Crono closed his eyes.
He had placed himself in front of Lavos and sacrificed himself to save the others.
He died. But after not long, he found himself in Marle's arms on top of Death's Peak.
His didn't feel very good. It felt like he could make a move. He just needed to sleep.
He closed his eyes and smiled when he thought of how supriced Lavos would be
when he showed himself.
Crono laid down on the floor.
Then he felt a hand touch his face.
He opened his eyes.
Marle.
”How do you feel?” she whispered.
”Much better.” Crono said and smiled.
He could see how Marle looked suspicious around.
”Say...” she said. ”You wanna go someplace else... And talk?”
Crono made a weak nod.
Again, Marle looked back.
Then on him again.
”To our presence?”
Crono nodded.
”Sure. How?”
Marle picked up the gate key from her pocket and showed him.
”You stole it from Lucca?”
”No... Just borrowed.”
Crono smiled.
”I'll help you up. Try to be quiet.”
Crono nodded and rose.
But it was impossible to move soundless.
But Ayla was asleep, and Magus stood near the fence and looked out at the gray void.
Marle helped Crono up to the gate room.
They entered the gate to ”Leene square 1000 AD”
It late afternoon when they came there.
The sun was about to sink under the horizon.
With Marle supporting his body, they walked down.
So curious kids ran to them and asked what had happened.
Crono was to tired to answer.
”Nothing.” said Marle and continued down.
Mostly all salesmen were gone now, but there were still many days left of the fair.
”I think I can walk.” Crono said as they walked out of the area.
Marle nodded and let Crono try.
Crono took a few clumsy steps, but got it right after a while.
”Nice.” Marle said, and took his hand.
Walking hand-in-hand, they walked down to Truce village.

”Where are we going?” Crono said when they reached the center fountain.
”Don't know.” Marle said. ”But I can think of one place where we can sit and talk.”
Crono nodded.
”Fine.”
They walked west of the town and through Guardia forest.
They sneaked around the castle and into the forest.
After many kilometers, they reached the ocean.
It was almost sunset, and the view was wonderful.
They sat down and looked out.
”How was it?” Marle asked.
”What?”
”To... die? Was it like I described?”
Crono nodded.
”First black. Then white light and coldness. It thought I was going to freeze to death. Then I realized that I was already dead. Suddenly, something pulled me back, and I awakened on Death's Peak.”
They became quiet for a while.
Crono really wanted to say something, but didn't find any words.
Marle broke the silence.
”Why did you do it? You... saved us. How did you know?”
Crono looked down.
This was hard to explain.
”I... Just knew it.”
”And you sacrificed yourself to save us...”
Crono nodded.
”Was it wrong?”
Marle shook her head.
”No. No... Not at all... Just...”
”What?”
”Just promise me that you won't do it again.”
Crono nodded.
”Sure...”
”Promise!”
”Promise.”
”Forever? Promise me that forever?”
”Forever promise.” Crono confirmed.
Crono could see how Marle smiled.
They sat in silence and watched the water.
Then Crono remembered.
”How did Magus get into our team?”
Marle laughed and leaned back.
”Well... It's a long story.”
”Let's take it later.” Crono said.
Marle nodded.
The evening turned into night, and it was a starry one.
They looked up.
”Have you ever tried to count the stars?” Marle asked.
Crono nodded.
”Yeah. When I was younger.”
Marle smiled.
”When I was 7, I tried. But I could only count to 100, so I didn't get very far.”
Crono laughed.
”I can understand that!”
They both laughed for a while.
Marle put her arm around Crono's shoulder.
”You feel better?” Marle whispered.
Crono nodded.
”Much better.”
Crono tried to hide his smile, but it was too hard.
”It's cold.” Marle suddenly said. ”Hold me.”
Crono put his arm around Marle and hugged her.
”Thanks.” she said.
With Marle's head resting on Crono's shoulder, they sat there and moved slowly to a rhythm.
The night creeped around them.
They ended their moment with a kiss.
”It's late.” Crono said. ”Shall I go for the sleeping bags?”
Marle shook her head.
”No. Just... Let me have this moment. Just a little bit longer.”
Crono nodded and carefully touched Marle hair, to put it right.
 
