Mending Her Heart

Chapter 1: Back To Her Cold Ways

The blonde haired girl leaned over the moon lit balcony, and watched the stars twinkle in the night. She didn't know what to do with her life now. Everybody she loved, was either gone, or nowhere to be found. The one man she had ever loved, was taken away by the green emerald of his eye.

He had loved her once before, but he then turned to the green haired lovely that somewhat appeared, invisible to everybody. He had ignored her for so long. She knew it. Terra had looked so sad after that. Locke was the only one who seemed to somewhat care about her. Instead of the young, perverted, king. Of course, Edgar could never get Terra to notice him anyway.

Terra's heart had always belonged to her one and only, Locke. They both loved him with all of their beings. She just couldn't show it as much as Terra. That's probably why their relationship ended in heartache. Oh, but she did love Locke. More than anyone would ever know.

She wished she could've been able to reveal more of what she felt for him. She really did. But she just couldn't muster up enough of her heart to do it. Her heart was frozen in ice, and there was nothing anybody could do about it. Sure, it thawed a little. But not enough to let Locke get serious with her. That's why he left her. He finally noticed how much love Terra was giving him without him even knowing it. So he dropped their relationship and went to Terra.

She couldn't give Locke what he needed. He was very needy at the time after experiencing the loss of his...Rachel. He wanted more love than what he could handle. She just couldn't give him that. But Terra could. Her love for him over flowed. He was overwhelmed by it and was intrigued. He had fallen deeper and deeper in love with Terra behind her back. Terra only welcomed such love. She was very needy at the time as well. She had never had anyone to love her before. And she craved it badly. More than what Locke did. And he was just fine with that.

It started that night they were in Edgar's treasury room. Locke had told her the whole story. It made her shudder just to think about it. But it was a night she would never forget. Though she tried to numerous times. She just remembered every time she seen Locke and his new wife strutting around. She hated it, but she had to keep up the Oh! I'm so happy for you both! look. She had to, unless she wanted Locke bugging her about something being wrong, for the rest of her life.

"Locke, where are you going?" Celes asked, looking up at him for the first time in hours. She had been reading an interesting book about a famous warrior.

"Why should you care, Celes? You don't seem to want me around anyway. Even if I sit down by you to see what you're reading, you'll glare at me just to say to get out of your damn light!" Locke said, irritated with how cold Celes has been towards him and everyone else, for the past month.

"I was just asking! You don't have to tell me!" Celes looked down to the book again, only to hear the door slam and feel the air from it flow past her.

"I just don't know what to do with her anymore! Why is she acting like this all the time? What did I do? This relationship obviously isn't going to get anywhere at this rate! She'll rarely ever let me touch her let alone kiss her!" Locke muttered to himself.

He walked down towards the treasury room. He decided that he wouldn't get interrupted there. He always went there to think things over. So he could think things over about the dead end relationship he was in.

He went into the treasury room and left a crack in the door, so he could get out when he was ready. He sat down at the desk, where Edgar does his business work. He thought of how Celes never gave him the time of day anymore. She never used to be that cold before. He really thought they could've had a future together. But it looked like he was wrong. Celes couldn't give him the love he needed. He was very needy. He needed someone who could give him love unconditionally. Celes couldn't do that. So maybe it was best if they went their separate ways.

He sighed, "What to do.."

Just then, he heard someone in the room. He turned around to see that young, vibrant lady, he met so long ago. She looked confused and worried. But other than that, she was as beautiful as ever, with not one flaw. Unlike Celes at the moment. He smiled, trying not to show his frustration, but something told him that she already knew there was something wrong.

"What are you doing back here, Terra? Didn't you go back to Mobliz?"

She blinked. "Yes, I did. I came back to check on some of the adopted kids. There are some in South Figaro that I decided to visit and the castle was nearby. Edgar said I would always have a room here anyway."

She walked over and knelt in front of him. She stared at him for the longest time. She blinked. He blinked back.

"Locke...what's wrong?"

"Terra, there's.."

She cut him off. "Don't lie to me, Locke. Just tell me what's wrong. Maybe I can help."

He sighed again and told her everything. How he and Celes got together. How it was fine the first few months. He then got to where she started acting differently. Then he finished with telling Terra how Celes wouldn't give him the time of day anymore. Then, how she won't ever let him touch her arm or kiss her without a fuss.

Terra looked puzzled. "That's strange. It's not like her at all. Not that I know of."

"I know. It's weird ya know. I don't know what I done to deserve this."

"Oh, Locke! I'm sure you didn't do anything! I don't know what Celes is thinking right now, but I know if I were her, I would never treat you like that! I would cherish you with every ounce of my being till the day I die and beyond that! You're too good to pass up, and I would never waste a minute with you if I were her!"

Locke blinked and stared at her. She stared back. They were like that for the longest time. He just stared at her as he thought about what she said. She never said anything like that to him before. Or anybody else for that matter. Edgar would've loved for her to say that to him. But he was the one she had the least interest in. For some reason, their faces moved closer. They moved closer and closer till their lips were almost touching.

"Did you really mean what you said? About me being too good to pass up, and so on?" Locke whispered.

"Of course," Terra whispered back.

He moved closer to her. She moved up a bit more. A while after, his mouth opened over her's. He breathed into her mouth. It was just a brushing of the lips. Terra moved closer to him. He moved closer to her, until they shared a long, passionate kiss. He fell over her. He made sure not to fall on top of her. He was sitting over her as they kissed. Terra pulled him closer and kissed him harder. He went along with it.

