It took me a while to write because I could spent only about 15 minutes in front of the computer per day and so I had to get everything done within that limited time span.
Unexpected Alterations
crystal-mist
Chapter 14
Finale
Shun's wounds were bandaged up by one of the doctors. Kane had gone to a hotel to book a room for himself and subsequently to check on how Adam was doing back in Canada.
Shun then made his way towards Runo's room with Alice following doubtfully very far behind him. She was still hesitant after Dan's previous outburst.
"Shun….Perhaps I should stay behind….And you-"
She couldn't complete her sentence as she felt Shun's hold on her hand. "Don't talk; just walk." He muttered pulling her along with him.
They opened the door and saw that Joe was the only one sitting there…
"Runo's doing fine." Joe told them with a wide smile as he stood up… "The doctor only allows three visitors at a time though." He explained.
Joe turned to Alice. "Don't worry about what Dan said, the guy was just very stressed out and he regrets it deeply."
Alice nodded slightly.
Joe smiled seeing that Alice had reverted back to her former shy and sincere self. He opened the door and beckoned Julie and Marucho outside.
Julie hugged Alice… "Oh Ally; I am so glad you came back… You should go in and see Runo."
"But I…"
"You shouldn't protest….GO." Julie instructed, shoving her into the room.
Alice stumbled inside, and she almost fell down. Her chocolate eyes fell on Runo who sat on the bed. Dan was sitting beside her on a chair.
Runo's face lit up exponentially as she saw the orange-haired girl who had just entered the room. "Alice! I am not dreaming am I?" she exclaimed in joy.
Alice shook her head from side to side as she walked towards Runo's bed.
Alice stood about a foot away from Runo and Dan; she then knelt on the ground and bowed down in front of them. "Please forgive me Runo…. You wouldn't have been shot if it weren''t for me."
Runo's aquamarine eyes were wide with surprise. "Alice what do you think you are doing? You don't need to apologize….Dan, stop her, and help her up now." Instructed Runo almost immediately.
Dan gazed at his fiancée's slightly pouting face as he moved towards Alice and helped her up. "I am sorry." He whispered to her.
Alice gazed at him. "You shouldn't be…You have every right to hold a grudge against me…" answered Alice.
Shun let himself into the room. "Perhaps it's time for the brawlers to know a little story about Shi Gehabich and his daughter." He suggested.
Alice turned her stare towards Shun. "But-"
"Alice… We are all your friends…And don't you think they deserve to know the truth?"
Alice's face dropped a little. "That's right…But for now… I am just so glad that Runo is alright."
Runo smiled at her… "I am as well…Now; I am so totally set to marry a certain hard-headed guy."
Dan blushed a little. "Hey don't call me that."
"I decide what I call you Danny boy." Half-ordered Runo and the four friends laughed.
Runo was discharged from the hospital and then the brawlers gathered in one of Marucho's lounges. Kane was with them as well, and thus, they related the story of Alice's father and how he pressured her into marrying an old perverted guy… The brawlers were shocked to say the least. Kane and Shun were the ones who mostly related the story... Alice just sat in her seat with her head bowed down.
"Oh my Gosh Alice, we had no idea." Exclaimed Julie.
Dan was beyond shocked…his heart ached…He had said so many horrible things to her. Alice acted with all that coldness just to shield them. She endured the mental pain it caused her just so that her best friends would be protected.
"Alice…." spoke up Dan. "I…" he couldn't find words with which to convey his guilt.
Alice raised her head and looked at her friends in awe… They weren't angry at her? Instead they were sorry for her? Tears glazed her eyes as she took in their understanding. "Thank…you." She muttered as a tear rolled down her cheeks. Her hair covered her face.
Shun smiled slightly and walked over to her and bent down slightly. "I told you that they'd understand your situation." He whispered to her softly.
She raised her head to look at him and nodded in happiness.
Later that evening everything was resolved and the bakugan battle brawlers had finally reunited as one.
