I remember that day as though it were yesterday, I screamed her name as I ran towards her. She did not turn to face me in spite of the fact that I called her name several times; she just faced the door with her blade in hand. I finally caught up to her and she was still just standing there in the same position. I held her hand tightly, it felt… cold… limp… It certainly did not feel like the Lightning I knew.

Using my free hand, I rubbed her hand in an effort to keep it warm.

There was still no response from her.

"Lightning!"

"Lightning!"

"… Claire"

She turned to face me, unyielding and unafraid were the first two words that popped into my mind when I first met this pinkette. Now the only word that flashed in my head was fear, a fear that was hidden under the façade of the unemotional stare she was giving me now. My mind was flooded with all the things I wanted to tell her. Being who I am, I told her what weighed the heaviest on my mind.

"Did you know that Chocobos taste best when stir-fried with onions?"

She let out a sigh before smiling at me humourlessly. "You're not doing a very good job of making me feel better." Her words laced with slight traces of appreciation and a tinge of laughter.

Okay, so plan A failed miserably. It was now time for plan B.

Looking into her eyes and with every ounce of my strength I asked, "Claire… Am I ever going to see you again?"

Her smirk dried up as she turned away from me. Her grip on my hand tightened and with a strained voice she replied, "No… No… You won't." I did not want her to be like this, nor did I want everything to end like this. But since fate forced our hands, I had to do something. Before she could let go of my hand, I pulled her towards me and kissed her on the lips. She dropped her blade and tensed up [I was afraid she would knee me in the balls] but eventually she relaxed. As she wrapped her arms around my neck, I wrapped my arms around her waist; our moment was brief but perfect.

Our kiss broke into a hug and I tried to be as nonchalant as I could when I said, "Then Love, you're never going to have to live that down…" And for the first time, I heard her laugh. It brightened my mood to see her laughing even at a time like this but deep down her reply hurt me even more than the two bullets I took to the head. My eyes welled up and as the tears rolled down my cheeks, she wiped them away before whispering into my ear, "I love you."

Those were the last moments I ever spent with her…

.