Lost Child

DISCLAIMERS: Do I need to say them again?

AUTHORESS NOTES: I've been trying and trying to write two new chapters for Angels, and this pops up: another side story. This, as always, takes place before the actual story and it actually takes place before the other side story, To Protect the Pride, too. My friend read this and she was...well...sad. Yes, 'tis a very depressing fic, come to think of it. This deals with Lily's past.

"Sis, how is she?"

Ellone carefully stared back at the light blond, scar-faced man in front of her. She smiled in sympathy at him, her eyes disguiseing the fear that welled up inside of her.

"Lily's going to be fine, Seifer. She's just a bit shocked, that's all," Ellone answered him.

Seifer breathed a sigh of relief, slumping back in his chair. Too much stress was not good for him. Hell, he hated it. First his trusted posse, then his only love, his wife. He didn't want to lose his daughter as well. If she died in the battle...no, he didn't even WANT to know what he was going to do if his little Pyro died.

Zell was also in the room, swatting flies as usual. He had occasionally visited Angel's Orphanage and taught Seifer's daughter, Lily, kickboxing. She was a natural at the art, despite Seifer's protests, but his wife insisted to let his daughter do as she pleased. Quistis indulged Lily a bit too much, but Seifer could understand why like he always did.

Seifer and Quistis' little romance started off very innocently. Seifer and his posse returned to Balamb Garden a few weeks after Time Compression. Not that many had warmed them back home; some had even threatened to leave if they were to stay. In the end, though, everything worked out...somewhat. Quistis had just gotten her Instructor's Liscense back, and everyone was celebrating. That was how it all started...

"Chickenwuss, keep on swattin' flies and you're going to be swattin' stars," Seifer grumbled, forcing himself out of his own reverie.

"I'll do whatever I want, Seifer," Zell muttered back.

The two glared dangerously at one another before Ellone broke the tension.

"Come on, you two, stop acting like children," she cut in before all hell could break loose. "Lily won't like it of you two are fighting right now."

The two men nodded in understanding. Seifer was glad. Although he was the one who instigated everything, he didn't want to make his emotional state burst. Especially not at this time...

She was running, but her legs wouldn't budge. She wanted to help Daddy, but she couldn't. Her mind was spinning out of control, and she didn't know how to stop it.

"Mommy, Mommy! Ya gotta help Daddy! He's in trouble!!" the little girl shouted desperately, tugging on her mother's sleeve.

But her mother wouldn't move, either. Her lifeless, dull eyes kept on staring off into space. The girl was awfully frustrated as she started back at her mother with fierce emerald eyes.

Her father was in danger of getting killed by some creepy young woman with flaming red hair. Her FATHER, the person that her mother loved the most, was getting his butt whipped by a complete stranger. Lilian Krysta Almasy didn't understand the concept of power yet, and thought that her parents and Uncle Zell were the most powerful fighters in the world. So, why was her father losing and her mother not doing anything to help him? She ALWAYS helped him.

"Mommy!! Wake up! Snap outta it!!!" Lily shouted at her mother again and shaking her as fiercely as she could.

Everything else that followed was a blur in Lily's mind. An Ultima spell and a Firaga spell coming straight at her. Blood, horror, and the serene look of her mother's crystal blue eyes with locks of golden hair falling to her face that said to Lily that everything was going to be all right...

Lily's eyes fluttered open with a start, gasping for air, and beads of sweat fell down her chin. The ceiling looked unfamiliar to her...

"Lily?" a husky voice called out.

Lily? Who's Lily? Is he calling me? Lily thought as she turned her head slightly to face catlike emeralds similar to hers. The man looked familiar to her, but she couldn't place his name...

Seifer noticed the look of confusion on his young daughter's face and assumed it was because he had scared her. He smiled for reassurance and ruffled the little girl's blond hair. It was honey blonde, thin and fine. Just like Quistis'....

"Feeling better, Pyro?" he asked and noticed her flinch slightly. "Hey, somethin' wrong, honey?"