Happy chattering filled the atmosphere and now the battle brawlers increased by one member –Kane.
Shun spent a considerable amount of time just staring at Alice. He was still confused... Everything between Alice and the brawlers were back to normal. And now he and Alice were on friendly terms again. Should he risk everything and try once again to rekindle their previous relationship? He couldn't deny the fact that he still loved her deeply. And previously seeing her in Kane's arms was just…plain unbearable.
He sighed and stood up from where he sat and walked towards the couch where Alice was and whispered. "Will you join me for a while?"
She gazed at him in wonder. There was a pink tint on her cheeks because of his proximity. She nodded as she stood up and excused herself and walked out of the room with Shun following her.
They reached a balcony and Shun laid his elbow on the railing and waited for Alice to join him.
Alice could feel her heart beating madly with uncertainty. "Shun…" she couldn't think of anything to say.
Shun smiled a little. "Why are you so embarrassed Alice? Could it be that you detest spending time with me now?" he stated.
Alice looked at Shun. "Please… don't say that." She answered bowing her head a little.
Shun was taken aback by the hurt in her voice. He had just been joking with the previous statement. He hadn't thought that Alice would actually take it to heart. He had to admit, the whole situation was awkward and he could think of nothing to say. He could sense that Alice felt insecure as well.
"Alice….Do you feel…uncomfortable?" he muttered.
She didn't know if she should be truthful but she had sworn to herself that she will never again lie to Shun. "A bit."
Shun gazed at her, his golden eyes glinting in the moonlight. He sighed. "Why can't things be as easy as two years ago?" he muttered reflectively.
"It's my fault."
"Stop playing the blame-game…" he moved closer to her. "I think it's about time I received some explanations, don't you?"
She nodded. "Please ask me anything you want and I swear to answer you truthfully."
"Are you in love?" he started his bombardment of questions.
"Yes."
He could've so easily asked her who she was in love with. She did promise to tell the truth. But he felt as if he weren't ready to hear that answer.
"DO you have 'feelings' for Kane?
"No, not that kind.."
"Then who is he to you?"
"I feel…He's like an older brother to me."
"How so?"
Alice proceeded to explain to Shun how she had stopped Kane from his suicide attempt. And then how she thought she'd use Kane to dishearten him.
"Have you ever kissed Kane?" questioned Shun further.
"No…"
"Alice-"
But before he started the next statement she intervened. "But one time, when I saw you in the lobby, I pulled him towards me and asked him to pretend like we were kissing."
Shun stared at her, was he to believe her word or his own eyes? Granted, he hadn't actually seen them make lip-contact but from where he stood it looked like they were.
"At the airport, you told me that you loved Kane."
"Shun…Because, I knew if I said it, you'd let go of me…I thought that if I crushed you like that, you would stop following me and then my father couldn't do anything to you…You would be safe.."
"Alice, can I believe you? Can I throw you my heart once more, after you've ripped it time and time again?"
"I….I…" she was at a loss of words now. "I… want you to believe me…" she said as her hand was positioned where her heart was. "But Shun, if it indeed pains you so much; then there is no need… I…" tears glazed her eyes as her lips trembled. "I will remove myself from your life."
Shun's eyes widened in surprise at her desperate sentence. "Will you really do that for me?"
"I…I…" she closed her eyes and composed herself. "It'll hurt…But if it means that you will be even a bit happier because of that…I will."
"Alice…"
A long silence followed. And the faint trace of hope that had occupied Alice's heart vanished.
She and Shun were over. They would never be more than friends. Perhaps now they wouldn't be friends either.
Involuntarily tears started flowing down her cheeks and Shun just gazed at her with his soft eyes. He proceeded to wipe away her tears. She stood there as still as a statue as she felt his hand make contact with her face.
Shun's face, it was unreadable; almost as if he was in deep thought.
"Will you allow me just one thing?" he whispered.
"What is it?" she asked.
Shun slipped his arms around her and pulled her head to rest on his chest. "Just let me tell you one thing."
