Hey Assassin's Blood Readers! This story is finally nearing the end. Only a few more chapters to go until Tidus and Yuna finally face off against Seymour and end the chase once and for all. Will they finally get a happy ending?

Hopefully you're all still interested in finding out. I promised a long time ago that I'd finish this story no matter what it took and I intend to make good on the promise.

I have a feeling this chapter will make up for the wait, lots of fluff! :)

Enjoy and review please, I love to hear your responses.


And I don't want the world to see me

Cause I don't think that they'd understand

When everything's made to be broken

I just want you to know who I am...

Tidus awoke early the next morning; or at least he thought it was early. The sun rarely shone on the Thunder Plains, making it difficult to judge the time. As he came to his senses, he was startled to find Yuna still wrapped in his arms from the previous night when he had done his best to comfort her. It had frightened him to see her crying so fiercely. It was not the Yuna he had come to know and he wasn't quite sure how to react on the rare occasions that she revealed that side of herself.

His eyes drifted over her sleeping face; her features were relaxed and more peaceful than he had ever seen them, her long lashes fluttering softly as she dreamed. He marveled at how her porcelain skin seemed to glow in the dim light of the room. Eventually his gaze fell to her soft, pink lips; they were parted slightly, her breathing slow and steady. He swallowed uncertainly as sudden, powerful urge to close the tiny distance between them and kiss those soft lips nearly overcame him. He knew he would fear for his life should he choose to act upon his urges. Or perhaps…that was no longer true.

After all, she had allowed their intimate embrace to last all night. The way she spoke to him was no longer cold or irritable; but rather familiar and friendly, as if she was finally willing to acknowledge all of the experiences they had gone through to protect one another. Slowly, he lifted one of his arms to gently brush a strand of hair from her face with the tips of his fingers. The moment he did so, Yuna's jewel colored eyes flew open. Tidus froze, his hand still resting upon her cheek. She blinked slowly at him, eyes trained on his, not even flickering for an instant. After what seemed like an eternity to Tidus, she sighed deeply and closed her eyes one more, allowing him to continue to brush his hand through her hair. He did so; not quite sure what to do with his hand afterwards. After a moment of bated breath, Tidus placed it on her shoulder, careful not to wake her once again. Her eyes opened, nonetheless, and she offered him a rare and gentle smile before removing herself from his arms and rising to prepare for the day. Tidus lay there motionless after she had left, struggling to understand the complicated feelings that fought for dominance within him. Yuna's voice finally pulled him from his paralysis, "Are you coming?"

She stood in the door way, gazing at him curiously. He sat up, shaking off his uncertainties and grinning exuberantly, "Yeah, right behind you!"

They were greeted by a lavish breakfast provided by the endless generosity of their Al Bhed host, Rin. He sat them at an ornate dining table in the middle of the main room and continued to lay fabulous dishes before them even once they signaled that they would be fine with only a few morsels. As they ate, Rin stood behind the counter, staring at them with his brilliantly, white smile. Yuna took advantage of the silence to remind Rin that they had no gil with which to pay him for his service.

"Oh I do not charge for my hospitality," Rin reassured her amiably. "I find payment in other fashions."

Tidus nearly choked on the mouthful he had just consumed. Clearing his throat with a swig of some foreign, sweet liquid he asked, "What sort of payment are you thinking about?"

"A favor, friend" Rin said, still smiling. "I make my living through the simple exchange of generosity for favors."

"Doesn't seem like a very effective business model," Yuna murmured quietly to herself. Rin, however, must have had the ears of a fiend as he responded to her jab as if he had been standing right beside her, "I wouldn't be so sure, my lady. Rin's Travel Agency has run very effectively on this particular system for many years."

"So, uh, what sort of favor did you have in mind from us?" Tidus asked nervously, pushing his breakfast plate away from him as if rejecting the meal would somehow lessen the intensity of whatever mission he should choose to assign them. Rin's smile widened impossibly as he spoke, "I recently had a tenant of mine leave without paying the debt he owes me. He's a merchant, thief more like, who goes by the name of O'aka the XIII. He could not have gotten far from here, he was not exactly the brightest of fellows. However, I have no one in my service skilled enough to navigate the plains and the Macalania Woods beyond. But you two entered my agency with weapons slung on your hips; surely you have the skills necessary to return this deceitful tenant to me?"

Tidus and Yuna exchanged uncertain glances. Rin noticed their hesitation and quickly added, "If you bring him to me whole and unharmed, I will give you safe passage to Bikanel Island. You shall even have your pick of Rin's premium line of airships."

Tidus thought the deal seemed fair, it wouldn't be too difficult for Yuna to track a clumsy man as he stumbled through the woods, either. He nodded quickly when she looked to him for an opinion. Returning the gesture in affirmation, she looked at Rin and stated, "You've got a deal. We'll find your tenant in exchange for your fastest airship."

Rin clapped his hands enthusiastically, reaching underneath the front desk and pulling out a large piece of parchment, "Excellent! Let us draw up a quick contract and we'll be all set to go!"

The introduction of a contract to the deal gave Tidus pause, however he knew that the Al Bhed's airships was the only way they could reach Bikanel safely and before Seymour's men found them again. Nonetheless, he and Yuna signed their names a bit reluctantly beneath the paragraph of Al Bhed that Rin had scrawled at the top of the paper.