A while after, Locke got off of Terra and lid beside her. He kissed her again and then went to her neck. Terra whimpered as Locke sucked on her neck. He had completely lost control of himself. Nothing could drive him away from the overflowing love, that Terra was pouring over him. He was overwhelmed by it. He felt warm for the first time in years. He craved for the kind of love she was giving him. He had never realized before, how deeply she cared for him.

A while after, he stopped to look at her. She could see the yearning in his eyes. But she realized something. She wasn't the one who could give it to him. He was still with Celes. She would not be the reason that Locke would break up with Celes. Celes was a dear friend of her's. She couldn't just steal Locke away from her like that. A strong feeling of shame came over her. She shouldn't have let Locke do those things. But she couldn't help it. She loved him more than Celes ever would. But that was still no reason to satisfy Locke's needs. She couldn't do that when it was Celes' job. They were still going out. But even if they did break up, she would never be able to be with Locke unless it was OK with Celes. She didn't want to lose a friend out of her own greed. It didn't matter how much she wanted to love him, to please him. She would have to get Celes' consent first.

Terra got up quickly and turned away from Locke. Locke got up and turned her towards him. "What's wrong?"

She looked at him in shock. "Locke! You know you're still with Celes! You can't be doing these things behind her back!"

"Terra, it doesn't seem like Celes cares what I do anymore. I don't think she would care if I slept with a mule!"

"Locke! You are so wrong! Celes loves you with all of her being! She just has trouble showing it."

"Does she love me as much as you do?"

"Well, I...yes she does!" She lied straight to his face. If she told him the truth, it would've only encouraged him to make another move on her. Part of her wanted that. But she knew how much it would hurt Celes.

Locke gazed into those emerald eyes. He knew she was trying to do what was best for Celes. So she was pushing her own feelings aside to do that. The truth was, Terra did love him more. "Terra, I know you're trying to be true to Celes. I guess you feel ashamed of giving into your feelings. You can't keep them inside forever. If you do that, one night, you might lose control of yourself completely. You'll do something you'll regret even more than what you regret doing now."

"I want to give in, Locke. But I can't. I can't be the reason if you do break up with Celes. She'll never forgive me. I don't want to lose her friendship. Anyway, even if you did break up with her, without me being the reason, I would never be able to be with you. I would still have to get her consent before I could ever be with you. I would never be able to be with you if she didn't give her consent. It would hurt her too much. I would lose her friendship for sure."

"I see. I'll respect that. Don't worry. I already had my mind made up before you came in here. You won't be the reason. I gotta go tell her now. I'll see ya later, OK?"

"Yeah, OK."

They both went out of the treasury room and went their separate ways for the rest of the night. He went back to Celes' room, only to find the door locked. He knocked on the door hard. "Celes! Open up! We need to talk!"

Celes opened the door reluctantly and let him in. "What the hell are you doing? Do you realize how late it is?"

"Yes I do. But we still need to talk. It can't wait till tomorrow. We need to get this over with now."

She sighed. "Fine. But make it quick. I'm tired."

"Fine. I'll get right to the point."

"Good. Get on with it."

"I think we should break up."

Her heart stopped. She never thought it would come to those words. But she was getting really cold towards him again. He was needy. She had no one else to blame but herself. She didn't show her sadness. She couldn't. She didn't know how to cry anymore. Even when it hurt the most. But something surprised her. She found herself holding back tears.

She took a deep breath to calm herself down. "If you think that's best, then I guess I can't make you stay."

He was surprised. He thought she would show at least a tiny ounce of emotion. Of course, you can't expect even that from the 'Ice Princess'. "Alright then. I'll see tomorrow morning. Good night."

"Good night."

She quickly shut the door and got back in bed. When she was sure that he was far away from her room door, she let her tears flow. They were tears, not only of the heartache she felt now, but of other times that she wanted to cry, but couldn't. She cried for General Leo. She cried for Cid. She cried for all of the lives lost. She cried for all of the torture she endured. She cried for everything tragic that had happened in her loveless life of coldness. She cried until she cried herself to sleep.

The next morning, a knock came at the door. "Come in."

The door opened to reveal Terra. Terra looked sad with guilt written all over her face. She looked at Celes with shame and sadness. She was miserable.

"Terra, what's wrong?"

"It's what happened last night, Celes. I'm so sorry. I...I feel so ashamed. Locke didn't tell you. I couldn't keep it a secret. I feel so ashamed of myself."

"What are you talking about?"

"I...I.."

Locke cut her off. "You don't have to tell her, Terra. I will."

Celes blinked. Terra stayed where she was. She looked to the floor in shame. Locke began to tell her everything. How he went to the treasury room and decided to end the relationship. How Terra came in and got him to tell her what was wrong. How she confessed that she loved him. How he lost control of himself and gave into his needs and not her love. How Terra made him stop and stuck up for Celes' feelings. How she told him that she would only be able to be with him, if Celes would give her consent. Everything.

There was a big pause. She didn't want Terra giving up on her first love because he had just broken up with Celes. No, that wouldn't be right. She had to give Terra her consent.

"Terra, go ahead. I don't want to keep you from happiness. Locke either. You two be happy. It'll be OK."

Terra looked up at Celes in bewilderment. "You're sure?"

Celes smiled. "Yes."

Terra hugged Celes. "Thank you, Celes. You're the best friend I could ever have."

And that's how it ended. They were happy and she was miserable. But as long as no one knew, it didn't matter. She would get over it eventually. She would dismiss it in a matter of time. It would all be forgotten about and over with. She could deal with being lonely for the rest of her life. It was nothing new for her. She would act as if nothing even phased her. It had worked so far. Nobody noticed. Nobody ever would.