This chapter may seem a bit late, but to tell you the truth, it might have been a longer wait if I went through with my original plan. But first!

Puppy-Love: Yeah, Hope had a hard time. Lightning wanted to, but honestly, he would have freaked out more. Hopefully he'll be okay.

Wolfie: She has. She did a number on him. Let me tell you. And why? Well...that's part of the mystery. I would like to bring them in, but at the moment it's seem strange. But who knows. :)

Hope's Light: That would have been funny! But I liked having them dancing. And he is, isn't he? *giggle* I like the thought of Hope as a father, it sounds cute.

Naoto07: Lot of conspiracies about the singer. Who was she. Only I know! For now... And I felt bad for Hope that chapter...

Unknown: Oh, but I can't tell you things like that! It spoils the story! Glad you're enthusiastic though!

Crystal: I know! But this is Light we're talking about. She'll need more than a talk. And Saorise always seems to cause problems without even showing herself. Also, thank you for your review for Never Gone. It made me happy to read.

So this note will be a tad long. Sorry about that in advance. First, this chapter is early (believe it or not), so twelve may (likely will) be late, because I want to catch up again. I was working on future chapters for this story, part of an important arc, and they are quite long. Twelve isn't finished yet, but it's getting there. I think it too will be long, and have some funny, so it's something to look forward to. Think of it as extra planning.

Also, some of you may have noticed the problems on FF lately. Well, I had the misfortune of releasing a one-shot (my best in my humble opinion) during this period of time when stories will magically disappear. So, I'm going to do the unthinkable, and shamelessly advertise! But to those who have read it, added it, and reviewed it (I know who you are, and I loved your reviews!) You're awesome, so feel free to miss this!

Anyway: Check out my story, if you can take a sad story, Never Gone!

There. And to feel better about advertising my own story:

Did you know that Pong of all thing has its own category? Yeah, I know. And you know what else? It has an M section. I KNOW! But it gets better. Check out: A Pong Lemon, by author Prince Janus.

I know. A PONG Lemon. I couldn't believe it either.

Sorry about all that. This chapter starts intense, so beware. I guess. I hope you all like it! Read, review, enjoy! I love you guys for being so awesome during this story, so I promise to work hard myself! Again, enjoy!


When Rygdea and Hope opened their eyes, they were in the middle of the Villiers/Farron living room, the place swept in darkness and completely still. As Rygdea loosened his grip on Hope, the man himself ripped away from him, stumbling slightly on his feet. Hope offered no comment, continuing to stumble into the hallway, then down the right. Rygdea approached slowly, but closed his eyes when he heard Hope's retching.

Hope lifted his face away from the bowl, closing his eyes in an effort to calm himself. Sweat slicked his face and his skin was ghostly pale, his body still shuddering. His stomach seized up again, the pressure harsh and forceful, and he tightened his eyes as the vomit traveled up and out his mouth. It stung his mouth, leaving a nasty and bitter aftertaste, and the fumes mixed horribly with the smell of the toilet. He weakly pushed himself away, knowing that if he stayed there he'd throw up again. His hands continued to shake, but he prayed that his stomach would stop seizing and hurting. That it stop making him throw up.

That the images would stop.

That Rygdea would stop looking at him from the doorway.

Feeling ashamed, Hope grabbed the counter, hands slipping slightly from the sweat as he tried to pull himself up. He refused to look at Rygdea, his tattered mind finally calming down. And the more he began to realize that what he had experienced was a flashback, the angrier he became. His teeth chattered, his body shook, and he wanted to throw up again. Weak. WEAK! That was what he was. Weak. Maker, how could he be so-

"Hope..."

But Hope ignored him in favor of standing in front of the mirror, hands tight on the pristine white counter as he glared hatefully at his reflection before he pulled down a toothbrush and began to brush his teeth raw. The gums began to bleed as he continued furiously, desperate to get the taste out of his mouth, little bristles tearing into his mouth. What he wouldn't give to make it stop, to make this stop. To make it so that he didn't think of that-that witch! But no...he had to dwell on it. And all the fucked up things she did. Nothing was working anymore. He couldn't even get through one damn evening!

And what were the others going to think? Hope clutched his stomach at the thought, almost throwing up again, spitting, rinsing, and pulling himself away from the mirror before he could take his frustrations out on it. He stormed past Rygdea, not sparing him a glance, and marched toward his room. He could hear the man's footsteps, but he didn't turn back. No...he would sit and brood on this in his room. He could fall apart all he wanted there, at least until the others got home.