"Perfect!" he shouted, snatching the paper up before Tidus could even attempt to read the terms. "Tidus and….Yuna, is it? Very pleased to do business with you both."

His golden eyes flashed as he laid out an assortment of weapons that he had pulled out from underneath the desk for them to choose from. Tidus wondered what else was stored under that desk as he picked up a long, slender dagger with a hilt that had a strange extrusion coming from the handle.

"Ah, excellent choice," Rin said turning the weapon around in Tidus' hands so that the handle was facing away from his body. "This is an Al Bhed invention. It's a fully functioning hand-and-a-half blade, but when you press here…."

Rin pressed on the extrusion and an explosion erupted from the tip of the handle, blowing a precise hole in the southside of the Travel Agency, "Ta da! A gun is installed in the handle!"

Tidus blinked, both shocked and exhilarated by the discovery.

"Ah, the deadly twins for the lady," Rin continued. Curious, Tidus turned his head to see Yuna experimenting with two silver pistols, accented by hints of gold along the top.

"You know how to use a gun?" he asked dubiously. She gave him a sideways glance, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth, "No. But how hard can it be? Just point and shoot."

Rin laughed loudly, a little too loudly, before removing the rest of the weapons from the desk and gesturing for them to head towards the back of the agency.

"If you take the rear entrance you'll only have a few hundred yards or so to go before you reach the edge of the Woods. Oh and look, it appears as if Lady Luck is smiling upon you, the rain seems to have stopped."

"No such thing as luck," Yuna mumbled gesturing for Tidus to follow as she made her way to the back of the building.

"Nonetheless, I wish plenty of it for you on your mission!"

"Think we can trust him?" Tidus asked as they sped through the hallway.

"Not sure," Yuna responded, her mouth pulled down into a frown. "At this point I don't care. I just want out of this damn place."

He decided to let the conversation drop after that.


Their oddball of a host had not been lying when he said that it would not take them long to reach the woods. By Tidus estimate it took them less than an hour. When they reached the tree line they were greeted by an eerie, ethereal breeze passing through the leaves and dissipating in the space above the Plains.

"Keep your guard up," Yuna advised, tapping Tidus' arm to take his attention from the glowing, blue tree trunks in front of them. "It looks beautiful from out here, but those woods are crawling with fiends."

"Right," he nodded, shaking his arm to lessen the tingling sensation that had stemmed from Yuna's brief touch.

They began to creep through the trees, Tidus' eyes flickering rapidly as he followed glowing pyreflies that floated through the branches.

"So how do we track this guy?" Tidus asked, eager to break the eerie silence the enveloped them.

"We already are," Yuna responded pointing to the ground where large, booted footprints lay imprinted in the mossy ground. "Come on now, remember what I taught you?"

Tidus smirked and began to focus on their task, ignoring the glowing trees in favor of a broken twig here or a bush pushed askew there. Eventually he was able to see a steady path ahead of them and he let his instincts take over, allowing his thoughts to drift back to the Travel Agency and the room they had shared.

"Listen, Yuna. I wanted to say—"

"Thank you," she interrupted before he could continue. Her expression was soft as it had been that morning, her eyes reflecting the lights of the forest around them.

"Er, no. That's not what I was gonna say."

"That's what I'm saying," she continued, pushing a low hanging branch aside and holding it aside as Tidus stepped past. "Thank you for what you did last night."

"Oh!" He hadn't expected any gratitude from her, hearing the words coming from her mouth made him forget the speech he had constructed earlier. "I-You're welcome. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"I've never seen you so upset before," he continued, flinching as he saw her face tighten defensively. "I just want you to know that I'm here for you, we're partners after all."

"I know," she said simply. Reaching out and grabbing her hand before she could eschew his declaration of loyalty, he pulled her to a stop, forcing her to turn and face him, her eyes wide with surprise, "No, I don't think you do."

She stared at him, rooted to the spot. Tidus blinked slowly before intertwining his fingers with hers.

"Yuna, I am here for you. Right by your side and I'm going to stay here until you understand that."

Perhaps it was just a trick of the light in the forest, but Tidus cold swear he saw a light blush coloring her cheeks.

"Look, there's something I need to tell you." Taking a deep breath, he continued, "Yuna, I-"

His attempted confession was interrupted by a fierce rustling in the bushes north of where they stood. The two tensed, unable to draw their weapons before a large, bumbling figure came stumbling through the branches. The pudgy man had a scraggly brown beard that covered his budding double chin. His eyes were a pale, watery green and his blue and yellow clothes looked worn and covered in dirt.

"Oi!" He shouted as he saw the two of them standing before him. "You two wouldn't be able ta help a poor, traveler would ye? A kindly looking couple like ye'selves wouldn't turn down good 'ol O'aka, eh?"

"We're not a couple," Yuna was quick to correct him, slipping her hand out of Tidus grasp. He tried to ignore the sting of her words and focus on the mission. The man they had been tasked to hunt had found his way to them first. Perhaps Rin had been right about luck.

"Did you say your name was O'aka?" Yuna continued, her hand moving slowly to the pistols that hung on her hips.

