Ok guys, here's the much- anticipated Chapter 4! it took me a while to write due to the fact i have a lot of stuff going on at home right now (probably not as much as Tidus and Yuna though) anyways, on with the chappie!Chapter 4: Time is Growing Short
Yuna's POV
I couldn't believe that I screamed at my father like I did. The last time I ever screamed at him was when I was eight years old. I don't really remember why. I guess it wasn't all that important.
I knew that Daddy cared about Tidus, but I was frustrated at the lack of options. This next year was gong to be harder than when Tidus went to Basic Combat Training. Even his Advanced Individual Training was only twelve weeks. He was gone for BCT and AIT for a total of twenty one weeks, not a whole year. Then a year ago he left for Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, and was only gone for a month. This next year… A whole year without him?
"Isn't there some way you can get out of going?" I asked wearily as we drove down the long road, staring out at the cool grey sky.
"I know how you feel, but our country has called on me. And I can't get out of deployment until my contract is about up. I still have four years to complete," he replied.
'How can you possibly know how I feel? You're not the one worried sick about your fiancé getting sent to war and coming home in a body bag!' I thought bitterly.
Those thoughts actually surprised me. I have never thought bitterly towards Tidus. 'It must be the stress. I haven't started acting like this until he found out he was deploying,' I reasoned with myself. That had to be the cause.
I was scared to death that he wouldn't come home alive. I had heard all the stories on the news, soldiers getting killed in ambushes, vehicles destroyed by roadside bombs, and even a couple of aircraft being shot down. It was enough to make any girl worry. I wondered how Lenne was able to deal with the grief; it was probably because she and Shuyin have been married since they graduated from Zanarkand High and he enlisted at the end of his senior year.
"I swore to you that I would take care of myself. You can take that to the bank. I promise to contact you as often as I can. Just so you don't have to worry so much," he continued, glancing at me with a soft smile as he took one of my hands in his. "I swear to you, I will come home alive and well." Tidus brought my hand up to his lips and placed a tender kiss on it.
I had finished all my crying, but my heart still felt broken. I hated war. All it did was tear families and lovers apart all for the sake of settling political differences.
"Don't become a liar, Tidus," I said. "You had better do everything you said. Without you, it'd be hard to go on." I looked at my fiancé, secretly praying that Yevon would look over him.
Tidus' POV
After we arrived home, I went upstairs to check for messages on my cell phone. I had one from Chris and one from Shuyin. Chris was reminding me that he, Shuyin, Yaibal, Beclem and Gippal (who was in town on business) were going to meet at the local bar, The Seventh Heaven. They had good drinks, mostly beer and hard liquor, but no wine. Yuna never went with me because she doesn't like beer.
Shuyin was telling me that there were some forms on my desk that needed to be taken care of before we left. We also needed to get an inventory within 48 hours of shipment. Therefore, I would have to go in to work early one day soon.
"Hey, baby?" I called as I descended the stairs, headed into the living room.
"Yeah?" asked Yuna, who was sitting on the couch.
"The guys are meeting later tonight at The Seventh Heaven. If you don't mind, I'm going to hang out with them for a while," I said, stopping in front of her.
"Ok, just don't be gone too long. I'd like to spend time with you before you leave." she responded, looking up at me. She understood that a guy needs to spend time with his buddies as well as his girl. I, too, understood that a girl needs to go out with her girlfriends once in a while. Sometimes I had to insist that she spend time out of the house.
"I'll be heading over there at about six thirty, so, I should be home around nine tonight," I said as I headed into the kitchen for a soda.
"Just call me if you need a ride," Yuna said from the living room.
"I will" was my reply as I opened a can of Coke. I headed into the living room and sat down next to Yuna. "What's on?" I asked.
"Nothing really. There is a program on HGTV that I want to catch," she answered, not looking away from the TV.
I chuckled. "You and your Home and Garden programs. Don't you ever get enough?"
"No, but it's better than your shows about cars."
"Hey, some of them have useful tips on restoring cars and fixing problems yourself! Totally saves money so you don't have to take it into a shop!" I retorted playfully.
"Well, some of the shows on HGTV have tips on redecorating your house. So you don't have to hire a contractor. So, there." she replied, looking at me and sticking her tongue out at me.
"You do know what sticking your tongue out at someone means, right?" I asked, smirking slightly.
"No, what?" she asked.
