Fan Fiction |
by chrysanthemum
Quiet drones. Steady beeps.
The sounds invaded his sensitized hearing.
His fingers jerked.
His closed eyes twitched.
Ximen tried to open them and managed to lift his eyelids a little less than halfway. Right away he felt bright lights stinging his eyes. Colors danced in the blurry background but he could hardly make out anything. He opened his eyes a bit wider and tried to steady his vision until the blur gradually cleared. But all he could see were white walls and empty chairs and couches. He wondered where he was. A strange and rather sore feeling in his head, hand, leg, and stomach vaguely reminded him of the accident.
Then suddenly came a voice not too far from where he was.
"Hey, Xiao You,"
Recognizing the name, he slowly turned his head a little to the side and saw Shan Cai standing just outside the door, her back turned to him. He squinted his eyes a bit to get a clearer view. Shan Cai was holding her cell phone against one ear, her head bowed a bit as though she was studying the floor. Xiao You was apparently the person on the other line.
All of a sudden, everything came back to him. He remembered catching the earliest possible flight to Canada and going to Xiao You's apartment to talk to her. He remembered the exchange of bitter words and her closing the door on him. He remembered getting into the car, completely heartbroken. He remembered driving to the highway, feeling the most excruciating pain in his stomach, and the car smashing against a light post.
He couldn't recall a thing after that.
How long has he been in here, anyway?
And where was Xiao You?
"Oh, nothing much has changed with Ximen. He's been in a coma for a week but the doctors said that he's stable now. We're just hoping that he wakes up soon." Shan Cai's unusually modulated voice carried across to where he lay.
*A week? I have been unconscious for that long?*
"So how's the honeymoon?" Shan Cai turned a bit as she asked and Ximen saw the smile on her face.
Hearing that, Ximen stiffened, dumbfounded.
*Honeymoon?*
A spasm of panic rose in his chest when he remembered that the accident happened the day before Xiao You was supposed to get married.
"And how's Kyle?" He heard Shan Cai ask next.
*Kyle.*
Exhaling despondently, Ximen turned his head back and stared up at the dull, white ceiling.
*So I guess they got married...*
Ximen closed his eyes again, wishing that he hadn't woken up when he did.
--------------------------------------
"And just where do you think you're going?"
Ximen abruptly stopped in his tracks to keep himself from colliding with Dao Ming Si, who had just as abruptly stepped in his way.
After babying him, hovering, and guarding him like a hawk for over two weeks, his mother had left for Europe and his father for New York just the day before. But not without making certain that F3 and their wives picked up where they left off.
With a sigh that hinted curbed exasperation, he tersely replied, "Out."
"You can't!" Shan Cai exclaimed in protest as she stood beside her husband and expanded the barrier between Ximen and the front door.
"I have limbs, I'm pretty sure I can." Ximen contended with a smirk.
"Yeah, limbs that were practically halfway in the grave about three weeks ago." Lei dryly quipped.
And now all six of them stood in front of him like a congregation of military officers.
"Mister, you know you should stop moving around like you haven't just had bloody stitches pulled out of your flesh yesterday." Mei Zhuo demanded and instantly elicited a wince from the ladies.
"You didn't have to be that descriptive, you know." Xiao Qiao mumbled, making a face.
Mei Zhuo shrugged apologetically then turned to the man in question again. Ximen straightened himself and smiled at his friends like he had not a worry in the world.
"Guys, I'm fine. Do you think I'm stupid enough to do something that would put myself at risk?"
Without a blink, all six simultaneously replied, "Yes."
Ximen fell quiet, defeated. He rolled his eyes. They knew him too well.
Ximen breathed out and wiped off the carefree front. It was a miserable failure anyway.
"Listen, I'm just going out to get some fresh air, that's all." He placidly stated.
"But there's lots of that out in your garden!" Jing pointed out.
"Yeah, she's right. Besides, where the hell do you find fresh air in a widely populated and polluted urban metropolis?" Ah Si irately wondered aloud.
A corner of Ximen's lips curved up in a small smile at the mental image of his secret sanctuary, "Let's just say I know a place."
"Well, do we know this place, too?" Mei Zhuo queried.
"No." Ximen simply answered then made his away around the human barricade before him.
The six trailed behind him as Xiao Qiao asked, "Then how are we supposed to find you if in case something happens?"
