[Snowman24]

Spoiler for Marion fanfic, final preview *completed*:

Some hours later, Marion’s eyes began to flutter open, everything coming back into focus. She immediately noticed that she was in the Lanseal infirmary. A place she only ever visited friends and injured classmates. But she never had to be a patient here before.

As she tried to sit up, she winced in pain upon feeling a stinging sensation in her hand. She looked down and saw an IV needle sticking out, which was pumping in a liquid that glowed a florescent blue in the dimly lit room.

“Marion’s waking up guys!” Cosette announced and Avan and Zeri came over from the windowsill and surrounded her bed.

“Marion! Oh thank goodness, the treatment is working!” Avan said.

Marion held a hand to her head, which was spinning and throbbing. She then said, “Oh my… I’ve certainly felt better in my life…”

“You were so close to death from the poison that the doctors had to give you an experimental liquid ragnaid solution… but it looks like it’s working!” Cosette said happily.

“So I’m… going to live?” Marion asked.

“Yep, I guarantee it!” Avan said, then gave a signature chuckle.

Marion nodded, then turned her head towards the window, “What about Uncle? He made it too, right?”

No one answered, but Cosette knelt down next to Marion and took her by the hand. Avan walked over the the other side of her bed. While Zeri walked to the back of the room and began to roll a very large cassette player over, which was sitting atop a metal table.

Marion's heart began to thump faster, “What’s going on? Why won’t you answer me?” Marion asked as she sat up in her bed and looked all around her.

Avan’s hung his head, sighed and while biting his lower lip, reached into his pocket and slowly pulled out Marion’s golden cross pendant and chain and held it out to her.

Marion’s other hand cupped over her mouth and she shook her head, “No…” she said softly.

“I’m sorry, Marion… we couldn’t save your uncle… He died….” Cosette told her.

Avan took hold of Marion’s hand, placed the pendant in her palm and closed her fingers around it. Marion brought her hand back and held the pendant against her chest. She lowered her head and began to weep softly.

Avan placed his hand on Marion’s shoulder and said, “I’m so sorry, Marion. I--”

“Don’t!” Marion said as she brushed Avan’s hand away, “I thought that it was safe to leave uncle with you, because I thought that you would help me! But you didn't!!”

“Marion! Don’t be so mean to--” Cosette started, but Zeri put his hand on her shoulder from behind. She looked back and Zeri was shaking his head.

“Don’t. She’s not herself. She's grieving. Let her be.” Zeri said quietly.

Avan knew not to snap back at her, he just nodded his head and said, “Sorry.”

Marion brought her hand up to her face, shook her head slowly and while sobbing, said, “I tried… so hard to save him… But I couldn’t. Just like last time… I couldn’t help him once again… It’s my fault. It’s all my fault!”

“Marion,” Avan said, and she raised her head and looked up at him with teary red eyes. “Your uncle left something for you, just before we left.”

Avan turned and pointed to the cassette player, "One final message for you, he said."

“Would you like us to leave?” Zeri asked as his finger hovered over the ‘Play’ button.

Marion thought for a while, then briskly shook her head, “No…” she pleaded, “Don’t leave… please. I feel so lost and alone right now…”

Avan sat next to Marion, turned his head to Zeri and nodded once. Zeri pushed play then walked over and stood next to Cosette as she continued to hold Marion’s hand, softly stroking it, trying to comfort her.

Then, the message played:

“Marion, I want to start off by saying how truly sorry I am that I made a promise to you that I had no intention of keeping. But I knew that you never would have gone with your friends if I did not say something to calm you.

I’m sorry that this is the second time I’ve forced a great deal of pain and suffering upon your heart. Years ago, I survived the buring of my tank, was taken to a military hospital and was told that I needed to be put into a medically induced coma, so they could operate. Just before they put me out, I asked the doctors not to tell you or your father that I survived. I thought it would be better for you to think of me as dead, than for either of you to see me in my horrifically burned state.

I once told you that I did not remember how I came to be this way, implanted into this machine of war as its pilot… But that’s not true. I wanted this… I volunteered for it.

I don’t know how long I was in the coma. But when I awoke, limbless, scarred and deformed, General Gilbert Gassenarl and Dr. Valdren approached me with an offer. The doctor needed a pilot for a new experimental weapon of war. But the pilot needed to be permanently integrated into the Golem, to serve as its living core. It also meant having my memory wiped regularly, and have no free will of my own, so that I would be a better host for the Golem and able to follow any orders given by the GRA.

Having lost my family, my platoon and disgraced as a general for abandoning my post to come save your family and mine, when the walls of Randgriz were breached by the Marmota. I felt I had no reasons left to continue serving the Gallian army or Gallia herself, because they did not help me. So I willingly joined the Gallian Revolutionary army.

I don’t know how, but just before I was about to crush you, your scream woke me up like a jolt of electricity. Seeing what I had nearly done, I realized how serious of a mistake I had made. Even after giving the offer so much thought before accepting, the idea of someday being forced to fight my own goddaughter on the battlefield was something that I had never thought would happen.

You’ve become so much stronger, since the last time I’ve seen you, Marion. I remember a young girl, crying and clutching me by the shirt as I led you from your house, to the vehicles I brought to save your family and mine when the city was breached. You were completely helpless, terrified and completely unaccustomed to being on a battlefield. Which is why I never would have thought that we'd meet like this. On opposing sides of a civil war...

But today, I saw the bravest girl I have ever laid eyes upon. Not the terrified and helpless little girl I last remembered seeing. One willing to sacrifice her own life by being ripped apart by V2s, so that her uncle would not be forced into a life of servitude. I cannot imagine how much pain you must have been in, but you forced your way through it with immeasureable inner strength, love, sheer will as you begged me not to submit.

