Everytime
By kIKi

This songfic is to the song "Everytime" by Britney Spears featuring Yuna from Final Fantasy X & X-2.
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of this fic except for its structure and story idea.

Yuna sat up and screamed. She looked around and sighed a breath of relief as she recognized her room. A draft ruffled through her nightgown and she shivered. Her nightgown was drenched in sweat as she went to get a drink of water.

Rikku came out of her room and tapped Yuna on the shoulder. Yuna dropped the glass she was holding and let out a startled gasp. It fell to the ground, shattering into a thousand pieces.

"Yunie, what's wrong?" Rikku asked as she gave Yuna a hug. "You're so tense."

"I... I'm fine," Yuna said, taking deep breaths to calm herself before she bent down to pick up the pieces of glass.

"Notice me
Take my hand
Why are we
Strangers when
Our love is strong
Why carry on without me?"

Yuna climbed into bed but didn't fall asleep right away. She lay awake, thinking about... him.

I hardly remember what he looks like now. It's been so long. He's like... a stranger to me, almost. She turned over on her side, and closed her eyes. She smiled as she saw his face, tousled hair, and friendly, overattentive eyes in her mind. She didn't have to worry if she forgot what he looked like. Their love was strong.

"And everytime I try to fly,
I fall,
Without my wings,
I feel so small
I guess I need you, baby
And everytime I see
You in my dreams,
I see your face
It's haunting me,
I guess I need you, baby."

She remembered that day of her marriage to Seymour. She jumped off the edge of the temple, but Valefor came out of the sky and saved her. Yuna smiled. She had wings. She asked him to believe... but did he? With him gone, would she be able to do it again?

She became High Summoner, just like her father before her, but with Sin gone, she had no reason to summon. She hadn't practiced in a while, although the fayths were no longer dreaming. Her pilgrimage was over. And she didn't die.

Yuna yawned and closed her eyes. She soon drifted off to sleep.

"Yuna."

Yuna whirled around. "Tidus? Tidus, where are you?"

Tidus... Yuna cried. Why couldn't she stop thinking about him? He was gone... forever. She had to face reality.

Yuna woke up. She saw his face in her dreams... again. It was haunting her, blaming her for his disappearance. Yuna wept.

"I'll make believe
That you are here
It's the only way
I see clear
What have I done?
You seem to move on easy.

And everytime I try to fly,
I fall,
Without my wings,
I feel so small
I guess I need you, baby
And everytime I see
You in my dreams,
I see your face,
You're haunting me
I guess I need you, baby."

It was finally morning. Yuna stepped out into the warm sunlight. It was the day of the festival. Everyone in Spira gathered at Bevelle for a time of celebration. With Sin gone, Spira finally had reason to celebrate.

"Yunie, are you sure you're okay? You don't look too well," Rikku said, worried.

Yuna didn't answer. She vowed to act as though nothing had happened, as though he was here all along. It was the only way, she told herself again and again.

"People of Spira! We have a surprise guest!" The praetor announced. "High Summoner Yuna, who vanquished Sin and brought us the Eternal Calm is here today."

"I..." Yuna was stunned. All around her people were clapping.

"Will you perform for us, Lady Yuna? I hear you are also a songstress," the praetor said.

"Well, I..." Yuna started to decline, but she couldn't refuse. The people wanted it.

She climbed up on stage and faced the crowd. All of Spira was watching her. She saw their eyes shimmer with hope and gratitude. She took the microphone and transformed into her songstress outfit. She put the microphone to her lips and started to sing.

Halfway through she stopped. The people murmured among themselves, confused. What was going on?

"Oooh, I knew she wasn't okay," Rikku said as she rushed forward.

"Tidus?" Yuna thought she saw his face in the crowd, watching her.

She kept seeing him no matter where she went. She realized she had stopped and turned back to face the rowd. "I'm sorry," she apologized as she resumed singing.

"I may have made it rain
Please forgive me
My weakness caused you pain
And this song's my sorry,"

Thunder rumbled in the distance and it started to rain. Yuna stopped singing as the crowd scattered, looking for shelter.

Forgive me, Tidus... I'm sorry. Yuna wept, her tears disappearing with the rain. I wish I was stronger.

"At night I pray,
That soon your face will fade away..."

Such a sad song... so it's a sad story :). Hope you liked it! It was one of my better ones, I have to say. Please review.