"I'll have my phone with me. And nothing will happen so stop being so paranoid. Besides, don't you people have better things to do than babysit a grown, 29-year-old man?"
"We promised your parents that we'd watch you and make sure you don't strain yourself at least for another week. And we worry about you too." Jing spoke.
"Ximen, is this about Xiao You? You never asked about her from the day you woke up from the coma..."
At the mention of the name, Ximen suddenly stopped, to the other six people's surprise. Ah Si nudged his wife in rebuke but she remained unapologetic. The momentary silence that followed slightly gave them the chills. Taking a breath, Ximen turned to face Shan Cai.
"And I'm still not going to. This isn't about her. I just need to do this for me. I need a moment by myself, somewhere away from here." He could feel the rawness of the pain as he said it. It was far worse than all the physical torture that he had to endure for the past weeks.
"But Ximen...."
Ximen smiled calmly.
"I'll be back before dusk, I promise. But you guys should go home. I'll be all right." He quickly interjected before the discussion went any further.
All conceding eyes watched as Ximen turned his back to them again. They knew that there really was no stopping him so they decided to quit following. Perhaps he did need this time by himself.
"Fine. But that phone better be fully charged and turned on at all times, you hear?" Ah Si demandingly exclaimed and merely got a wave of the hand in response before Ximen was completely out the door.
Surprisingly, the physical injuries that he acquired weren't very severe. The accident had caused him a broken rib, a couple of damaged bones, and a whole lot of bruises. But the gastric complication plus a really bad concussion and excessive bleeding were the ones accountable for putting him in critical condition. He was stuck with crutches and a cast for a couple of weeks. It normally took longer for an ordinary individual to heal but in Ximen's case, miraculously, that was all the time he needed.
However, it took a little longer before he could move in his regular pace without having to hold on to something for support every ten seconds. And as soon as he discovered that he finally could, he was everywhere - much to the chagrin of his parents and friends. Seriously how long did they think was he going to sit on his ass and do nothing but secretly wallow in the misery of his sappy life? He needed to keep busy if only to get Xiao You out of his mind. But since his father had imposed a temporary ban against him in the Ximen Corp. premises for at least another week, subjecting himself to his workaholic ways again was out of the question. So instead, he decided to spend time in his place of refuge.
The trek took longer than usual because Ximen needed to stop or slow down every now and then. His dressed wound stung a bit whenever he moved too much. The moment he finally got to his spot he felt a sense of tranquility wash over him. He stood at the edge of the hill and took the picturesque scenery in.
Xiao You once stood on this very spot. She had looked out to the horizon too, like he was doing now. He could still vividly remember how the moon and the stars gave her an ethereal glow. She had looked beautiful that night. She always did.
He closed his eyes a moment as he inhaled and let the cool air fill his lungs.
What was he doing? He came here to heal, not to rub salt on open wounds. But what could he do? He lost her and that's the truth. And this time it's for good. Many times he had wondered what Xiao You might have felt when she heard about the accident. Did she ever worry about him? Of course, she probably did. She had a kind heart and that made her a natural worrier.
He had also often wondered how she could push through with the celebration even when he was practically on his deathbed. She deserved to be happy, that much was true. But he wouldn't lie, it hurt a hundred times more when he thought about it that way. While he was fighting to keep his heart beating, she was giving hers to someone else. A part of him was angry at himself for losing the last chance to get her back. He lay unconscious when he could have stopped a wedding. The truth was though, when he thought about it, he probably wouldn't have done that even if he could. He couldn't be that selfish. He had already caused her enough pain.
Besides, what did he expect? Her world doesn't revolve around him anymore. Xiao You wasn't going to put her life on hold just for him. Why would she? She made it very clear that she wanted nothing to do with him. She had every right to do whatever she wanted.
Not once did Ximen ask anyone about her after he regained consciousness. Actually, until a few moments ago, neither did any of them attempt to bring her up. He didn't want to hear about how beautiful she looked in her wedding gown in the arms of another man. Perhaps they realized that as well.
It was odd how even after everything he still ached with the longing to see her again. It was probably going to happen eventually and he knew that when it does, it would be torture. The mere thought of standing within several feet from her yet having no right to hold her or to look lovingly into her eyes was unbearable; yet he still wanted to see her.