I know now… that you do not need me to keep you safe any longer. You’re able to fend for yourself and others if needed. I also know that that Avan character will keep an eye on you for me. He cares about you a great deal, and never left my side as he urged me to come back to you. Despite the mortal danger he placed himself in by staying for as long as he could.

Ultimately, my leaving you was always the way that it had to end, Marion. You remember what Dr. Isabella said. If this machine shuts down, so do I. After the implementation process was completed, I am now completely dependant on the powered Golem to survive. That was the price I had to pay to become its living core.

Shutting down was inevitable, because it took the team of doctors of the GRA over a year of research and construction to built the recharging station you saw at the lab. Not all the teams of doctors and scientists in all of Gallia would have been able to construct another recharge station in time before my suit shut down, and I expired along with it.

So I’ve chosen to activate this suits self-destruct mechanism and completely destroy it, in doing so I hope I can achieve some level of atonement for all the young lives I took before you stopped me from taking more.

Farewell. My Marion. I know you’ll bring this horrible civil war to a swift end once I’m gone. Because I believe in you. And after seeing how brave and strong you've become since I last saw you... has made me the happiest and most proud godfather that has ever lived.

You're loving uncle and godfather... Caius Newborn."

And with that, the tape clicked and rolled to a stop after having played Caius’s final farewell to Marion.

Marion had been crying softly the whole time and had multiple streaks of tears running all over her cheeks. Zeri was passing some tissues to Cosette, as she was crying just as hard as Marion.

Marion’s head then turned to Avan, “You were with my uncle? Right before he died?”

“Yes… Even after hearing his last message… I still wish there was some way that I could have saved him for you, Marion,” Avan confessed, “So that you wouldn’t have to go through so much grief and anguish for losing someone you loved this much.”

Avan suddenly felt a hand caress his cheek, he was even more surprised to find that it belonged to a now brightly smiling Marion.

“You really are a kind person, Avan.” Marion said, “You’ve recently lost someone too, correct?”

“Yeah… my brother,” Avan replied.

“And yet I’ve never seen you grieve or look the least bit sad about it. You're always worried more about other people and all I ever see is a beaming smile when you talk about him,” Marion added as she continued to softly stroke Avan’s cheek.

What she didn’t see was the surprised look on Cosette’s face behind her. Zeri couldn’t help but smile at the whole scene going on.

“Can you teach me how to do that?” Marion asked as she brought her other hand up and held it against Avan’s other cheek.

Cosette’s cheeks were bright red and she was biting down on her finger as she continued to watch what was going on between Marion and Avan.

Avan gulped, “Yeah, sure. It’s easy actually, just share stories of experiences that you and your uncle once had. Ones that made you feel happy, joyful or that just make you smile. I’m sure that you have a lot, so don’t be shy to share them with us.”

Zeri nodded, “I’d be happy to hear them, as well.”

Marion had long since stopped crying and continued to smile, “Thank you, Avan. For trying so hard to save my uncle. And for teaching me how to deal with this loss, like you have with your brother.

This time… I don’t think I’ll be as sad as I was two years ago. Not when I have people like you to help me through it.”

Marion then began to pull Avan towards her, her lips puckering up slightly. Avan’s cheeks instantly turned as bright as his hair and he shut his eyes at the last second. Then…

“Huh?” Avan asked as he felt a pair of soft lips press against his… forehead.

Marion then let Avan go and laid back against her pillow with her hands folded in her lap.

Cosette placed a hand against her thumping heart and breathed a sigh of relief. Zeri grinned and shook his head. Avan continued to look lost in surprise and was still blushing.

Marion tilted her head, “Oh… something wrong, Avan?”

“What?! Oh no… nothing really. It's just not what I was expecting. For a moment there I thought that you really were going to--”

“Kiss you?” Marion asked, “You mean on the lips?”

“W-well I-I, oh man…”

Marion then blushed and rubbed her hands together nervously, “I was just expressing my gratitude…. But if that’s what you really wanted, I’d be happy to oblige. You’re certainly handsome enough and you’ve helped me out a great deal. So come here.”

Avan was just about to answer, but Cosette rammed her shoulder into him, knocking him away from Marions bed and into the pile of metal drawers as she shook her head and said, “No! No, no, that’s quite alright. We get the point. Don’t we, Avan.”

But as she turned to look at him, she couldn’t see him. Instead she saw a moaning mound of blankets, towels, hospital gowns, gauze, bandages and so much more in the corner of the room.

Cosette ran up to the mound and dropped to her knees and she began lifting items off and cried, “Oh, Avan! I’m SO sorry!! I didn’t mean to do that!!”

Finally Avans head appeared and he had a pair of blue trousers on his head, looking like he now had two long blue ears. “Ow!!” Avan cried, “What gives, Cosette?!”

Unable to contain her laughter at the ridiculous sight, Cosette fell onto her back and began laughing out loud while kicking her legs in the air. Marion was holding her sides and rolling back and forth in her bed as she looked at Avan and laughed harder than she ever had in her life . Even Zeri placed his hands on his hips, threw his head back and laughed at the whole spectacle.

There! It's done!! Phew... that one really racked my brain!! But, I blame, I mean, praise Runty's constant hounding :P

It's alittle over 16,000 words in total, and thats without me going over the WHOLE thing and correcting errors, adding suggestons and refining it. But you people are the lucky ones who got to see the whole step by step, piece by piece 'construction' of the whole story.

Gonna take some time to edit and finish the whole thing, still, nice to be able to see a play by play of the story as its coming along.