A/N-Please don't kill me.
Chapter 14I remember a bright white light. And a soothing voice drifting in and out of my numb mind calling out, "Hold on, Mia. Hold on."
"Mia?"
I slowly opened my eyes and found my father holding onto my hand. "Mia? Are you alright?"
I slowly sat up. "What happened?"
"The ball was…well it was ruined to say the least."
I chuckled softly. "Grandmère must be thrilled."
He laughed as well. "I think she'll be happier to know that you're alright."
I looked around my sterile hospital room that was covered with flowers and well wishes and balloons. "Who are all these from?"
"The guests at the ball. They were worried for you."
Suddenly I remembered the last few moments of the ball that I had remained conscious for. "Where's Michael?"
Dad looked down, refusing to look me in the eye.
"Dad?"
Hesitantly, he replied, "He was shot before leaving the ballroom. By the time he got to the hospital, he lost too much blood. He…he died."
I felt like I had been rammed in the gut with a ton of bricks. Michael? Michael died? That's impossible! Michael can't die! "No, he's not dead!"
"Mia—"
"HE'S NOT DEAD! YOU'RE LYING!"
"Mia—"
"WHERE'S MICHAEL? WHERE IS HE? HE'S NOT DEAD!"
"Mia, stop it! He died, there's nothing you can do!"
That's when the tears came. Tear after tear came, and soon, they came in torrents. They left trails on my face and after a few hours, the tears felt like acid, burning into my skin.
"Today we remember not only one of the strongest and most courageous men in our ranks, but also a son, a bodyguard, and a friend…"
The priest's voice trailed off as I walked away. I couldn't stand to be around the hordes of weeping women, only to be reminded that I was one of the few young ladies that his own life had touched.
I walked to the edge of the cliff that the cemetery had been built on. It overlooked the glittering cerulean ocean and the scenic cliffs.
He died for me. He died to save me.
The salty tears came trailing down my face once again. But once they left my face, the fell to join the larger body of water below.
I watched the foamy surf wash against the rocky shore. Had this ocean been built on tears? Had other lovesick young girls come to this cliff to cry over the soldiers they had lost? Had widows wept their own tears into this ocean?
I looked out into the sea of sorrows. "I love you, Michael," I whispered and immediately afterwards, felt the wind envelope around me.
Suddenly, I realized that Michael was not lost. He was still here, and I would always be surrounded in his love. And while I couldn't touch him, couldn't hold him, or couldn't kiss him, I would always have his memory in my heart.
And while he couldn't physically protect me, he would always be watching over me.
My guardian angel.
I let one last tear drop into the ocean and walked away.
A/N-Okay, first things first:
I'm soo sorry that I didn't update sooner. School's...well, school is school and it's difficult. I hate it actually. So please forgive me.
Second of all, please do not flame me for this ending. I had actually planned for this to happen, and I am not going to change it. This is it, this is the ending, that's all there is to it.
Third of all, while this is a sad ending and certainly not what some of you were expecting, rest assured that the other two Princess Diary stories are happy endings.
Fourth of all, thank you for sticking with this story and my flaky updating habits. It's tough, I know, especially when you're impatient. Thank you so much for thinking this story had any potential to begin with.
And while this story might have reached it's end I still appreciate loads and loads of reviews.