UPDATED - 3/3/2002
I fixed up a few lines somewhere in the fic O_o I made a mistake >.
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Author's Notes:
Ok... I wasn't originally planning to add another chapter to this story, but I felt like writing again. I'm perfectly aware that there can be 'too much of a good thing' but I just wanted to add this anyway...
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[ Love Takes Time... --> Part 2 ]
Night had already come to Winhill. Besides the whisper of the calm winds through the trees, all was silent and still. The stars, just visible behind the light cloud cover, stretched across the night sky, leaving milky dots of light amidst its majestic brilliance. All was calm, peaceful and serene. From a distance, the small town would even seem picturesque.
Raine...
Laguna Loire walked away from his peaceful surroundings towards the outskirts of town. He knew exactly where he was going; yet he didn't know why he had the sudden urge to want to be there. That would remain a mystery for now. He decided that he would figure it out when he got there.
I'm all alone...
Laguna approached Raine's grave once again and knelt beside it. He almost felt drawn to it. He had been there earlier on that day, only this time no one was there to keep watch of his actions. He was now free to let out all his emotions. Now he remembered why he wanted to be there so badly.
I miss you...
He ran his hand along the cold headstone, feeling the stone's texture beneath his fingers. Upon his hand, a golden ring glistened in the moonlight. It was his wedding ring. It was identical to the one his wife Raine had.
Why did you have to go?
Laguna, although he seemed to be all masculine and tough, wasn't all that he seemed. He had another side, which not many people would have seen. It was too well hidden from the outside world. He had kept this side hidden only until he could no longer hold it in. It would remain hidden until he felt it was time to open it up. It was too late now. He had no choice but to show it. There was no point in fighting his feelings now.
Why...?
A teardrop trickled down his cheek, leaving a streak of salt water tracing the path where the teardrop had just passed. The tear left his face and dripped onto Raine's headstone. The teardrop left a small marking on the stone. A discreet reminder that feelings and emotions can overpower even the most physically strong individual.
... I love you...
Laguna closed his eyes and reminisced the good times he had spent with Raine, keeping in mind that they would never happen again. No matter how much you want it to happen, you can never re-live the past, yet you can never escape it. It will always remain as a memory deep in your mind. Deep in your heart...
A faint noise could be heard close by to where Laguna knelt. The distant sound of footsteps, yet Laguna chose to ignore it. He would rather spend his time with his wife. He bowed his head down and closed his eyes.
"Laguna...?" a voice called, floating to Laguna with the passing winds.
Laguna jolted his head up. The voice seemed so familiar, yet he just couldn't place when and where he had last heard it.
...Raine?
It can't be...
...Or can it?
"...R-Raine...?" Laguna managed to choke out.
Still crouched in his kneeling position, he turned around and looked at the mysterious figure. He sighed.
"No... It's me..."
Ellone. It was Ellone. That was why he had found a similarity in the voice he had heard. Although it wasn't the person he expected, he could see why he had mistaken her voice for Raine's. Ellone wasn't physically Raine's daughter... But that didn't matter. They were so alike in most aspects that you would mistake them as blood related family at first glance. Sometimes they would even appear to be the same person... In Laguna's eyes. He saw so much of Raine in Ellone.
"What are you doing up so late Elle?" Laguna lectured.
"Shouldn't I be asking you the same thing?" she retorted.
Ellone walked towards Laguna. Straight away, she had noticed that he had been crying. Being the kind of forgetful person that he is, Laguna had forgotten to wipe away the teary streaks on his face. Laguna turned away, trying to conceal his emotion. He was embarrassed to be seen in such a state, although Ellone had already seen him through much worse.
"..."
"You really miss her, don't you?" Ellone asked, stating the obvious facts.
"...I loved her, Ellie..." Laguna answered.
...With all my heart...
"I know... I did too..."
Ellone walked over to Laguna and knelt down beside him. She glanced at the headstone with her mother's name written on it and bowed her head down in respect. She then looked at Laguna. His face was lit up by the moonlight. His smooth face was still streaked with tears. Although he was now older, the only thing that seemed to change about his appearance was the color of his hair, and the fact that he now tied it up. His facial features were still almost the same, except for that fact that he now had extra lines and grooves on it... Signs that he was getting older.
"...But why did you come back here? You were here earlier today..." Ellone asked him.
"I missed her again..."
It's hard letting go...
Laguna's eyes began to tear again. Ellone gave Laguna a hug and a shoulder to lean on. She was perfectly aware how hard it was to let go. She knew exactly how he felt without him having to say a single word. They had shared the same feelings together, as Raine was something special to both of them. She had once played an important part in their lives.
