Author's Note: This is a fanfiction based on the Paradox Ending: Fate and Freedom, where Serah decides to stay with her friends and sister, but forgets about Noel. This is how I think it possibly goes on.

Please just read this, if you have already played Final Fantasy XIII-2 to the end, it contains spoilers!

I don't own the characters, they belong to Square Enix. I just own parts of the plot.

Enjoy

Chapter 1: Doubts

Several months had passed since Serah had woken up in her consummate world and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't be perfectly happy.

Lightning paced through the rooms of Hope's apartment, searching for her jacket: „Come on, Serah! Finish your tea, I'm going to be late for dinner at Sazh' and Dajh's place!"

The younger Farron sister still sat by the table and took a sip of her still hot, fruit flavoured tea. She put the cup down instantly and coughed, when she realised, that it didn't have the right temperature to drink yet. As she found words again, she turned around to face her sister: „Sorry, Light! I'm not finished yet, even though… only you're invited for dinner, so I think I will stay, until I'm done with my cup… if it's okay for Hope." She turned to the young man, who sat opposite her. Hope nodded slightly: „Of course."

Lightning hugged her for a brief moment: „Okay, bye guys!" Then she nearly ran out of the apartment. Serah gazed after her and turned directly back to Hope.

The silver-haired man surveyed the woman on the other side of his living room table: „You didn't talk much today, Serah… is everything alright?" Serah gave him a small smile: „Yes… just tired I think" Hope nodded again: „I see. How is Snow? -I haven't seen him in a while."

The woman took another sip of tea and answered: „He's fine. Always helps the others, whenever there is a problem." Hope chuckled: „Sounds like him. And how about you?"

Serah didn't understand at first: „Me?" „Yeah… how are you doing?"

Serah smiled softly again: „Oh… well, I'm doing fine, too –I guess", she added.

Hope raised an eyebrow: „You guess?" Serah winked at the floor: „Don't worry… it's –it's ridicolous" Hope crossed his fingers on the table: „No, maybe it isn't! Just tell me, maybe I can help you out"

Serah hesitated then slowly started to explain: „There is a mirror in our room in the NORA-house. It's just an ordinary one… but somehow it scares me! Everytime I look at it, it's like my heart is gonna burst, I feel so weak, like all pain of this world is hammering on me." Only to think of it made Serah start panicing.

Hope rose from his seat and closed his arms around her carefully, he tried to comfort her, when he let his fingers glide through her pink locks: „It's alright, Serah. You're safe." The girl in his arms was shivering, her voice was tremulous and faint: „I feel that emptiness… like something important is missing"

The young director pulled Serah a little closer to him: „You have to calm down first… do you want me to make you another cup of tea?" His voice was gentle and his arms were warm and consoling, so Serah slowly stopped shivering and nodded yes to some more tea. Hope let go of her and filled his water heater anew. He leaned against one of the counters and looked at Serah again: „Did you tell Snow… or Lighning?" Serah nodded and took a deap breath before she spoke: „They told me, I am just being silly."

„Maybe you should try again and tell them how seriously it terryfies you…", the man poured the boiling water in a glass jar und drowned a teabag in it. Immediatly the colour changed from transperent to bright red.

Serah chewed on her lower lip: „Maybe you're right… and I should bring it up again, but what if they are right and I'm just getting insane?" Hope looked at her doubtfully: „I think this is really bothering you. Do it for your own good." Serah nodded and with these words silence lay down like a veil above them.

After each of them had had another cup of tea, Hope's voice was way too loud in all that quietness: „Should I take you home?"

The petite woman blinked at Hope: „Sure… thank you!"

All the way to the NORA-house the two of them remained silent. Both deep in their thoughts, dealing with their own problems and thinking the day over again. When Hope left her in front of the house she just stayed there for a while.

She didn't really want to face the gang now, she wasn't feeling very well. She looked at the stars one last time and with a sigh she went inside the house and as quiet as possible in her room. She was so tired, she didn't really think, just let herself fall on the bed and fell asleep.

Author's Note: I hope you liked the first chapter. I have holidays now, so I try to update very fast. Please review! Even if it's very short, if it's critic or commendation, I'm just interested, what you think of this!