Author's Notes: Well, it's been a while. I'm so glad I've continued this story, it's really meant a lot to me and you guys have been so faithful and I want to thank you so much. God bless and enjoy chapter 15.

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Quistis woke up with a pounding headache. It stemmed from the long period of thinking she had done over the previous day. After Zell had left her, she just sat in the corner and thought. It was mingled with bouts of tears, but she thought about what Zell had left lingering in the air. She had tried to cheat on Seifer but Zell had stopped her. It pretty much solidified her belief that Zell held no interest in her whatsoever.

She had wanted Zell so badly, just one night with him would satisfy her for a lifetime of love. He wasn't even willing to spend one night with her, that's how great his disdain for her was.

As was her first thought when she started thinking about Zell, she decided it would be best to go talk to him. A decision that she thought had caused more damage than done good for their relationship. However, she figured eventually some good would come from it and at least he was still being cordial to her.

She threw her legs over the side of the bed and got into the shower. The shower reminded her of how long it had been since she'd left Garden. She thought back to herself.

(Hmm, it's been…Oh my goodness; it's only been 6 days. It feels like an eternity. Wow, I've got another 2 weeks here. I can't believe that.)

She stepped out of the shower and got dressed.

The night that followed for Zell was one of the most tortured sleeps he had ever had. He awoke thinking about Quistis and how much he wanted to be with her. His first thought was to go talk to her but the dull throbbing pain that resided within both his head and his chest wouldn't let him get out of the bed.

After sitting there for about a half an hour, he finally forced himself to sit up and take inventory of his room. He noticed he had fallen asleep with all his clothes on; he had been that distraught about the previous night's events. He noticed he had thrown his door ajar; he got up and he walked out to his kitchen. His stomach growled and he thought he would make himself something to eat. His thoughts were too preoccupied for him to get something to eat. He couldn't stop thinking about her, and the intoxicating presence she brought whenever she entered the room he was in.

He walked over to his couch, sat down and placed his face in his hands. He uttered an enormous sigh through the cracks in his fingers. He felt so much like crying but his thoughts were so enveloped with her, he couldn't even focus enough to do that. Not that it would've happened had he even tried.

"Quistis…" Zell breathed out her name.

He sat there for an undefined amount of time, he didn't even know how long when he heard a small creak as his front door opened. He didn't look up because he was afraid it would break his heart if he did.

He felt a cool hand slide across his cheek and a petite head rest itself upon his shoulder. It wasn't long before Zell felt a wetness roll down his arm and he felt it pool in the crevice that had formed in his arm.

By the time Zell looked up, Quistis had regained her composure. Zell looked into her eyes and he knew what she was about to say before the words had left her lips.

"I am so sorry Zell, I shouldn't have done what I did yesterday…" Quistis spoke softly, in a tone so quiet it seemed as if she hadn't said anything at all. Although Zell had seen her speak, he wasn't sure she had actually said anything, so evanescent was her whisper. From the look on her face, he could tell she had said what he heard.

He almost laughed in her face; she didn't even have the nerve to actually address the event that had taken place the previous day, he had never been more sure that she had only used him to take the place of Seifer.

"Quistis, can I ask you a question?" Zell's tone was genuinely curious.

She nodded softly, wondering what he could possibly ask that wouldn't be hurtful, cruel and most likely open another wound in her heart.

"Why did you come here? I want to know the truth. What possible reason did you have in coming here?" Zell didn't ask with malice and Quistis was almost taken-aback at the question, she was so surprised by it.

Zell noticed her shift her weight as she prepared to respond.

(What is she hiding? She's not telling me something.) Zell thought to himself.

(Tell him the truth Quistis, tell him why you came all these miles just to be abused, hurt and to a place that frightens me completely.) Quistis tried to convince herself to tell him her thoughts.

"…I…We…missed you. We all miss you Zell. I couldn't take another day without seeing that bright smile of yours and what makes me even sadder is that after coming this far to see you I still don't see that wonderful smile. Zell, I would do anything just to see that smile. Just flash me those canines once more." Quistis smiled as her eyes welled up with tears.

Zell didn't move. He knew she was holding something back but he didn't press it.

"How are they?" Zell asked wearily.

"They're doing good but...they really miss you. Rinoa keeps calling to see if you'll come talk to her yet and my response always has to be 'no.' Squall wants me to tell you that when you get back, you two need to have a talk." Quistis mentioned them with a slight hesitance.

"If." Zell replied.