"I can still remember when I had first asked her... Asked her t-to... To marry me. I thought about earlier today. I can still remember where I asked her. It wasn't far from here. Although I forget many things, that was one I will never forget..." Laguna told Ellone.
"I can still remember so many things about her too..."
Laguna and Ellone sat out amongst the damp grass under the night sky, exchanging their stories. So many memories to share. All of which they shared together. They laughed and reminisced together. Sometimes sharing memories with other people is much better than remembering them by yourself.
"...I really do miss her Ellie, but I'll never get her back..."
"But we'll always remember her and all the fun we had together, right? That's the important thing. We shouldn't dwell on how much we miss her. We should concentrate on the time we spent with her. It hurts less that way..."
"I guess your right Elle..."
Ellone smiled at Laguna. She too had grown up from the first time her and Laguna had met. She was now older and much more mature. She was now fully capable of taking care of herself. At one point of her life, Laguna took care of her. He was a role model to her. A father. Now that she was old enough to make her own decisions, Laguna need not interfere with her doings unless called for.
"Well... I'm gonna head off now... Take care of yourself," Ellone informed.
"Ok... You too Ellie..."
Laguna gave Ellone one last hug and thanked her for consoling him. After Ellone had walked back into the safety of the town, Laguna once again bowed his head down and closed his eyes. He once again thought about Raine and what Ellone had said. He had realized some things that he didn't see before. He wasn't entirely ignorant, but there were still things that he overlooked.
Although you're gone... ...You will always be remembered. Your memory will live on forever. There's no longer any need to keep reminding myself that you're gone. All I need to remember is that while you were still with us... ...I loved you... ...And I still do... ...And I will never forget the time we spent together...
Laguna took one last look at Raine's headstone. This time, instead of crying, he smiled. It was time for him to let her go. She will forever be remembered, but now he can let go of the pain. Laguna looked at the wedding ring on his hand. It had faded enormously throughout the years and lost its brilliant shimmer. Although Raine had passed away many years ago, he still wore it as a reminder that she was once a major part of his life.
Laguna slowly took the ring off his hand and clenched it in his palm.
This is for you... Raine...
Laguna carefully placed the ring on the edge of Raine's headstone. He then stood up, took one last look at Raine's final resting place and walked away, leaving all the pain behind...
= = = = =
Author's Notes:
Ok... I wasn't originally planning to add another chapter to this story, but I felt like writing again. I'm perfectly aware that there can be 'too much of a good thing' but I just wanted to add this anyway...
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Night had already come to Winhill. Besides the whisper of the calm winds through the trees, all was silent and still. The stars, just visible behind the light cloud cover, stretched across the night sky, leaving milky dots of light amidst its majestic brilliance. All was calm, peaceful and serene. From a distance, the small town would even seem picturesque.
Raine...
Laguna Loire walked away from his peaceful surroundings towards the outskirts of town. He knew exactly where he was going; yet he didn't know why he had the sudden urge to want to be there. That would remain a mystery for now. He decided that he would figure it out when he got there.
I'm all alone...
Laguna approached Raine's grave once again and knelt beside it. He almost felt drawn to it. He had been there earlier on that day, only this time no one was there to keep watch of his actions. He was now free to let out all his emotions. Now he remembered why he wanted to be there so badly.
I miss you...
He ran his hand along the cold headstone, feeling the stone's texture beneath his fingers. Upon his hand, a golden ring glistened in the moonlight. It was his wedding ring. It was identical to the one his wife Raine had.
Why did you have to go?
Laguna, although he seemed to be all masculine and tough, wasn't all that he seemed. He had another side, which not many people would have seen. It was too well hidden from the outside world. He had kept this side hidden only until he could no longer hold it in. It would remain hidden until he felt it was time to open it up. It was too late now. He had no choice but to show it. There was no point in fighting his feelings now.
Why...?
A teardrop trickled down his cheek, leaving a streak of salt water tracing the path where the teardrop had just passed. The tear left his face and dripped onto Raine's headstone. The teardrop left a small marking on the stone. A discreet reminder that feelings and emotions can overpower even the most physically strong individual.
... I love you...
Laguna closed his eyes and reminisced the good times he had spent with Raine, keeping in mind that they would never happen again. No matter how much you want it to happen, you can never re-live the past, yet you can never escape it. It will always remain as a memory deep in your mind. Deep in your heart...
A faint noise could be heard close by to where Laguna knelt. The distant sound of footsteps, yet Laguna chose to ignore it. He would rather spend his time with his wife. He bowed his head down and closed his eyes.
