There were two seasons in her particular area of Pulse. Rainy and not rainy. During the dry season drought was common. Most of the flora in the area were of the thick, fleshy variety and they stored water the best during times of sparse rainfall. It was hot and dry, which made for more pleasurable days, but it was the least busy of the two. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on her mood, it was the former season. Another heavy rain the night before prompted Lightning to go out and take readings the following morning. It had rained on and off every day this week, and she considered taking a hammock and camping out at the sites so she could cut down on fuel usage. She preferred to preserve fuel and had no desire to pollute the area with unnecessary emissions, but she was getting soft. Preferring her comfortable bed to a of night camping out with the bugs and baddies, she gave in and put in the travel time.
Once again the fiery sunset was low on the horizon when she arrived back at the house all hot and sweaty and smelly. Days like this reminded her of her travels with her friends years ago on Pulse; before the inhabitants of Cocoon came and discovered its secrets. Sazh and Hope referred to it as Hell, but Fang was quick to correct them. Lightning counted herself among those that would defend it. It was dangerous, but its immense beauty and serenity far surpassed any concern of worldly danger when one sat perched atop of trees gazing out into the sunset. She never got tired of watching the sunset, but every time she scaled down from her perch she remembered the time she could have easily bled to death; the day Pulse almost claimed her life. She held no malice for that day nor any before or after then. The planet she now called her home didn't have anything to do with the tired hatred she felt.
She'd been turned into a l'Cie because of Cocoon. They had all been turned into powerless l'Cie to take part in a puppet show put on by the fal'Cie of Cocoon. He had died because of that vulgar show of dominance and the need to call upon some long forgotten deity. So many times she had cursed those beings that tugged at their strings to make them do what they wanted, and so many times she had reminded herself that there was nothing anyone could do to stop the ball once it had started rolling. It almost flattened everything in its wake except for two iron-willed Pulsian women; closer than friends. Sometimes she thought about them and wondered what things they knew now that they could see everything from where they were. She also wondered if they'd ever cross paths again in her lifetime.
Parking her vehicle in the backyard, she walked up the meticulously groomed lawn and started stripping off pieces of clothing, hanging them over her arm. She peeled off pieces one by one until she stood nude in the dusky eve. Tossing her sweat-soaked articles of clothing onto a lawn chair, she sat down to work at her boots and socks. The socks were ripped and snagged in places from walking through the bush, but once again she was glad she had them. Without them, her legs would look like torn up pieces of bark. Pushing her boots aside with her bare foot, she stood and opened the patio door to allow Interceptor out to relieve himself.
"Hey, buddy." She held her hand out to him in greeting, and he licked it welcomingly before heading out to the lawn. Lightning had to smile at him. He picked up his house training pretty well and at this point and she thought that he might be ready to go out in the field with her. He was growing by leaps and bounds and even though she didn't guess he was more than six or seven months old, he was a very sturdy animal. His coat had started to curl and darkened to a rich chocolate; the patches of white were starting to become smaller, and some had disappeared altogether. He had a long snout and floppy ears. He was a curious looking canine but his face was charming and sweet. Most of all he had started to perk up and for Hope's first few visits to the house he'd always intercepted the young man's advances up the pier and would stand protectively in front of Lightning until she told him to go lay down. Interceptor seemed like a natural name for her furry friend.
Ah, Hope.
After he had discovered that this is where she had been 'hiding out' as he put it, she wasn't able to get rid of him. He stopped by at least once a week, and even then she could tell he wanted to be with her almost all the time. They'd slipped back into a comfortable routine of friendship. She told herself it was just friendship, but it was painfully obvious that he wanted more. Lightning honestly wondered if she could even have anything left to offer anyone; although Zack had seen something in her too. Huffing a sigh, she turned her attention to her aching muscles. Stripping off her armbands, she laid them carefully over the rest of her clothing.
Resources were scarce out in the wilds of Pulse, and she quickly learned to make use of everything she could. In her spare time she tinkered and experimented, figuring out how to best make use of the natural resources her situation provided. The rain water shower she rigged in her backyard was one of the more useful devices. Rain water filled a huge storage huge tank; warmed by the sun and heat of the day, and thanks to a simple design, she took advantage of it at the end of each sweltering afternoon. There were few things more pleasurable than standing under the outside shower nude as the day she was born. Turning the knob that would begin the flow of tepid water, she stepped under the stream, letting the flow rinse away the dirt and sweat and tension. She stood there motionless for a long minute, water cascading down the treated boards of the deck at her feet. Tipping her head back to let it smooth the hair away from her face, her thoughts drifted pleasantly to Snow Villiers.
Taking the sweet honeysuckle smelling soap in her hands, she rubbed it in between her palms, slicking them with lather. Placing the soap back on the wire rack, she traced the contours of her body, stopping to pass over the rugged scar along her side. It had finally healed completely, but it was still annoyingly sensitive. She traced the raised ridge over and over with light fingertips, the action prompting her to arch her back. The surrounding flesh had lost most of its heightened sensitivity, but the ugly scar remained hypersensitive; the same way her leg wound was for a day after Snow had healed her with magic. The feel of those hands barely hovering over her skin was indecent at best; downright obscene and deliciously wicked at worst.
