Author's Notes: Separately-spaced lines in quotations are spoken dialog, separately-spaced lines in italics are internal dialog. This is my first time writing something like this (that is, a fanfic), and it's not something I'd normally do, so I ask that reviewers keep that in mind when...well, reviewing. I tried to stay as true to the plot as possible, but it's been awhile since I played Abyss, so it's possible I got a few minor details wrong. The story will probably be three chapters long. Oh, and I own nothing. I think that's about all I wanted to cover, so... Enjoy.


Luke fon Fabre.

He was all Tear could think about as she stared out the window of one of the guest rooms of Duke Fabre's manor. She had spoken to Luke only hours ago about what she had learned from Mieu... that Luke was going to disappear as a result of neutralizing the miasma at the Tower of Rem. Ever since then, Tear couldn't help but reflect upon the past, and how she felt about him.

Tear remembered telling Luke not to think for a second that she stayed behind in Yulia City for him when everyone else had abandoned him, remembered being worried about him for reasons she didn't know at the time, despite her disgust with his attitude until he resolved to change after Akzeriuth; she recalled when she realized she could see herself being more than a friend to Luke... it was when the group cleared the first Sephiroth and Luke hugged her, thanking her for her help. Tear was taken aback by the gesture, of course, but she was even more so when she found herself a little short of breath and felt her knees weaken ever so slightly as he held her; she knew a reaction like that wasn't simple surprise.

I'm glad no one seemed to notice...

Tear rested against the wall as she watched the sky lose its last bit of sun to the horizon, and found her mind wandering to when Luke bought back her mother's pendant for her. He had spent a great deal of money on it, which may not have been such a wise decision when considering the state of the party's finances at the time (something she normally would've scolded Luke for), but when he handed her the pendant and walked away before his face got any redder, she just wanted to hug him tightly and never let go. Tear's cheeks turned bright red just thinking about it, something that would be hard to see now as the guest room darkened further.

Emotionally exhausted, Tear lightly stepped away from the window and sat down on the single bed in the room. She wanted to stop thinking about Luke, to stop hurting, but the more she tried not to think about it, the more her mind wandered back to him. Finally, she gave in and thought about the promise she had made to Luke in Yulia City, her promise that she would watch him change... and change he did. Before her eyes, Luke had changed from a sheltered, spoiled brat to a kind, caring person struggling to find his place in the world, to the more confident man who had finally realized the value of his own life who emerged from the Tower of Rem. Tear had grown to romantically love Luke over all the time she had watched and spent with him; she had never been good with that kind of thing, but she at least knew what she felt. She even felt like she could spend the rest of her life with Luke. But...

But is this it, Luke? Are you really going to just disappear...? I...I wish you hadn't...! I wish I could've stopped you... Tear sighed heavily and placed her hand on her chest, falling backwards onto the bed.

After some more thinking, Tear decided she could only do one thing to calm herself down, at least for the time being. She knew doing said thing would be very hard, but she didn't want to add physical exhaustion onto her emotional exhaustion, considering all the battles the party had to fight. That, and because Tear felt that looking weak would make everyone, Luke especially, worry about her, and she thought that showing that weakness would make her a bad soldier.

"Luke... I need to talk to Luke," she said to herself as she lifted her tired body from the bed and walked to the guest room door.