A few days later nobody discussed Vanille's nightmare. Both Lightning and Vanille were silent about it. Sazh and Hope had some questions, but after that Vanille cheerful as "always" had replied: 'I'm just fine. "They had left her alone. Lightning walked a head. Fast and quiet. Hope like a little puppy behind. Sazh just before Vanille. Vanille looked from one to the other with thoughts far away.

I need to tell them

No, they will hate you!

They need to know the truth

They will kill you

I deserve that!

Then you will never see Fang ever again

But,..

You will turn into a monster

Fang, would,...

She' s not here!

"Vanille!" The red-haired girl came from her two fight. "Mm, yes Sazh ' "We must catch up with the others" He pointed up a head. Lightning and Hope were already distant prospect. Vanille nodded and started walking. A smile crept onto her lips as she felt the wind in her face. It made her think of home. "Come on, Sazh!" The man shook his head.

"Vanille, wait for me!" Panting, the two came closer to the others in the neighborhood. Vanille looked into the sky. "What is that?" Something came rapidly toward them. Vanille's eyes narrowed. She slowed her pace. "Mm? ... Oh "She looked down and then back to the air. 'No,' she thought.

'Hope, Lighting watch out' she screamed. She started swinging her arms, hoping for attention. Hope turned around. He smiled, thinking that Vanille waved, he waved back. Vanille kept yelling. Violently pointed at the sky. Hope looked now. He pale shot when he saw what it was. A large winged beast. Blue with purple feathers. Long beak and claws. Beads for eyes. It took a dive. Hope pushed the not noticing Lightning to the ground. To see at her reaction, she was fiercely curses. Only when the sharp teeth of the beast went next to her ears, she understood why. She grabbed her gunblade .

Hope scrambled up. His silver hair flapped back when the wings came along. "Come on!" Sazh pulled Vanille along to the others. Now the feathered animal flew toward them. Marked too late. They could not dive nor run. It opened its mouth and for Vanille, the world faded black.

'I'll always protect you'

'Fang?'

'Always'

'Wait, I need you Fang, wait!'

'Fang!' She stumbled, as Fang faded away

'Fang?' Her voice quieter than a whisper.

'Fang!'

Vanille's eyes flew open. She came up with a jerk. A stabbing pain in her right shoulder. "Fang?" she squeaked, almost pleadingly. Soft footsteps reached her ears. "Vanille?" Gently she was pushed back down. Vanille barely noticed it. 'Fang' she wailed. She squeezed her eyes shut as a tear escaped. Her heart pounded in her throat. She forced herself to keep throughout.

"Hey, hey, hey, girlie, what's wrong?" Sazh voice sounded worried. Vanille opened her eyes again. He stood above her . The Choboco looked at her with a crooked little face. Vanille swallowed. Sazh had a scar on his neck. It still looked red, but also curable. His clothes had green stripes as if he had been rolling in the grass for hours. 'S.. Sazh' she choked. She heard some footsteps.

"Vanille?" Hope fell down beside her on his knees. "You okay, Do you have pain, why are you crying, why ..?" A hand on his shoulder silenced him . Lightning looked sternly. With just her eyes, she let him get up. Sazh gave Vanille a pat on her head and then he followed Hope outside. Vanille looked perceptibly to Lightning. She leaned against the wall and looked thoughtful. Vanille was nervous. 'L.. Lig ... Lightning "she managed. Vanille got her deep glance. That softened. "You gave Hope and Sazh a scare," she said monotonously. It gave Vanille the feeling that she did not care. She looked down and wiggled with her clothes. 'Oh ..' she swallowed 'Sorry'

"We must go soon so rest, I'll come back later." Vanille swallowed again, and found that it burned. She closed her eyes briefly. The dry taste in her mouth was sour. She whimpered. She could not be weak . Not for herself, Hope, Sazh, Lightning ... and Fang. Stubbornly she put her hands beside her body and pushed herself into a sitting position. She grabbed her shoulder . With as little as possible putting pressure, she knew to get up. Using the wall, she walked away. It was pretty well dark were she was. A frieze breeze made her shiver. She managed to get into the daylight. Dazed by the sun. She leaned heavily against the outside wall, now. The tension was high. 'Light!' could hear be calling. But she failed to lift her head. Her shoulder vehemently. She dropped to her knees, she couldn't hold longer anymore. She was panting heavily. A shadow region over her. Lightning looked angry and even harsher than before.

"What did I tell you, huh?" "That we need to go soon 'she replied boldly and tired. "Yes, and you must rest. I can not afford to wait for you on the way. That wound can become infected and then we have even more problems. "

"So what? 'Vanille spoke against. Her eyes glowed already of the rising fever. "You're hurt? You Rest? "Thought not. If you do not rest, I don't rest . "She felt a bit forward. She put both her hands on the ground, in order not to fall. Lightning knelt. She put her hand on her right shoulder. How did Vanille know that she was injured? Vanille again began to think that she could not overcome weak. Determined, she jumped up. Not the best idea. Lightning rolled her eyes, crossed her arms, shook her head and sighed.