"Ay," the fat man said. "Heard of me have ye? I'm the great merchant O'aka the XIII! Are ye in need of any items or weapons? I've got fine prices for ye I do."

"Er, no thanks."

"Ah, in that case, how would ye feel about offering O'aka a bit of seed money? I ain't got me own shop yet, see."

"Actually that's why we're here," Yuna said, loosening her gun from its holster and spinning it casually around her finger. "We're here on behalf of Rin's Travel Agency. He tells us that you owe him quite a substantial amount of gil."

O'aka's pudgy face drained of all color, his throat convulsing as he swallowed dryly. "No, no, no…That's all a misunderstanin', see? I don't owe that man nothin'. He's a thief that one is!"

"Really?" Yuna chided arching an eyebrow as she advanced towards O'aka.

"Ya gotta believe me!" the fat man cried, backing up against a large tree trunk. "That Rin will do anythin' for a bit o' cash! He lies about hospitality for favors and that's how he gets ya in his trap!"

Something about O'aka's words gave Tidus pause and he reached out, placing a halting hand on Yuna's shoulder. She looked back at him, eyes flashing impatiently.

"Maybe he's got a point," Tidus suggested hesitantly. "Didn't something about Rin just seem off to you?"

She blinked uncertainly; O'aka took advantage of her hesitation to cry out, "What did he offer ye? Whatever it was I can double it! No, triple it! You can trust me when I say that rat's not gonna give ye anything he promised."

"We signed a contract."

"Ay, you did. But did he? And did ye bother to read it?"

Tidus and Yuna looked at each other, bewildered. Who could they trust? The man who sent them on the hunt, who would tell them only what they needed to know to complete their duty? Or the hunted man himself, who would say anything to save his own life?

"Alright," Yuna concluded grabbing O'aka by the scruff of his old shirt. "You come with us and talk to Rin yourself. If he starts acting shady then we'll protect you. If not, then you're in his hands from now on."

"Eh, wha—no!" The merchant stammered. "Weren't ye listenin'? He's a trickster that one is!"


O'aka complained the whole way back to the Travel Agency; fortunately he wasn't very strong so they didn't have much trouble dragging him back between the two of them. When they reached the agency they saw Rin standing outside, waving enthusiastically.

"I see you were successful in your mission," he smiled widely.

"Yeah, here's your tenant," Yuna growled, shoving O'aka to his knees. "Now, where's our airship?"

"Ah, yes, come around back and you may have your pick of the litter, so to speak. Bring him, if you would. I would much prefer it if he did not escape again."

"Oooh you've made a mistake now," O'aka mumbled, trembling all over as Tidus lifted him to his feet and led him around the Agency building.

As they approached the back lot they saw three finely crafted airships. They were small and compact, seating only 2-3 passengers; obviously built for speed and efficiency. Anyone of them would suit their needs, but before they could choose, Rin stopped and turned to face them, his wide grin practically blinding them.

"I want you to know that it has been an honor to do business with a celebrity such as yourself, Lady Yuna."

Yuna's expression was pure astonishment, the Al Bhed had obviously seen her name when she signed the supposed contract he had drawn up for them, but Tidus had no idea what he meant by 'celebrity'. Rin took notice of her confusion and began to elaborate, "You mean you're not aware of how famous you are? You are quite well known…Although only within a few, secret circles. But I happen to be privy to most of the shady underground that Spira boasts, considering the type of business I run."

Yuna's eyes narrowed dangerously as she realized what their host was insinuating, "You—"

"Hmm yes," he interrupted, eyes squinted shut as he smiled even more widely. "Lord Seymour speaks quite highly of you. We've made quite a few deals in the past and when I saw your name, I couldn't resist letting him know you were here."

"Bastard!" Tidus snarled, reaching for the gunblade at his belt. "You tricked us!"

"Hardly," the Al Bhed grinned. "You simply failed to read the fine print."

"I told ya," O'aka mumbled from where he crouched fearfully at their feet. Yuna pulled out her guns training them on Rin's forehead, her face dark with uninhibited rage.

"Unfortunately," Rin continued, seemingly unphased by the deadly weapons pointed at his face. "You will not be taking one of the Agencies airships to Bikanel Island. Lord Seymour has requested I give you a comfortable place to stay until he arrives."

"You gonna stop us by yourself?" Tidus challenged, kicking O'aka away as the fat man grabbed at his legs for protection.

"I don't think that will be necessary," their host, now captor, said grinning. "The staff that works for the Travel Agency happen to be tenants that have arrived over the years. All owe me quite a few weighty favors and I've brought you into their snare."

The platinum haired Al Bhed raised his right hand and the men and women that had taken care of them the previous night, crept out from behind the airships and the Agency building, now wielding deadly weapons, their eyes glistening with bloodlust. Rin gave them a final smile before melting away into his crowd of villains. Yuna and Tidus quickly arranged themselves back to back, weapons at the ready as the circle of traitorous travelers surrounded them in a large circle. O'aka squatted pitifully at their feet, sniveling fearfully as the danger drew closer.

"This is bad," Tidus mumbled to Yuna while keeping his eyes glued to the two men closest to him. "What do we do?"

