Woo! Another two chapters in one night, lucky day I suppose haha! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Maybe after the Noctis is sucked into the crystal I'll continue on with her flashbacks! Whaddya think? I had to separate this into two chapters, oof, too much! The next one will be intense!

We get to see an old character in this... WHO? You'll know...

Enjoy!!

~

Sitting on the boat while everyone talked to themselves about the trip, she was leaning against the boat, deep in thought. Bella could feel the spray of the ocean hitting her skin, it was chilly but at the same time, it felt nice. The sun was brightly shining in the sky, they were probably another several hours away from Altissia, she wondered what the place looked like and if she could do things there, like – buy accessories or something.

"I wonder what you're doing up there, Zack..." whispers the young maiden quietly, looking up at the sky not seeing a single cloud there. "Do you see me up there, even though I'm in a different world?" Bella sighs a little bit looking down at the water, it seemed like it was standing still, but she knew better. Standing up, she looks back up at the sky, turning around seeing everyone talking to Cid.

Letting out a small smile, she walks to the back of the boat, sitting in one of the seats with Kirara. Bella leans back against the seat, listening to the boat as it rocked her to sleep.

~

Waking up on the outskirts of Edge, Bella looks at the dusty sky wondering where she was for a moment until she shot herself up looking at the desolate place in front of her. Her bright eyes stared at the building, seeing it broken down. Pushing up from the dirt into the standing position feeling the breeze hitting her skin, her hair grazing her skin.

"Ed... Edge...?"

Bella turns seeing her brothers Buster Sword sitting in the dirt, Bella started walking towards it wondering what she was doing here. After standing close to it, she reaches her hand and touches it feeling the hilt of the sword. Letting out a shaky breath, Bella wraps her fingers gently around it, feeling the knurled material. Her hands shaking from the sight of the sword.

"I... Why do I see the Buster Sword...?" asks Bella, raising a brow, turning her head to see dust flying everywhere. Letting go of the sword, Bella sits next to it bringing her knees up to her chest after wrapping her arms around them. "If this is some sort of joke, brain, this isn't funny."

"I don't think it's playing you this hard, Rose..."

Bella froze, eyes widened as she slowly turns around seeing Cloud standing there. Bella slowly stood up turning towards him. Cloud was in awe, seeing how much she's grown since the last he's seen her. Seven months, give or take.

"C... Cloud-Cloud..." She takes a step towards him as he brings his arms up while she sprints into them almost making him fall. "Cloud-Cloud!"

Cloud hugs her tightly, while she brings him closer to her. Bella missed this so much! He raised her after her brother passed and kept his promise to him as well. Tears fell down her face after letting him go, she looks at him.

"I miss you so much, Cloud-Cloud..." She sobs quietly, as he brings her to arms-length while she brings her hands up wiping her face gently. "I miss you and I miss everyone..."

"And we miss you so much, Rose..." Cloud said putting his arms down as he looks at her appearance seeing something different about her. "When did your hair come back?"

Bella's tears fell down her face again, looking at him with her bright eyes. "After I've been thrown into a different world..." She sniffs, bringing her hands up again, wiping the tears from her face again. "I know you all of been looking for me, but – let's be honest here, Cloud-Cloud. You're never going to find me..."

"What makes you say that?"

"I'm not physically here in Edge anymore, I'm on a planet called Eos, we're currently on a boat heading to a place called Altissia, and honestly..." Bella looks down ashamed. "I'm not ready to leave yet, I have to help my friends first..."

"I've taught you well," Cloud smiles at her lightly, touching her head tenderly. "Don't worry about us so much, alright?" Cloud takes his hand off and takes a deep breath. "We'll await your return, and you can tell us all about your journey."

Bella smiles at him, rushing in, and hugs him tightly. "I promise I will, Cloud-Cloud."

Cloud keeps a tight hold on her, closing his eyes gently. "Will you be my little sister?"

Bella looks up at him and smiles. "Of course! But promise me something," Cloud looks down while raising a brow. "Don't ever compare yourself to my brother; you're unique and you're you. You've done everything you could to raise me to who I am now, and I thank you for everything you've done."

"Alright, I promise," Cloud nods, hugging her close again.

Bella leans into his hug and hugs him back just as tight. Never wanting to let go of her new big brother. No one can replace Zack and they both know that. But – they've been together since his death and have been close since then. Nothing's going to change their relationship. She hopes he'll stay around and not leave her – but promises can always be broken. She knows this. He's never broken a promise with her, and he doesn't plan to.

That's a promise they've both made to one another.

