Ze new fic is here! I posted two chapters because this first one is rather short. And I had Ch. 2 written, so I thought, hey, why not? :P Enjoy!

And just a warning, this has little (as in nothing) to do with the actual game. So don't expect every fact to be exactly right. I'll be molding the plot to make it work for me! MUHAHAHA! I'm just goin' with the flow! XD *shot* So if you're really anal about everything following the exact plot of the game...well, just press that BACK button, and find a different story to satisfy your tastes. Because you sure won't find it here!

I most certainly don't own these characters. THEY BELONG TO SQUARE ENIX! XD

Devastation and Reform

Chapter 1

Wispy rain drizzles into my face as I step off the bus with my bag. With a heavy sigh, I throw up my hood. My first day in Bohdum, and it's raining. Go figure. Families rush around, umbrellas in hand, checking for everyone's luggage before slowly waddling towards their cars.

Rapidly blinking the rain out of my eyes, I turn off my iPod, stuff it in my pocket, and glance around. I spot them quickly enough.

Lightning and Snow take refuge underneath a small overhanging. They don't look any different. Snow has taken to wearing his bandanna on his wrist now rather than on his head, and Lightning's hair is a bit longer. Not much else has changed. Save for one glaring difference: a small, but noticeable bump on Lightning's abdomen that she keeps subconsciously stroking.

I vaguely remember hearing the news, but can't actually recall. We had all tried to keep in touch after our adventure together, but e-mails and phone calls became less and less frequent, slowly dwindling to random messages every few days, weeks, months, until they finally stopped all together.

But I figured it was natural to lose touch, so I wasn't terribly worried.

That was until my father died six months before I turned eighteen. Cie forbid the system allow a nearly legal young man take care of himself. When they asked about family, I could only think of two people I had ever considered family outside my parents.

Lightning looks around, brow puckered, and strokes her swollen belly again through her black raincoat. She asks Snow something, but he simply shakes his head.

Hoisting my duffel bag over my shoulder, I saunter over to them. Well, this should be sufficiently awkward. Hi! It's been so long! Three years, maybe? Now you're pregnant and we're all living together! Yay!

Just kill me now.

I take only a few steps before Lightning's head snaps up. Apparently, her razor sharp instincts haven't been dulled by her pregnancy.

She smacks Snow (who had been whistling and swinging his keys around his finger) in the chest and starts towards me, throwing her hood up as she enters the rain.

I stop and let her come to me. Her steps patter across the small puddles, slowly accelerating, until she slams into me, throwing her arms around my neck.

Another change: I am now taller than Lightning. I'm strangely proud of this fact.

"Hi, Light," I mumble into her hair.

She sniffs loudly, pursing her lips, and pulls away. Her eyes glisten brightly in attempt to hold back tears. Guess she isn't a complete superwoman, immune to all things natural and normal; even Lightning is affected by the hormones accompanying her pregnancy.

"You're taller than me," she states, still composing herself.

I shrug and scratch my ear, not really sure how to respond.

Turns out, I don't have to. Snow takes the bag from me and throws it over his shoulder.

I'm not taller than Snow. But I didn't really expect to be, anyway.

He looks at me for a moment before grinning widely and throwing an arm around me. "We've missed you, kid!"

I attempt a smirk, but it falls quickly.

Of course, this doesn't go unnoticed by Lightning. After three years, she can still read me like a book.

I can't decide if I'm insulted or flattered.

"I'm so sorry, Hope," she says, eyes boring into mine. "Bartholomew was a kind man."

I softly nod my head, eyes downcast. "He died a quick and painless death. That's the most I could've asked for."

"Doesn't make it any less unfortunate," she states.

The rain rhythmically patters against her raincoat, soft and fast like a rabbit's heartbeat. Snow stands next to her, looking between the two of us. I know they both expect me to say something, but I'm just not in the mood to go on a real tangent. I've cried every night for the past week. I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to 'let out my feelings.'

So I just shrug.

Lightning continues to stare at me, but eventually gives up with a heavy sigh.

Snow takes it from there. "Well then, to the car?"

I nod and Lightning starts towards the parking lot. We walk in silence, the howling wind and rain moaning around us.

"We've got your room all set up," Snow says suddenly, glimpsing at me.

I look up at him, mildly surprised. "Really?"

"Well, we have had a week." Lightning glances over her shoulder. "It's not much, but I think we got the necessities."

"And we live right near the beach!" Snow adds, excited by this fact. "It's just across the boardwalk, actually."

"Yeah, it gets noisy. Too noisy, if you ask me."

Casting a glance at Snow, I notice of flash sadness cross his face, but it fades quickly. He catches my gaze and rolls his eyes, jabbing a thumb at Lightning's back, who continues walking obliviously in front of us towards the car.

I smile, like, a genuine smile. Well, that's a pleasant change. Maybe it's not so bad that I have to be here. I have missed these guys. But I'm slightly worried about the hormones raging inside Lightning. I've seen Lightning pissed off before.

It wasn't good.

The last thing I want to see is Lightning both pissed and pregnant.

She reaches for the car handle and attempts to pull it open. But when it refuses to comply, she glares at Snow. "Unlock it."

"Oh right! Sorry." He reaches into his left pocket, then his right one, then his back one, and so on until he finally looks at her sheepishly. "Oops."

Rather than respond, her lips press into a tight line and her eyes narrow.

I sigh heavily. Just like the good old days, I suppose.

END

Special thanks to Pulse99 for putting up with my crap over the title! It was so hard thinking of one! :P

I got the title from the song "Devastation and Reform" by Relient K. I LOVE THAT SONG! Go listen to it...NOW! XD Thanks for reading! Please review! :]