"We fight like hell until we can get onto one of those airships," Yuna responded as if it were the most obvious answer.

"You," she barked, prodding O'aka with one of her boots. "Do you know how to fly an airship?"

"N-N-No, Miss."

"Well you're about to learn how," She growled. "We'll clear a path for you and you get one of those things started."

"But I-I never even—" O'aka began to object feebly.

"Would you rather die right here?"

"No."

"Good." With that Yuna nodded to Tidus and the two of them leapt forward charging at the two most dangerous looking tenants. As the fight began, a loud rumble ripped through the gray clouds high above and in the next moment an enormous, a heavy sheet of pounding rain came down on the battlefield. Tidus took immediate advantage of the slippery terrain they now fought on, sliding through the mud on his knees and using the momentum to slam into one of the burly man's knees, knocking him to the ground with a loud grunt. Tidus scrambled on top of him, wrestling an odd hammer-like device from the man's hands and using it to knock him unconscious.

"Nighty, night," he smirked as the big man's tongue rolled out of his mouth while his head flopped sideways. There was a sudden pressure against his neck and the next thing Tidus knew he was being yanked backwards through the air. He realized that the man's partner now held him by the collar a good three-feet off the ground.

Rookie mistake, don't turn your back on the enemy.

He struggled fiercely, kicking his legs in every which direction in an attempt to incapacitate his strangler. He was losing oxygen quickly, but Tidus was currently more concerned with the severe, twisted dagger the large man was aiming at his chest.

"Tidus!" Yuna came to his rescue, leaping over a scrawny woman who charged her, summersaulting through the air and shooting the warped dagger from the man's hand as she landed.

He snarled in anger and pain, dropping Tidus who landed in a crumpled heap coughing violently as his lungs heaved for air. Yuna continued to charge forward, bullets pouring from the ends of her pistols, blowing hundreds tiny holes through the man that had previously held Tidus captive. Only when he lay still, his blood coloring the pools of rainwater, did Yuna stop. She stood over Tidus protectively, eyes blazing fiercely as the barrels of her guns sent wisps of smoke spiraling into the air. Tidus wasn't sure whether or not to be terrified or amazed. At the moment, both emotions seemed acceptable.

"You owe me one," she jabbed, offering her hand to help him to his feet. He took it, grinning ruefully and momentarily forgetting the fact that they were in the middle of a battle for their lives. He was reminded jarringly when it became apparent that Yuna was not the only one capable of using firearms. The tall, slender man with tattoos covering most of his body was aiming directly for Yuna. She saw the danger before Tidus did, but before either of them could move another woman came charging from their right, cornering them. Making a hasty and poorly conceived decision, Tidus shoved Yuna to the ground uttering some sort of guttural shout that might have been similar to the word 'Move'. The moment Yuna hit the ground, Tidus heard the explosion of the tall man's gun, the deadly bullet rushing towards him faster than he could think. At the same time, the woman from his right leapt through the air, covering the final distance between them in less than a second. Barely even aware of his actions, Tidus grabbed the woman by the waist, using her own momentum against her to push her body towards the incoming projectile. Blood splattered against his face as the bullet pushed through the woman's head, maintaining its force as it exited her cranium and skimmed along the very edge of Tidus' cheekbone, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. Blinded by blood and rain, Tidus did not see the gunmen fall, but he heard Yuna's own shot and a dull thud as a body hit the mud.

"Call it even?" he murmured shakily, rubbing the grime away from his eyes. Yuna was looking at him with an expression he had never seen before; he wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Although, when was he ever sure what she was thinking? Tidus felt bile rising in his throat as he looked at the blood on his hands. His whole body had been reduced to tremors a consequence of both the adrenaline of battle and the pellets of freezing rain. He looked around for O'aka, hoping desperately that the portly man had found the courage to stumble his way through the battlefield to hi-jack one of the airships, but he was nowhere to be seen. Yuna drew closer, pressing her shoulder against his as the remainder of their enemies gathered in front of them. They stood back to back with the airships now, but there was no way to escape if only one of them was left to defend against the entirety of Rin's army while the other struggled to work the controls of the ship. Tidus' limbs were too shaky to properly hold wield his weapon properly and he knew Yuna wouldn't be able to last much longer either.

Is this it? He thought miserably as their opponents began to approach them once again. It seemed to Tidus that they had not event put a dent in the opposing forces, for every man they had taken down another one had appeared. The explosive sound of an engine roaring to life made Tidus jump. He whirled around to see O'aka sitting in the cockpit of the nearest airship, an enormous grin stretching across his pudgy cheeks.

"Oi!" He shouted waving madly at them. "I did it! Let this be the day ye remember the heroic actions of ol' O'aka the XIII!"

One of Rin's mercenaries sent a bullet flying at the proud man, missing his cranium by mere inches. O'aka squealed pitifully and ducked into the safety of the cockpit.

"Hurry up!" he shouted. Tidus looked to Yuna who nodded for him to go first, "I'll cover you. Go!"