The others...what the hell was he going to tell them? 'Sorry, I had a freak out because some psycho happened to sing by me before she did some whacked up shit'? Oh yeah, that would blow over well. And Lightning, he had fucked up so bad with that! Ugh...why? Why did he have to...

"Hope!" Hope tensed and turned to face Rygdea, barely registering that he was in his own room. The man was leaning on the door frame, watching him with almost feigned interest, but Hope could see it in the man's eyes. It was pity...pity and something else. But he didn't care. All he could feel was shame and anger and absolute terror. He was sick and no one knew. And he'd never dare tell them. No...no the only reason Rygdea knew was because he had been there at the end. And if Hope didn't have someone...anyone...to tell, he'd go nuts.

It didn't make it easier though. Nothing would.

"What Rygdea?" Hope said, lowering his head. He would not look at him. Not until he was calm again. Until everything was fixed. But if he followed though with that, he'd never look up from the floor.

He heard the man sigh and tensed before cursing himself for his nervousness. The light was flipped on and Hope blinked, eyes trying to adjust to the sudden brightness. "Might as well talk with the light on. It'll help calm you down."

"I don't need-"

"Yes you do Hope. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

Hope snorted but didn't argue, allowing his thoughts to drift back to his behavior. Of the evening he just ruined. He growled, clenching his hands, and sat on the bed. He glared at the floor, not bothering to look up even as the bed dipped beside him.

He had screwed up tonight...really screwed up. Not only in front of the people he had to work with, but in front of Lightning, Serah, Lebreau, Maqui...everyone! He must have looked like a mad man, screaming like that! And those visions, all from a bit of singing. Was he really that weak? So weak that he couldn't even get through one night-

"Hope." Rygdea commanded softly, "You need to stop thinking about it."

"Easy for you to say."

"Fair enough, but that doesn't mean you need to dwell on it. It's not as if you could have helped it." Hope's hands turned white as he tried to reign in his sudden and fierce anger. His arms started to shake again, his face heating up from shame and rage. He shot up from the bed, stepping away before he gave in to the strange urge to hit the man beside him.

"I should have been able to stop it." Hope said, taking deep breaths in an effort to calm himself. A small part of him realized that it wasn't just the anger talking...it was deeper and more crippling feeling. It was what drove him to this in the first place and it still swirled within him. He knew what it was, knew it wouldn't go away, and it only seemed to amplify his burning-

"You're doing it again." Rygdea said, interrupting Hope's attack on himself, "This needs to stop Hope."

Hope let out several angry breaths from his nose and turned to face the man, sneering, "Sorry, it's not an on and off switch."

"That's not what I meant and you know it." But Rygdea's face did not harden, his eyes did not flash with anger. There was a quiet acceptance in his eyes. Somehow, it only burned Hope more. Sensing his mounting frustration, Rygdea continued, "I understand Hope...but you can't let something like this keep you from-from having a positive tomorrow or something." Rygdea mumbled, wishing he had something less corny. He wasn't as good at this as he needed to be.

"What?" And he wished the kid didn't sound so bitter.

"I'm saying Hope...that I'm here for you. And Maqui and Lebreau are here for you. Lightning and Serah and Snow. The NORA gang, Sazh and his kid. You've got them so-"

"So what? So what, now I get to worry about you all too?"

"I told you we'd be safe."

"And we both know that's a load of bullshit!"

"Hope!"

"I keep screwing up Rygdea! I want to be done with this! I want to put it behind me and be fucking normal for once! I don't want to freak out when people touch me! I don't want to seem like a fucking lunatic when someone triggers me! I don't want to see all those burning buildings or how-" Hope stopped, his throat tightening. He struggled for a few moments before continuing, "I don't want to put the others in danger...I don't want that lunatic after me. I just want this to stop!" His anger soared again and he threw a fist at the wall, only to have Rygdea stop him.

"You'll feel bad for it later." he said simply, ignoring Hope's fierce glare.

"Shut up!" Hope shouted, throwing his fist at Rygdea instead. "How would you know! ? You don't know anything! You don't know how hard this is! How much she scares me!" He threw fist after fist at Rygdea, emotions bubbling over, but his anger made him sloppy against the skilled solider. Rygdea made no effort to retaliate, only moving to avoid his attacks, but Hope's anger only seemed to grow.