Taking the soap back in hand, she rubbed it against the skin of her belly and waist, the spray of water making short work of the lush bubbles. Replacing the soap, she coated her bottom with the suds, hearing Interceptor growl at something behind her. She whipped around to face an empty doorway. Interceptor had run off into the house, still growling. Finishing up quickly, she wrung out her hair and pulled a towel off the drying line. It was a bit insufficient when it came to length, but it would have to do. Right now, and more important than her modesty, there something inside that shouldn't be.
Wrapping the terrycloth securely around her form, she reached for her blade, unfolded it silently and proceeded in the house. Her heart rate surged, her limbs felt limber and ready for action while she padded down the short hallway.
As she approached the kitchen, she heard Interceptor's growls again.
"Good dog... Niiiiiice puppy..." she heard a familiar tenor voice.
Her lips curled into an evil grin.
Rounding the corner, she saw Hope perched on the kitchen counter, knees to his chest, waving a bone distractingly at Interceptor. His green eyes were wide with fear. "Here boy... h-have a bone." He tossed it to the other side of the room, sliding to a halt near Lighting. Awkwardly, he met Lightning's steely gaze as he realized she had been watching him. The canine didn't make a move towards the treat. Retracting her sword, she cocked an eyebrow in the boy's direction, but didn't say anything.
Hope sighed, obviously relieved the dog's master had arrived, and extended a foot towards the ground only to earn a warning bark from Interceptor. Yanking his foot away at the sound, he refolded it against himself, the look on panic reappearing on his face. "Lightning?"
Taking unhurried steps towards the table, she placed her weapon on the surface. Sniffing the air, she noticed the mouthwatering smells being emitted from the stove. Taking stock of her kitchen, she saw a steaming pot set on a red hot coil and a pile of fresh vegetables waiting to be sliced on her rarely used wooden chopping board. Whatever it was, it smelled great. That made her wonder just how long he had been there and why Interceptor had just now decided to turn on the boy. Turning back towards Hope, she saw his eyes rove over her near nude form. "Yes?"
"Uh, will you call him off?" Hope blushed, looking foolish all curled up safely on the counter. No matter how foolish he looked, she knew he had to be mortified. She didn't think Interceptor would ever bite someone he was friends with, but now she wasn't so sure. It was probably a smart thing for him to keep his distance.
"That depends." she said coolly, taking a seat, crossing her long, lean sun-kissed legs.
"On what exactly." He swallowed audibly, watching those legs for a long second before diverting his eyes to her face.
"You tell me what you're doing here."
"I thought that you might like a nice meal and some company. I actually have to... uh... cut the vegetables and stuff though." He looked at Interceptor, then back at her, his expression uneasy.
She actually thought he was sorta cute like that, and she smirked. Maybe I should make him stay like that all night.
"Light!" he whined. "Don't look at me like that." he was blushing again. "I really have to -"
"Interceptor." she addressed the dog in an authoritative tone. Hope shut his mouth. Her faithful pet looked back at her from his position at Hope's feet. "Go lay down." He stood and meandered over to a pile of blankets in the corner of the room, and after a couple circles to get comfortable, did as she commanded.
She could feel her young friend watching her as she stood. He didn't jump down off the counter as quickly as she would have assumed. "Well, chop chop." she said over her shoulder as she bent down to pick up the bone Hope had attempted to distract her dog with. Giving it to the canine, she grabbed her weapon and headed back outside to retrieve the rest of her clothing.
Once she was out of sight, Hope addressed the munching dog with a whisper. "Way to ruin a guy's fun..."
Almost positive that he had been watching her shower, she wondered if the fear of a maiming from Interceptor should have been his only punishment. She'd have to think on it, but the thought of him watching her did elicit a slight pooling of blood under her cheeks, though she wasn't sure if it was because she was flattered, embarrassed or angry. Maybe it was a little of everything.
She did know that Hope wouldn't treat her furry friend lightly anymore.
"Snow. It's Gadot. I'm at the hospital." His best friend's voice lacked it's usual upbeat tone as he informed Snow of his whereabouts.
"Hospital? Why? What's wrong?" Silence came back to him on the line before he heard a reply.
"It's Lebreau. She got hurt... bad."
"I'm on my way." Snow grabbed his keys off the side table and ran out the door.
Lebreau had slipped into a depression reminiscent of his own after he lost Lightning. He wasn't sure how long she'd been depressed for after Hope left. He was a terrible friend to not notice such a thing right away, but she started taking stupid risks and being careless on missions shortly after that night at the Shack. If he didn't know any better he would have guessed she had a death wish. He took her off duty for a few months shortly after and she seemed to be doing better, but now...
Gadot was never one to sugar coat anything, and so when he said she was 'hurt bad' he meant it.