She nodded, she had no idea what to expect. But standing there in Shun's arms was just plain comforting and she did not want to loose that.
Shun bent down so he was at her level. "I love you." He whispered into her ear.
Alice's heart skipped a beat or two, or perhaps it was ten. She clutched at Shun's shirt as her breathe half-hitched in her throat. To think that mere words had this effect on her. "You…you really mean it?" she muttered with disbelief as more tears cascaded down her snow-white cheeks.
"And now for he final question." He whispered. "Do you honestly still love me back?"
She raised her face so that they were gazing into each other's eyes. "Of course I do… I love you…I really do…All this time I was forced to conceal it…I had to refrain from seeing you…And I; I've hurt you so much. I know it's selfish of me to say this to you now. But I really truly love you…Shun I-"
She couldn't complete because Shun brought his face close to hers and muttered. "I want a kiss." His golden eyes were intense and his voice was gentle and alluring.
A blush appeared on her cheeks as she nodded. "Anything you wish." She answered timidly.
"You know, it hurt; thinking that you loved Kane…Jealousy is a horrible thing." He stated.
"I am sorry."
He shook his head from side to side. "No I am not accusing you." He pressed his forehead to hers. "I just wanted to get all of that out of my mind….I've made a choice. I've decided to disregard all the insecurity in my heart and to only believe in what you've just told me…Please do not betray my trust."
She nodded. "I swear."
His face was lit up in a bright smile as he took her lips in his and reclaimed the girl whom he loved.
Alice threw her arms around Shun…She hadn't even imagined that something as magical as this would happen ever again. She smiled as she felt him pulling her closer to him.
After they parted she took his hand. "Please don't tell me I'm dreaming." She whispered.
"That comment is so cliché." said Shun amidst a little chuckle. "But even so; if it is a dream then I don't ever want to wake up…I'd rather stay in eternal slumber."
She rested her head on his chest as he snaked his arms around her. She closed her eyes and just cherished Shun's proximity… He was so reassuring, she had missed him deeply. It had been such a long time since she'd felt this kind of happiness flood through her entire being.
Shun rested his chin on the top of her head.
"Shun...Does this mean we're back together?" She knew that was a silly question to ask; after all they had just kissed. But she wanted to hear it from his lips.
He turned his eyes to the stars above. "Obviously..." He then took her hand and led her back into the lounge where the others were.
Julie was about to say something like 'So where were you two love-birds?' But she stopped herself remembering that Shun and Alice were still in hot water about their relationship.
It was Kane who noticed that they were holding one another's hand and that their fingers were intertwined. He smiled. "So, everything resolved?"
"Uh, you could say." Answered Alice blushing.
Shun moved closer to her and slipped his arm around her. "Perfectly resolved…" he added with a bright smile.
Julie stood up smiling. "I knew it; I knew that you couldn't be away from one another for too long… After all; you're in love."
"That's right." said Alice as an equally happy smile lit up her face.
Runo nodded. "About time too… Hey Dan, get out of that couch and give them room to sit."
Dan looked at Runo beseechingly."Come on; this couch barely has room for one person!"
"Don't worry…They'll find a way to squeeze in; won't you guys?" asked Joe to Shun and Alice, making them blush very hard.
But Shun wasn't going to let Joe embarrass him. "We will; thank you." He said taking Alice's arm and leading her to the seat Dan had vacated.
"Uh Shun…" she started but then stopped short and just smiled. His hands were around hers once again; and now insecurity no longer clouded both their hearts. She couldn't have asked for anything better…
Three years later.
A yellow taxi sped through the streets. Inside sat a brown-haired guy in a tuxedo. He was tapping his feet impatiently.
"Darn it; I'm late. I'm late. Darn it, they're so going to kill me for this." He muttered as he gazed at his watch frantically.
The taxi soon drew to a stop and he took out his wallet and handed a wade of cash to the driver.
"Keep the change." He muttered hastily before dashing towards the door of the cathedral.
