Chapter 8: You give me strength
Alexis stands motionless in front of the edge of the slope. She no longer perceives anything around her. She sees nothing more than this hand in front of her. Alexi's heart starts beating faster and faster with every second. She wonders if her eyes are playing tricks on her or if the hand is really there. Alexi's eyes reflect pure bewilderment and perplexity. She no longer understands the world. Alexis slowly takes a step forward to see which face this hand belongs to. Accompanied by fear, shock, hope and courage, she looks down. Alexis can't believe what she's seeing in front of her eyes. It is really Jaden who is holding on half-dead. Her eyes didn't seem to have played a trick on her. She tries to speak, but she just stutters ... "J ... J ... J ...". Alexis fails to get a reasonable word out of her mouth. The shock is simply too deep for that. After a few seconds of shocked stare, Alexis catches himself and asks fearfully ... "Jaden ???Is that really you??? ". A few seconds pass, which for Alexis become an eternity, before an answer can be heard. Jaden answers her in a powerless voice ..." Yes, but not long ... if you don't help me up! I can't hold out much longer. ".
At the point where Jaden is holding on, you can see how smaller chunks of the slope begin to loosen and fall into the depths.
"... Jaden!" Shouts Alexis, while she grabs Jaden's right forearm with both hands.
Alexis gets hold of him just in time, if she had hesitated a bit too long, Jaden would have fallen down the slope one more time. You can see how the piece of rock falls into the depths and disappears into the waves of the sea.
"I've got you! I won't let go of you. You won't disappear from my life again ... I won't let you do that ... NEVER!" Says Alexis, while she holds Jaden. Jaden starts to smile when he hears Alexis say that.Alexis looks at Jaden with a fearful look. She wonders why Jaden is smiling. If he is happy to see her, he knows that she cannot save him and wants to make the moment more bearable for her or .... But Alexi's questions disappear the second Jaden looks deep into her eyes. Like the wind a leaf, Jaden's gaze makes Alexis' questions disappear and carries them away. Both look deep into each other's eyes and Alexis' scared face loosens. Once again she feels how much Jaden gives her strength and confidence. Alexis feels that she can do anything ... Anything! "You can do it!" Jaden says to Alexis, while he continues to look deeply into her eyes, with a confident voice. Encouraged by these words, Alexis tries to pull Jaden up. Initially, she fails to get Jaden upstairs. Although Alexis tries with all his might. "Jaden, I can't do it!" Says Alexis, who is about to cry, in a panicked voice."You mustn't go again, please don't, stay with me ... I can't bear to lose you a second time!" Alexis continues while she tries one more time. It takes a while before Jaden answers her. Jaden finds it more and more difficult to speak because the several minor injuries make him more weak. "I believe in you! I trust you! Otherwise I wouldn't ..." Jaden breaks off in the middle of a sentence and becomes impotent. "Jaden? Jaden?", Alexis shouts shocked when she sees Jaden stop speaking and his eyes slowly close. Alexi's heart stops and her breathing stops for a brief moment. At this sight Alexis tries one more time to pull Jaden up. Her mind has completely shut off, there is only one thing left for her ... to save Jaden. Alexis feet ram into the ground to get a better grip. Alexis pulls Jaden up a little so that Jaden's chest lies on the bottom of the cliff.All the feelings that have built up in Alexis give her the strength she needs to pull Jaden completely to the safe bottom of the cliff. While Alexis pulls Jaden further away from the slope, she slides off Jaden, about two or three meters away from the cliff. Alexis falls to the ground, but she doesn't let a second pass, immediately jumps up again and grabs Jaden. "I have you ... I have you ...!", Alexis says and kisses Jaden happily. The moment she sees Jaden in her arms, she starts to cry again. This time not out of grief, as it happened the hours before, but because she is happy ... happier than ever before in her life!
Atticus, Zane, Syrus, Chazz, Bastion, Mindy & Jasmine didn't notice any of this. Atticus has lowered his head between his knees, Zane is still looking at the clouds, Syrus is kneeling and poking around in the dirt, Chazz has completely disconnected and has his back to everyone and Jasmine & Bastion are still trying to calm Mindy down because they still howling."I'll go get it sometime.", Says Atticus with bowed head and slowly gets up. "Do that," Zane replies. As Atticus takes a few steps, he lifts his head and sees Alexis Jaden being held on. He can't believe what he's seeing in front of his eyes. With his eyes wide open, Atticus turns back to the others. Zane is the only one who notices it and asks Atticus in amazement ... "What's going on Atticus? Have you seen a ghost or why are you looking at us so strangely?" Atticus doesn't answer Zane and just points in Alexis direction. Zane, leaning against the tree, walks over to Atticus and looks in Alexis direction. Zane's eyes reflect pure shock when he sees this picture in front of him. "Zane? Am I dreaming or is that really ...?", Before Atticus can even speak, Zane answers him ... "No! ... ... you don't!". A few seconds pass. The shocked faces of Atticus & Zane change into happy ones and Atticus calls the other over ... "Jaden!Jaden lives! He is still alive! ". Startled by these words, the rest of them turn to Atticus and look at him in amazement." What are you saying? "asks Syrus, jumping up excitedly." Have you lost your mind Atticus? ", Chazz asks shortly after Syrus in a critical voice." Come here! See for yourself! ", Atticus replies with a big grin. Atticus looks in the direction of Alexis & Jaden, turns back to the others and continues ..." I can't imagine Alexis kissing a ghost and holding it in his arms! ". Shortly after Atticus says that, he starts walking. Zane, of course, right behind him. The others need something before they have processed and realized Atticus' words, but after they do, they start walking too.
Jaden is still in Alexi's arms and powerless, but he lives and breathes. Alexis can't take her eyes off him. She doesn't notice anything around her ... no small thing ... nothing ... not even the fact that her brother and her friends are just walking towards her.Your complete attention belongs to Jaden and no one or nothing else. Alexis clings even tighter to Jaden, kisses him again, lowers her head on his and says ... "You can't imagine how much I love you!" You can see a tear from Alexis falling on Jaden's face and slowly running down his cheek.


First of all, thank you everyone for the positive reviews on the last chapter! Once again I was very happy about it. Sorry that it took so long. Lately I haven't really had much desire to continue writing at the FF and, to be honest, I don't know when I'll be writing the next chapter. But what will definitely be clear is that I will finish the story.
Whether I'll do the sequel to this FF, well, that depends on you ...
I hope again that you enjoyed the new chapter and enjoyed reading it. And of course I hope you won't let me down when it comes to reviews. ^^Bye
Jaden X Alexis aka Tidus X Yuna