The drive to the hospital took so little time that it was illegal. He had been advised at the desk that she was in critical care and he took the stairs three flights up so he didn't have to wait for the elevator. As soon as he emerged onto the floor, he saw Gadot slumped over; his head in his hands. He'd never seen the big guy so small. "Hey." Snow put a hand on his shoulder.
The redhead looked up. His eyes were drooped sadly.
"She's not good. The doctors don't think she'll make it through the night." Snow saw his friend clench his hands, cracking his large knuckles. "The doc is in there with her now."
"What happened?" Snow knew that injuries were inevitable; part of the job description, but he was always unprepared to deal with that very subject.
"I don't know. Set's nowhere to be found either."
"Set was supposed to be out with her?"
"Yeah, but he didn't show... and she went out without backup."
Snow cussed. "That guy... He better be dead."
"Gentlemen..." said the doctor, interrupting their conversation, facing Snow. He recognized her right away as the blonde doctor that he tied up and blind folded when he escaped from Bodhum hospital's morgue. "I'm Rosa Farrell. I've been assigned to your friend."
"How is she...?" asked Snow, fearing the worst.
Dr. Farrell's voice took on a sombre note as she reported to Snow the same thing Gadot had. "Her prognosis isn't good. She has massive internal damage. There's so much damage that even surgery won't help... It will only prolong the inevitable, but we have her on antibiotics to try and buy her some time until you were contacted." she took off her glasses and tucked them away in the breast pocket of her perfectly white coat. "I honestly don't know how she lived through all of that."
Snow bit his lip. "She's a tough chick."
The doctor nodded with a tight smile. "I can tell."
Gadot piped up. "Can we go see her?"
"Of course. We've given her plenty of pain medication. She's not awake... I don't expect she'll regain consciousness... but that's probably for the best." she added quietly.
"Thank you, Doctor..." said Snow. His whole body felt heavy as he shuffled towards the door to Lebreau's room. Gadot didn't make a move for the door and Snow turned back to him. "You're not coming?"
"I already seen her. You go ahead."
The blond nodded, took a deep breath, and continued pushing the door open to reveal his trusted friend. She lay in the sterile bed, her pretty face was slack and calm looking. There had been no damage to her head; none that he could see anyway. Her hair was messy and tangled, and her cheeks looked cold. The overhead lamp's artificial light accentuated the deathly pallor painted over her usually tanned skin. A battery of tubes ran in and out from underneath the blankets as his gaze travelled over her. He didn't know how long he stood in the doorway staring at her still body. The constant beep of her heart monitor was the only thing that indicated to Snow that she was actually still alive. Random bags of, what was to him, unidentifiable liquids hung on either side of her bed posts. He suspected that one might be blood, another antibiotics; another had to be the painkillers Dr. Farrell had mentioned, but there was a fourth that remained unknown. The room was darkened; the shades drawn. It was late afternoon and the sun shone brilliantly outside in spite of what was happening in the little room he was in.
"I'm afraid of the dark." he remembered her saying once when they were just kids. She quickly backpedalled and told him she was joking, but he saw the honest look on her face when she made her 'admission'. "Ha! I'm just kidding. I just wanna get a sexy tan!" she had winked animatedly at him, any darker feeling swept under her confident tone.
He had always wondered if she was actually afraid of the dark and why she would have said something like that, but he refrained from asking for clarification. Sometimes she was more like one of the guys than he was; emotion not an easy topic to breach with the disarming looking woman. Snow hadn't always been strong, so he had taken queues from her. They all grew up fast, but none faster than Lebreau. She took on the role Mistress to the naughtier boys over the years; keeping them in line. He knew that even though she claimed that she loved her life and how she lived it, he often wondered if she was happy.
How sad it was now that she was laying in this dark little room.
Snow made his way to the large windows, drawing back the shades to let the bright light flood into the room and over her broken form.
Lebreau was a sun worshipper; always on the beach or doing something outside. She loved to lay there on her favourite purple towel on a hot day, staying out long after others had relented and gone inside. If you were ever looking for her, you'd either find her in the bar surrounded by people or out on the beach with the sun she loved.
Pulling over a wheeled stool, he sat. Feeling awkward, he didn't really know what to do at first. He looked over her face and began to affectionately stroke her hairline. "What am I gonna do without you, Bo?" he wondered aloud, his voice barely above a whisper. He kicked himself for letting their bonds of friendship rust under his preoccupation with Lightning. Knowing what he now did about how Lebreau felt about him, he imagined it was hard for her to watch him pine for each sister in their time. Eventually they grew apart and because she wasn't the type to admit to weakness, so she'd kept quiet until liquor brought it out of her.
With every passing year, he realized time so easily got away from him if he wasn't paying attention. It always seemed like he had so much of it; he never thought that time would run out for someone so dear to him. Resting his forehead on her shoulder, fighting the sting in his eyes, he felt a wispy touch on his neck. Looking up, he saw that she was awake. A brave smile broke on his face and he continued to trace her hairline. "Hey, kiddo."
She blinked a few times, clearing the glaze from her eyes. "Snow..." she whispered and smiled back at him weakly. Her hand moved slightly under neath the sheet. Snow pulled the sheet back and took her cold, trembling hand in his own.
