Chapter 37- Love doesn't die

It's one of those days again. One of those summer days when everyone's mood is just perfectly mellow. When most people spend their time outside with their family, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

There is no love here though. At least not for me. Last I heard of everyone else they were having a barbecue. Sure, I was invited, but I'd declined and come up to the metallic grey balcony Cortex insisted on having.

It was a great view of Moonsky. The lush plains of the greenest grass rushing below me. Flowers that were yet to be identified were swaying indifferently in the lazy breeze. Trees leaning over each other as though sharing important secrets. Everything was connected in some way. Blossoming in the shared energy of summer.

If I was a flower, or a tree even. I would probably be wilting.

If Cherry wasn't in my mind, then I would keep going back to that day. The day where Frieza made me into something that I didn't know I was. I was sure that I had become that presence.

Against my better judgement, I had told Melanie. She'd come back a few days ago, claiming that she was watching over Gohan and the others. I say claiming, because I wasn't sure what was lies or truth anymore. Her story did match up with Piccolo and Zarbon's though.

As previous suspicions had been, the malicious energy that had got me sent there in the first place was in fact Frieza. He was given the not-so honorable title of second most-evil person in the universes.

Or would have been, if he wasn't very much dead and buried in the space remains of an exploded planet.

Getting back to Melanie. She had attempted to convince me that it was all in my imagination.

I hadn't spoken to her since.

If there was one thing I was very much sure about; it was that I had not imagined it. I had risen from a beating that had broken enough bones to ensure I would not get up. My energy had reached a peak that had matched me with Frieza's first form. Not many could say that.

Zarbon even told me that Vegeta had claimed to feel a massive energy spike from me, before Frieza took on his final form and attempted to kill me.

Melanie said that was just his word.

Serquet was there. She could have backed me up.

Being the traitorous goddess she was, she did not.

It wasn't her brush of that hurt the most though. It was the fact that she was keeping secrets from me. She wasn't the person that treated me like her child anymore. She treated me like I was just a child. Anyone's child. Someone who was too incompetent to be trusted with secrets.

'It's not like that' I stared fiercely over the balcony, as if I could face away from Serquet.

"How is it not. She knows everything about me. She could at least return the favour"

'Everyone has secrets Lessa. Secrets are usually kept so that they don't hurt people'

Suddenly, the whole of Moonsky went silent. Sounds that I hadn't even known were there before were gone.

'Everything reveals itself in due time. Just like a story. The plot has to come together in pieces'

"This isn't a story created for the entertainment of others! This is my life. This is real. What if the due time is too late!" But Serquet was silent.

The whistling of the breeze came back, bringing footsteps along with it. Moonsky came back to life as though nothing had ever happened.

"Lessa, are you okay?" A hand came to rest lightly on my shoulder. The smell of barbecued chicken wafted faintly from it.

"Not really Piccolo. I'm not sure who I am anymore" The honesty surprised me. I had meant to say I was fine. I sensed Piccolo's eyes burning a hole in the back of my head for a moment, before the hand slid away; taking the comfort with it.

The footsteps came back, but this time they were fading away. Taking Piccolo with them.

Maybe they would see sense now. I was best left alone at times like these. I didn't want to spoil their fun anyway. Not even Coco. Who had healed just enough to be unrestrained by bed rest.

The wind picked up a little, as if the planet wanted to speak. The air compressing around me like a blanket. Not restraining, just there.

I leant forward over the bar, basking for a moment in the odd comfort.

It was silent, and then the comfort tore away.

More footsteps, this time lighter.

The person kept their distance behind me, grief following them like it was chained to them.

The smell was clean. Washed out male.

"What do you want"

"Its..Cherry"

"I know" He stepped a little closer, but he was still out of my reach.

"Piccolo sent me" I didn't bother to formulate a response.

"May i-?" I waved a hand in the space beside me.

"It's a free country" He seemed to consider that for a second before sliding in-between the railings beside me. My limbs became heavy, aching to reach out and touch what should have been mine.

"Your right to be mad at me you know. I cheated, I broke your trust. And me of all people know exactly how hard that is to achieve"

My eyes found the sky again. It had changed with the mood. Angry clouds dragging the sky down with it. Before opening up and casting out the tears.

The first hit my shoulder, the muscle going into spasms as the intense cold surged through. Suddenly, I felt very alive.

"It's not that you slept with her. Because I slept with others too. Three to be exact.

