Hey guys this is a re-written version of my first fanfiction ever, I feel like I rushed it the first time around so I had to do it over. Most of it stayed the same, just changed a few things to chapters 1 & 2. Feel free to review and leave constructive criticism I'd truly appreciate it. It's a take on Light's life after Serah gets married, and her journey to finding herself. The whole L'cie situation never happened and it's a whole different world but similar at the same time :) no pairings as of now, but possibly a Fang/Light pairing in chapters to come.

Desclaimers: I don't own anything from the Final Fantasy franchise.

ENJOY!

My eyes open and I look upward, only to find the beautiful night sky being obscured by the stale walls of my bedroom ceiling. It's dark and silent; so silent that I can hear the beat of my own heart intertwining with the sound of the wind sizzling in from the cracks on the window seam.

I never thought it'd be this silent. I thought to myself.

I was alone….

Ever since Serah got married, she and Snow decided to move to the country far away from Bodhum to start their new family… I was proud of the bugger, but I wouldn't let the sadness of her departure faze me or even more so, let her read my poignant and vulnerable face. So I put back my stoic façade, the same one I created during my first few years in the Military.

Unreadable, Light...

I said to myself

….that's how you should always be

I had never really thought about what things would be like for me after Serah was gone and grown up. My whole life I had lived to protect and watch over her. Our parents died about 7 years ago when I was 15 and she was 10 years old. I become her sole guardian so young, I had no idea what the real world was like. So because of it I had to grow up instantaneously for her.

One night she came up to my room crestfallen with tears in her eyes. I pulled her close to me and embraced her in a hug.

"Claire, please don't leave me" her voice not louder than a whisper, and her tears muffling the soft spoken words.

I was scarcely able to make out what she was saying. But then realization hit me and my eyes widened at the heartbreaking confession my little sister had just revealed.

"I promise I will never leave you" I reassured her, as my finger tips brushed the delicate brands of hair off her face.

That night a new essence of understanding enveloped us. She slept next to me her little body cradling against mine, I wrapped my arms around her to cease her occasional shudders as she fought against the tears. I knew what was haunting her thoughts; it's as if our minds were in zinc. My mind trailed off to that conflicting moment, those traumatic series of events that had undertaken our lives changing our fate forever. Our parent's death…. That night I not only promised her but I also promised myself that I would never leave her, even if it killed me.

After all I was all she had, and she was all I had…

Or so I thought…

It was she who left first…. I couldn't blame her; her husband was quite the prince charming (well to her anyway I always thought he was quite the big idiot) but he did do his job in sweeping her off her feet and at least I was sure she was in good hands..

That was the only thing that brought a sense of contentment in my heart after all these years of darkness…. She was happy and that's all I really cared for.

Snap out of it Claire… the little voice in my head said… you need to start living for yourself…

Stop it! I'm not Claire anymore. My name is Lightning Farron.

Who was I kidding? where ever the voice was coming from, it was right. I had lived for Serah for so long, I forgot what it felt like to live for myself. Not even the military was a choice I had made for my own sake, it had been to be able to get an education and simultaneously take care of my sister with all of the benefits they provided.

So now I lied here in bed disturbed with bombarding thoughts about the past, all the meanwhile trying to pick up the strength to break out of this cursed shell.

1, 2, 3… I counted as I got out of bed

My life had truly become a predetermined cycle; so structured. I had shut out all emotion since my teen years. It was the only way I could keep the tears back and just survive. But this attitude wasn't all a waste of my life; it definitely didn't fail me in the military. With my fearless personality I was able to move up ranks so rapidly like water flowing in a fast paced river.

To the city of Bodhum I was Sergeant Farron, one of the most prestige soldiers in the Guardian Corps. My inborn leader-like attributes justified my hierarchy amongst the others and it took quite a rightful effect during Search & Combat, which ultimately was my specialty. Now with Serah gone, the guys and gals on base were the closest to family I could get. So I often relished their company, hearing them talk about everything and nothing; and most of the time I spent countless hours in the training facilities teaching the new recruits assigned to my unit new tricks for battle… though I saved the flashy ones for myself of course, to wow the parade of soldiers once in a while when I felt a need to amuse myself with their attention.

Bodhum was a pretty neat city, especially at night when all the fluorescent lights beamed creating a rainbow of color along the towers and buildings. But the most incredible part about it was the ocean. And it just so happened to be my back yard.

Tonight I couldn't sleep,

It was one of those nights again…when I finally managed to bring myself up from the bed I adjusted my sleeping robe, put on my sandals and headed out down to the shore.

Urgent to get lost in its peaceful and silent beauty I curled my feet within the sand walking further down the seashore admiring the wonderful scenery before me. I had been here on many occasions but each time it was different than before... specially this particular night.

I wasn't alone… there was a shape of a young woman unveiling itself in the distance with the luminous shine of the moon against her body. She was walking towards my direction now. I felt a little uneasy, at the surprising thought of company, something I wasn't expecting at all at this time of night. She approached amiably… I had never seen her around these parts before

Who was this mysterious woman?

I don't know what intrigued me the most, the curiosity of who this woman was, or the inexplicable beauty of her Raven like hair concealing her bronze skin, and her emerald eyes glistening under the moonlight.