He forced his shaking legs to move, running as fast as he could to cross the small distance to the airship in a matter of seconds. He scrambled up the side, slipping once on the wet metal, panic making it hard to maintain his grip when he heard Yuna firing rapidly from behind him. O'aka reached out and lifted him into the back seat of the airship, where he collapsed, gasping for breath as spots danced in front of his eyes. Yuna bounded up the side of the craft like a fiend, forcing O'aka out of the pilot's seat and punching the ignition. The engine exploded to life, sending the airship lurching forward and shooting into the sky, leaving their opponents drenched in a cloud of mud and water.

"Does this thing have guns?" Yuna asked, although it was obvious that neither O'aka nor Tidus had the answer. "There are two other ships down there for them to follow us with."

"Ye don't need gun when ye have good ol O'aka!" the merchant shouted, rummaging through the large knapsack he kept on his back and pulling out two large, circular objects.

"Are those—"

"Bombs!" He shouted, a wide grin stretching across his unshaven cheeks. "I did tell ye I had some nifty bits o' weaponry on me."

Without further hesitation O'aka opened the airship's upper hatch, allowing a swirling torrent of air to enter the cockpit, and tossed the deadly explosives at the crowd gathered around the other two airships. The explosion that ensued was so large, that the energy it gave off boosted their engines, sending them rocketing forward at an alarming speed. Tidus didn't need to look back to know that there would be absolutely nothing left to acknowledge that a tiny, yet deadly hotel once had existed on the Thunder Plains. Yuna ordered O'aka to take the wheel and scrambled through the tiny compartment to crouch in front of Tidus. He stared at her through blurred vision, struggling to maintain consciousness.

"You really can't trust anyone in this damn place," he chuckled darkly.

"You're learning," Yuna replied smiling ruefully. She placed a hand on his cheek, a familiar white light emanating from her palm as she knit together the ruined flesh on his face. He felt a fierce itch as the tissue rebuilt itself. Before Yuna could return to her place at the pilot's seat, Tidus placed his hand over her own and gripped it tightly, pressing it against his face. He opened his mouth to speak only to have a wave of nausea and exhaustion leave him wordless.

"Rest now," she murmured, her voice echoing in his ears as the world became dark. The last thing he saw were her beautiful, bi-colored eyes gazing softly into his own.


The airship shook violently, jolting Tidus awake when he knocked his head against the wall. He groaned, rubbing the newly formed lump and looked out the ships cockpit window. They were surrounded by endless golden sands that reflected the sun's harsh rays directly into Tidus eyes. He squinted through the glare into the distance where he could see a collection of tall metal structures sprouting from the endless desert. The ship shook again, sending Tidus sprawling back against his seat, "Ooof!"

Yuna turned around when she heard him exclaim, "Are you alright?"

"Sure," he moaned, rubbing his temples. "What's happening?"

"We made it to Bikanel Island."

"And we got a right feisty caravan around us makin' sure we ain't here to cause trouble!" O'aka shouted from where he continued to pilot the tiny aircraft. Sure enough, when Tidus peered outside again he saw a fleet of Al Bhed ships surrounding their own, occasionally ramming against the side to keep them on point. The ship rocked them again, making Tidus' head ache fiercely, "Ugh….Are we gonna land soon?"

"Sure!" O'aka crowed cheerfully. "Takin' us down now."

They came down on the long landing strip that ran through the metal city, the fleet of airships that had followed them landing around them in turn. The three companions scrambled out of their tiny ship groaning and stretching their aching limbs.

Out of the head airship stepped a tall, blonde man his face embellished with a patch over his left eye.

"Gippal!" Tidus shouted, recognizing the man as his old friend. He ran forward, stumbling slightly, his legs still stiff from sitting in the ship for so long. The two clasped hands upon reaching one another, grinning exuberantly.

"I see you guys made it out of Luca in one piece," Gippal commented, recalling the last time he had met with them on their journey. "How did you guys manage to swing an airship?"

"Long story," Tidus laughed, forgetting his exhaustion as the prospect of receiving the technological support of the Al Bhed on their mission began to fill him with hope. Gippal greeted Yuna as well when she approached and ordered his men to prepare a place for them to stay. O'aka hurried off after them when the promise of a hot meal was mentioned.

"So what are you two doing here?" Gippal asked frowning slightly. "You know that Cid doesn't like people who aren't Al Bhed visiting Bikanel."

Tidus and Yuna looked at eachother hesitantly before responding.

"Look Gip," Tidus began as carefully as he could." I know you're not too keen on the idea of opposing a deadly league of assassin…But, we need your help. We've got no one else to turn to."

Before he could respond, there was a loud squeal that shattered the air. Yuna didn't have time to brace herself before a small, blonde headed rocket tackled her from behind, tan arms wrapping themselves tightly around her neck.

"Yunie!" the girl squeaked, still clutching Yuna tightly. "Is that really you?! I can't believe this! I haven't seen you since we were kids!"

Gippal grinned and poked Tidus in the ribs, gesturing at the newcomer with his thumb, "That's the girl I was tellin' you about."

Tidus blinked in response, not quite sure how he should react to the scene unfolding before him.

"Alright, kiddo," Gippal laughed, stepping forward and peeling the girl off of Yuna, leaving her practically gasping for air. "Give your cousin some room, huh? She just got here."

"Cousin?!" Tidus balked, glancing between the two women trying to discern some kind of resemblance.

