Chapter Twenty-One: Loved

Throughout her life, her many facets and reincarnations, Lynn learned that she could count on one thing: the love of those around her. Just when she thought that her life wasn't worth living or that the small pockets of happiness she had created were threatening to evaporate, someone would come through, extend their hand, and pull her to her feet.

There were so many times when she had been tempted to take the kunai to her own throat, or to simply lie down and never get up again. So many times when giving up would have been so simple, so easy…so many times when she wanted it…death…so badly…

She also had the good fortune in her life to experience the full spectrum of love. Everything from the fucked up Stockholm Syndrome she shared with Orochimaru in the dark recesses of Oto all the way down to the sisterly bond that kept her and Sakura close despite the resentment and anger that had existed between them.

Looking back on her life, and ahead to the things that were only starting to coalesce in the landscape of her future, she couldn't help but remember a few of those times…

Her fingers were buried deeply in her sweaty hair, her frustration plastered across her face. At her knees, where she knelt, was the complicated seal of Isis. Just drawing it had been such an ordeal, she wasn't sure she had the effort left to attempt to summon her spirit ka…

She had known that becoming the wife of the High Priest would put her in a stressful position…she was the conduit between the mortal coil and the Field of Reeds…the sanctity and purity of the souls of the departed rested in her hands…

The task was so large, so overwhelmingly huge, that she was tempted to simply wipe the floor clean, remove the headdress and return to the quiet of her tiny village.

"Omorose." It was a statement, and she turned her head over her shoulder to meet the speaker.

"Seto…"

"The priest tells me you are doing well." He said.

She snorted to herself, "Not particularly. I haven't even tried a summoning, yet."

"I'm sure you'll manage it."

She felt tears bead at the corners of her eyes as her lips turned up; Seto could be a harsh man, yes, but he had faith in her…She couldn't let him down, and more importantly, she couldn't let herself down by quitting.

"I'll be home later, Seto." She said, rising only long enough to plant a kiss on his cheek before she knelt at the rune again.

There were more current ones, of course, she thought to herself as the memory led inevitably down the path behind her…

"I don't expect forgiveness," Lynn began, her mouth suddenly dry, "The way I treated you and the Old Ma—"

The glare that Yami shot her told her immediately she had crossed a line. She couldn't blame him; Solomon and Yugi and he had taken her in and she repaid them by with not only a somewhat tawdry affair with Seto Kaiba, but by abandoning their friendship and generosity entirely.

"And Solomon," She continued, "Was wrong."

He didn't move, but the flicker of emotion in his eyes told her everything she needed to know.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"I'm not the only one that you owe that to." He said.

She nodded, her eyes hitting the floor, as she heaved a heavy sigh. "I know."

She heard the chair slide across the wooden floor, and a moment later she felt his hand on her shoulder.

"I forgive you, Lynn." He said simply, hesitating for a moment before he stepped from the room.

Even her enemies, she realized, had only helped her along her path. Whether they hated to love her or didn't know the difference between the two, they had been there with her, as well…

"What the fuck do you want from me?" She screamed, throwing her arms out at her sides in desperate frustration.

"Your best." He replied simply, his eerily long tongue gliding over his pale lips.

As much as she wanted to hate him in that moment, she couldn't…he didn't want anything for her that she didn't want for herself already…

Even the shadows that surrounded her at that moment were whispering their own version of love at her…

"You aren't going to help her, Thief King?" The hooded duelist asked.

Inadvertently, her eyes shot to the white-haired man in question. For a moment, it looked like he might actually step up…but then he threw his head back and laughed maniacally. The sound was cut short as his eyes narrowed and settled on her opponent, "You presume she needs help."

Her hazel eyes met with his brown eyes for a fraction of a second before his head dipped in a nod…and, suddenly…she knew she could do it…

There were also more distant memories…ones that she didn't often think about…

She had known almost a full second before the blast that there was no feasible way for her to avoid the concussive impact. All she could do was cross her arms over her chest and not fight the shockwave as it carried her over the edge of the battered cliff.

And suddenly she was falling…weightless and helpless and doomed as gravity gripped her hard in a tight embrace and pulled her towards the ground. She was so certain of her own death in that moment that when Deidara's arms closed around her, she thought it was the Reaper, come to take her…

She jolted suddenly as she settled against him and he smiled at her and said, "Rest, Lynn," before he turned his blue eye up at the enemy. His mouth settled into a grim line even as his hand closed around hers.

She woke up some hours later back in the compound, with his head resting on the edge of her bed.

And before Deidara there was Itachi, of course..

At first, she was sure her eyes were lying to her…after all, the mist was so heavy and thick…and he had been gone for so long…that it didn't seem possible, even in her wildest dreams, that he would return to her…

But as he cut a clean line through the mist, she couldn't deny the reality that he was there…alive and breathing, and almost as shocked as she was.

His name tore from her lips as she forced herself to her feet and charged him. It was a stupid thing to do, and she fully expected him to impale her in self-defense…but when his arms closed around her waist and they toppled hard to the ground, her world exploded in joy.

She buried her head against the crook of his neck and wept. She whispered his name over and over again until he said hers and she knew that it was no dream…that he was real and beautifully alive and hers…

She was tired now, staring up at the ceiling with her eyes barely open, but she couldn't help but think of one more…

She fell to her knees…she just couldn't help it. Even begging at this point was less shameful than what she had done.

"I'm so sorry, Sakura." She said, her words muffled by the ground and the salty tears running from her tightly closed eyes. "I left you…I abandoned you and then I…I thought you would take me back. I was so stupid—"

A shadow passed close to her and she opened her eyes and sat up and found herself face to face with her sister, who was smiling and kneeling beside her.

"I am taking you back." She told her.

"What?" She couldn't believe it, "But…why? After everything that I did to you…"

"Because," Sakura said simply, "I love you, Lynn."