 
ZZZZZzzzzz.....
 
 
”Crono...”
”Crono!”
”Wake up, Crono! It's a beautiful day!”
Crono opened his eye and the first thing he saw was the sky.
”C'mon sleepy head, let's get moving! I've been up for an hour already!”
”I'm not very much for mornings.” Crono said and sat up in his sleeping bag.
Marle giggled.
”I've noticed that.”
Crono looked around.
All the trees were green, and the ground was warmed up the sun.
They had truly found a great place.
”You should take a swim. The water is really refreshing.” Marle said.
Crono looked on her sleeping bag and noticed that her towel was wet.
”Yeah, I guess I do.”
Crono took his towel and walked down to the ocean.
The weak wind pushed the waved toward the beach, which made the water a lot warmer.
Crono looked back to make sure Marle wasn't watching and then undressed and jumped into the
cold water. ”IIIee.....” he yelled by a reflex, but after a while, his body adapted to the water temperature. He swimmed around for a while, and then put himself floating on top of the water.
”This is life.” A creature had said on Denodaro mountain, many days ago, and Crono could agree now.
”Isn't it great?” Marle's voice said.
With a rush, Crono stood up in the water and looked after her.
She was standing on the beach.
”Yeah, it is.” Crono replied.
Marle sat down on the sand.
”How long have you been watching?” Crono asked.
”Oh...” Marle answered. ”Not long. I just came down. It was so lonely up there.”
”Care to join me?” Crono asked, not really counting with a positive answer.
Marle smiled and shook her.
”Nah... I've already been in. You should have go up earlier if you wanna bath with me.”
Crono smiled.
”Well... I'm finished for now.”
He walked up a bit, but stopped.
”Now, if you excuse me...”
”Oh!” Marle said and giggled. ”Sorry.”
She walked back to the camping place.
Crono dried himself with his towel (behind a bush, just for sure) and then dressed.
When he came up, Marle had already packed down everything.
”You... eh...” Marle said. ”Are not worried?”
”For what?” Crono asked, not really getting her point.
”About when we... eh... Ah, forget it.”
Crono thought for a moment.
”You mean when we...”
Marle nodded.
”Right.”
”...Get back to End of Time?” Crono continued.
Marle nodded.
”I mean... By this stadium, Lucca have probably killed Magus, Ayla and Gaspar. And she's now scouting the hunting ranch in 65000000 BC after you.”
Crono laughed, though that he didn't like people making fun of Lucca.
”I guess that she's... upset.”
Marle looked puzzled for a moment.
”I guess I have to ask you... Lucca. What's wrong with her? She said you were like a brother to her before we knew that it was possible to bring you back. But now she's acting so odd. She truly tries to keep us apart.”
Crono smiled.
”She's afraid of loosing me. I'm her only friend.”
”That's it?”
Crono nodded.
”I see...”
Crono put his arm around Marle's shoulder.
”Come. Let's go.”
They walked of the open field, and headed out from the forest.
”You...” Crono said. ”Are not thinking about meeting you father? Don't you think it's a little bit silly to avoid him because of that... misunderstanding.”
Marle nodded.
”Well, I guess so. Let's think about it later.”
Crono nodded.
”Sure.”
When they got back to Leene Square, the clock was already 12.
Crono opened the gate and holding in Marle's hand, they entered.

With a smooth move, Crono and Marle landed in the gate room, back at End of Time.
They walked down and carefully opened the door.
Only Magus, Ayla and Gaspar was in there.
Good.
Magus didn't react when they entered the room.
Ayla was still laying on the floor, but now awake.
”Crono out with Marle?” she said. ”Alone in the dark?”
”Nothing happened.” Crono said and sat down.
”Crono be glad.” Ayla continued. ”Marle like Crono. Same Ayla like Kino.”
Marle giggled.
”Right.”

.
 
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