"I'm here, Bo. I'm not goin' anywhere."
So many unknown tubes tethered her to the bed where she lay, she could only move her head to look at him. "Tell me..." She coughed and hacked, the heart monitor racing as she gasped for air. "you... love me." Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. His hand tightened around hers, feeling completely helpless as she laid there, sounding like she was drowning.
She has massive internal damage. Dr. Rosa had told him, and he realized with horror that she was probably drowning in her own blood.
"Shhh, Bo. Don't talk..." His other hand still traced her clammy hairline.
Emotion took over. He closed the painful distance between them and gifted his warmth against her body in an embrace. He heard the heart monitor gradually slow as he hugged her, pressing his cheek, flushed with life, against hers.
"Tell... me." she mumbled into his ear. If Snow hadn't been so close to her face, he wouldn't have heard her. Closing his eyes, he steadied his own breathing and composure. Finally, calmness reclaiming him, he pulled back to look in her familiar brown eyes.
Tucking stray ebony locks behind her ear, he smiled at her gently, fighting the tightness in his chest. He wouldn't have said such a thing to her ever before, and especially not after her quasi confession. But now they were alone in the hospital room, Lebreau barely hanging on. Snow did love her, but she didn't need to know that he wasn't in love with her. Still, if those words would comfort her, he would gladly say them. Cupping her cheek with his warm hand, he brushed his thumb over her damp skin. "I love you, Bo."
He kissed her softly, feeling her cooled blood smear itself on his lower lip. She tried feebly to return the kiss, but she coughed and sputtered some more. Soothing her with his hand in her hair, he didn't want the heart monitor to report to him as her life ebbed, but it did it's job coldly and cruelly anyway.
Gripping her hand in his, the seconds lengthening between apathetic beeps heralded them as her last. Eventually the droning beeps faded from his ear and he saw himself in her eyes. Her grip on his big hand slackened with each passing moment. With her coppery tasty on his tongue, he kept his hand on her face as she slipped away. Maybe he couldn't go with her where ever it was she was going, but he could walk her to the edge; be a witness to her transition from life to death. In fact, Snow never looked away from her even after her eyes became vacant; barely noticing when Rosa came back into the room and turned the monotone sound off, placing a comforting hand upon his shoulder.
Closing her eyelids with a pass of his hand, he hoped she'd never have to be in the dark again.
Hope had shown up rather suddenly this morning, a box of tasty treats for his 'favourite dog' under his arm, and asked if she wanted him to come along on her rounds. He insisted that he didn't have anything better to do, and she told him that she didn't believe him. Surely a handsome young man had something to do instead of hanging out with some boring old woman. She teased him, embarrassing him into silence, but since it had been raining again all week her usual circuit to the water stations everyday was getting tedious. Honestly thankful for Hope's company, she allowed him to come along, but she would drive. At least she wouldn't have to wrap her arms around him to hold on, but she overlooked the fact that he'd have to hold onto her.
The chatter had been light during the day, with Hope choosing to obviously enjoy the company in silence. She did catch him looking at her while she did her work. When she gave him a menial task, he'd do it with a silly little grin plastered on his face. All she could do was shake her head at the eager boy. They reached her favourite station, and she had been somewhat excited to show it to him. Once they'd climbed the pole and were above the canopy of treetops, Lightning noticed the ominous clouds.
Lightning had seen the storm clouds approach, but she had miscalculated somehow and they caught up to them faster than she anticipated. Having to make the decision of trying to outrun the unpredictable weather or to seek some natural shelter, she chose the latter. It would have been dangerous to be caught in a Pulse storm. She knew the area pretty well, but she knew the weather better, and she sheltered their transportation as best she could before taking Hope and dashing off into the brush to seek more reliable cover for themselves.
The tempest had been fast moving and unpredictable, and she'd been stupid and impetuous. This was not the time or the place to be chasing old memories, but about three feet down from where she and Hope had been running to find shelter, something caught her eye. She had no idea what it was at first, but it was a glint of silver. "Hope! Wait!" She stopped as the wind gusted, sending her hair whipping in all directions. Hope came to a sliding halt beside her, confusion furrowing his brows. Standing on the edge of a shadowed drop, she saw it. Squinting into the direction of the sparkle, she saw it growing in the lee side of the dirt wall. Could it be...?
It's an Averia. The plants themselves can live in the harshest conditions all 'round, but they only bloom a couple days outta the year. If you're not lookin' for 'em, you'll miss 'em. And it's a good omen to find one.
"What is it?" Hope shouted over the wind. She stood there dumbly for a moment, then attempted to formulate a plan around the retrieval of the familiar flower before the storm enveloped them.
"Light? We have to go!" He took her hand and she shook him off. The gap between the cliff where she stood and the crumbling dirt wall on the other side was wide enough to swallow her up if she were to lose her footing, but in that instant all she cared about was the little piece of familiar vegetation; and the man who had given her one years ago.