"Kiss me quick," I said as I leaned in. Our lips met and Yuna wrapped her arms around me.
After we broke the kiss, she whispered, "Please come home safe. I don't know what I would do if I lost you." I felt a tear escape her eye as it ran down my cheek.
'I wonder why she's been so emotional these past two days,' I thought. 'It's probably the stress from worrying so much about me.' I remembered how she reacted when I left for BCT, AIT, and BNOC. She was upset, for the most part, for she knew that upon completion of my training, I would be deployable.
But I had made a promise to Yuna that I would come home safe. It was a promise I meant to keep.
Later that evening… Yuna's POV
Tidus was walking down the stairs when I was heading into the kitchen. "You getting a drink baby?" he asked as he reached the landing.
"Yeah. I was thinking about getting some ice cream too," I replied from in front of the refrigerator. For some reason, I had taken a liking to butter pecan ice cream with a glass of Merlot wine. Usually, I had a glass of wine after dinner, but for the past few days I had a bowl of ice cream as well.
"If you eat too much ice cream, you'll get fat," he joked.
"No, I won't. I work out three times a week," I responded haughtily. "When was the last time you worked out?"
"I went for a run just the other day," Tidus said, leaning up against the doorjamb.
"So that's why the shower was running at six thirty in the morning," I laughed. "You know, you ruined a good dream I was having."
"What dream could possibly be better than living with me?" he asked with a cocky grin.
"Living with you as my husband," was my reply as I turned to look at his boyish face. I wanted so desperately for that to happen.
"Good point, love." Suddenly, I heard a car honk from the driveway. "That must be Chris. He said he was going to pick me up," said Tidus as he headed for the door. "I'll see you at about nine," he added as the door closed behind him.
I headed back into the living room with my bowl of butter pecan ice cream in hand. Mmmm, butter pecan. No sooner than I sat down, my cell phone rang. I knew it was Rikku because the custom ring tone I had, "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson, started to play.
I flipped open the phone and said, "Hey Rik, what's up?"
"Hey Yunie. What are you doing right now?" she asked.
"Eating ice cream and sipping on a glass of wine while watching TV. Why?"
"'Cause I'm walking up your front walk. I thought I should spend some time with my favorite cousin!" she responded happily. I looked at the door as her shadow fell on the window.
"I'm your only cousin. But go ahead and come on in," I said. I flipped the phone shut as Rikku walked in. "So, what brings you to Besaid?" I asked as my younger cousin flopped down on the sofa next to me.
"Oh, Gippy had to come into town for a couple of meetings with a prospective client, and I figured I should stop by since he's going to the bar tonight with Tidus and the guys," replied the bubbly blonde.
"How long are you going to be here?" I asked, before taking a sip of wine.
"We're heading back to Bikanel on Thursday," she replied with a sigh. "How are you doing since you found out about him deploying?"
"It's been hell. I've broken down multiple times, thought Tidus was cheating on me; but that was before I found out he was deploying; I even screamed at Daddy earlier today," I murmured as I looked at the floor, smiling sadly, willing myself not to cry again. "I'm so afraid he won't come home to me."
"He will, Yunie. He's a good soldier, he went to all that training for the National Guard and knows what to do." my cousin replied, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder.
At the Seventh Heaven… Tidus' POV
Me and the guys were sitting at our usual table in the far corner, swapping jokes like we didn't have a care in the world. Yaibal, Beclem, and Gippal all knew that me, Chris, and Shuyin were leaving in just under two weeks.
We all knew that every bad joke that one of us told might be our last. Because of that, we laughed like Spira wasn't at war, and said things to each other we've never said before.
Suddenly, Chris teared up and he held his glass aloft. He said, "Boys, if I don't make it back, have a beer for me; don't waste no tears on me. On Friday nights, sit on the visitors' side and cheer for the home team. Drive my Camaro ninety miles an hour down Red Rock Road with "Born to Run" blasting on the radio, and find someone good enough for Amy who will love her like I would have. If I don't make it back."
"Hey man that ain't gonna happen," I protested as I raised my glass too.
"Yeah, man. Don't even think like that," added Yaibal, following suit.
"If we know you like I think we do, you'll pull through without a scratch. You are under Tidus, one of the best soldiers in my company," said Shuyin as he, too, raised his glass.
"Besides, you will be using the equipment I have worked so hard on to keep you soldiers safe. You guys have brand new armor that can stop a fifty caliber bullet, new weapons that are a breeze to clean, even enhanced radios with channels that no one can hack," boasted Gippal.