He opened it quietly. –or so he thought- Immediately all the guests looked backwards at him.
The brunette stood at the entrance with an embarrassed smile on his face. He felt as if he was late for school and the teacher was about to tell him off.
"Adam! You made it after all!" cried the orange-haired girl who was in front of the room on an elevated platform. She was clad in a beautiful pure white gown.
"Yeah, better late than never hey?" he muttered scratching the back of his head as he smile apologetically to the bride.
Kane quickly made his way to Adam and then led him to a vacant seat that had been reserved for him.
"You made it." stated Kane.
"Just barely." answered Adam. "I hurried here as fast as I could. After all; it's my childhood friend's wedding. I had to be here or she'd murder me."
"Shall we resume now?" asked the priest shooting a hawk-like glare at Adam.
"Yes please." answered Alice.
The priest performed the whole ceremony.
"I pronounce you man and wife… You may now kiss the bride."
Alice blushed a bit as she heard this sentence.
The raven-haired man before her walked closer to her and cupped her face in his hands.
"You know Alice, its strange….We've kissed before and all; but I am still hopelessly nervous..." He muttered as he gazed lovingly at his bride.
She placed her arms around his neck. "Don't be… I'll always be here for you…Shun." she whispered back.
"Forever?"
"And ever…"
He chuckled a bit. "Wasn't that cliché?"
"And childish." She added with a cute little giggle.
Julie stood up from her chair. "What's with this hush-hush muttering? Just kiss the girl!" she shouted.
Shun and Alice both blushed; but they complied happily.
Dan ad Runo were already married and they had a little baby boy who was now one year old. Kane had found himself a girlfriend and they were pretty happy together.
The whole incident with Alice's father was now but a distant memory. They had spent a very content three years dating and now they were married.
Alice smiled happily as she looked at Shun; the man whom she loved; the man who'd sworn that he would love her no matter what. He smiled at her as well; but then this mischievous glint sparkled in his eyes. Alice narrowed her eyes in mock suspicion but before she could say anything he bent down a little and put his arms around her.
He then swept her off her feet. She squealed in surprise as he carried her bridal style. A very deep blush hinted her cheeks as the whole crowd "….AWWw'ed'
"Allow me to escort you." He whispered.
"You planned this right from the start didn't you?" she asked as her face was still flushed.
"No actually; this came on the spur of the moment." He answered as he gazed at her face adoringly.
Alice smiled in defeat as Shun carried her down the red carpet. "I love you." She muttered.
"I know… I love you too…And I am so happy to be able spend the rest of my life with you." he said as he strengthened his grip on her.
Alice looked deep into his golden eyes. To think that she had almost lost him. She shook her head from side to side. NO; she shouldn't be thinking these thoughts, not on their wedding day. She would not let them drift apart once again… And she was sure that the feeling was mutual.
"You'd better throw the bouquet now before you forget; or Julie will go on about it forever." Alerted Shun/
"That's right!" exclaimed Alice. She looked at the bouquet. "May these roses bring luck to the one who catches them?" She whispered before hauling it into the air.
"You're just too sweet for words." said Shun with a brief chuckle.
Alice blushed the brightest shade of red as she leant closer to Shun with a contented and happy smile on her face.
An endless cycle of arduous ordeals have led them to this one moment. This moment when they are able to venture into life's deepest waters that lie beyond the horizon- hand-in-hand, arm-in-arm, together, as one.
Let even death be unable to tear them apart.
Unexpected Alterations
Fin.
Nyah, So that was the last chapter… I wonder if this chapter was alright.
Well anyways I would like to thank everyone who relentlessly supported me throughout the course of this entire story. Thanks you guys. Love Y'all 3. DO tell me what you think Kay?
And so without further ado For the last time in this particular story may I ask you to leav a REVIEW?
Now, I would like to take your leave. Hoping to see you all again,
(Well more like hoping that you'll read my other stories)
This is crystal-mist (arisu) signing out.
Take Care.