Hope: Searching

This storm is incredible. I would be more appreciative of its magnificent power should Ginger be safe at home and not out in the middle of it. Lucan had called me in a panic and informed me of her disappearance then I'd immediately called Sazh, asking for his help. In all it takes less than twenty minutes for everyone to mobilise and head out in search of her, but it's not soon enough for me.

"Can't wait to meet this woman of yours, kid. Sounds like one hell of a lady," Sazh remarks, glancing across at me from his pilot's seat. I smile briefly, picturing her amongst a background of apple blossoms and lavender. She is.

"Sis knows about the accident." I turn to look in her brother's direction as he speaks, noting the familiar anxiety on his face. I feel it eating away at my insides. Lucan is strapped into his flight seat on the other side of the airship, as too is Sazh's son. The little guy's fast asleep and clutching a yellow chocobo doll in his arms. Apparently he can sleep through anything; the storm's wailing roar nor lightning strikes off the bow waking him.

"What happened?" I ask.

"She confronted father at breakfast after he smashed the chocobo flower. Said she knew he'd been keeping things from her and demanded to know what was going on. Father told her all of it. Sis went to her room then. Didn't see her all afternoon on account of saying she needed time alone, then around dinner time I noticed Rhongo was gone. Sis too. I went as far out as I could but the weather forced me back. Didn't know what else to do so I called you."

"You did all you could, Lucan. She'll be fine," I tell him with a smile. If only I could reassure myself so easily.

I look out of the panelled glass at the front of the airship, rain streaking down it in rivulets as we speed through the darkness. Sazh is our best pilot but I'm beside myself, desperate to find Ginger safe and sound. The only reason we're able to track her at all is that Rhongo has a GPS chip implanted under his skin. So far the signal has stayed in one place and we're closing in, but the tension inside me is mounting.

Of course, Ginger may not even want to see me again. I had kept something from her, after all. When I'd arrived at the ranch that day with my pathetic excuse of coming to check on her reading, I'd found her unconscious in a pool of blood, spread out on the kitchen floor with her family in disarray. Not wasting a second, I took her up to Bhunivelze and rushed her to a hospital. Ginger would have died had I not.

Her father though. I'll never forget the look in his eyes as he made me swear never to mention any of it. I didn't understand why, but not wishing to make things difficult for Ginger, I acquiesced to his wishes. That decision has lain uneasily on my conscience ever since.

"Hey guys. We're here," Sazh calls, bringing me out of my reverie. Our destination appears to be a small stone and mortar building, standing alone in a wide expanse of scrubland. There's nothing else for miles around. I feel anxiety knotting itself tighter and tighter still in my stomach the closer we get to landing. Ginger has to be here. She'd never leave Rhongo by himself out in this storm.

The moment we're on the ground, I dash down the boarding ramp, into the driving wind and rain and throw open the door. It's dark and at first I see nothing. Wild streaks of lightning are the only source of illumination in the building, flashing through a tiny window set into the far wall. As my eyes adjust to the darkness, panic stirs inside me and I make out angular shapes: boxes, crates and barrels wrapped in tarpaulin. Then I see her, nestled against her beloved chocobo like a frightened child clings to its mother. Thank Etro, she's safe!

Lucan is a mere second behind me and rushes to embrace his sister, asking in rapid tones if she's injured or hurt. Eventually, he seems satisfied with her condition and catches my eye, passes on the responsibility of her well-being. I go to kneel before her on the ground. Rhongo is whuffling soft calls deep in his throat and keeping her shrouded with a protective wing.

"Hope?" Ginger looks up at me with wide eyes, her rain-streaked face still so beautiful in the dim, flickering light of the lodge.

"I'm here." Relief flows through me, palpable in its presence and an elixir to my frayed nerves. I want to touch her and confirm that she's not some cruel mirage. Ginger doesn't flinch away as I reach out and I take her hands into mine. They're freezing cold. "You're soaked wet through. Let's get you warm."

I'm already pulling off my raincoat and wrapping it around Ginger's shoulders as she begins to speak, voice crackled and weary. "You came all the way out here just to find me?"

"All that matters to me is that you're safe and well. Don't worry about anything else," I say.

Tears drip sadly from sapphire eyes, down her cheeks and into the darkness beyond. I'm just so relieved that she's safe. When I pull Ginger close, wrapping my arms carefully about her waist, she reciprocates the gesture and then we're staring at each other. Before we realise what's happening my lips are on hers. I never expected our first kiss to be like this but to me it's the most unbelievable feeling nonetheless.

Ginger sighs as we part. She rests her forehead against mine and whispers, "I believe I owe you my life."

"Hey. Didn't I just tell you not to worry about that?" I say, pulling the coat back around her shoulders.

"I'm talking about my unconscious flight to Bhunivelze and the three days I spent in hospital."

"Oh, right. That." I look up, expecting disappointment in the soft curves of her face, but Ginger merely smiles. Apparently she owes me her life twice now. I'm glad to see the Pulsian spirit is unharmed despite all of this. "You don't owe me anything except a date up on Bhunivelze, like we agreed. Are you mad at me?"

"No Hope. I know it was all father's doing, though I don't know why he reacted like that. Things have been bad for a while now. I don't really know what's going on with him," Ginger replies with a sigh. "And I noticed there's no scarring at all on my arm. From what I remember, the wound was pretty bad, wasn't it?"

I nod, trying to push the memory out of my mind even as I recall what happened. "It sliced an artery and due to all the bacteria in the wolf's claws, we had to clean and recycle your blood. I visited you in the hospital before and after work each day. My little secret is that I healed your scar with old l'Cie magic."

Ginger just stares, that look on her face almost more than I can bear. I know it's probably just shock at everything she's been through, but I don't want reverence for what I did. That's not why I did it. Helping her up off the floor and out into the airship through the still raging storm, she seems exhausted and confirms that by falling asleep against my shoulder.

Lucan looks across at his recumbent sister and then at me, his face unreadable. But then he smiles and I know he's just given me his blessing. For as long as I still draw breath I won't let either of them down.