"You gonna raise your glass too, Gip?" I asked with a smirk as Beclem raised his.
"What? Oh, yeah." responded Gippal with a goofy grin as he, finally, raised his glass. We downed the rest of our beer and Gippal ordered a round of Jose Quervo, which was served by the bartender, a busty brunette woman. I knew we would all be wasted by the time nine o' clock rolled around, but it felt good to hang out with the guys before we left.
When nine o' clock rolled around, Gippal asked the bartender to call in a couple of taxi cabs for Yaibal, Beclem, and himself. Shuyin had left half an hour earlier, and Chris had sobered up by then. He quit drinking at somewhere around seven thirty. I, however, was buzzed. I wasn't really drunk; I could still walk. However, I knew that I was too far gone to attempt driving.
As we were walking out to Chris' Camaro, he pulled me aside while Gippal and the others headed for their awaiting cabs. "Hey, T, you remember what I told you at the unit, right?"
"Oh, about you and Amy getting married? Yeah," I managed to say as I stumbled a little. My head felt like it was spinning slightly.
"Yeah. You're gonna be my best man," he told me as he helped me walk to his car. "I wanted you to know that, just in case I don't make it back."
"Stop talking like that." I paused and belched. "You'll be fine. I'll make sure you're ok." I said as I sat down on the passenger side.
We drove home and Chris hollered for Yuna to help me out of the car. Yuna came out with Rikku hot on her heels. I briefly wondered when Rikku had even come over, but then decided I didn't care. My fiancé didn't look too pleased at the fact that I was wasted.
Yuna's POV
"Hey Rik. Whatcha up to?" asked Tidus as he tried to step out of the car. He was so drunk that he could barely stand, and he fell on me.
"Yevon, Tidus, how much did you drink?" I asked as I tried to steady him.
"Apparently not enough, Yunie. He can still stand," replied Rikku with a smirk. I glared at my cousin.
"Just help me get him upstairs!" I replied with a huff to her. "Thanks for bringing him home, Chris."
"Anytime, Lady Yuna," said Chris as he started his car, backed out of the driveway, and drove off into the night.
"Now, you are going to bed," I told Tidus as I helped him into the house.
"Yours, right?" he asked as Rikku put his free arm around her shoulders.
After we helped him into my bed, Rikku and I headed back downstairs. Gippal had arrived and after we talked for a few minutes the two of them left. I headed up the stairs to my room where Tidus lay, possibly sleeping.
"How much did you have to drink, sweetheart?" I asked as I stopped in front of the mirror and removed my earrings.
"Uh, six Budweiser's, twelve shots of Jose Quervo and three Malibu's with Coke," he replied sleepily. At least he wasn't a belligerent drunk. I highly doubt I would stay with him if he was.
"At least you didn't drive yourself home. I'd kill you if you did," I said as I changed into my nightgown. All he had on was a pair of running shorts and looked like he was asleep.
I smiled. I had finally gotten my way after finding out he was deploying. Finally, I got to feel him near me for another night. I had him sleep in my bed with me on several occasions, but this time was different. This could very well possibly be the last time I get to feel his presence in the same bed as me again. Hell, this could be the last time we were this close to being married. I yawned, crawled into bed next to my sleeping fiancé, and drifted off to sleep with my arm over his muscular chest.
Three Days before Tidus Deploys… Tidus' POV
My fiancée wasn't doing too well. She had several sleepless nights, having woken up screaming my name on multiple occasions. The nightmare she had when she first got the news I was deploying was possibly reoccurring. She woke up early one day as I was getting ready to head up to Luca to the unit and, upon seeing me in my ACU's, immediately burst into tears. I was about thirty minutes late as I had tried to console her.
Today was no different. I was going over my packing list, making sure I had all of my issued equipment.
"Ok, Kevlar, check. Bulletproof flack jacket with plates, check. Night vision goggles, check. Load Bearing Vest, check. Gas mask and chem-suit, check. Gore Tex, check. Am I missing anything?" I asked myself as I read off each item on the list. I looked up when I heard Yuna's footsteps stop outside my door. She was leaning in the doorway looking at me with a pained expression on her face. She just sighed, turned, and walked towards her room at the end of the hall.