No, what really hurts is that you fucking married her. You still have the ring on your finger for Christ sake-" I heard the intake of breath as he formed an objection.

"And don't even think of saying she used a love potion. If you loved me that much your mind would never have allowed you to marry her, no matter how strong the potion was. I should know, I made the damn thing!" Real tears slid down my cheeks now, mingling with the raindrops. Even now, I wished he would lift his hand to my face and brush away the tears.

White hands curled around the bar, the rain washing away all colour. The ring put up a fight, sparkling gold until the weather faded it to a dull bronze.

"Your right. There's no point blaming it on others. This is my fault and my fault alone" The hands gripped tighter, the ring surely cutting into the skin. I jumped as the hands sprang backwards of the bar, the left hand smacking into the right before claiming a grip on the band of Coco's love. Two fingers found a point either side, barely hesitating before ripping the ring away from the skin.

He stared down at the blue-ish hue for a moment, glaring down at all the trouble it had caused.

I had to look away, for I was almost choking with tears myself.

The air whistled brazenly, as Cherry threw the ring over the balcony. I counted to five before I heard it plop into the bursting river.

It would probably be lost forever.

"I know sorry doesn't cut it. But I just want to know I am. If I could turn back time, I would without a doubt. I should have been with you. We should have fought together, just like we promised when I agreed to come with you.

I loved you then, and I still do now"

The ring-free hand crossed all the mental barriers I had put there, brushing over the sodden wood boards to cup my hand in his.

"I'm sorry"

"For what?"

"For not saying goodbye. Leaving you when I said I wouldn't. And for sleeping with other people" He winced at the last bit.

"I thought you only said that to hurt me" I shook my head, almost wishing I was.

He'd been honest though, and I owed him the same.

"I was never in love with them though. Only you. I thought of you day and night. Wondering if I would ever come back to you" The hand seemed to grow warmer in response.

"What I should have told Cortex that day was that we could sleep with other people whilst I was away, but it would go no further than that"

"But sex shouldn't have been necessary"

"No but people do it all the time. I couldn't expect you to wait for me. Especially when I didn't know how long I was going to be.

Besides, you could always look at it another way"

"How?"

"It makes us more experienced, so that when I came back we would have more ways to try" The rain let up, and the air grew humid. My cheeks flushed, but not from the weather. Sadness no longer tainted the air.

"So much for a serious conversation. I feel like all I want to do right now is take you to bed and start making it up to you" Surprisingly, I smiled.

"I forgive you. I shouldn't but I do. I love you too much to let you go to that blond bimbo"

"But-"

"You still have to make it up to me though" Now he smiled. His eyes took back the light that had been there before.

"Of course, but first" His hands flew shiftily to his coat pockets, pulling out two little black boxes. He looked up, shaking his head when he caught the look I was wearing.

"I'm not proposing, don't worry" I sighed with relief.

"Good, because if there was ever a moment, now would not be the time" He placed one box carefully onto the floor, flipping a clasp on the other. The top swung open, revealing a sparkle of silver chain.

"It's a necklace of sorts. If you ever have to go away again without me, we'll both have something to remember each other by, and hopefully to keep us in check" His fingers slid over the paper and under the chain, the links rattling as he lifted them to reveal the pendant that swung underneath. Hazel brown, the exact shade of his eyes.

The heart shape was just big enough to allow the word Cherry to be engraved across the middle.

"It's corny, I know, but-"

"It's beautiful" And I really meant it. His eyes softened.

"Close your eyes" I did so, feeling the air hit my neck as he slid behind me, cupping my hair away and over my shoulder with one hand. His breath was warm and sweet-smelling as his fingers fumbled with the links, pulling them around my neck.

Only when a heavy weight fell between my breasts did I know he was successful.

"I have one as well, the shade of your eyes. Not that I would ever forget such beautiful things anyway" His voice was just a little more husky than usual. I kept my eyes closed, it was more fun that way.

"I wouldn't have thought a necklace would be very manly for you"

"Hmm, is this manly enough for you?" Hands gripped at my shoulders, pulling me around to face him before he pressed his torso into mine. A very manly bulge was trying to draw attention.

I felt him smile once more, before hot lips were placed on mine.

It was a brief second, but I was still gasping for breath when they left.

"I love you" He said, the lips coming back to tease me again.

"Just take me to bed already" I hissed, my eyes opening to meet his. They were full of promises that I was seconds away from begging him to keep.

"I'll take that as an 'I love you to' then shall i?"

"Please do"

And he did.