The air temperature dropped as heavy mist swirled around them. She needed to be quick. Lightning knelt, single-mindedly pulling on some embedded roots to make sure they'd take her weight. Turning around to place her feet in holds, she was determined to grapple down the wall and pluck the flower, but Hope's hands closed tightly around her wrists.
"What are you doing?" he shouted, panic etched on his face.
Lightning's eyes flashed hotly and Hope's hands released their grip. He watched helplessly as she crawled down into the crevasse, her midnight hair obscuring her view of the wall as she turned to check the distance to her goal. She'd lost sight of it through the thick fog and curtain of hair.
Logical thoughts threatened to cut her illogical resolve. Why was she even doing this? Risking her life for a stupid flower to replace the long dead token of that man's affections?
Maybe I didn't see it here... maybe I just wanted to... No. I didn't come all this way to leave without it; without him. Just a little piece of him. That's all I want... that's all I ever wanted.
She felt a hot tear slide down her cheek as a stagnant breath from the emptiness below cleared the air in front of her, blowing the hair from her face. Her hands gripped the thick roots as the flower was once again revealed to her. She reached for it, but she came up short. Bracing her foot against the wall from which she hung perilously, she extended her fingers, locking her elbow. Pushing slightly off with her one foot, she finally wrapped her hand around the bloom, plucking it. An honest smile spread across her face, feeling the bloom trapped in her hand.
Cutting her smile short, the sickening sound of the root structure snapping under her intrusive weight reminded her that she was in a precarious position. With lightning quick reflexes, she flung her foot out to dig into the wall opposite her as the roots in her hand broke completely away. Pressing her feet into the soft, sticky dirt, she stood between them with her legs spread in an easy split. She was thankful she had never quit training; flexibility did come in handy. Feeling short fingernails scratch against the back of her neck, a hand gripped the collar of her coat.
"Light!" Hope's voice was choked, his face white as a sheet. Rain had accumulated on his face and dripped off his nose as he looked down to where she was. His own hair lashed at his face. "Grab on!" It may have been the light playing tricks on her; refracting off the fog, but she thought she saw Hope's forearm glowing... She clutched the flower inside the palm used to retrieve it, and with the other, she curled her fingers around the safety of his hands. Instantly the strain on her legs was lessened as he pulled her up almost too easily from below the edge. Finding footholds to steady herself with along the way up, she needlessly assisted Hope in her rescue. Once she was out of danger, he hauled her up into his arms and crushed her guardedly against his chest.
When did he get so strong?
He placed hurried kisses all over her face, his hands tangled in her hair. Feeling his overwhelming reaction only made her realize what she had done and what kind of danger she may have faced if it weren't for him. She shuddered. He pressed her to his chest one last time. "Please don't ever do that again. I can't lose you." Taking her loose hand, he pulled her along after him. The storm was only getting worse and they may be in more trouble if they didn't find shelter.
I can't lose you. His words echoed oddly in her mind.
Forcing the event to the back of her mind, she brought her attention around. "I think there's a cave up here! Just a little farther!" she screamed into the violent winds and driving rain. "Up on the right!"
Hope dragged her along, her feet barely touching the ground as they neared the cave mouth. Just inside the entrance, an ancient tree came crashing down behind them, causing the ground to tremble. As Lightning was ushered inside, Hope covered her with his body to shelter her from any unexpected debris.
With the sky blotted out by the storm clouds, darkness consumed any light it may have loaned to the little cave.
Hope didn't let her go, not that she expected him to. Even if she didn't know what she felt for young Estheim, she couldn't deny his affections for her. She wasn't so blind that she didn't see how he looked at her, almost longingly so, sometimes almost lustily. All she had to do was whisper the right things, or show a shred of interest and she knew the dam that so feebly held back his feelings would burst.
As they stood together, soaked completely through, their clothes suctioned onto their bodies as if painted on. Trails of rainwater slid over her skin where the fabric did not lay flat upon her, but it was his touch, an almost indecent feeling on the soaked layer of skin that made her tremble. Though fully clothed, she felt very exposed under his palms. Deprived of sight, her hands moved instinctively to rest on his chest feeling his pulse strong and sure under her fingertips. His breathing betrayed his thoughts; the puffs shallow and irregular; his scent was a complex bouquet of rain, mud and desire. As her eyes took a long second to adjust to the darkness, she wasn't aware when Hope leaned in to claim a kiss. She felt warm breath on her lips, and she jerked away from him, her head spinning.
Lightning heard his breath hitch, but he had let her break free from his embrace nonetheless. Her eyes finally began to adjust and she saw him reaching for her, his palm brushing the side of her cloth clad breast as she turned away from him to present her back.
Light. We need Light. She repeated in her mind, silencing the other more inappropriate voices.
Thankful for the distracting sound as she unzipped her leg pack, she took the opportunity to rein in her emotions and calm her breathing. Dammit, Hope. Don't do this to me. Palming a couple thin plastic tubes, she pulled them out of the pack, bending them between her fingers to crack open the inside casing. Shaking them in her hand to distribute the chemicals, a white light began to illuminate the inside of the cave. Taking a look at her surroundings, she realized that it wasn't really even a cave, it was more like a natural hollow in the hill. It had probably been an animal den at one time, but it had been worn down by the erosion of time.