~

Groaning awake, Bella looks up at the sky seeing the sun moved quite a bit since she last saw it. Sitting up in her seat, she shakes her head looking to the front of the boat seeing Altissia in the distance. Standing up, Bella walks to the front where the guys are.

"How was your nap, Bella?" asks Ignis seeing her walk up. She looks at him and nods. "You've been asleep a good amount, we're almost to Altissia,"

"I can see," Bella stated and looks ahead. "I wonder what's awaiting us here,"

"I hope something wonderful," Prompto sighs happily making Bella chuckle while Kirara runs and jumps on Bella's shoulder. "This is gonna be a good day! And then the wedding!"

Bella's heart dropped into her stomach as she nods. "Yeah." She smiles, "I can't wait,"

After getting through the gate, and getting off the boat, Bella could see it was surrounded by water which was really nice. It was calm, with no cars but a lot of chattering. Bella jogs up to the Thoroughfare looking around.

"Should we look for Weskham?" asks Prompto

Ignis begins thinking and looks at everyone. "Why don't we have a look around Altissia, see the sights before we go see him."

"I don't see why not," Noctis shrugs. He looks at everyone

Gladio nods, "give us time to do things before things get crazy,"

Prompto jumps for joy, quickly heading off. "Be back by six!" Ignis calls out as everyone left to do something, except Bella.

"Wai -... oh my..." Bella was nervous, "this is... Oh my..." She looks around. "I don't know this place, so – where should I start?"

"Let's go north of here, maybe something will catch our eye."

Bella nods and began walking towards the Market places, looking for nothing in particular in the area. Kirara mews quietly jumping down as they began climbing stairs looking down seeing the water below them as they cross a mini bridge and headed down the stairs again and continues walking.

"I heard they're extending the exhibit for Lady Lunafreya's dress!"

"The Vivienne Westwood? I thought that was a memorial for her passing?"

"Well, now it's a memorial for her safe return. Let's go see it while we still can!"

Bella looks down to Kirara who sits down looking at her owner. "Should we go see it?"

"I guess..." Bella sighs, looking to see where the women are walking. "Noctis is one lucky man..." Bella began following the ladies to the Vivienne Westwood with Kirara in tow. "Marries a really pretty woman, they're gonna make really cute kids."

"Are you jealous?"

Bella shakes her head a little bit. "No, I'm happy for him. He deserves the happiness before he has to..." She lets out a shaky breath as she continues following the unaware ladies. "She'll make him happy... way more than I can."

After climbing up the stairs, she looks around and is in awe. This place reminded her of Midgar before... it happened. She looks to the right, seeing the clothing shop while slowly walking towards it seeing the dress before her. It was an off-shoulder white dress with separate sleeves, it was beautiful. Bella stops and admires it from the window, Kirara jumping on her shoulder.

"Oh, the dress is so beautiful. I want mine to be like that." A woman exclaims while looking at the dress, as Bella turns her head to look at the couple beside her.

"And it shall be, my love—as surely as I am your Prince Noctis!"

Bella makes a face and begins to walk to the left, trying to ignore everyone. After getting a safe distance away. Bella sees the water in front of her as she goes to sit on the edge. Kirara jumps down and sits to her side while Bella pets her friend.

"You know – maybe I am jealous..." admitted Bella sighing looking at her reflection in the water. "I wish I could stay here and be with him, but we know that's never going to happen..."

"What makes you say that?"

Bella releases her breath once more and looks at the clear sky above her. "They need me back on Edge. I need to be there for them..."

"There's nothing for you there, Little Butterfly,"

Bella froze and her eyes widen while her heart drops to her stomach. Kirara turns around abruptly seeing him for the first time in years. Bella turns around seeing the man in the long red trench coat, white slash red hair, and his bright eyes staring into her own. Bella quickly stands up and looks at him seeing him smirking at her.

"Wh... What are you doing here?"

"Just checking in on how you were doing," the man said pacing back and forth as he continues staring at her. "I see you talked with your "brother", how did that go?"

Bella shakes her head. "I don't have to tell you anything, Genesis,"

Genesis stops and looks at her. "Don't worry, my Little Butterfly, I'm not going to tell anyone about wanting to go home after all this," Genesis chuckles her way. "There is no hate, only joy,"

"Don't you dare..."

"For you are beloved by the goddess. Hero of the dawn, Healer of worlds." Genesis began walking towards the young maiden, still holding a smirk. "Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul. Pride is lost, wings stripped away, the end is nigh."

"Get away from her!" shouts a voice as Bella gasps seeing the men standing in front of her, weapons drawn but no one seemed to notice the reaction. "Who are you?"

