Workings of a Happily Ever After, The

by Nona Mae King

  ~*~

  I sighed and looked at my watch. Fifteen minutes. Then I could go and hopefully meet Zell on the way from Balamb to Garden.

  "Regal."

  I twitched and looked behind me to watch Seifer approach. "Yes, sir?"

  He stopped and pointed toward the elevator. "Get out of my security office."

  "But--"

  "What part of that didn't you understand?" He turned back for his office, a hand in the air. "Go on, go on. The perimeter says Dincht is on the approach at a run."

  My eyes widened as I softly gasped. Then I smiled and gathered my SeeD jacket and hurried for the elevator while calling "Thank you, sir!" over my shoulder.

  I hit the first floor button and then excitedly 'hopped' forward and back from the balls of my feet to my heels as it rushed upward. The doors opened and I squeezed through before it had finished. Then I slid down the banister of the stairs on my backside--a trick Zell had taught me to work on postural balance--and hit the ground running and giggling out an occasional "Excuse me," to a passed candidate or SeeD as I continued on my way.

  I think everyone at Balamb Garden had come to expect craziness from me a long time ago.

  Zell and the front gate came in view just about the same time. I squealed out a "Zell!", catching his attention and his boyish grin moments before he leaped the gate. I threw myself into his arms, knowing full-well that the entire scene was over-blown and cliché. After all, he'd only been gone for the day. But I didn't care. I'd missed him.

  He held me tight. "So how's my girl?" he asked in a low voice.

  I released a long and deep breath, a silly smile on my lips as my arms encircled him. "I feel better now," I whispered.

  Zell chuckled, the sound vibrating through me to give me a shiver. "Yeah. Me, too."

  I softly giggled, giving a brief and quiet squeal when he scooped me up and headed forward toward Garden. I happily dangled my feet and linked my fingers behind his neck as I gave him a kiss on the cheek and then pressed mine against it.

  Zack would have rolled his eyes and made a 'gag' gesture to the nearest male.

  "This is my favorite position," I happily sighed.

  "I bet. You wanna know why?"

  "Because I'm your damsel in distress?"

  Zell chuckled again and nudged my cheek with his. I lifted my head and met his gaze, still smiling that silly smile as I was. "Something like that, I guess. Did you know I'm the one who took you to the Infirmary that time?"

  "'That time'?" I repeated dreamily. "What time? When I bonked my head on the way to Balamb?"

  He shook his head. "No. When Galbadia Garden attacked and you were caught in the Library under the bookcase."

  I blinked, my smile vanishing as my eyes widened and I gasped. Then I softly said, "You..." as I hesitantly pointed at him, still blinking as my mind struggled with the possibility. "You took me to the--R-Really?"

  Zell nodded. "I just remembered on the way here." He grinned. "I nearly fell over."

  I stared at him for another long moment of awed wonder before whispering a choked "...oh Zell..." and giving his neck a tight hug as I pressed my face against him. For years I'd wondered, but no one could tell me; the memory long since lost to life, war, and GFs. And now... My Zell had saved my life, proving once more that, beyond a shadow of a doubt, we were meant to be together. What else could it mean? What else did I want it to mean?

  Zell kissed my hair. "How about I tell you the story tonight?"

  I wordlessly nodded, happily crying against him. I couldn't think of another memory that would have been so well timed.