"On my mother's side," Yuna responded, turning to acknowledge the girl who had nearly killed her. "It's good to see you again Rikku."

Rikku beamed, elbowing her cousin in the side and speaking in a language Tidus did not understand, "Frana oui belg ib dra kio? Ra'c y lidea, har? (Where you pick up the guy? He's a cutie, neh?)".

Whatever she had said, it made Yuna flush with embarrassment and she retorted hastily, "Ed'c hud mega dryd! (It's not like that!)."

Rikku shrugged, eyeing Tidus interestedly, "Famm ev oui tuh'd fyhd res, lyh E ryja res? (Well if you don't want him, can I have him?)"

Yuna frowned, unamused and Gippal stepped forward, obviously having been privy to the whole conversation, "Woah, woah, woah. What's all this about?"

Rikku giggled and jumped up on her tiptoes to peck him on the cheek. "I'm just teasing!"

Glancing at Yuna, she whispered something in Gippal's ear before spinning on her heel and dashing back into the city shouting, "I'll go tell Pops they're here! He'll be excited to see you guys, I know it!"

"I wouldn't be too sure," Gippal groaned in response. "But we'll worry about that later, you guys look exhausted and you've still got blood on your clothes. Definitely don't want to meet any of the residents looking the way you do."


Gippal led them through the winding streets of the city, but Tidus was so tired he could barely appreciate any of the strange, mechanical beauty the place had to offer. He took them to his abode, a tiny one-room apartment with a small bathroom set down a hallway to the left of the main room.

"Sorry there's only one bed," Gippal said rubbing the back of his neck. "But, one of you could take the couch I suppose."

Tidus didn't think that sounded to satisfying considering the "couch" was really nothing more than a metal frame with some scraps of cloth draped over it. "Anyway, you guys rest in here while I prepare Cid with the news."

Gippal sighed as he turned to leave. "Just don't get your hopes up, ok? Cid's a brave guy, but he's really stubborn about keeping the Al Bhed involved in Al Bhed matters only."

He left them standing alone in his room, sullen silence replacing his lively presence. Yuna touched Tidus' arm to grab his attention, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," he responded, giving her a thumbs up to prove it. As he looked at her, the words he had wanted to say in Macalania returned and danced upon the tip of his tongue. He reached out and took her hands in his own, rubbing his thumbs over the roughness of her knuckles.

"Listen, Yuna. There's something I've been trying to say now for a long time and I'm tired of waiting. So….I'm just gonna say it now. I-"

"Don't." She interrupted him quickly, her eyes boring into his, shining with untold sentiment. "Just don't. Please."

Tidus stood unmoving in the middle of the room while she dropped his hands and moved to stand by the bed, crossing her arms over her chest while doing all she could to avoid meeting his gaze. Frustration bubbled inside Tidus' chest, erasing his hopes for a quiet and sensitive conversation.

"You can never make it easy for me can you?"

Yuna pulled her shoulders back, authoritatively, "Nor you for me."

Slightly taken aback by her response and now even more irritated, he pleaded, "What did I ever do to deserve this from you?"

"It's not a punishment," she mumbled quietly. "I'm trying to protect you."

"No, you're not. Why do you shut me out? Why do you shut the world out? What are you so afraid of?!"

"Enough," she said quietly. Tidus was silent for a moment, surprised by the lack of passion in her response. He had expected her to respond to his frustration with equal vigor. Determined not to surrender he quickly crossed the room to stand in front of her, reaching out and taking her hands again. Yuna's dual-colored eyes flicked towards their clasped hands before speaking in an uncharacteristically pleading tone, "Tidus, I need you to do something for me."

"What is it?" he asked, his eyebrows knitting together in concern. "What? Please just talk to me."

"I want you to borrow one of the airships out there from Gippal and fly home today. Go back to Zanarkand, or Besaid…Anywhere. Just leave now while you still have the chance."

"What are you talking about?" Tidus could not understand where her unexpected demands were coming from. They had traveled this far together, it did not make sense for him to leave her alone for the final battle now. Before he could give voice to his thoughts, however, she spoke once again, "Please. If you care for me at all, you'll leave and you won't look back."

She was looking at him with a strained expression, her eyes glossy. Tidus' frown deepened and he shook his head fiercely, "You can't say that. It's because I care about you that I have to stay!"

"You don't understand—"

"I do, Yuna!" He interrupted before she could reuse the timeless argument that he incapable of appreciating the danger they were in. "You have to stop treating me like I'm too dumb to understand what's going on. I know how dangerous Seymour is. I know what we're up against. I'm staying with you. I made a promise to protect you."

"You don't even know me," she breathed, eyes searching his own.

"I do know you," Tidus replied softly. "I know the real you, the Yuna you're too afraid show anyone. I know who you really are."

Before she could respond, Tidus lifted her chin with the tips of his fingers and drew her face close to his own, pressing his lips against hers. Yuna's breath caught in her throat, her eyes widening significantly as Tidus kissed her gently. She wasn't quite sure how to respond; rarely had she ever been shown this kind of affection. Tidus seemed to be completely capable of guiding the situation, however, as he looped one arm around her waist and pulled her body against his own. She could feel his chest rising and falling, the muscles in his warm arms tensing as they tightened around her. Slowly, she let her eyes close, allowing herself to be enveloped in his affections.