Lily looked questionably at Seifer, still unsure of what to make of him. He looked so familiar to her, but couldn't remember where. Why couldn't she remember?

"Who...are you?" she asked hesitantly.

Seifer tried to not act shocked, but he still was shocked on the inside. Ellone had warned him that Lily had taken a serious blow mentally and might not remember herself, nevertheless her own father. He didn't want to believe it, though. Would any perent want to believe that their child suddenly got amnesia?

But that question his own daughter asked him proved his fears.

He smiled at her again and tried to act normally. "What are you talking about? It's me, Daddy."

Lily repeated the word as if it was foreign to her. "Dad...dy?"

If she doesn't recognize you, start off slowly, Ellone's advice ran in Seifer's mind. You don't want to scare her if you're angry.

Seifer nodded instinctively as his daughter repeated the word.

"You're my Daddy?"

"Uh-huh."

Lily reached out her tiny hand to touch Seifer's face as if to make sure he was real. She looked into his eyes and noticed the resemblance in them, smiling softly. Relief swept Seifer's mind.

"If you're my daddy, then where's Mommy?" she asked again.

Seifer hesitated. Should I tell her or not? He decided not to and let his daughter figure it out herself. It would be easier on them both that way.

"Pyro, don't worry about that right now," he answered in a strangely calm voice. "Just worry about getting better, okay?"

Lily smiled and closed her eyes, falling back into the sweet nightmares of her dreams.

<a couple of weeks later ~ Angel's Orphanage>

Lily sat curled up in her bed, her braid brushing lightly against her face as she did so. The first day back home was too much for her as children her age or older crowded around, asking questions that she couldn't answer. True, they all looked vaguely familiar to her, but they all frightened her at the same time. Why couldn't she remember them?

The only two people she remembered after painstaking hours were her father and Uncle Zell. Ellone was starting to get Lily's trust but not quite.

Lily sniffled through the covers, wishing that her mother, now dead, was with her right now.

<in the dining room>

After taking care of some matters and explaining to the other children of the spunky tomboy's situation, Ellone closed the door behind her and sighed. Seifer paced the room, clenching and unclenching his fists.

"Sis, how long is she going to be like this?" he asked.

"I'm not sure, Seifer. Lily's going to have to remember on her own," Ellone answered.

"I know, but how long is it going to be until she's back to normal, dammit!"

"I'm not sure, Seifer. I don't have the answers for everything!" Ellone toko a deep breath before continuing. "It's goign to take some time. A lot of time. Eventually, she'll be back to normal, but I'm not sure how long. You have to encourage her to remember; give her hints."

Seifer stopped pacing, realizing the hidden meaning in her words. The first thing in Seifer's mind during all of this was to go after the woman responsible for his friends' and wife's deaths, but he knew he couldn't do that. He didn't know where the woman was and also couldn't leave his daughter in the state that she was.

Damn that Allundia, he cursed to himself. When I'm find her, I'm gonna rip her to shreds...

<Lily's room>

She twisted and turned in her sleep, struggling to free herself from the chains that grasped her. She couldn't do anything at all, too scared to budge.

A woman laughed at the child's weakness, taunting with her smoke, pupiless eyes. Lily wanted to do something, the rage burning inside her, but dark hands lashed out, pulling her down into the abyss. She cried for help, but nobody answered her call. She was falling, falling, falling, falling...

"Lily, Lily, wake up!!"

Her eyes snapped open and once again she faced eyes simliar to her own.

"Daddy?"

Seifer looked at her in concern. "Hey, Pyro, you okay?"

Emotions swirled in her head. Blood, horror, and the serene blue eyes still staring back at her. She couldn't take it anymore. She wanted to do something, but couldn't. So, all she could do was dig her head in her father's chest, crying fiercely. Seifer wrapped his arms around his tiny daughter, comforting her, wondering when she will face the truth of reality.

A lost child Lilian Krysta Almasy was, now and forever.

MORE AUTHORESS NOTES!!

Well, whaddya think? My friend read this and said that I should continue on with this, but I was planning this to be a simple one-shot. So, whaddya think? Should I continue or not? R&R!!