Hello! This is the first time that I write a story in english, so if there are grammar mistakes please tell me. I love the Hope/Light pairing so wait for it in this story.

I don't own anything but my own ideas

Lightning's POV

We were surrounded by a bright light. A blank space around us. Just shining blobs of soft colors dancing in front of us. And above. And below. There was no up nor down really. We were just floating in a warm light, sometimes suddenly showing a rainbow of colors. A peaceful feeling filled us.

I looked at my right and I saw my companions. I looked at my left and I saw my partner.

We've just accomplished our mission. Our supposedly impossible mission. We saved Cocoon and most of its people. Now they have a new place to live, Grand Pulse and their own means to do it, without the meddling of manipulative gods. The l'cie mark no longer decorated our body. We were free, without a focus anymore.

We were being rewarded. By becoming a crystal. All eight of us, just after avoiding the fall of Cocoon and its destruction, merged and become a gigantic crystal pillar which supported the world. Maybe our focus ended, but our burden just had started. We had the weight of the world literally on our shoulders. But it was fine. All of us were together in a comfortable place. Well, we "existed" seeing that it was difficult to think of our situation as "being". I knew who I was and how my body was, years of training saw to that, but I couldn't feel it. It was like being submerged in water, without the drowning, with all my senses dulled.

But it didn't matter. Nothing no longer mattered. All was fine. Everything finally ended.

Suddenly the blank space that surrounded us wasn't blank anymore. A soft pinkish light started to fill our vision. A shock made the "air" tremble. I wasn't as sure as before of the safety of the place where we were. I looked at my right and saw my sister and the idiot she had chosen as a lover, and extended my hand to them. I won't allow to be separated from Serah again. It was a horrible experience the last time and I was in no hurry to repeat it anytime soon. Serah had the same idea because she also extended her arm to me. As soon as we were able, we come close and hugged tightly, Snow bracing himself against Serah's back. Looking at my sister's boyfriend I was reminded of another person who became another essential part of my live. I looked for my partner but it was getting difficult to see anything. The lights shined too brightly and the space was starting to become blurry, no longer having clear borders. I located the forms of Vanille and Fang, always together, and a small one being catched by a larger one. I guess that Sazh reached his son. But I didn't saw Hope. I couldn't find my partner and, for the first time since I awoke in the blank space, I felt anxiety.

My heart skipped a beat when I felt a small hand on my shoulder. I looked to find amused stormy eyes. Of course Hope was able to reach me without problems. He had grown so much during our stay in Grand Pulse. All our past battles transformed a child in a young adult. It was a shame that he had to lose his childhood in such a way, but that was what will make him become a stronger person. He was my partner for a reason, not just a title to calm him as it was at the beginning. I trusted him with my back, in exchange for protecting his. We were a truly effective team. I guess that teaching him how to fight properly made us a perfectly coordinated team who didn't need words to know the best way to assist the other's plan.

I gave him my version of a smile when he sent me a way-too-cocky smile, having reached me without me taking notice was truly a feat. He took my hand and started to extend his free one to Vanille and company. It was better if everyone were together after all.

All of sudden the chaos began. Wide rays of light started to appear, destroying the space that surrounded us. We started to fall through a hole full of multicolored lights. We were falling way too fast, to the point that I was unable to open my eyes. I looked around me with difficulty and fear gripped me when I noticed that we weren't eight anymore. I saw how a pillar of light engulfed Vanille and Fang and made them disappear. I couldn't locate Sazh and Dajh. I clutched Serah and Hope stronger. I won't be separated from them!

The wind grew fiercer, destroying our tight group of four. We were still connected by our hands, but it was getting more and more difficult to keep holding them. I noticed a strong pull from my right. Serah and Snow were being pulled by a current of wind. Another pull on my left arm made me gasp. Hope's body was being sucked by another one. The opposite forces were making my arms hurt, stretching them to the point that I was starting to fear that my shoulders were out of their sockets. But I won't let go. I was stronger than that. So what if my body got hurt. So what if I lose my arms. I won't let go of my most important persons. My sister and my partner, both of them worthier than any part of my body.

I was starting to sweat. The pull was too strong and my vision started to get blurry. I felt it, I was going to faint due to the pain. I was stronger than that! I took a chance to look at Serah when I noticed that her hand was slipping due both of our sweating hands. It didn't help that she was being dragged by Snow weight. The bastard was too big!

Another change in my left hand made me look at Hope. For a moment I was surprised. Where Serah's face reflected the panic she was feeling, Hope's was calmer. He smiled me when he noticed I was finally looking at him, so I guessed that he was trying to get my attention for a while. He struggled with all his strength to flex his arms and took my hand in both of his. He confused me for a second when all he did was to put my hand on his forehead but once I saw his eyes I understood. We didn't need words to communicate. We were the perfect team, the most effective one.

I didn't get the chance to say no. To ask him to keep holding on a little more, just a little more, and everything will be alright. I would beg if necessary. But he knew. He knew me better than the rest and saw my strength leaving me. He saw the decision that I was unable to make but had no other option to do. He saw and chose for me, protecting me. He had my back. He was my partner.

He was leaving me.

I didn't have the time to notice that no longer my arms hurt. The time to notice the impact against Serah's body due to the lack of opposite force keeping me from reaching her.

I just saw him getting further from me until a light's pillar engulfed him too. I saw my partner disappear. I was unable to protect him. I broke my promise.

The world became black.