Just this once, she told herself as Tidus' lips moved against her own, causing her heart to flutter rapidly. The moment ended too quickly, as Tidus pulled away to gaze at her affectionately.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." A tender smile played on his lips as he looked at her, quietly awaiting a response. Yuna struggled to arrange her thoughts into some sort of cohesive order, but all she could see was Tidus bright face before her, all she could feel was the warmth of his embrace, all she could taste were his lips on her own. The desires she had kept locked inside herself for so long were bubbling to the surface and she did not care to restrain them anymore. She lurched forward, quite suddenly, intending to press her mouth to his once again but only succeeded in knocking Tidus off balance. They stumbled backwards, landing unceremoniously on the cot sitting in the corner. Yuna quickly pushed herself off of his chest and into a sitting position, her face flushing bight, pink, "I'm sorry."

Tidus chuckled lightly, sitting up as well. "It's ok. I admire your enthusiasm." He adjusted his position, taking her chin in his hand once again and murmuring, "Here…."

This time Yuna met him halfway successfully. She felt Tidus' hand slip behind her neck, holding her gently while his other arm moved to pull her against him once again, a more difficult maneuver this time around as they now sat side by side on the bed. She had just begun to enjoy the moment once again when she felt Tidus tongue suddenly press against her lips, begging entry to her mouth. She barely restrained an aberrant squeak as the new and peculiar sensation sent tremors through her body. Again, she was quite unsure of how to respond, however Tidus was a patient teacher it seemed, and he guided her gently until their tongues tangled together in a strange and wonderful dance. A powerful emotion was building up inside of her, one she had never felt before. In part it was frightening, but mostly it excited her. She had not allowed herself to realize how badly she had wanted this intimacy with her blonde, spiky haired partner until this very moment. Now she realized just how much she hungered for him. She felt the tip of his tongue caress her bottom lip, his hand running up and down her back slowly as he did so.

This time she could not restrain the soft moan he elicited from within her. She drew away, almost immediately afterwards, face burning red with embarrassment. Tidus was giving her that crooked smile of his, his beautiful blue eyes dancing with amusement.

"Wow, Yuna. I don't think I've ever seen you turn this red before," he joked softly. She blushed even harder and shoved his chest, crossing her arms and turning her back to him resentfully.

"Hey," he chuckled, wrapping his arms around her middle and resting his chin on her shoulder. "I like seeing this side of you."

"The weak side of me," she finally managed to mumble, her own voice seeming too high and unfamiliar.

"It's not weakness to show that you have love in your heart," he whispered. She closed her eyes as his lips brushed softly against the tender skin of her neck, moving slowly upward until they reached the space directly beneath her ear. There he placed a teasing kiss before sitting up straight releasing his grip on her waist. She felt an immediate emptiness the moment he was no longer touching her, an ache that only he could fill making her heart seem to swell.

"I could do this forever, believe me." He chuckled lightheartedly, laying down against the cot. "But we should probably get some sleep before all of the negotiations, right?"

Yuna's clear head and straightforward logic seemed to have left her completely. She knew he was right and yet she wanted nothing more than to continue their intimate exchange for as long as she had the strength. Tidus seemed to notice the conflict in her expression and he opened his arms, gesturing for her to lay next to him. She crawled across the cot, lowering herself against his chest, and curling against the curve of his body. Tidus sighed deeply, wrapping one arm around her as he drifted to sleep. Yuna, however, could not rest. She felt as if a part of that she had not known existed had awakened; there was no going back from this point. She craned her neck to gaze at Tidus' peaceful face. His tan skin glowed in the dim light of the room, golden lashes fluttering lightly at he dreamed. She wanted desperately for him to open his ocean, blue eyes. The eyes that were capable of making her feel as if she were worth more than gold with nothing more than a simple glance.

Her right hand rested on his muscled chest, tracing small circles against his skin as it rose and fall with each breath.

I think I…..Is this….love?...It's a much more wonderful feeling than I ever imagined.

For the first time in years, Yuna felt the walls she had built to protect herself crumble away like sand. It had been so long since she had felt so protected, so warm, so loved.

I'll cherish this moment, she thought as she closed her eyes sleepily. Even if this is the only moment we get. I'll cherish it forever.


When the sun shifted in the sky, sending light from the burning desert slanting through the cracks in the building, Yuna awoke, still tangled in Tidus' arms. She had no desire to move and instead closed her eyes once again, breathing deeply, imprinting the scent of salt, leather, and fresh air that Tidus bore into her mind. She felt him stirring against her, his arms unwinding themselves to stretch above his head as he yawned loudly. Relaxing and draping one arm over her waist, he gazed at her with his beautiful, azure eyes and smiled gently, "Morning."

"Good morning," she responded returning his smile.

"Look at that," he murmured reaching up and tracing her curved lips lightly with the tips of his fingers. "Told ya I knew the real you."

"Mmn," she replied simply, basking in the warmth that seemed to envelope her. Her eyes flickered to the raised, white scar that marred his smooth cheek. A remnant of their battle at the Agency. She reached tentatively toward it, brushing her fingers over the damaged skin. Tidus' blue eyes moved over her face a light smile playing on his lips, his expression one of absolute adoration. Suddenly, his blonde brows knit together, and he peered at her closely as if trying to glean some sort of answer for an unspoken question.