His lips twitched bitterly. It was remarkable how the high-and-mighty-master-playboy was reduced to this - a hopelessly love-struck fool. Ximen sighed. Even if they did see each other now, what would he say? 'Congratulations on your wedding, I'm very happy for you two'? Just thinking about it made him sick to his stomach. Of course he wasn't happy at all. It would be too hard to say it and actually sound like he meant it.
And what would Xiao You have to say to him?
"I could kill you, you know that?!"
A strong gust of wind blew against Ximen's face as his heartbeat stopped for a second, his face instantly turning pale.
That voice. He knew that voice too well.
Oh God, he was hearing things. Perhaps it was just some kind of aftereffect of that concussion.
"Ximen Zhong Er Lang!"
Hearing his name being called by that voice made his heart jump. Now that was unmistakably real.
Ximen turned around.
And there she was, finally standing within several feet from him.
*Xiao You...* Ximen wanted to say her name out loud but no sound escaped his mouth.
At that moment, his mind went blank and all he could do was wordlessly stare at her face. Xiao You's forehead was creased in obvious crossness, her eyes flaring in anger as they looked back at him.
"What the hell were you thinking coming up here all by yourself?!"
The exasperated cry shook Ximen out of his trance. "I should be asking you the same thing." He emphatically retaliated. "I wasn't exactly lying about the water snakes, you know."
Xiao You stomped a little closer and indignantly looked up at him. "Well at least I'm not the one with stitches on my stomach, you dogged moron!"
Ximen's own forehead lined mostly with puzzlement and a bit of annoyance. What was she so angry about? They haven't seen each other in almost a month and now she was blowing a fuse.
"I don't have them anymore, the doctor took them out yesterday."
"And that's supposed to make this okay?!"
"But I'm--" Ximen trailed off, the oddity of the whole situation gradually dawning on him. "Hey, aren't you supposed to be on your honeymoon?"
The question appeared to take Xiao You by surprise. She paused, her domineering expression suddenly cracking.
"Who told you that?" She soberly queried.
From her reaction Ximen figured that they all probably agreed not to tell him anything about it. Maybe in an effort to be sensitive to the poor, injured man's fragile emotions. Although he knew that they were only trying to protect him, a part of him actually felt betrayed. Ximen breathed out and turned to the scenic view ahead once more.
"Is that important?" He sullenly muttered.
Xiao You didn't answer. A heavy silence suddenly pervaded the otherwise serene atmosphere. As she looked at Ximen's broad back her whole body tensed up as memories of his smooth skin and the feel of the movement of his muscles against the palm of her hands began to fill her mind. She quickly dropped her gaze onto the grass-carpeted ground in an effort to push those errant thoughts aside.
"I just got back today." Xiao You casually relayed.
Ximen only nodded in response. Despite himself and for lack of anything else to say, he found himself asking, "How is your husband?"
Saying it aloud was just as hard as keeping himself from taking Xiao You into his arms. It hurt just as much too.
A few seconds passed then he heard the crunching sound of dewy grass getting crushed under Xiao You's every step as she went to stand right beside him. They both looked straight at the beautiful vista that stretched far ahead of them.
"Kyle went straight to Canada from France." Xiao You replied.
Suddenly strangely provoked, he turned his head to look at her. "And he let you fly here alone? What kind of a husband is that?!"
Xiao You met his stare and asked back, "Why, what would you have done?"
"I would have accompanied you wherever you wanted to go! I would have never left you alone!" The words just flew out of his mouth without him completely realizing it. Ximen stopped, his breathing a little heavy.
Their gaze ardently rested on each other as another gentle gust of wind whistled in the air. Ximen's chest gave a squeeze as the desire to kiss her lips overcame him. His gaze traveled downward to her clasped hands and saw a simple silver wedding band on her ring finger.
*She's married.* Ximen reminded himself. As he directed his vision to the mountains again he felt a suffocating ache in his heart rise. He had always predicted that every second of this moment would be torture, but he had no idea that it would be this difficult.
Xiao You averted her stare to the same scenery that Ximen was looking at and heaved a sigh.
"I like the sound of that." She quietly spoke, "Let's get married then."
Ximen's head snapped back to her direction. She was still staring to the fore, a calm expression overlaying her features. He usually had no trouble seeing through her, but this time there was just no way he could read what was on her mind.
"That's a cruel joke." Ximen deadpanned.
Still composed as ever, Xiao You faced him. "You think I'm joking?"
Ximen let out a humorless laugh and then dryly questioned, "So what, you're getting a divorce?"