"Laguna...?" a voice called, floating to Laguna with the passing winds.
Laguna jolted his head up. The voice seemed so familiar, yet he just couldn't place when and where he had last heard it.
...Raine?
It can't be...
...Or can it?
"...R-Raine...?" Laguna managed to choke out.
Still crouched in his kneeling position, he turned around and looked at the mysterious figure. He sighed.
"No... It's me..."
Ellone. It was Ellone. That was why he had found a similarity in the voice he had heard. Although it wasn't the person he expected, he could see why he had mistaken her voice for Raine's. Ellone wasn't physically Raine's daughter... But that didn't matter. They were so alike in most aspects that you would mistake them as blood related family at first glance. Sometimes they would even appear to be the same person... In Laguna's eyes. He saw so much of Raine in Ellone.
"What are you doing up so late Elle?" Laguna lectured.
"Shouldn't I be asking you the same thing?" she retorted.
Ellone walked towards Laguna. Straight away, she had noticed that he had been crying. Being the kind of forgetful person that he is, Laguna had forgotten to wipe away the teary streaks on his face. Laguna turned away, trying to conceal his emotion. He was embarrassed to be seen in such a state, although Ellone had already seen him through much worse.
"..."
"You really miss her, don't you?" Ellone asked, stating the obvious facts.
"...I loved her, Ellie..." Laguna answered.
...With all my heart...
"I know... I did too..."
Ellone walked over to Laguna and knelt down beside him. She glanced at the headstone with her mother's name written on it and bowed her head down in respect. She then looked at Laguna. His face was lit up by the moonlight. His smooth face was still streaked with tears. Although he was now older, the only thing that seemed to change about his appearance was the color of his hair, and the fact that he now tied it up. His facial features were still almost the same, except for that fact that he now had extra lines and grooves on it... Signs that he was getting older.
"...But why did you come back here? You were here earlier today..." Ellone asked him.
"I missed her again..."
It's hard letting go...
Laguna's eyes began to tear again. Ellone gave Laguna a hug and a shoulder to lean on. She was perfectly aware how hard it was to let go. She knew exactly how he felt without him having to say a single word. They had shared the same feelings together, as Raine was something special to both of them. She had once played an important part in their lives.
"I can still remember when I had first asked her... Asked her t-to... To marry me. I thought about earlier today. I can still remember where I asked her. It wasn't far from here. Although I forget many things, that was one I will never forget..." Laguna told Ellone.
"I can still remember so many things about her too..."
Laguna and Ellone sat out amongst the damp grass under the night sky, exchanging their stories. So many memories to share. All of which they shared together. They laughed and reminisced together. Sometimes sharing memories with other people is much better than remembering them by yourself.
"...I really do miss her Ellie, but I'll never get her back..."
"But we'll always remember her and all the fun we had together, right? That's the important thing. We shouldn't dwell on how much we miss her. We should concentrate on the time we spent with her. It hurts less that way..."
"I guess your right Elle..."
Ellone smiled at Laguna. She too had grown up from the first time her and Laguna had met. She was now older and much more mature. She was now fully capable of taking care of herself. At one point of her life, Laguna took care of her. He was a role model to her. A father. Now that she was old enough to make her own decisions, Laguna need not interfere with her doings unless called for.
"Well... I'm gonna head off now... Take care of yourself," Ellone informed.
"Ok... You too Ellie..."
Laguna gave Ellone one last hug and thanked her for consoling him. After Ellone had walked back into the safety of the town, Laguna once again bowed his head down and closed his eyes. He once again thought about Raine and what Ellone had said. He had realized some things that he didn't see before. He wasn't entirely ignorant, but there were still things that he overlooked.
Although you're gone... ...You will always be remembered. Your memory will live on forever. There's no longer any need to keep reminding myself that you're gone. All I need to remember is that while you were still with us... ...I loved you... ...And I still do... ...And I will never forget the time we spent together...
Laguna took one last look at Raine's headstone. This time, instead of crying, he smiled. It was time for him to let her go. She will forever be remembered, but now he can let go of the pain. Laguna looked at the wedding ring on his hand. It had faded enormously throughout the years and lost its brilliant shimmer. Although Raine had passed away many years ago, he still wore it as a reminder that she was once a major part of his life.
Laguna slowly took the ring off his hand and clenched it in his palm.
This is for you... Raine...
Laguna carefully placed the ring on the edge of Raine's headstone. He then stood up, took one last look at Raine's final resting place and walked away, leaving all the pain behind...