Summary: After the gangs learn the shocking truth about the Endless from Ian, Quinn decides to comfort him by telling him about one of her favorite legends…
“An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break.” – An ancient Chinese proverb.
It was the toughest decision he had ever made, but Ian knew that he has to tell them the truth about the Endless. If it ever meant keeping his friends alive and keeping their trust. By the time the Endless removed his helmet, his friends’ reactions definitely exceed his expectations, nonetheless understandable. Seriously though, what’s a possible chance of meeting someone else who is exactly you, only like hundred years older?
Some of his friends were hurt that Ian didn’t tell them about the Endless earlier. Hell, Varyyn was furious to find out that the red spaceman “manipulated” his people just to save the Catalysts. The dark-haired couldn’t blame the blue-skinned warrior. He’ll be furious, too if anyone would try to manipulate him and/or his friends to do their deeds. Rourke manipulating his own son, Aleister, is just one example he tried to avoid remembering. Closing his eyes, Ian can still remember explaining himself to Estela why he couldn’t bring up the truth.
“It was too painful. When I touched the idols, I saw all of you die. Over and over. When I found out these visions were actual things that happened, over two thousand times…and all of that could be for nothing if we don’t stay one step ahead of Rourke. Every time I had the chance to explain, I just…couldn’t.”
A certain red-head glanced at him in understanding and sympathy as she reached out to gently grabbed his hand, “Oh Ian…I understand. Sometimes it’s easier to bury the pain than to talk about it.”
Ian’s mind snapped out of thought as he felt a delicate pair of arms wrapped around his waist from behind, which made him glanced back and smiled a little. “Hey.”
“Hey,” Quinn replied. She quickly kissed him on the cheek as soon as he turned around and return the embrace. The red headed angel glanced at her boyfriend in concern, “Are you alright?”
“I…Honestly, no. After everything that happened just seconds ago, I still feel lost,” The dark hair replied, as he buried his nose to Quinn’s long hair, distracting himself with the scent of her shampoo.
“Your…your other self. He’s been through a lot, hasn’t he?”
“He has. Don’t know how he manages to handle all of that…And I still don’t know how can you still be with me after all of this crap happening.” Truth to be told, Ian is tired of constantly lying to his friends and his girlfriend, even if it meant trying to keep them safe. The last thing he need was them feeling betrayed.
“Ian, don’t say that,” Quinn quickly cupped his cheeks with both of her hands and made him look at her. His dark brown eyes meeting her bright, blue eyes, “You were only trying to protect us…to protect me. Besides, none of this is going to change how I feel about you. I want you to know that.”
“Of course I do, Quinn,” Ian replied, but he then pulled away from her and sat on the stairs from the underground, pulling onto his hair in distress, “But I’m afraid of making things even worse for everyone. And more than that, I’m afraid of losing you, again. Even after over two thousand times.”
It’s true. Ian nearly lost Quinn multiple times during these crazy events in the island of hell. Succumbing into a coma due to her Rotterdam’s Syndrome, being possessed by the Island’s Heart, and being separated after Quinn attempted to stop a missile from hitting the helicopter they were on; everything that already happened to his red-headed angel had brought Ian to the verge of breaking.
Feeling her heart break at the state Ian is in, Quinn sat next to the dark-hair man and gently rested her head on his shoulder. After moments of silence, she started speaking, “This may sound random, but do you know the legend of The Red String of Fate.”
Ian lifted his head back at Quinn, wondering where she is going with this, “Um…yeah, a little. That’s the Chinese legend where this god tied an invisible, red cord on two people around their fingers who are destined to be soulmates, right?”
“Around their ankles, actually. But yes, that’s the one!” Quinn chirped and continued on, “To be honest, it’s one of my favorite legends. It started off with a young boy wandering around at night time, and he met an elderly man, who happens to be a god of love and marriage. The man told the boy that he is tied to his destined wife by a red thread. He then leads the boy to the young girl, who is soon going to be his future wife.
Quinn started giggling and Ian smiled, having a feeling that the next part is going to be somewhat amusing.
“But it turns out that the boy didn’t want to get married, so he threw a rock at the little girl and left. Years later, the boy grew up to a young man at marriageable age and his parents arrange the wedding for him and the most beautiful woman in the village. On their wedding night, however, he found out that the young woman he married was actually the same young girl he met a long time ago because underneath her eyebrow was a scar in which he inflicted her with the rock. In fact, this shows that the married couple are connected by a red thread of fate and are destined to be together.”
The dark-hair man started chuckling, “Oh the irony. The poor guy was lucky that his future wife didn’t back out even after getting hit by a rock from him. If I did that to another girl, I’m pretty sure she’ll hate me for life.”
“True, but I know you wouldn’t. You’re too much of a gentleman to do anything like that,” Quinn agreed and bobbed Ian in the nose with her finger. The couple share their laughs before looking at each other in the eyes. “Ian, I know it’s weird for me to bring this up, but ever since I met you, I have a feeling we’re meant to be together and nothing will keep us apart. I just want to let you know that I’m here for you, no matter what. Nothing will change that.”
“It’s not weird, Quinn,” Ian reassured her, “But do you really mean that?”
“Of course, silly,” she replied, “You gave me a reason to live and I’m still fighting with everything I have. Now the same should be the said to you, too,” The redhead leaned her face closer to Ian’s, closing the distance between them, “The thread between us may be stretched or tangled…”
“…but regardless of space or time, it will never be broken,” he finished for her, feeling determination lighting up inside him once again. The moment their eyes met, their lips met in a warm, passionate kiss.
For what it’s worth, Ian will keep on fighting to keep his friends…his family safe. After all, the woman right in front of him is and will always be his destined lover. If they can’t get out of this cursed island alive, then at the very least they’ll be reborn and meet each other again, even after two thousand, one hundred and thirty-nine times. No…for eternity.