Setting the sticks down into the middle of the hovel, she sat with her back against the wall, listening to the howling wind and driving rain. Hope came to sit beside her, but kept a comfortable distance, his hands in his lap. Both were silent. Lightning hoped that for her sanity's sake that the storm wouldn't take long to pass. The weather could be unpredictable and dangerous, but it often found its end quickly.
She remembered the blossom trapped in her still clenched fist and shook her head, silently admonishing herself. Stupid. And for what? Nothing had happened, but something could have happened and would have happened if it weren't for Hope.
"Thanks... for back there. I... don't know what I was thinking."
"No problem. You really scared me though." he said quietly. "Before you slipped..." he started, scooting over towards her. Resting her fist in his hand, he gently pried open her fingers to expose the item that caused them so much trouble. "...you grabbed this." Picking it up by the short stem, both sets of eyes examined it. The silver petals sparkled in the dim, artificial light as Hope twirled the bloom between his fingers, still holding her hand in his.
She stared at the dewy memento but only now in the confines of the cave could she smell its nostalgic perfume. Over the years she had wondered when he had slipped the flower into her hair. Fang had found it and fished it out, but nothing was ever said about the token after that. Except for the Pulsian's explanation of said flower.
At some point Hope had stopped looking at the flower and started looking at her.
"Beautiful."
She looked up at him when he spoke and unwittingly met his gaze. "What does this flower mean to you, Light?" he placed it gently back in her palm, never removing his hand from hers.
She couldn't look away from his eyes. The darkness and the weight of his gaze granted him a sort of dizzying power over her. As if he knew the hold he had, his free hand travelled to find her decorated arm, gripping it, reminding her that he was very much here and that he very much expected an answer.
Though absent an answer, something else might do... She wasn't sure if she was willing to go that far in order to maintain her silence in the matter.
They were silent again as Lightning fought a battle within herself whether or not to confide in Hope about the gloomy clouds she'd been under for the last few years. She opened her mouth to speak and Hope's cell phone rang. He sat unmoving for a moment, staring intently in her face, seemingly fine with letting the annoyance continue.
"Are you gonna...?" she said finally, feeling a weight being lifted from her shoulders.
Groaning and redirecting the hand that had been closed around Snow's cloth memento, Hope fiddled in his jacket pocket for the noisy thing. Looking at the display he smirked.
Putting the unit to his ear, his voice turned cold. "What do you want?" He paused, the smirk twisting into an expression she'd never seen him wear before.
"I dunno."
"Well, I'm a little busy right now..." Hope pointedly kissed the back of Lightning's hand. She squirmed out of his grasp, annoyed that he had the audacity to do that, and while on the line with someone no less. When she shrugged him off, he diverted his eyes into the darkness at the back of the cave.
She wasn't sure what she thought of this new, bolder Hope Estheim. He was barely predictable and never constant; a bit erratic at times. One thing she knew about him, or rather about herself when she was with him; he intrigued her.
Staring past him, she saw the sun shining through the fallen tree outside. It seemed like the storm had broke. If it hadn't, Hope's cell wouldn't have had any reception. Just in time. His tone snapped her back to the conversation he was having.
"What do you want me to do about it?" Hope grew more contemptuous with each word.
She could hear whoever was on the other side of the conversation beginning to speak quite loudly. They were probably reacting to his flippant attitude.
"Fine. I'll be there." Hope pushed a button on the pad and stuck the phone back in his pocket hissing air through his teeth.
"That didn't sound pleasant." Lightning said, raising an eyebrow.
"That was... my ex best friend." Hope said shortly, still seeming annoyed. "He..." Lightning stared at him, a slight twinge of annoyance on her own face. "...brings out the worst in me. Sorry." He sighed admittedly.
"Is everything ok?" She scrutinized his face. He was acting strange, but she had no idea why,and she was sure he wasn't about to tell her. Unlike years ago, he had been guarded since their reunion, always seeming to heavily consider anything before he said it. It made her wonder what he had gone through for such a trait to manifest.
"Yeah. Fine. Now where were we...?" he said, slinking towards her again.
Panic leapt in her throat, and Lightning sneezed awkwardly, hoping it didn't sound too fake. "The storm's broke. We should probably get back to the house. We're soaked." She wasn't sure if going back to her place and stripping themselves was the best course of action, but at least it would put some immediate distance between them.
He nodded, trying to hide his displeasure at being interrupted, but silently she thanked whoever it was on the other end of the line. They had just saved her from what she knew would've been a compromising position if the intimate moment between her and the young man had continued. That and she would have had a lot of explaining to do.
Praising the distraction was enough to indicate to her that she wasn't quite ready to leave him behind yet, and she had a nagging feeling that Hope wasn't really as confident as he seemed. At the very least something was bothering him. She was unable to put her finger on it, but it was heavy enough that she could almost see his shoulders sag under it's weight.