"No!" Bella yells, shaking her head while getting in front of them, holding out her arms. "Don't engage him!"

"Bella, he's..."

Bella shakes her head again keeping her stance. "Please, I'm begging you all, do not engage this man. He's my enemy and mine alone. You do not need to protect me at all!" Bella puts her arms down as she turns to Genesis with a glare his way. "Leave us alone,"

Genesis stares at all the men and then turns his gaze to the young, glaring maiden in front of him, her chest heaving from the hard breaths she had. "Nothing will forestall my return, my Little Butterfly, remember that." And with that, he leaves with a black feather swaying in the wind.

Letting out a shaky breath, she turns to the guys who stared at her. "Stay away from that man if he ever returns here..."

"Who is he...?" asks Prompto after they all disengaged their weapons as she turns away from them and Prompto takes a step towards her. "Bella?"

"Just promise me you'll stay away from him," Bella snaps at them. Gladio saw the look in her eyes, they held anger and fear, looking further down to her hands and body, she was shaking heavily but no one else seemed to notice. "He's..."

"You don't have to explain," stated Gladio walking up to her touching her shoulder, feeling her relax a little bit but he could feel her shaking slightly. "When you're ready to tell us, you can."

"Gladio?"

Bella looks up at him and nods, turning away from them as Gladio's hand fell off her shoulder. "I'm... I'm gonna head to the Leville and get our rooms..." Bella quickly runs off with Kirara heading behind her.

"Wanna tell me what that was about, Gladio?" Noctis quickly asks the brute who turns and looks at him. "That man could've hurt her!"

Gladio shakes his head. "No, you're wrong on this one, Noct, she needs to face that battle with that man by herself. She doesn't need us to fight that battle for her."

"How do you know that?" the sharpshooter questions with a raised brow.

"Call it intuition, something about that man gives me bad vibes, much worse than Ardyn." Gladio states with a shrug. "Don't worry about the Little One, she can take care of herself, let's go to the Maahgo and talk to the man,"

Ignis nods to him. "He's right, let's go."

~

Bella sits on the bed in the room, Bella was gripping the bedding in her hands tightly making her knuckles white. Kirara could see Bella shaking heavily. Kirara jumps on the bed and leans against Bella as she began calming down.

"They saw him..." Bella whispers, putting her head into her hands. "I can't believe they saw him..."

"It was only a matter of time, Bells..."

For the third time today, she shakes her head. "I never wanted them to see him... ever... I swear if he does..."

"I doubt he will," Kirara stated jumping down and shakes her body. "Come along, let's bathe, that usually clears your mind from everything." Bella sighs getting up and walking to the bathroom seeing how huge it was, biting her lip. "Beautiful!"

Bella nods walking towards the tub and begins filling the tub with nice, hot water.

~

For what seemed like hours, Bella was already asleep in her bed, ignoring the door opening seeing two men show up in there. Kirara wakes up seeing Prompto and Noctis walking in, Kirara mews quietly, getting out from underneath Bella's arm, and guides them to their beds. Prompto and Noctis both saw their beds awaiting them as they jump in and Prompto instantly passes out. Kirara shakes her head but before she goes back to Bella, she hears Noctis calling Kirara's name.

"Kirara, can I... Can I talk to you?"

Kirara pauses in her step and turning around and jumps to Noctis looking at him with a tilted head. "You know Bella better than anyone else, what's going on with her? How come she didn't want us engaging that man?"

Kirara sighs and mews quietly, turning to Bella who shifts in her bed, letting out a groan when she stretches but is fast asleep when she's done. Kirara mews again and looks at him.

"I know you can't speak to me, but – least tell me that she's okay?"

Kirara nods and jumps down and sits in front of him. Kirara mews again, standing up, and walks back to Bella's bed, jumping up and goes by Bella's head and falls asleep.

Sighing a little bit, Noctis lays down on the bed wondering what happened today with Bella, normally he would be asleep by now, but everything is running through his brain. Sighing again, he gets up and walks to Bella seeing her arms up resting on the pillows with her head to the right side, she was laying on her back. Noctis noticed her hair was still slightly wet, he gets in her bed with her avoiding touching her, and lays next to her watching her as she slept.

"How can someone like you hold so much anger?" asks Noctis quietly moving her bangs away from her face. She takes a deep breath and mutters Noctis under her breath making him blush. Laying down on the pillow next to her as she turns leaning against his shoulder making him blush even harder. "B... Bella..."

"Don't... Don't leave me..." She whispers as she cuddles more next to him. Noctis softens a little bit, leaning his head against hers, and falls asleep himself.

I won't... I never will