Hello peeps, SGTTidus and FantasyGoddess here with the next (though LONG overdue) chapter of A World Away! It took us FOREVER to finish it, but good things come to those who wait. So, without further ado, ON WITH THE STORY!

Chapter 12: What's Worth the Prize is Always Worth the Fight

Braska's POV

I stood in the waiting room by the window looking out, sipping on a cup of coffee from the urn in the room. Lenne, Rikku and Cemahla were sitting in some oversized plush chairs on one side of the room.

Do we live our dreams or do we live our nightmares? I thought. My dream has always been for my daughter to find the one she loves, just... to be happy. My nightmares, I didn't want to think about them. Losing Yuna, Yuna losing Tidus, losing my beloved wife, Yuna losing us. All my dreams and nightmares revolved around my wife and daughter. Yuna was my world from the day she was conceived. I knew she would be special.

What is a father's dream? I pondered as I looked out at the traffic below. For his child to find happiness. That's what mine is anyway. I took a sip of coffee. I remember the day Yuna found out she was pregnant. A smile played its way across my face. She was so happy. I'm happy that she found the one that Yevon put here for her. Then my smile faded. Tidus isn't out of the woods yet. When Yuna showed up just after that storm my heart was breaking. The only time I had seen her cry was a month ago when he left for Odaiba. I cant believe I jumped to such a ridiculous conclusion. All that boy wants is Yuna's happiness. I pray to Yevon that he pulls through.

I looked over at my niece and Lenne, who were still sitting in the chairs off in their own worlds. I took another sip of coffee and turned my gaze to the traffic below, falling back into my thoughts once again. I sensed my wife walk up behind me. One of the benefits of a successful 25 year marriage.

Cemahla's POV

"What is it honey?" he asked calmly, still staring out at traffic.

"Are you alright dear?" I asked softly, gently laying a hand on my husbands shoulder.

He sighed and said quietly, "I don't... I don't know."

"Talk to me honey. I'm listening." I coaxed, squeezing his shoulder slightly.

He turned and faced me slightly, sighing again and looking over towards Lenne and our niece.

With my finger under his chin, I directed his gaze back towards me and looked deep in his eyes. "Braska?" I asked softly.

"E tuh'd ghuf tayn." he responded, shifting his eyes from my gaze.

I tilted my head, catching his gaze again. "Oac, oui tu." I said soothingly.

He sighed again, saying, "Ed'c zicd... ajanodrehk mydamo."

I placed a hand over his heart and nodded knowingly. "Uha drehk yd y desa tayn."

"Famm, Tidus, Yuna, ran sedynneyka, ran tecdnacc, dra vyld dryd e lyh'd veq ed yhosuna..." he trailed off.

"Veq fryd tayn?" I asked softly.

"Ran bnupmasc. E ymfyoc icat du syga ran bnupmasc paddan" he said sadly.

"Cra'c hud y meddma kenm yhosuna." I said gently.

"E ghuf, pid e cdemm caa ran yc uha." he responded sadly.

"Yht oui ymfyoc femm, pid oui haat du ihtancdyht dryd cra'c y ouihk fusyh huf tayn. Cra'c hud dra meddma kenm oui nasaspan." I said soothingly.

Braska looked away and remained silent for several seconds. When I directed his gaze back towards me, I noticed his eyes were sad. A lone tear made its way down his cheek. No words were needed as I understood how he was feeling. I placed my hands on either side of his face and leaned my forehead against his, looking deep in his eyes before hugging him in a comforting manner.

Rikku's POV at the beginning of Braska and Cemalaha's conversation.

I was sitting in the plush chair playing with my numerous braids like I always do, thinking about Yunie. Lenne was sitting in the chair next to me reading a magazine, humming softly to herself.

How can you be so calm while Yunie's laid up in a hospital bed? I thought while looking briefly at Lenne.

"I don't know dear." said Uncle Braska.

"Yes, you do." said Auntie Cemahla.

They're talking in Al Bhed! I thought, turning around in my chair to look at them, trying to hear more. Not breaking my stare, I poked Lenne in what I hoped was her arm.

"It's just... everything lately." sighed Uncle Braska.

Auntie Cemahla placed a hand on his chest and nodded. "One thing at a time dear."

"Lenne, Lenne" I whispered, still poking her.

She grumbled, but didn't reply. I was gonna have to take drastic measures to get her attention.

"Well, Tidus, Yuna, her miscarriage, her distress, the fact that I cant fix it anymore..."

"Fix what dear?" asked Auntie Cemahla.

I turned around briefly and glared at Lenne, who was still reading her magazine like I wasn't even poking her. So, I slapped her knee hard. "Lenne!"I hissed.

She finally slammed the magazine down in her lap and looked at me. "What in Yevon's name do you want Rikku?" keeping her voice low but still snarling back at me.

Yikes. I thought. I jerked my head back towards Uncle Braska and Auntie Cemahla by the window and pointed, whispering "Look, look."

"Her problems. I always used to make her problems better." said Uncle Braska

"Shes not a little girl anymore." Auntie Cemahla said gently.

Lenne looked over to where I was pointing, glared back at me and picked up her magazine again, saying, "They're talking Rikku. It's private."

"Yeah, but its in Al Bhed." I protested. All Lenne did was shake her head, sigh and turn the page. I leaned further over the back of my chair, trying to take in more of what they were saying.