"You bastard! Bastard! You don't get what she did! You only heard it, you didn't see it, you didn't feel it! You don't get it! NO ONE GETS IT!" Hope was beside himself in his blind rage, knocking things off his dresser when hitting Rygdea proved fruitless. His bag and several clothes fell to the floor, and would have gone unnoticed by the two of them as Hope continued to destroy his neat dresser. But it was the sound of a bottle popping that made Hope and Rygdea freeze.

Hope's anger turned to ice, spreading to his limbs as he numbly looked toward the bag on the floor. A few photos had spilled out, but it wasn't what had Hope's, or Rygdea's, attention. No, it was the pill bottle on the floor, the cap a few inches away from it. The bottle was unlabeled and many of the small pills had escaped, scattered now on the floor. They both stared at them, neither saying a word, barely even breathing. Hope felt as if the floor was being swept from underneath him. His legs wanted to give out and he refused to look anywhere near Rygdea. He willed his body to do something, anything, other than stand there.

Mechanically, his legs moved toward the pills and he dropped to his knees. Without a word he began to scoop the little pills into his hand, picking up the bottle in the process. He could feel Rygdea's eyes burning into him, making his neck heat up, and couldn't will himself to look up at the man. He reached for the rest of the spilled contents when a hand snatched his arm.

"Ah!" Hope flinched away, trying to pull himself out of the grasp as a slight bit of panic came over him. The pressure lessened, but the bottle was wrestled out of his hand. Hope was yanked up by the same arm, the pills he had grabbed slipping between his fingers and onto the floor. Hope kept his head bowed, guilt and shame squeezing his heart again.

Rygdea said nothing, bringing the bottle up to his eyes so he could examine it. It was a blank, white bottle. The label was clean as well, giving no hint of its contents. Rygdea gritted his teeth and let out a growl. "What the hell is this Hope?" Hope remained silent, squeezing his eyes shut and wishing he was somewhere, anywhere but there. "How-How did you even get them!" Rygdea stopped when he felt Hope's arm begin to tremble under his grip. He took a deep breath and shook his head, not releasing Hope's wrist.

"Hope...first things first. Tell me what they are." Rygdea glanced at the pills still on the floor, narrowing his eyes, "And don't say sleeping pills." he added.

Hope didn't say anything, only allowing his breath to come in short gasps. He willed himself to calm down but still didn't look at Rygdea, "They-They're supposed to help."

"Help what?"

"Y-You know...my-my nightmares...and flashbacks. They're supposed to help with that."

"Hope..."

"Not that they-they were doing a good job. But-but I needed something. Anything." Hope hated how desperate his voice sounded. How weak he was. How he couldn't even look the man in the eye.

"These are dangerous Hope." Rygdea said, squeezing the bottle.

"I-I know."

"They way you are now...you could get addicted. I told you medication was a bad idea! That it'd do more harm than good."

Hope's eyes formed a glare and he tried to wrench himself out of Rygdea's grip, "I know that okay! I know! I just-I just needed it. I needed something to work! To make this less-less-Maker, I don't even know anymore!" Hope knew Rygdea wouldn't let him go, but that didn't stop him from stepping away in an attempt to distance himself from the man, "I need something...to make this go away. I can't-"

"Are you giving up?"

"NO!" Hope whipped around, staring at the man with wide green eyes. He shook his head frantically, unsure of who he was trying to convince, "I won't give up! I won't. I just-" Hope stopped, unsure of what to say next. He looked away again, feeling embarrassed and ashamed and guilty.

Rygdea kept himself calm, determined to get answers, "How did you get them?"

Hope took a deep breath, "I sneaked out...and bought them two weeks ago."

"And when did you start to actually take them?"

"Three days ago..." Hope fell silent, closing his eyes again when Rygdea didn't continue. He bit his lip, tapping his foot nervously on the floor, "Maqui...Maqui thought they were sleeping pills. So he just packed them. He didn't know." And I'm not gonna let him take any heat.

Rygdea released Hope, leaving him feeling strangely cold and alone. The man crouched on the floor, scooping up the last of the pills and dropping them into the bottle. He grabbed the cap and snapped it back on, slipping the bottle in his pocket. Hope watched him with darkened eyes, wanting to shrink away. He bowed his head again when he saw Rygdea turning around. He could still make out the man's feet as they walked toward him, but couldn't bring himself to look up.