No matter what it it was, Zack had helped to show her that things wouldn't always be so bad and that life would go on. Maybe Hope was the sign that her life was finally moving on; maybe after years of painful mourning, Hope might have been her reward. Though she was getting ahead of herself.
It was going to take a lot for her to fall in love with a boy.
The ride back to the house had been quiet. He offered to drive, but she refused, muttering something about it technically being a company vehicle. She had gone to her room to change out of her wet clothes, and Hope said he had a spare set of clothing back on the cargo craft. Their short physical separation was welcome and much needed; at least to Lightning.
The sun had departed the sky a couple of hours ago. They had completely missed the sunset; having spent the time hiding in the cave. The heat and humidity would remain throughout the night. Lightning sat at the picnic table out in the front yard, Interceptor sprawled out at her feet sleeping soundly, only perking an ear at Hope's approach.
He came walking back up the pier, smiling, his eyes on her as she towelled off her hair. He claimed he had a change of clothing, but she wondered if he simply forgot his shirt or if he came out bare chested on purpose. In any case, he strode confidently towards her, his hair still heavy with rainwater, the droplets leaving trails down his lean, gently defined physique. He wasn't hard-bodied and ruggedly handsome like Snow, but he had a grace that Snow lacked. She balled up the damp towel and tossed it at his chest, quickly redirecting her gaze to Interceptor, stroking his belly with her toes.
"Hey, Hope. Can I ask you something?"
"Sure. Anything." he replied, voice muffled under the terry cloth sheet as he rubbed his silvery head dry.
Even though she couldn't see his face, she was nervous about asking him about Snow. She had dodged the bullet earlier thanks to his "ex" friend's perfect timing, but now she hoped he wouldn't pull the old quid pro quo on her. For now, maybe she'd stay safe.
"How long were you with NORA?" She wasn't good at manipulating conversations into the direction she wanted them to go. A severe lack of finesse only assisted her awkwardness in bridging subjects, but she wanted to know more about everyone else's life after Snow.
He paused in drying his hair for a second to answer. "A couple years. Why do you ask?"
"Curiosity. I saw you in the newspaper with that family you saved. That was good."
"Oh, you saw that, hey?" Came another muffled reply, still rubbing. His hair ought to have been as dry as it was going to get by now. His reluctance to share much personal information and his sometimes curious behaviour about it kept her guessing.
"Snow would have been proud of you." Her voice was even, speaking his name easily. The sentence even felt good, but Hope still didn't have a reply for her.
Hope pulled the towel over his head and draped it easily behind his neck to dangle over his slim chest. He took a seat across from her, picking at his fingernails. Without looking at him, she decided to just get it over with.
"What was his vigil like?" She quickly redirected. "I mean, how was Serah...?"
He looked down at his hands for a brief moment. "It was sad. She was sad... we all were."
She nodded silently. What a stupid question. Cursing herself and her cowardice, she clenched her teeth angrily. Not attending Snow's vigil was the one small regret, out of the many she had, that still nagged her. She should have been there for Serah; should have been there to comfort her friends and to be comforted. It seemed so long ago now but she would never forget those days after the fall of Cocoon and the rest that followed, nor would she forget that regret.
"Why didn't you show?"
Lightning snapped her head up to look at him, intimidatingly. "I don't think that's any of your business."
He gaped at her for a second, seemingly surprised. "I'm sorry. Of course it's not." He conceded quietly as they both turned their heads away from the strange confrontation.
He didn't speak again, choosing instead to look back down at his nails. She looked at him from the corner of her narrow eyes and saw a shimmer of the old Hope there. It wasn't fair for her to keep looking at him like the kid he used to be, but she slipped into her old protective shell so easily. When he was young it had been easy to keep him out; utilizing the promise of anger and a few short words. Now the Hope Esthiem that she shared space with was an adult, and no matter how she wanted to deny that, the fact remained that she couldn't do it forever. She quickly realized that the sooner she accepted that he was an adult the sooner she could deal with the confusing feelings he roused within her whenever he came around. She sighed heavily.
"I've upset you." he said, standing. "I should go."
She was at a loss for words. Maybe it was best that he go.
He stood to leave, but first he caught her chin in his hand, pressing his pliable lips against her forehead chastely. "Good night, Light." Without a glance back at her, he left her and her homey quarters behind.
He couldn't believe that she was gone. Snow was really in the business of losing friends lately. Fang, Vanille, Lightning, Serah, Hope and now Lebreau. Even his friendship with Maqui hadn't been the same since the fallout. If he didn't know any better he'd say he was bad luck.
Thoughts of Lightning had been prevalent in his mind since Lebreau had passed. He welcomed no personal visits; only attending to work matters when he had to. He knew everyone was concerned about him, but he needed a bit of time to deal with things. Her death had been the prick on his skin reminding him that life wasn't a dream and now he found himself to be a man obsessed with finding out any information about the older Farron. Snow was sure she was alive, but he would have felt so much better if he could have at least confirmed it. Though to confirm it, he would beat anyone within an inch of their life that had information of her whereabouts if they were unwilling to share. Simply put, it had been too long and he was too desperate to go on wild goose chases. He needed some concrete information, but where to get it from was the tough part. Arrangements and the like forced him to put his renewed search on hold for the time being.
