Part two of three and I can promise you that I'm leaving you on a cliffhanger.
Also, my apologies to any followers who didn't get an email when chapter eleven was uploaded; my internet decided to fuck up and the site didn't register that I uploaded around midnight on May 4. How do I know that? Because I get an email every time I upload a new chapter and I didn't get one.
See you in the endnote!
"You may kiss the bride!"
Spirit kissed Kami as the crowd erupted in cheers. Maka smiled from where she was sitting next to Soul, her seven-and-a-half month pregnant belly making her condition glaringly obvious to everyone. Kristen was sitting on Soul's other side, her heart too twisted from Kid's treatment of it to enjoy the event. Ordinarily, she'd be all over it, screaming and squealing and jumping, but she couldn't deal with romance at the moment. She knew she wouldn't be able to for a while. Liz shot her a worried look and a glare at Kid.
"Hey," Soul said to his sister, grabbing her hand comfortingly. "Forget him. You don't need him. Just focus on making your performance at the reception great for now, okay?" She nodded.
"Okay…"
They turned to leave, Soul helping Maka through the crowd like a good baby-daddy while Kristen walked behind him.
Kid saw them. It was the first time he'd seen Kristen in the month since their breakup, since she'd gotten permission from Stein to take her lessons from Maka instead of going to class so she wouldn't have to face him. It reminded him what a horrible person he was for what he'd done to her; she'd given him her fragile thirteen-year-old heart and he'd shattered it like a porcelain teacup. Liz still spoke to him, on occasion with civility, but Patti only spoke to him to berate him for being a selfish bastard. Soul would leave the room when Kid entered to keep from attacking his future boss. Maka avoided him altogether since stress was bad for the baby. Tsubaki seemed to be the only one beside Liz who treated him without malice. Black*Star… well… we won't talk about Black*Star.
"Kristen!" he called, trying to get through the crowd to her. She stiffened a bit but kept walking. "Kristen! Wait!" She quickened her pace and disappeared out the door.
"She's not going to listen to you," sighed Liz. "I don't blame her. First breakups are hard to get over."
"I have to talk to her somehow!"
"It's been a month, Kid. Why is this your first attempt to talk to her?"
"I… I don't want Soul to kill me…"
"He's restraining himself. Grow a pair and get closer to her already!"
At the reception, Kristen set up for her performance alongside her brothers. They'd chosen a classic love song to perform together for Spirit and Kami's first dance, at the bride's request. Kristen couldn't bring herself to cancel, especially since Spirit was more of a father to her than her own father had ever been. She felt like she owed them at least one song. Well, that and she hadn't performed with her brothers in years, not since before Soul had left the music scene. It had been too long, and she wanted to at least pretend for a few minutes that her heart hadn't been thrown into a blender put on 'puree'.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Soul asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Positive. I'm good at pretending everything's fine…"
Soul gave her a look that said he sincerely doubted that, but didn't pry further since Spirit and Kami were arriving. Maka gave him a thumbs-up from her place offstage.
"Hey, everyone!" Kristen fake-giggled into the microphone. "We're here today to celebrate two very special people. Although they've been married to each other before, they found their way back together after years of separation, proving love can survive even the worst turbulence! As a result, the Evans Family has a special song to perform!"
People began clapping as Spirit took Kami's hand. Kid and Liz slipped in just as Soul played the intro to the song with Wes. Kristen took a deep breath.
"Heart beats fast," she sang. "Colors and promises… How to be brave, how can I love when I'm afraid to fall, but watching you stand alone… All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow…"
Kid's golden eyes rested on her and the rest of the world faded to darkness as he unconsciously reached his soul to hers. She accepted him, surprisingly, and it was a warm and welcoming feeling.
"One step closer… I have died every day waiting for you. Darling, don't be afraid; I have loved you for a thousand years… I'll love you for a thousand more…"
Time slowed down as Kid and Kristen met in their shared soul space. He gave her a look of longing and opened his mouth to speak.
"Tell me after the song," she whispered with a sad smile.
Back in the real world…
"Time stands still… Beauty, in all she is… I will be brave, I will not let anything take away what's standing in front of me… Every breath, every hour has come to this…" She closed her eyes. "One step closer… I have died every day waiting for you. Darling, don't be afraid; I have loved you for a thousand years… I'll love you for a thousand more… All along, I believed I would find you. Time has led your heart to me; I have loved you for a thousand years… I'll love you for a thousand more…"
Soul and Wes played the instrumental, Kristen swaying naturally to the music. In her soul, however, she was dancing with Kid already, silent until they could speak to each other in the real world.
"One step closer… one step closer… I have died every day waiting for you. Darling, don't be afraid; I have loved you for a thousand years… I'll love you for a thousand more… All along, I believed I would find you. Time has led your heart to me; I have loved you for a thousand years… I'll love you for a thousand more…"
She lowered her face as her brothers finished out the song and the crowd cheered. As the siblings left the stage, Soul was immediately attacked by Maka, who started gushing over his piano skills. Wes went off to talk to Blair. Kristen knew she had to face Kid. She'd said she would, but that had been in her soul. She didn't think she had the strength to talk to him in the actual world.
Luckily, he made her decision for her.
"Kristen," he said, taking her hand. "I need to talk to you."
"Sure, Kid…" He took a deep breath.
"I just wanted to say I'm—"
Unfortunately, their conversation was put on hold as an explosion rocked the building.
Making up would have to wait.
Cliffhanger!
Kristen: Katie, you meanass bitch!
Katie: *covers heart* Oh, my, Miss Evans! Did I just hear swearing coming out of your little Loli mouth? I raised you better than that!
Kristen: No, you didn't!
Soul: That's my sister! *high-five*
Katie: Well, I do have a disclaimer to make about this chapter. I do not own the song 'A Thousand Years'. That song belongs to Christina Perri, before any of you people actively trying to get me blocked object.
Kid: Why am I an idiot?
Katie: Just wait for next time. It's gonna be a doozy! So long and thanks for all the fish!