"Give her her way 'said Sazh . He stood there with a loose attitude. "It's a win-win situation. She can rest and you do not need to worry ' "I'm not .." Lightning did not finish her sentence. Vanille looked with big pleading eyes. Oh, no. She had to think immediately of Serah Would she ..?

'Fine' she gave in. Vanille leaped with joy. Grabbed straight to her head. Lightning stopped her from falling over (again). She sighed. "Come on " She led the redhead back inside the cave. Actually there was quite hot and fresh at the same time resting.. Lightning helped Vanille to lie down. Her hand brushed against the young adult and her forehead. A slight increase made her a little worried, she didn't let it see. She dropped a thin blanket over Vanille. Self she went a little further away. Thoughtful. The cut wound down her knee carved, burned softly. Perhaps Vanille was right she had to rest actually

'Light?' she heard Vanille say hesitantly.

"What?" There was silence. The cold attitude of her, had her silenced. "Vanille, what is it?"

"Um, N. .. Nothing, leave it 'She raised her head and could see the figure gently shaking. She sighed. She knew what she wanted to ask. Shescooted over to her and lay beside her. Vanille herself turned on and wrapped in the warmth of the ex-soldier. Lightning could feel how cold the body itself was, despite to increase. Lightning 's arms went over the tender body around in her attempt to get warmer. Both fell into a deep sleep fast.

The sun was already under when Lightning woke up. She felt something banging. She opened her tired eyes. Vanille was raging fiercely. With her fists, she hit Lightning, delirious. Her warm breath was heavy into her neck . Vanille muttering unintelligible things. Lightning grabbed her wrists. Vanille reacted on it. She tried to free herself struggling. Sweat blotted her forehead. Tears flowed down her cheeks as pools. She looked pale, the tears left red lines after. Lightning could hear the pounding heart of Vanille, anxious. The girl wiggled and winced.

"Vanille, Vanille" said Lightning. "Wake up!" After a while she realized that it made no sense. She took the two wrists in one hand. With the other hand she rubbed Vanille 's back. She still struggled hard against. Gradually decreased the bumps and Vanille was quiet. Lightning drew her attention to the pale face. She looked with gentle eyes into the ones of Vanille. The eyes of the redhead looked scared and sad. The tears had stopped by now. Vanille pushed herself away from her. She sat up and rubbed her tangled hair from her face. Then she stood up. Not thinking about her shoulder, she walked away. Lightning continued to look after her. The girl needed space to put everything in a row, she knew it. As long as she didn't pushed her feelings away as she did. The sun slowly appeared on the flat horizon. Hope and Sazh were both awake. Hope noticed immediately that one person was missing. "She's walking a bit," said Lightning. She stood up. "I'll go, .."

With a fast pace, she left the two. She found her sitting staring forward. Her pigtails flapping in the wind. Her pale skin was illuminated by the rising sun. The shoulders of the young man had been dropped. She looked really sad. Man, Lightning could not stand it. The girl didn't heard to be sad, not at all. Lightning did not feel like Lightning, but as Claire now. She quickly shook her head and pushed the emotions away. She came closer and saw that her arms were over her legs developed. Her eyes traveled over the back of the youngest girl. The wound on her shoulder was not unnocible immediately. He had a green color, something told her that it was not a good sign. There ran a dark bloodline over her shoulder. Lightning took out a dust cloth. She knelt behind the not noticing Vanille and wiped the blood away. Vanille stretched at the touch . With her free hand Lightning went to her other shoulder. She made a soothing gesture. Vanille relaxed a bit. "The others are awake, you come?" She bowed her head. "I do not know" came a muffle ' "Vanille"

"No, Lightning!" You do not understand. You do not know how it is. Everything is my fault. The misery of this world. "Her voice fell away. Lightning thought to understand everything going on in her head. She had just such a feeling as with Serah. She had lost her by her own actions. Her cold attitude toward her. Vanille began to lean into the touch. Not everything rests on your shoulders, Vanille. Let it go okay "She did not know what else to say. "I, mm, okay "Vanille pushed herself upright. "Let's go back!" Without more wasting time she walked back. Lightning looked after her. She had had no idea that such a cheerful person could be so down. Vanille really looked Serah. Always laughing. Vanille skipped happily back. She shook her head and went after her, slightly worried about her. She had the girl feel shivering and it wasn't right for her. She shrugged and looked went to run next to Vanille.. The sun shone on them both. She began to think again of Serah. What did she missed her sister. They both did have something in common. Both they missed someone special on their side.

"Vanille" she thought. "You're weird, but I like you. Who you are looking for, who this Fang is, we'll find her '