The funeral itself had not been as unpleasant as it could have been. The sun was warm in the afternoon as they stood on an oft overlooked piece of beach where her many friends had gathered to pay their respects and say their good-byes. Everyone was quiet while the officiate recited a speech about life, death and the circle that bound each and every one of them to the planet. For Snow, however, he found himself still in a bit of stubborn denial despite his integral part of the afternoon's ceremony. He hadn't looked back at the gathering since it had started, and now he turned his head to look at the slightly saddened faces. Among those faces, but out from the main crowd, was one silver-haired ex-l'Cie. Hope's gaze was downcast and restrained.
The end of the venerable cleric's speech signalled the beginning of Snow's sad duty. He nodded his thanks to the little white haired old man. Sun-warmed grit worked its way between his bare toes as he took a couple large steps toward the edge of the shoreline. The sound of the water gently caressing white sand sounded unnaturally loud as everyone stood silent while he opened the ornate piece of porcelain that contained Lebreau's remains. The breeze of the day was playful; one minute whipping little whorls in the air around them, the next barely a puff. Snow felt the warm breath ruffle his hair, playing with the blonde strands as he clutched the urn between his palms. Tipping it slowly to one side, he watched as the stream of white ash was carried away from the grievers by a mischievous whirlwind until there was nothing more to be presented to the sun.
I'll catch up with you later, Bo.
When all of what was left of her had vanished, he replaced the wide stopper, taking an extra moment to dwell on her face; committing it to memory. He would never forget her, nor what she meant to so many people on their small corner of cocoon. She would be sorely missed, and as surely as his life had been enriched by her, it would be forever changed by her passing. Turning around to face the solemn crowd, he took his leave, her brightly painted urn under his arm.
His thoughts shifted from the honoured dead to Hope, walking slowly towards him as the crowed began to disperse.
"I didn't come to talk to you." he started, pushing his hands in his pockets, leaning against his car.
Snow looked beaten. His eyes were sunken in his skull, dark circles painted around them. "I know. I just want five minutes. I just really don't want you to hate me."
Hope's face was set in a hard line as he considered Snow's request for an audience. He looked like he wanted to talk even though he said he didn't. "Fine. Five minutes."
Snow jumped right in. This was his chance, maybe his only chance to try and make things right. "I don't want what we feel for Lightning to be the end of our friendship. Neither one of us knows where she is and she doesn't seem to want to be found."
He saw the young man's eyes narrow, pulling keys out of his pocket, signalling he was nearing the end of his line of patience with the blond.
Ah hell. Ok, so maybe I shouldn't have started quite so directly but I've lost too many friends. I won't let Hope be another casualty...
"The simple fact is that she isn't in either one of our lives anymore. You're like a brother to me, Hope. No, we were closer than family. That's gotta count for something." pleaded Snow. He clenched his fists, determined to make Hope listen to reason.
Hope's face flushed with anger. "You knew how I felt about her!" he half shouted, taking a bold step towards the taller man. Hope was a good six inches shorter than his former mentor, but he had a dangerous glint in his emerald eyes as he met Snow toe to toe. "Were you that dense? I think probably everyone knew!"
The pep talk Sazh had given him about it not being his fault for someone else's inability or unwillingness to deal with a problem slid down the proverbial drain as that someone else stood before him. "I'm sorry, Hope. There was no reason I should have told you about how I felt towards..." He met Hope's angry eyes with his own honest gaze. "I miss her just as much as you do... but now I miss you too. Come home. Come back to NORA. Everyone misses you."
This seemed to hit home somewhere inside of Hope, and Snow watched his face soften. He had no idea what was going on with the kid. Something seemed different between them and the more Snow threw his empathetic feelings at the boy, the less Hope was able to reciprocate the stare between them. He knew that the only real home that the young Estheim had since his mother died was there in Bodhum with his oafish self. Maybe he could win him back. "Whaddya say?"
The question hung in the air between them.
"I had a reason for leaving, Snow." Snow caught Hope's sadly contemplative expression before he turned away. Opening the door to his vehicle, he stood still, almost seeming to hesitate. Turning his head slightly, he spoke very clearly.
"Things can't ever be the same as they were."
Without so much as another glance in Snow's direction, Hope got in his car, slid his sunglasses up over his nose, and drove away.
"That went well..." Snow muttered, looking down at the urn in his hands.
Something glittering on the ground caught his attention.
Tucking the urn back under his arm, he took a knee, reaching out to pick up the item on the sand at his feet. Twirling the silver bloom between his fingers, the memories of a night from long ago overtook him like the nostalgic scent of the flower itself.
"Lightning..." he murmured.
Inhaling sharply, realization came crashing down around him. Lightning!
Jumping to his feet, Snow vainly searched the horizon for the only person that could have dropped such a meaningful item.