"What does that mean?" Quistis asked.

"If I come back." Zell diverted his eyes as he spoke.

"Are you kidding me? Are you seriously considering staying here Zell? Have you seen what this place has done to you?" Quistis asked incredulously.

Zell shot back daggers. "What you guys did to me, the place has nothing to do with it; you guys did it." Zell said with finality.

Quistis was fuming inside but she was determined not to start another fight so she backed off slightly.

"Zell, I'm sorry okay? We all are extremely, extremely sorry." Quistis pleaded on the group's behalf.

"Are you? Are you really?" Zell's anger shined through his words. Quistis looked at him in utter disbelief. Her tone rose as she spoke her next words.

"Of course I'm sorry, why else would I have come all the way out here to Winhill? What possible reason could I have to come all the way out here?"

"You tell me." Zell said bluntly.

Quistis turned her back to him as tears fell from her eyes. "You always do this to me, why do you always do this Zell?"

Zell shot up from the couch and shouted.

"Because I want to know the truth!" Zell lowered his voice. "When you're ready to tell me, then we'll talk."

Zell began to walk up the stairs towards his bedroom and Quistis turned around with tears still glistening in her eyes.

"Wait Zell…"

Zell turned around to face her but didn't move from his spot on the stairs.

"I want to tell you the truth but it's hard, give me a minute to work it out; not everyone is as straightforward as you are." Quistis wiped away tears as she spoke.

"You're right, some people hide things and lie. Which is what got me to leave in the first place." Zell shot back venomously. Zell waited for a response from her; when he received none he turned around and began to walk up the stairs again.

"I wanted to see you." Quistis whispered. "I wanted to see if you were doing alright out here by yourself. If you could really be happy here without your friends."

"Well, you got your answer didn't you?" Zell smirked sarcastically.

"Yes, I did; you're not happy, so why don't you just come home? To your family, we're the ones that love you, we miss you so much Zell…" Quistis pleaded with him, but she stopped when she realized it was a wasted effort.

"Why didn't they come with you then?" Zell questioned. "If they missed me as much as you say they did, why didn't you all come?"

"I wanted to come alone. I told them to stay back at Garden." Quistis' somber demeanor had almost dissipated.

"Why would you do that?" Zell asked incredulously.

Quistis just stared at him for a moment, thinking over her answer.

(Just tell him the truth, it couldn't make the situation any worse then it's already been. It would probably make it better…) Quistis thought to herself.

"I…felt like I was the one that pushed you away from Garden, so I wanted to make amends on my own." Quistis forced herself to say.

Zell knew she was telling the truth but he also knew she was still holding something back.

"Quistis, I chose to leave Garden, you didn't push me away from it." He began to walk towards her as he talked.

"Why did you leave?" Quistis said, her eyes starting to get wet again.

"I just felt like I had to get away, from everything…that was hurting me. I'll be honest, you were a part of that but don't think that you forced me away; I made that decision." Zell put a hand on her shoulder as he gently reassured her.

"Quistis, why can't you just tell me the truth, I promise you it wouldn't hurt this situation anymore than it's already been hurt." Zell chided her.

Quistis turned her back on him as a tear fell onto his floor.

"I am telling you the truth Zell." Quistis said but her thoughts spoke differently. (He can see right through me.)

"Okay, if that's the truth I'll accept it." Zell said but he had a melancholy look plastered on his face.

He turned from her and began to walk back towards the stairs when he was half-way up there he heard Quistis speak softly under her breath.

He looked over at her; her back was still facing him.

"Zell…" She said louder as she looked over her shoulder.

"Why did you come here?" He posed the question that had plagued him ever since the first time he saw Quistis in this small town. Why would she have come, hundreds of miles away from her home just to seek him out and why wouldn't she just say it.

He had never said something so directly from his heart. Quistis' face went back to the wall, not daring to look Zell in the eyes. He saw another tear hit the floor before she took a deep breath.

"Because…I love you Zell."

He didn't respond. He just walked down the stairs towards her slowly. When he reached her, he grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her to face him. He ran a hand through her hair and pulled her close to him. His strong arms enveloped her and he took one intoxicating whiff of her hair. Then, in one swift motion he pressed his lips against hers with a passion she had never seen Zell exhibit in anything.

Zell's head was spinning as he took in all this information and the repercussions behind it. Yet for some reason, everything but Quistis was fading from his mind.

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Author's notes: Well there you have it, chapter 15. I hope it was everything you've been waiting for. On to chapter 16.