Professor Layton: Love In All Adversities

3. The Feelings Will Always Be Close

Blinding light filled Hershel's vision. All that encompassed his entire view was the whiteness that seemed to stretch infinitely in all directions.

"Am I..." He began and then gulped. "Dead?"

"No." Hershel span quickly, shocked to hear this new voice. Although it wasn't new. It was all too familiar.

"It can't be..." He cried, rubbing his eyes, believing himself to be hallucinating. Standing in front of him was the love of his life. "Claire..."

Claire, or whoever this woman was had said he wasn't dead, but that must have been the only possibility, for how else could Claire be there?

"Hello, Hershel. It is good to see you. Almost..."

Claire bowed her head and then wiped locks of hair away from her eyes. She was smiling, although there was a hint of something else. She looked like she was hiding a terrible secret.

The white light was gone and instead Hershel found himself standing on a cliff top overlooking a vast ocean. It was extremely windy and he went to grab for his hat.

"There is no need for that, Hershel." Claire beamed. "It won't fall off. At least, not here.”

"I must truly be dead. How else could I be seeing all this? How could I see... you?"

He felt hot tears form in his eyes, but he didn't wipe them away. He embraced them.

"Look at what you've become, Hershel." She grinned, reaching towards him. She was standing right at the cliff edge and Hershel only a foot away. When her gentle hand found his cheek, he felt a great sensation rise through his body. Her touch was like a distant memory suddenly clawing its way back out.

"W-what do you mean?" He asked, not caring that she had changed subjects.

"You've grown, Hershel, and although you may not realise it, you still have more growing to do. The events of your life. From when you told me of your friend's death; all the way up to the events of the past few days... It has been a most difficult time, but.... But you've grown so much and I'm so proud..."

"Claire... I don't understand..."

"What I said is true. You are not dead. Your time is not now. You have a long life ahead of you. You will find more love in the world and the people you meet will provide you with the love that..." Tears began to form in her eyes as well and Hershel could see that she had been holding them back the entire time. "The love that I could not continue giving..."

"Claire... I... I don't know what to say... I..."

"You don't have to say anything!" 

She pulled him in close and when their lips touched it was the most incredible moment. Hershel knew that once the kiss ended only sad news would follow. He had to be sure that it would never end, but end it surely did and when she pulled away - much to his protest - he found himself gripping onto her tighter, willing himself to never let go, lest he said good bye once again.

"I..." He began, the tears reaching his lips. "I said I would not lose you again.... I can't lose you now... How can I not be dead?!"

Hershel had shouted; just as he had shouted the last time she had departed.

"Your time is not now. Perhaps you should have paid more heed to what Oliver said before the castle began to fall. I don't suppose you would remember dear Oliver though."

"You mean... I've met him before..."

"Oh but Hershel... You stole me from him..."

"I... I did not mean..."