"Of course not." Xiao You replied. "I don't have to. I didn't get married."
She could have laughed out loud at the utter confusion on Ximen's face. He stared at her like she'd grown another head.
"What did you say?" Ximen unblinkingly asked as he unconsciously held his breath. Maybe that accident damaged his hearing as well.
"Kyle and I didn't get married." Xiao You repeated.
Ximen absolutely froze as a thousand questions swam through his mind. "But you have a wedding ring... and you were on your honeymoon..."
"Oh, that... There was a conference in France that Kyle and I needed to attend for Glitz. We were supposed to go to France for our honeymoon so he thought that we should just use the tickets that we already had since they were non-refundable anyway. I suppose you can say that we were on a 'honeymoon', only we had separate hotel rooms. Shan Cai liked to joke about it for some reason." She simply shrugged.
Ximen was at a loss for words. If this was a dream, he'd murder whoever wakes him up.
"How come nobody ever told me anything?"
"I told them not to. I wanted to do it, myself." She cocked an eyebrow at him. "You're not the only one who can keep secrets, you know."
A vertiginous constriction in Ximen's chest reminded him to release the breath that he had been holding in. He could hardly believe what he was hearing.
"You... really didn't get married?" His gaze was glued on her, observing her as though he were looking for fingerprints on a CD.
Xiao You only smiled as she fought the urge to roll her eyes. How many times did she have to say it? Without a word, she pulled something from the back pocket of her jeans. Taking Ximen's left hand, she slipped the Rolex to his wrist and turned his palm up to secure the lock.
"When I give you a present you're supposed to use it, not keep it in the safe." She gently rebuked him.
Ximen looked at the watch then back at Xiao You. The expression on her face reflected certainty... security. Like she had just gained absolute clarity of where she stood and what she wanted. Then he remembered something...
"The black box..."
"I have it. I kept it for you. Saw everything in it as well."
"Oh." Ximen's dark eyes seemed to deepen in contemplation as he shoved his hands into his pocket. Now everything was out in the open. Somehow he was uncertain of how that made him feel. He was relieved, nervous, slightly embarrassed, and remorseful all at the same time. He had wanted this to happen - for her to know the truth about everything - but she had caught him off guard this time.
She must have been really upset when she saw everything in the box, he reckoned. Every trace and evidence of his cowardice was in there. They proved the falseness of everything that he made Xiao You believe in the past. Now that he thought about it, she must have been so upset with him for his dishonesty to her and even to himself, and for making everything so difficult because of that.
Ximen looked at Xiao You's face, ready to accept her reproach and to explain things, but nothing in her expression showed a hint of resentment.
"You should have told me about that contract." Xiao You calmly said.
Ximen gave a nod. "I was going to... that day of the accident. But afterwards I realized that my intentions were too selfish. I don't want you to marry Kyle Douglas out of gratitude, but I don't want you to choose me just for that reason either."
Xiao You exhaled in impatience.
*This clueless, hard-headed moron.*
"I have wanted to say this for years now so you listen carefully." She looked Ximen straight in the eye, "You really are an idiot!"
Ximen frowned, the outburst taking him by surprise, but he didn't say anything.
"I didn't cancel the wedding just because it turned out that he wasn't the one that we owe our good fortune to. And neither am I talking to you right now just because you were apparently our savior. I couldn't marry him. I couldn't give him my heart because it was never mine to give. All these years, I never got my heart back! It has always been with you but I never really knew what it was that you felt for me! I tried to fool myself into thinking that I was over you when the truth was I probably never will be because you're right! You are a stubborn, infuriating idiot but I am in love with you! I have been for a very, very long time! I tried to get rid of the feelings I have for you but I can't! If you had told me about everything from the start instead of hiding behind that little black box - which weighs about A TON, by the way - things wouldn't have been so complicated! I would never have been engaged to Kyle and you would have never had that accident that scared me to death! I ju--"
In a quick, smooth, sweeping motion, Ximen's left arm was around Xiao You's body and his lips tenderly pressed against hers. He had been smiling inwardly since about the fourth or fifth sentence of that tirade. He'd been wanting to kiss her from the second he heard her voice and he could no longer wait for her diatribe to finish before acting on it.
Xiao You got over the initial shock and gladly returned the kiss. She just missed him so damn much.