"I'm taking these. They're too dangerous for you to have. And you know that." Hope didn't dare argue. He knew the man was right. But the hand on his shoulder finally made him look up. Rygdea gave him a sad and knowing smile, looking far more relaxed than Hope could have imagined, "I'm sorry Hope. I hadn't realized...it had gotten this far." Hope's eyes widened and he shook his head, but Rygdea continued, "I won't let you take them whenever but...if it gets that bad, come to me, okay? But-but let's talk before that happens? I mean, I'm not the best with this sort of thing but...we need to talk about it. I mean-"

Rygdea stopped as Hope's eyes scrunched up, clearly watering. Hope let out several shuddering gasps, still shaking his head, "Don't say sorry. You didn't do this. Don't say sorry. Don't." Hope gritted his teeth, forcing himself to calm down, "And I promise. I promise I'll try to talk more. Okay?"

Rygdea's eyes softened and he took Hope's wrist again, leading him to his bed before sitting down himself. "All right Hope." Rygdea smiled slightly and ruffled the man's hair. Hope closed his eyes, allowing the action, and found himself brought back to days as a kid. When his father would ruffle his hair or when Snow would ruffle his hair. The memories were nice but his chest tightened. They reminded him of something he had lost...

They sat in silence for a long time, both watching the floor, lost in their own thoughts. Hope offered nothing, Rygdea knowing he wouldn't. He promised to try and talk, but they both knew it'd take some preparation. And Rygdea wouldn't force it, at least not yet. The light above them offered a little comfort, and the noise downstairs alerted them to the others arrival. Rygdea watched as Hope stiffened, then sighed.

"I know Hope. I could tell them about it if you want. Just enough to let them know..."

"How much?"

"I'll tell them you had a bad experience and that you couldn't help it. And that it's up to you whether you tell them about it or not. That they shouldn't take it personally..."

Hope remained silent for a few moments and Rygdea stood to do just that, but Hope grabbed his sleeve, "Not yet..." he said, sounding small, "Let's just...stay here for a while." Rygdea nodded and joined Hope back on the bed, watching the door as the noise grew. But it wasn't as loud as it normally was and Hope felt a pang in his chest. It was because of him, they were subdued because of him...and he knew it. He closed his eyes, wondering for the millionth time why things turned out this way.

There was a light knocking on the door and they both looked up as Serah peeked her head inside. "Are you two okay?" she asked, looking at Hope with deep concern in her eyes. Hope shifted uncomfortably and nodded, although he knew she wouldn't be convinced. "All right then..."

"Actually Serah, maybe something warm to eat? Like soup? Hope could use it." Hope snapped his head up in surprise, but Serah gave a sad smile.

"No problem. Feel better okay?" Hope nodded again as the door slowly clicked close.

"Thanks..." he said after a long silence.

"Don't mention it." They sat in silence again, no one coming to knock on the door again. It seemed Serah had known more than she let om, because they knew the others would have been knocking like crazy. They sat in comfortable silence until Serah came in, a bowl of hot soup in her hands.

"Here Hope." she said, offering him a smile as she handed it to him, "And...it's all right." she said, giving him a hug before turning to leave. Hope called out his thanks before the door closed again, leaving him alone with Rygdea once more.

There was silence between them again except for the slurping and clinking of a spoon as Hope slowly ate his soup. Rygdea watched him, eyes unfocused, and waited for him to finish. As Hope set the bowl on the end table, Rygdea cleared his throat, smirking slightly, "You know, we'll have to talk eventually."

Hope smiled slightly as well, slipping off his suit jacket and letting the thing fall to the floor. He rested his hands on the bed, leaning back so that he was facing the ceiling, and took a deep breath, "I know. It's just...I don't really want to talk about it."

"How about just telling me what you saw?"

Hope sighed and nodded, closing his eyes, "She was singing to me again. I guess it was to me, who knows how her head works. And I could smell it outside. All that fire...the bodies." Hope shuddered, his voice thick, "She was gonna."

"No Hope...that was a flashback. That's all over now." They were quiet, letting the words sink in. they both wondered how true those words were. "So, don't want to talk about anything else?"

"We both know how it made me feel. Why talk about it?"

"To make you feel better?"

"Hmph...I guess." But Hope smiled nonetheless, letting himself fall back on his bed. He was tired, the achy kind of tired, but he knew he wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight. If any at all, now that he thought about it. He'd try though, he couldn't afford to screw up once they were on the field.

On the field...another thing to worry about.

"Hey Rygdea, are you sure me helping out with the C'ieth attacks is a good idea? What if I freak out again?" Hope asked, rubbing his eyes.

Rygdea snorted, "Please Hope. I know you better than that. When you're out there, you have good control."

"But that doesn't mean there won't be an incident."

"And we'll deal with it when it comes. But you're more useful to us out there Hope. And you know it. I mean, would you really be willing to just sit here and watch as the others went out there?"