Usually I wouldn't be the one to fancy women, but I had to admit she was captivating.

What is she doing here? My mind rambled about frantically….Nothing more than you are, the little voice in my head taunted

"Hiya there"… She said.

...my mind couldn't quite process everything all at once, but finally I was able to pull the muscles on my cheeks to open my mouth and muster out something… in return.

"Hey", I said hesitantly, "what's your name?"

"The name's Fang" she said with a welcoming smile, warm enough to break the ice, "and yours?"

"Farron…Lightning Farron."I strained a smile back extending my hand to join hers for a shake.

"The Lightning Farron, as in Sergeant Farron?" Her eyes widened in surprise to see the infamous soldier in front of her.

… I chuckled at her stunned reaction "Yes… Sergeant Farron, that's what Bodhum knows me as; but just call me Light."

The wide smile on her face was trying to fight back the laughter building up inside her throat…. She finally let out a hearty laugh that echoed through the surrounding air. The sweet sound was now invading the silence that had once been there.

"Sorry"… her laughter ceasing into an apologetic sigh… "I just had a different picture of you in my mind; somehow I thought you'd look waaaay more menacing in person." She erupted into a quiet laugh, not as rumbustious as the last.

If it had been any one else my foot would be down their throat by now. She tried the hell outta my life! My mind exploded defensively ready to pounce on her any second now.

But instead of proving her how menacing I could really be at the moment, I just let my walls down and joined her in her banter.

"Looks can be deceiving" I smirked.

"I see…" she smiled, her eyes averting mine and looking straight out into the water.

I took a good look at her, studying her face and attributes….

Now this was bugging me…

Why did she look like she wasn't from around Bodhum let alone this planet!

"Sooo are you from around this part of town?" I commenced changing the subject.

"No, I live on the other side of the city. I come here every once in a while when things get too hectic. It's so peaceful here." She moved closer to the water taking in a big breath of air as the sea breeze clashed into her. Fang was right; It was peaceful here especially at this time at night where it was just the sound of the wind and the hugging of waves at your feet.

She turned back around, meeting my gaze and noticing the inquiring look still planted on my face... so she continued…

"I live here in Bodhum, but I was actually born in Gran Pulse." She made a quick point with her finger to the lingering giant in the sky.

I knew it! I said to myself… making sure I didn't show this amusing discovery through my face... she had been quick to read me before.

But wait a minute… how can she still be alive or living here for Maker's sake?

"Bu—but I thought Pulse was destroyed in the War of Transgression a decade ago?"….. "How can you be Al—"

"—live?"she finished the sentence. "Yea many folks ask that." She chuckled, "Well it's simple; my mother foresaw the war coming so she shipped me and my sister Vanille off to this place before it all started."

My body immediately tensed at such a revelation; she was from the place in the sky, I'd only read books about.

"Relax I'm just as much an Cocoonian as you are" she teased bumping her shoulder into mine. I released the breath I had been holding, softly panting my way back to a neutral state.

I was stunned… speechless, I had never met anyone from Gran Pulse in my life before. I had always heard that they were an animalistic species, didn't care for anything; that's why we went to war with them anyway, wasn't it? I contemplated to myself.

But the Raven beauty standing before me defied all those beliefs. She was nothing like they'd describe.

"You know Lightning you're an interesting character…"

I broke away from my thoughts and addressed my look onto her

"Yea? How so?"

"Hmm where do I start?"... "For one I thought you'd look different, and second… thought you'd be a bit more lively." She teased again.

But she was right.

I scoffed, "once again looks can be deceiving."

"you can sure say that again"

"…..um anyways listen….I gotta get back, Van is probably worried sick about me. I didn't quite let her now I was gonna be out…. It was nice meeting you Light." She smiled again almost becoming a signature of hers.

"Same here, It was nice talking to you." I nodded. She didn't know this, but I was thankful for her company, it had been a while since I had an actual casual conversation with someone. I was always either at work or home alone. It felt nice for a change.

She started to stroll the other way, and I similarly did the same back to my place. Then suddenly the sound of feet broke off as her accented voice came to sound, "Hey Light, do you wanna come to the Fifth Ark tomorrow night? Maybe we can catch a few drinks and play pool with the guys?"

I turned around to face her in the near distance. My first initial thought was, no! I can't—I don't even know how to act around people when I'm out. Even worse I don't think I can even remember the last time I went out… with anyone.

But my impulse deceived my thoughts…

"Yes, sounds great!" My eyes filled with surprise at the words spilling out my own mouth.

"Alrighty then, see you here at 7?"

She was aware of the astonished flicker in my eyes, and could tell this was the first time in a long time I had ever agreed to something like this.

"Okay, 7 it is." I nodded

She waved as she turned her body around to walk down along the seashore the way she had come. Her figure eventually dissolved in the distance.

I stayed frozen in time for a minute, trying to recompose myself and come to terms with what had happened a few moments ago. It's been a while since I've gone out, this might actually be good for me.

And with that I parted with the ocean and headed back home to a good night's sleep.

Reviews make me really happy :) Hope u guys enjoyed.