"I know, but I still see her as one." Uncle Braska said sadly.

Just like Pops. I thought.

"And you always will, but you need to understand that she's a young woman now dear. She's not the little girl you remember." Auntie Cemahla responded softly.

I glanced back at Lenne, who was flipping through the magazine. Rolling my eyes I looked back towards Uncle Braska and Auntie Cemahla just in time to see...

"Whoa." I breathed.

"Rikku what is it?" Lenne asked agitatedly. All I did was point to Uncle Braska and Auntie Cemahla.

"Oh..." Lenne trailed off at the sight of Uncle Braska breaking down slightly and Auntie Cemahla comforting him.

I was leaning so far over the back of the chair, straining to hear what they were saying, if anything, when suddenly Uncle Braska and Auntie Cemahla turned towards me and Lenne. "Eek!" I shrieked as I lost my balance from the surprise and tumbled over the back of the chair.

"Rikku!" Lenne exclaimed, grabbing at where I was moments earlier.

Crumpled in a heap on the floor I brushed my braids out of my face and groaned, "Owwie." I looked up and saw Auntie Cemahla smiling down at me, uncle Braska had his arms folded looking over his glasses at me with the slightest smirk on his face, and Lenne standing over me with her hands on her hips, frowning at me. "Hehehehe... Hi." I grinned sheepishly.

Yuna's POV

I had woken up from my nap and was watching my favorite channel, HGTV. The sunlight was filtering through the lilac curtains as someone knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"It's Lenne." she responded.

"It's open." I said as she came in.

"Sleep well?" Lenne asked.

"For once, yeah." I replied, smiling slightly.

"Did it ever occur to you that your cousin is completely nuts?" she asked, chuckling.

"Oh Yevon, what did she do this time?" I asked, laughing.

"Oh, she fell over the back of her chair eavesdropping on your parents." she replied with an amused smile.

"What were they saying?" I asked my friend.

Lenne just shrugged, saying while chuckling, "How should I know? I don't speak Al Bhed."

"They were speaking in Al Bhed..." I trailed off. The only time I ever heard them talk in Al Bhed was when they were discussing serious matters when I was growing up. I thought.

"How are you feeling now?" Lenne asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"I'm ok, its just..." I trailed off.

"It's just what Yuna?" she asked softly, her smile fading slightly.

"Why does life have to be so hard? Why can't it be direct?" I asked, sighing and looking at Lenne.

"Against the grain should be your way of life." Lenne said knowingly.

"But, it's so hard." I replied, and lately, it was.

"That's why you have to leave your fears behind Yuna." she responded, sitting at the end of the bed. "If you sit there wallowing in fear, you'll never accomplish anything in life."

"I know..."

"But..?" she asked, reading my mind.

"I haven't let my fears go, and there's no second tries." I said softly.

Lenne moved closer and took my hand. "That's not true Yuna. There's always a second try."

"Doesn't seem like it." I replied.

"Is it worth it?" she asked bluntly.

I looked Lenne in the eyes, a bit taken aback by her question. Is she insulting me? I wondered.

Lenne stood up and squeezed my hand slightly, not breaking eye contact. "Tidus, the baby, your friends, family, the future you strive for, is it all worth it?" she asked directly.

I looked through Lenne then I looked down at the bedspread, mulling over what she said.

I felt Lenne squeeze my hand again, causing me to look up at her. "You're strong Yuna, you'll get through this." she said, smiling at me and getting up, moving towards the door. From the doorway, she turned and looked at me. She smiled and said, "Whats worth the prize is always worth the fight."

I smiled back at her and nodded. She was right, everything I was going through is worth the fight. A fight I'm not losing.

Lenne smiled back and walked out the door, closing it with a soft click.

I sat there for a moment thinking about the conversation I just had with Lenne. Then I grabbed my journal and rummaged through my purse for something to write with, finally pulling out my favorite pen with the fuzzy tip. I sat there for the longest time, trying to figure out where to start writing. Tapping my pen on the open journal, I think about what Lenne said and begin to write.

Yuna's Journal Entry

August 25, 2006

So much has happened... I nearly lost the one I love most and to make matters worse, I almost lost our baby. I keep feeling like I can't handle this. Its overwhelming in every possible way... everyone keeps telling me I can handle this and I am strong enough. How can it be so hard when you know what you have to do? You know you have to be strong, you know you have to overcome it all but you feel so lost. And I've been trying so hard. I feel like I'm going to fail, but I know I can't. I have to succeed for Tidus and our baby. I will go on, I must.

Lenne stopped by to see how I was after my ordeal. She mentioned something that inspired me. She said whats worth the prize is always worth the fight. Tidus, our baby, my family and friends, they're all worth the fight. Against the grain should be my way of life, and I need to leave my fears behind. And there's always a second try.

End entry

I sat there looking at what I had just written in cerulean blue ink and yawned, my eyelids feeling very heavy. I set the pen down in the middle of the journal and leaned my head back, drifting off to sleep.

We hope you enjoyed the chapter. We promise, you won't have to wait another six months before the next one comes out. Next chapter, Lulu comes to visit. Wonder what that means...? O.o Stay tuned for Chapter 13 of A World Away, If Today Was Your Last Day!