"Of course not!"

"Then it's pretty obvious what you'll have to do." Rygdea stretched, taking off his own suit jacket and vest, leaving on the white dress shirt. "Don't worry Hope, it will be fine. I know it." Hope gave a rueful smile, well aware that Rygdea didn't know how it would turn out. But the thought was a comforting one.

"But you know, I don't think this is the only thing bothering you. You looked a little bothered the whole night." Rygdea smiled, something knowing in his eye, "Want to talk about it?"

Hope felt his cheeks heat up and refused to look at the man. But...after tonight with Lightning, maybe the man could offer some advice? But this was Rygdea he was considering confiding too. It might blow up in is face if he wasn't too careful And he didn't want that either. Ugh...

"I'll take that as a yes." Rygdea smiled, standing up and grabbing Hope's bowl as he went. "Let me drip this off and explain to everyone what's going on. Then you can tell me all about what happened."

"Shut it." Hope said after him, throwing a pillow at his retreating back. It hit the door as it closed and fell to the ground, barely making a sound. Hope groaned and flopped back on the bed, rubbing his face in his hands.

Rygdea held back a chuckle as he went downstairs toward the kitchen, wondering just what had Hope so riled up. As he entered the kitchen, he felt many eyes boring into him and sighed. As he set the bowl into the sink, he turned to the group as they made their way into the kitchen. Sazh and Dajh were still there, as well as Gadot and Yuj. Rygdea nodded and leaned against the counter, crossing his arms.

"I'm going to tell you what he said I could tell. He had a rough past. Some of you are aware of that, others are not. Tonight, something happened that triggered him, and Hope had an emotional breakdown." Rygdea met Lightning's intense glare, knowing she wanted more details, "He had a flashback and was unable to tell what was real and what wasn't. He was desperate and felt trapped, so he called for help."

"But why you?"

Rygdea was surprised that it was Maqui who asked, but answered nonetheless, "I am the only one who knows the full extent of what happened to him. As a precaution, we have agreed that I will act as an anchor to bring him back to reality when he has a relapse. It only made sense."

"And he won't-"

"No..." Rygdea sighed, suddenly looking exhausted, "No, he won't tell anyone else. It's frustrating...I know. It's also part of the reason he gets so bad, but he refuses to listen to me. And I won't tell you the details unless it becomes absolutely necessary. Hope has to be the one to let you in. Not me." Rygdea shook his head, "I know it sounds bad...but Hope just can't take this right now. He went through a lot, so don't blame him for this. He'll tell you eventually, just give him time." Rygdea looked at all the worried faces, wishing he could do more for them.

"Will Hope be all right?" Lightning asked, stepping forward.

"He should be. He and I had a chance to talk. In fact, I'm going back there now." Rygdea shook his head, but grinned, suddenly looking mischievous, "But on a much lighter note. I think he may be having some girl trouble."

Lightning stiffened at this, face getting far too hot for her liking, and she could have sworn she felt Serah's eyes on her. Rygdea continued to chuckle as he walked away, sending them a brief wave as he went. "I better go help the guy out. But you all get some rest, got it? Good night all."

Lightning tried to keep her face straight as she said goodbye to the others. Sazh and Dajh still looked concerned, Sazh patting her on the back before they left. Yuj nodded to her and Gadot gave a wave before they left as well. Lightning toyed with her dress, ready to go to her room and try to figure out how to help Hope, but Serah's eyes told her she would be doing no such thing.

"Later guys..." Maqui said, following Lebreau up to their rooms, "Tomorrow will better huh?"

"You know it!" Snow said, trying to smile as he punched Maqui in the arm. The tall man looked toward his wife, "You coming Serah?"

"Yeah. I just wanna talk to sis for a second."

Trapped...

"Well...all right then. See you soon."

"Check on Hazel please?"

"Of course!" Snow rushed over to peck Serah on the cheek before hurrying upstairs. Lightning wanted to go up as well, not willing to talk to her sister yet. She glared at the floor, even when she saw her sister's feet head for the couch.

"Light!" Grumbling, Lightning forced her feet to move toward the couch as well, but she refused to sit. "Come on Light, tell me what happened."

"Is now really the time to talk about this?" Lightning growled, crossing her arms and looking at her sister. She was more worried about Hope and she wanted to see him, even if she couldn't speak with him yet. And she didn't want to deal with this. Serah averted her eyes, biting her lip slightly as she wrung her hands together. She took a deep breath before she spoke.