I set my list down beside where I was sitting and followed Yuna towards her room. When I walked in I saw her standing in front of her dresser, looking at several pictures we had taken over the past four years. I could see her reflection in the mirror, and she was crying. Tears were running down her cheeks and falling on a picture she had in her hands.
When she spotted me standing in the doorway, she straightened slightly and, as she set the picture down, asked, "How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough." I replied as I walked in. I wished I could take all the pain away. I could see how these days had been affecting her. I noticed that the picture she had been holding was the picture Rikku had taken just after the homecoming king and queen's dance when Yuna and I had been locked in a deep kiss.
I started to wrap my arms around her, but she spun around, clinging onto me viciously, shaking visibly as she cried.
"I wish you n-never w-would have enl-listed," she sobbed.
"I know, but it's for our future," I responded softly.
"What kind of future could I possibly have if you're not here to share it with me?" she demanded, taking a step back.
"Sweetheart, I know you're stressed about me leaving-" I started to say. I wasn't prepared for what came next.
"Stressed? I'm beyond stressed. I'm worried sick. I keep having the same nightmare almost every night! I break down frequently, and I can't even walk by your room without crying. Hell, I can barely even eat!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face.
I stood there with widened eyes. I couldn't believe she just yelled at me. Never, in our four years of being together, has she ever yelled. She's gotten agitated, argumentative, even given me the 'silent treatment'. Yelling was new.
"Yuna, calm down. I told you, I will come home safe and sound," I murmured as I gently placed my hands on my fiancée's shoulders. I pulled her towards me, and kept trying to reassure her.
"I'm so sorry," she cried into my chest. She looked up at me with tear filled eyes and continued, "I didn't mean to yell at you. I- I don't know what's come over me lately. I guess I'm just…" she paused for a moment as tears fell down her pretty face. "I'm just afraid that you won't come home," she finished as she wiped her eyes.
"I'll be home, I promise." I said as I held her tight.
"I wish you'd have never enlisted." she whispered so softly I almost didn't hear her.
"I know, sweetheart," I said as I placed a kiss on her forehead.
We stood there for a few minutes until Yuna said, "I'm going to get a glass of wine, do you want a beer?"
"Sure," I replied as she headed for the staircase. I followed Yuna to the kitchen and stood in the doorway until she came back from the pantry with a glass of wine and an ice cold Budweiser.
"Here you go baby," she said as she held the bottle out towards me. We headed to the living room and sat down on the couch. Yuna took a sip of wine and said, "You know, this next year is going to be different."
"What do you mean, baby?" I asked, setting my beer down.
"Well, you won't be here for one thing. I won't be able to see your face in the morning; we'll have to put the wedding off until you return, we haven't even made plans yet." Yuna looked at me with a pained expression. "I'm really going to miss you," she whispered as tears sparkled in her beautiful bi-colored eyes once more.
"I know sweetheart, I'll miss you too. But like I said last week, whether we're a room apart or a world away…"
"You'll always be in my heart," she finished.
"And you'll be in mine."
"Just be careful, Tidus," she said. The rest of the evening went without incident.
July 23, 2006… Yuna's POV
I awoke that morning already knowing and dreading what day it was. The day Tidus left for Odaiba. I prayed to Yevon that it was all just some terrible nightmare, but it was in vain. I knew that this was real; I knew that I was awake and that this could very well possibly be the last time I would ever see Tidus alive again. I wanted to just roll over, go back to sleep, and wake up in his arms.
I saw him walk from his room towards the staircase with a duffel bag in his hands. I threw the covers off of me and got out of bed. After he had gone downstairs I peeked into his room. He still had a couple of bags to grab before he had to be at the unit at 11:30. The clock on his nightstand read 7:03 AM.
"What are you doing, baby?" came Tidus' voice from behind me. That scared the shit out of me. I gasped as my heart leapt into my throat, spinning around to look at him. He was so silent when he came back up the stairs that I hadn't heard him.
"I- I was just…" I stammered. What was I doing?
"Checking to see how many bags I had to put in the car?" he asked, a calm smile on his handsome face. Yevon, I was going to miss that look.
My gaze dropped to the floor. For lack of a better term, I was caught red handed. I looked back up at my fiancé, tears welling up in my eyes, and whispered, "I don't want you to go."
He laid a reassuring hand on my cheek and smiled sadly. I closed my eyes, reached up and held his hand there with mine as the tears started to flow. My heart was breaking. It was like I could actually feel small pieces of it flake off, shattering against the bottom of my chest. I opened my eyes as he leaned in and placed a tender kiss on my lips.