"What is it?" Yuna whispered as she rested her hand on his cheek.

"Not quite sure," Tidus responded, his serious expression becoming peaceful once again. "But I think I'm falling in love with you."

His words sent her heart soaring into the heaven's, but a bitter taste filled her mouth as she realized how wrong it would be for her to continue to receive his affections. It hurt more than he would ever know to turn away from what he was offering her, but she could not allow him to come any closer. She could not let him know. She smiled at him tenderly, "That was your first mistake."

He frowned, trying to grasp the meaning of her words as she removing herself from his arms and sat up against the edge of the bed.

"What do you mean—where are you going?" He asked, sitting up and grabbing her arm to keep her near.

"We have a meeting with Cid, remember. If we don't hurry, we'll be late."

Now she could see the pain shining in Tidus' eyes and she had to turn away to hide the tears that threatened to fall from her own.

"Yuna," he whispered pleadingly. "I thought…Please. I-"

He sighed and let his chin drop to his chest, his hand loosening its grip on her forearm. Yuna's heart ached as she looked at him, longing more than anything to fall into his arms again and never let go.

"Listen," she began, turning to face him. "What happened between us was….special. But we can't continue like this. You must believe me when I say that it will be better for both of us if we…pretend that it didn't happen."

The heaviness in her chest seemed to weigh her down, making every word a struggle to say, but she knew that this was the only way to protect him. People who came to close to her lost their lives and if protecting Tidus meant breaking his heart, then she would gladly do it. Tidus kept his eyes trained on his feet, his hands clenched tightly in front of him. Yuna clenched her jaw, allowing the walls she had built around her heart to reform, closing her eyes in an attempt erase the bliss she had felt when his body held hers. Before she could, Tidus interrupted her thoughts, standing abruptly as reaching out to grab her arms and locking her in place.

"No," he growled. "I won't believe that! I know you don't either. You can't just ignore what's happening between us no matter how much it scares you. I won't let you do that to yourself."

"Tidus—"

"Listen to me for once," he continued, tightening his grip on her. "I know you're afraid of the unknown, I know you don't like people to come too close. But the strength of another person is what you've needed all along, Yuna. I would've thought that our journey had taught you that."

She blinked at him, her resolve disintegrating the longer he spoke.

"So you can stand there and tell me that it's for the best if we don't get any closer, but I know that's not what you want."

He was so close now, his azure eyes drawing her in. His hands loosened on her arms and found their way to her hips, pulling her forward until their bodies touched.

"So for once, forget what is 'right' or what you feel is your 'duty'. Look me in the eye and tell me you don't feel something for me, too. If you can say that, then I'll go."

She stared at him, the words she needed to say catching in her throat. Everything he said made her feel as if it would be ok. But if he knew the truth….

"I-"

There was a banging of metal on metal as the door was pushed open without warning and Rikku appeared in the entrance, in all of her bikini-clad glory.

"Ooooh," she cooed, arching a perfectly shaped eyebrow and studying the scene unfolding in front of her. "Am I interrupting something?"

"Kinda," Tidus murmured, glancing briefly at the small, scantily clad Al Bhed girl, before returning his focus to Yuna. Her face was turning a bright shade of pink.

Rikku chuckled lightly, "Alright kiddies, I'll leave you to it! But finish up soon! Pops is ready to meet with you!"

She stepped out of the tent, waggling her eyebrows at them as she did. Tidus sighed and smiled ruefully at her, "Kinda ruined the moment, eh?"

His face grew serious again, "You know, you tell me over and over again that I don't know you, but honestly I think I'm the only one who really does."

Her heart was pounding against her ribs as she felt his warm hands tighten around her hips. She knew how dangerous it would be to reveal how strongly she cared for him, but feeling his arms around her waist and his lips against her skin made it hard to want anything else but his touch.

"I don't want you to get hurt," she managed to whisper, her fingers clutching at the fabric of his shirt. "If anything happens to you because of me…."

"Stuff's already happened to me because of you," he chuckled lightly. "How much more dangerous can it get?"

When she realized that he was right, she felt as if a large weight had suddenly been lifted from her shoulders. Together, they had journeyed across Spira, risking life and limb for one another and facing enemy after enemy, each more deadly than the last. For so long she had maintained a steady distance in the hopes that he would leave her and return to a normal life. But there was no hope of that any more, she realized. Seymour would hunt Tidus to the ends of the earth as punishment for ever fighting by her side. And if they did not stop the mad man now, Tidus would not be the only one to fear his wrath, but the rest of Spira as well. The only lucrative option was for them to stay together and fight, as Tidus had suggested, with the strength of another person at their side.

"Then stay with me," she pleaded, cupping his face in her hands and bringing their foreheads together. "Stay with me until the end."

"Not until the end," he replied, his breath tickling her face as his lips moved against her cheek. "Always."

A doleful smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. She stood on her tiptoes, lips barely touching his while she whispered, "Always then."

She closed the last bits of space between them and let herself be swept away in the warmth of his love.