A/N: Written for the GX Bingo – the non-flash version, #56 – you never felt it…

we were once upon a time and we will be again

We were so close once upon a time.

When you cried, I cried. When you hurt, I hurt. And I did something. I made you happy, and we'd both smile together. Laugh together. Be together.

I could have forgiven you then. Forgiven you for sending me away like you did. We were still bonded after all. I could scream in pain and know that, somewhere, you could feel me too. And I could feel your laughter and it would ease me. We could feel each other.

Except there wasn't much of that. Your laughter. Not much at all. But that was okay. We didn't need that to be happy. We needed each other. If I could feel you, feel when you were sad, when you were angry – I could do something. Protect you. Fix things when they went wrong.

And then I suddenly couldn't feel you at all. You'd abandoned me – and I couldn't forgive that.

Why? Why would you do such a thing? So what if all those children abandoned you? Wasn't I enough? They couldn't protect you like I could. They couldn't be the beloved I was – and would always be. They couldn't give as much as I could – they haven't, and they never would.

I cried when I felt you gone. I cried so many tears and you never felt one of them. You couldn't have. You'd cut me off. You were gone, in that large world where I couldn't protect you anymore. Where I couldn't feel you anymore.

And I couldn't even chase you because you'd sent me here – to this lonely burning place.

You told me about Hell once upon a time. You'd sent me to Hell.

And I cried. I screamed. I cursed. Nothing changed. I didn't even feel a twitch in my heart, where you were. And you probably didn't either. You were gone.

I bore it. I tried to be patient, but it was hard. All I had was you and you'd taken yourself away from me.

I had your memories. And your broken promise in my hands and that hurt that was a thousand times stronger than this flame.

I let them keep me alive as I struggled, and waited.

I let them drag me forward when something gave.

I let them cocoon me as I fell through place, on a course for earth again, for you again. I missed entirely of course. I still couldn't feel you. I didn't know where you were. But I'd find you, somehow.

And I did. It took time, and energy I didn't have, but I did. And then I was close enough to feel you again and it was glorious. I could almost forgive you. Almost…except you'd forgotten all about me. I felt it when I touched you for the first time in years. Your body recoiled. Your body didn't remember.

I couldn't accept that. I had to make you remember. All that we'd shared. All that you'd put me through by parting ways. All that you'd lost. That I'd lost. All that I didn't regret…and the one thing I did. Losing you.

This anger, this hurt, had narrowed my vision. Given me a goal. I know just how, Juudai-kun. How I'll never have to lose you again.

We're going to be closer than we were once upon a time.