"Okay, I get it. You know, you talk a lot." Ximen softly teased with a smirk, his face merely a matter of inches away from hers.
Xiao You frowned and made a move to push herself away from his embrace. He, however, secured his hold by enveloping her with both of his arms that pulled her back to him.
"But I love you anyway." Ximen whispered with a smile.
Xiao You's heart leapt at his words. She looked at him with a smile of her own.
"You love me, huh?" She playfully teased.
Ximen planted a kiss on her forehead, "I do. I'm crazy about you." And another on the tip of her nose, "I have always been." And he finally found her lips again.
Everything about this felt so right. A rather unfamiliar feeling of overwhelming love and happiness warmed his heart. Ximen looked her intently in the eyes and in them he suddenly saw a vision of his future. It was a life with her by his side. At that moment he just knew that he couldn't possibly imagine it differently. He never wanted to be apart from her ever again.
"Will you marry me, Yang Xiao You?" Ximen softly asked.
For a moment, Xiao You paused. She pulled back just a little and raised her left hand for Ximen to see. She used her thumb to twist the silver band on her ring finger, revealing a stunning diamond on it. Ximen stared at it for a few seconds as he gained recognition. It was the same ring that he had bought to propose to her.
"I already answered yes even before you asked." Xiao You said, her voice slightly cracking as her eyes began to fill with tears. They almost didn't get to have this moment. She almost lost him. But now that he was right in front of her, well and alive, holding her close as she wore his ring on his finger, it was overwhelming.
After the accident, Ximen had wondered where the ring was. He thought he'd lost it. But apparently it was right where it was supposed to be.
Ximen looked at her face, his gaze filled with the love that he always had and always will have for her. He tenderly held Xiao You's cheeks and wiped her tears away with his fingers. Ximen pulled her closer and just held her tightly in his embrace. No words would suffice to express the happiness that enlivened his soul.
"God, I missed you so much." Ximen whispered against her fragrant hair.
Xiao You laughed through the happy tears that trailed down her cheeks as her heart swelled with so much bliss.
"You better not scare me like that ever again!" She scolded with a strike of her fists against his back. "I don't want to raise our baby all by myself."
Ximen nearly choked on his own saliva. He quickly pulled back, holding Xiao You's shoulders with each hand, and stared wide-eyed at her.
"Our baby?"
Xiao You paused, silently scolding herself for that slip of the tongue. She was going to wait a little more before telling him. Well, so much for that. Seeing Ximen's big, expectant stare, she slowly and reluctantly nodded her head.
"You're pregnant??"
Xiao You nodded again, getting slightly worried about how he'll take the news.
Ximen's bewildered expression gradually faded as his eyes lit up and his lips curved into a grin - much like a giddy little kid who had found his favorite toy. He let out an elated laughter. Xiao You felt like a huge boulder had been lifted from her shoulders at the sight.
Ximen smiled down at her. Xiao You never saw him look more happy and contented. She was so relieved and thankful that they felt the same way. Ximen breathed out and leaned forward until their foreheads touched.
"I love you so much." He softly said and meant it with all his heart and soul.
Xiao You momentarily dropped her gaze as tears spilled down her face.
"Did you know that this is the first time that you said that to me? I mean, really said it. With so much conviction and without doubts or inhibitions in both our parts."
A look of regret flashed in Ximen's features. He reached for Xiao You's hands and gently held them in his.
"I'm sorry it took me so long." He spoke with every ounce of sincerity in his body. "I promise to spend the rest of our lives making it up to you."
Xiao You smiled and wiped her tears dry.
"You better." She muttered in mock threat, glaring at the man who had captured her heart.
Ximen laughed - heartily at that - and took a chuckling Xiao You into his arms again.
Ximen leaned into her ear and whispered for good measure, "I love you. I love you. I love you."
Because now he knew that he finally really had the guts to say it.
And this time, he was never letting go.
---..: FIN :.. ---
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A/N: YAY! Finally, I'll Be Over You has come to an end. :) I apologize for the delay. Our connection went spastic on us so I couldn't access the internet for weeks. Plus, we went out of town on short-notice so I wasn't able to leave notes on taggies and message boards. I'm sorry, it couldn't be helped. =/
I do hope that you guys enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you so so soooo much for all the support and encouragements! All your comments touched me a lot. ^_^
Until next time! *MWAH!!!* =D
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http://illbeoveryou.50webs.com/
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