And…we're…back…Welcome! So I know the last chapter didn't have a lot of thrills and chills but I'll try to make up for that with this one. Once again, reviewing earns updates…and please enjoy.

Every Time I Search

Chapter 2: Anger Misguided

It was himself that Basch was angry at, but he couldn't help but snap at Balthier every time the pirate got near him, but if Balthier had noticed, he hadn't said anything. It didn't help matters that they were lost, and at this time of the day the desert was hot enough to make one sick. They'd been walking for hours, and Vaan had sworn he'd known where they were, only to shrug in defeat an hour later when asked which way they should go. He let himself lag behind for a while, not really wanting to face the others while in his current mood and found himself watching Balthier intently as the young pirate walked quickly in front of him, twirling his fluted pole in that sexy, suave way that only Balthier could manage to do. He cursed under his breath. He wasn't sure how the pirate had dug his way into his mind, but he'd been having rather disturbing dreams about the brunette as of late.

"We should split up," said Ashe, drawing Basch out of his moody thoughts.

The others grumbled and nodded as they began to team up and wander off in different directions. Basch cursed when he noticed that it was not Ashe that stood waiting for him, but Balthier, Ashe and Fran, and Vaan and Penelo were already some ways off.

"Looks like it's you and me Captain," said the pirate, a sexy smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"It would appear that way."

They walked along in silence for some time, and Basch was becoming more and more aggravated by the minute. Part of him, deep down inside, was overjoyed at being alone with Balthier, but another part of him felt that the pirate had somehow purposely planted those dreams in his head, and the dreams…however magnificent…just had to go.

"Something wrong, Captain?" asked Balthier suddenly, drawing Basch out of his thoughts.

"Hmm?, uh no," stammered Basch, hating the butterflies that rose in his stomach, "And stop calling me Captain I have a name!"

Balthier smirked, "You always call me pirate."

"That's different."

"How?"

Basch thought a minute, "I don't know! It...It just is!"

"Well when you start calling me by my name I'll start calling you by yours."

Basch rolled his eyes and started to walk faster.

"Seriously, Basch," pressed the younger man, "Are you ok? You seem…I don't know…agitated."

"Goddamnit can't you mind your own business!" yelled Basch, spinning on his heels to face Balthier.

Balthier narrowed his eyes, and Basch could have sworn he almost looked…hurt.

"Fine, I'll be going that way," he said, his tone irritated, "I'll meet you back where we are supposed to meet the others."

Basch wanted to call him back, tell him that he was sorry, that he was just upset because for some reason he couldn't stop thinking about him lately. He wanted those little smirky lips on his own, but he didn't call out to him. He just stood there and watched him walk away.

Balthier cursed under his breath and kicked at the sand once he was out of Basch's sight. The man had a thick skull that was for sure. Even Vaan and Penelo, mere children, had noticed the way he'd been looking at Basch longingly ever since he'd joined their little group. He sighed to himself, who was he kidding, there was no way Basch would ever be interested in a lowly pirate, especially a male pirate. He was glad to have this time alone to regain his composure, Balthier the sky pirate did not suffer from such pesky little emotions, or at least that's what the others needed to think. And he certainly did NOT get upset over trivial little things, but somehow Basch's harsh words didn't seem so trivial to him.

Basch just stood and watched Balthier walk away until he was out of sight. Finally, after waiting to make sure that Balthier would not come back on his own accord, he started walking off in the opposite direction. He wasn't sure how long he'd been walking when he heard the shot resound through the desert, but he spun on his heels with one thought in his mind…Balthier is in danger. He cursed under his breath, hating himself for letting the younger man go off by himself in the first place. He ran in the general direction in which Balthier had gone, hoping to all the gods he knew that it was some small fiend Balthier had been fighting, that he was simply shooting a….but Balthier wasn't carrying his gun today, Basch realized in a panic, he was carrying a pole…someone was shooting at Balthier! Not the other way around! His stomach knotted when he saw blood glistening in the sand. Please don't be Balthier's, he thought, but there was a scrap of black and gold cloth, covered in blood, sticking up from the sand. He cursed aloud and examined the scene, there wasn't enough blood for the wound to have been fatal, but there was a fair amount. Then he saw it, a limp form lying in the sand not far away. He closed his eyes a moment, praying that it wasn't Balthier, before he slowly approached the body. He exhaled in relief at seeing that no, it was not the pirate, but a dirty looking man, a thief most likely. The man was indeed dead, his head crushed in where Balthier's pole had made violent contact. There were no other bodies in sight, which meant that either this man had been alone and Balthier had killed him before going on his way, or there had been others…which now had Balthier. He hoped for the former as he searched the man's person for any clues as to where he came from. Something shiny caught his eye, and he pried the dead man's hand open to get a look at what he held, immediately wishing he hadn't. A lump rose in his throat as he held up the earring that had been in the man's hand, even through the blood and bits of flesh that covered it…he would know that earring anywhere. His concern turned to terror as he scanned the horizon for the man who, he knew now, meant more to him than he'd thought.

To Be Continued…

Wow that didn't come out the way I wanted it to, can't seem to get in my zone with this one, but I hope you enjoyed and Please review if you want to see another chapter.