She'd come to him in the chaos in a burst of flame, entering his life once again after their long separation. It was almost nostalgic, watching her appear to him again in a moment of helplessness and despair. But she wasn't here to keep him going this time. No, this time, she had come to ask for his help. To ask him to join her in battle once more.

Sazh could clearly remember those days though they were a thousand years gone. When a battle got tough and he would summon her to his side, his partner in a battle against fate. Together they would shoot down their enemies and if she was feeling particularly vicious that day, then she would bludgeon them to death with her weapon coated in fire.

When they had awoken from their slumber he had been so happy to see his son again, so happy to not have death knocking on his door, that he didn't notice her absence at first. But when he did, it was a strange ache. It wasn't the fear and terror he felt at being separated from Dajh. No, his Eidolon could definitely hold her own against pretty much anything. It was more like one of his arms had fallen asleep. He could still feel it, barely, but he couldn't really use it. To use it would be painful and uncomfortable and was highly advised to not use it right then.

The ache, Hope had explained years later, was his connection to her. But without the patronage of a Fal'Cie, summoning her to this realm would tax him beyond his limitations and possibly kill him, which is why it gave him a slight ache. A gun with a single shot was what he had compared it to.

But that ache was gone now. For the first time in a thousand years, he could feel the fiery shield maiden burning under his skin, and it excited him in a way battle typically didn't. It was Brynhildr, he realized. So he raised his hand to her face, felt the heat that probably would have burned any other and just stared at her.

A part of him wanted desperately to go with her. To join the others in battle, to end this in the same way it had started all those years ago. But he knew he couldn't do that. He couldn't leave Dajh alone and he still needed to find Serah for Lightning. Help her reunite with her sister like she had helped him reunite with his son. So he just smiled bitterly.

"I'm sorry. I would, but there is something else I have to do first." Despite the fact that it was showing on his face, he tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice as well. "But there is a boy out there who is going to need you. He doesn't have an Eidolon to fight with, and he would be honored." And he would. Noel was a good kid who was desperate to prove himself worthy of his friends. Prove that he'd grown stronger after losing Yuel and Serah. He pushed all of that at her, using the unexplainable bond between them.

She was disappointed, but nodded her head anyways. Turning around and never looking back, she was quickly enveloped in flame and disappeared. Probably to hunt down Noel. But the bond between them never snapped as it was said to do when an Eidolon chose a new summoner. And if he was a bit relieved that she didn't blame him for not joining her, he didn't show it.

"Daddy, what was that?"

He started. Looking down at his side, he could see Dajh looking up at him with childish curiosity and he couldn't help but smile. That was his boy, always asking questions and never showing any fear.

"She's an old friend, son. Now, I think it's time you and I got to looking for Miss Serah, what do you think?"

His boy gave off a large cheer at that and started babbling about something though Sazh didn't even pretend that he understood a word of it. He just laughed as Dajh tugged his hand, flying faster into the Chaos and the well of souls it contained. But soon, his laughter trailed off. And his face went serious.

They would find Serah and bring her back. And then…

For a moment, he saw through Brunhildr's eyes. Saw Noel and the others facing down again God. He could feel Dajh getting excited. They were close to finding her. They both could feel it. And once they did…

Once they did, his rag tag family would be together again.

"Hold on kids, we're coming."

Word Count: 785

I hate this story. No, seriously. I hate it. It's short and I don't think it does either of them justice. But this is the best it's getting for now.

I know I said I wasn't going to do anything with the other Eidolon's, but I started working at this around the same time as Loyal Steed. It bothered me a LOT that Noel was the one controlling Brynhildr in the finale instead of Sazh. I think the ending would have had more impact if it was the original six l'Cie in that scene rather than the five plus Noel. Not to mention that, despite public opinion, I love Sazh and he needed some love in the LR area.

I also want to elaborate on some stuff that I added in. Eidolon's only have one partner. That's why there are several incarnations of a single Eidolon (Case in point, Bahamut or Shiva). For them to have a new summoner, they either have to wait for the first to die or sever the bond between them. Basically, Sazh lent her to Noel because he knew the kid was dead meat if he didn't and he couldn't join them in person just yet.

I'm not sure if I'm done with this or not so I'm marking it finished just in case and if I make another part to it, well, I do.