"I need to finish putting my bags in the car," he said quietly, as if he didn't want to go. His beautiful cerulean eyes were filled with grief. This next year would be hard for him too. I never stopped to wonder if maybe he was hurting as well.
"Do you want something to eat before you leave?" I asked, trying to prevent him from leaving earlier than he absolutely had to.
"As long as it's quick," he answered as he glanced at his watch.
"How about some pancakes?" I asked.
"Sure, they're quick enough."
"Is apple cinnamon okay? I know it's your favorite," I said as I started towards the kitchen.
He chuckled. "What would I do without you?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" I inquired as I poured him a cup of coffee and set it before him on the kitchen table.
"You gave me a place to live after Mom and Dad were killed in that plane crash; you stuck with me all through high school, especially during the rumors that Leblanc and Donna were spreading, and you've helped me financially without me even asking. Making sure you're able to sleep safely at night is the least I can do to repay you," he said as I started making the pancakes.
"Tidus, I love you. You don't have to repay me. That's what people do when they're in love, they support each other," I responded as I poured the batter onto the skillet.
"But I haven't really helped you," he said as I flipped the pancakes.
"Yes, you have. You've been there when I needed you. You've helped me understand that life isn't something to take for granted; especially after your Mom and Dad died; and, even though I'm sort of against it, you've even volunteered to defend this country. With Daddy as a politician, you know how I feel about war. I hate it; I wish we never would have gotten involved with the crisis in Odaiba. Ever since you enlisted, I've been worried sick that this day would come," I said as the pancakes finished cooking. I put three on one plate and took it over to Tidus before walking over to the pantry for the maple syrup. When I got back, Tidus was already digging in. I was gone maybe thirty seconds.
"You might want to slow down or you'll choke," I said with a smile.
"Why? I won't be able to taste your cooking for at least a year," he replied as I poured maple syrup onto my pancake.
Once Tidus had finished breakfast, he headed back upstairs to grab the rest of his bags. I prayed that he would take his time, for I knew that once went out the front door, it would be a year before I saw him again.
Upon returning from his room and depositing the first two bags in the back of his Camaro, he came back in for a couple of minutes. I knew what came next.
Goodbye.
"Do you have to go?" I whispered as tears ran down my cheeks.
Tidus sighed heavily, looked at the floor for a moment and said, "Wait for me. I'll write you letters." He looked up at me, his cerulean eyes so full of love and sadness like none I had ever seen before.
My heart was shattering again; it felt worse than when I first woke up this morning. My body was beginning to ache as I cried harder.
"P-please don't g-go." I begged. All Tidus did was wrap his arms around me.
"I have to." He said after a moment.
A few minutes later he said the words I didn't want to hear. He said "Sweetheart, I need to go."
He let go of me and turned towards the door. When he started walking I felt the most excruciating pain I'd ever felt in my life, causing me to sink to the floor.
He stopped in the door and said, "Save your tears, 'cause I'll come back." He smiled a reassuring smile that didn't reassure me at all.
"I love you, Yuna."
And then he was gone.
Remember when I said it felt like my heart was breaking? Forget I even said that. My heart wasn't broken; it was ripped from my chest when he walked out the door. I didn't even say goodbye. I just sat there staring at the front door.
Tidus' POV
Yevon, it tore me up to see Yuna get like that. The last few minutes played back as I got in my Camaro and drove down the road. In a way, I kind of expected it. Yuna's actions, I mean. Her yelling had taken me by surprise, but begging me not to go was nothing new. She had begged me not to enlist two years ago.
My heart was heavy as I drove down the road, even my favorite cd wasn't helping. So I turned to the only thing that could offer me solace in times like these; a prayer to Yevon.
I was a believer in the Yevonite faith, but I didn't really practice it except when I was emotionally strained. The ritual was hard to do when I was driving, as there was a lot of arm movements involved. So I just said it aloud.
"Almighty Yevon," I began, "I ask that you look over Yuna and let her know peace and that I will be safe, even though we have never been apart for a year. Yevon, I also ask that you look over the soldiers in Odaiba and in my unit; let them know that your almighty hand will keep them safe and guide them back home. Amen"
Finally, I felt some peace as I made my way to the unit, but that didn't stop a lone tear from making its way down my cheek.