"I know it seems weird to talk about it now...but if I don't, you're just going to keep putting it off and putting it off. And-And I don't think we should. Besides, Rygdea is talking to Hope about his love problems!" She looked at Lightning, her eyes determined, "So tell me what happened between you and Hope."

"Serah, what makes you think this is a love problem? And there's nothing to put off!"

"Please Lightning. It's bothering him. I know it is. And it's bothering you too!" Lightning clenched her hands, looking at ceiling rather than Serah. Why was this happening to her? She hadn't done anything that terrible lately. At least she didn't think so. "Light!"

"He told me he loved me..."

"Wait-What?"

Lightning tried to force away her nervousness, hating the heat she could feel in her cheeks, and sat down on the couch. She remained silent for a long time, aware of Serah's gaze on her even as she stared at her hands. She took a deep breath, "When he, we, thought he was going to die...he told me he loved me. Before he let go. Before he let go...he told me he loved me." She shook her head, hardly daring to believe it herself even as the scene played again in her mind.

"I love you..."

And then he was falling, falling down where she'd never see him...

"He-He said that?" Lightning couldn't bring herself to look at Serah, unsure of what she would say. Hope's words were echoing even more so in her mind, but after tonight...he had looked so sad. So sad and accepting. And then he had broken down. He had sounded so scared and desperate. It still clawed at her as she remembered his voice. She had never heard Hope sound so frightened. Never.

"Claire." Lightning jumped when she felt her sister's arm wrap around her and had to resist the urge to pull away. "I'm sorry Claire. I'm sorry you had to live with that when we thought he was gone..." Lightning took a shuddering breath and nodded, letting her sister comfort her. She always seemed to know when she was slipping back. It was a weakness she hated, loathed that she had it. But Serah never asked, just let her sit in sad silence as she forced the thoughts away. And it was no different then with only the clock ticking giving away any sound.

"What about tonight Claire? What happened tonight?" Serah asked, pulling away slightly.

Lightning took another deep breath and explained Hope's confession. Explained that he said that he still loved her. Still loved her but said it was all right that she didn't feel the same way. But to just let him...let him love her.

But she couldn't mention that weird hurt she felt. And she had a feeling that she hadn't done Hope justice. It was hard to explain his defeated sadness. His sad hope that he could love from afar. Promising to love her even when she wouldn't love him back.

"Oh Claire..."

"He asked for a dance...and he kept saying how he understood. That he didn't want me to feel guilty."

"Hope..." Serah mumbled, looking at her own hands in her lap. "I had...no idea at all. No idea that he'd let himself just-just..." she trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"Did you know?" Lightning asked.

Serah sighed and nodded, resting her chin on her hands, "I had an idea...when he came back. At least, of how he felt about you. He seemed so happy to see you. And you looked happy to see him. But I don't know..."

"Don't know what?"

Serah shook her head but Lightning knew it wasn't the case, "It's nothing Claire." She leaned back into the chair, "I don't know Light...I don't know what you should do. I'm sorry. I mean...how do you feel?"

Lightning bit her lip, trying to get her thoughts straight, "I'm not sure." Serah's eyebrows rose, But Lightning didn't notice, "I mean, I know I'm happy that he's back. I know I'm worried about how-how he's doing." She closed her eyes as his frightened shouts filled her ears again, "I know I want to help him. He's changed so much Serah." Lightning silently thanked herself for stopping before she revealed her strange anger toward Lebreau. She did not want to know what that could mean.

"He has changed...and not all of it for the better." Serah shook her head and stood, offering her sister a warm smile as she held out her hand, "But it's been a long day. And I have a feeling tomorrow might be a bit of a handful too. But if you want to talk about this again, just ask. I'll be thinking about it a ton now!" Serah giggled slightly as Lightning took her hand, "It's nice to think that Hope likes you Claire."

Lightning looked away, aware that she was blushing, "I don't get you..."

"It's refreshing...that part of Hope hasn't changed." Serah added as she and Lightning began to walk upstairs, "Because I could tell he liked you back then too. But I didn't know he actually told you."

"Yeah..."

"You think...we'll be able to help him?" Serah asked once they were at the top of the stairs. Lightning clenched her hands again, looking toward Hope's door.

"Of course we will." We have to.

Serah smiled and nodded, putting a hand on Lightning shoulder before going to her room, "We will definitely be talking about this more. Hear that Light?" Lightning nodded reluctantly and watched as her sister disappeared into her room. She looked at Hope's room one last time before going to her own room, Hope's shouts and a broken "I love you" still echoing in her head.