'd posed as he shut the door behind himself.

Chapter 14, angst, angst, angst. I really wish Quistis would just realize that she loves Zell and say it to him. The question is though, does she really love him? Nobody knows that answer to that question; except me…and God. So stay tuned to find out.