Sorry for the long update, and short chapter, but this is where chapter 4 ends, and we can then move onto chapter 5. thanks for being patient while I updated, and I will update as soon as possible.

Part 9: Cold Hard Fact

Day 7: Seaside City of Bodhum

"You're kidding, right?" Snow asked Serah. They were in his house, and Serah was now attempting to break up with him all of a sudden.

"I mean it." she strolled out of his house, with Snow following lazily behind, hands behind his head.

"You can't drop the breakup bomb like that." he told her. "Being alone's alright, I guess." he thought for a moment. "Yep. Always was until we met."

Serah ignored him.

"But then we did." Snow said softly. "And know I know there's something better: Being with you." he pleaded.

Serah stopped where she had been walking, and her shoulder began to shake.

"We've come too far to quit now." Snow added.

Serah spun around. "It's not your choice!" she shouted.

Snow started down the steps. "You really want to leave me?"

"I don't want to, I have to." her voice was starting to break. She took a deep breath and looked him in the face. "Listen." she said, more in control. "It's over." she said. "Please, just stay away from me."

Serah continued walking down the walkway away from the house, with Snow leaping the last of the steps.

"What happened?" he called after her. "At least tell me that. If it was something I did, just say it."

Serah spun around to yell again, but her face quickly fell. He could tell it was hurting her to do this, but if she was going to leave him, he deserved to know why.

"Okay." she said quietly.

Serah turned away, and started untying a bandage Snow just noticed on her left bicep.

"Look." she said when she was finished, moving her arm so he could see.

There on her arm was what he thought was a tattoo, but upon closer inspection, his eye widened in fear. The tattoo was in fact the brand of the Pulse l'Cie. He had always heard stories of the dangerous l'Cie but never imagined Serah, his girlfriend, could be one.

"Branded by Pulse." she said sadly. "I'm a l'Cie."

Snow stumbled back, barely able to stand anymore. "No…" he whispered.

Tears welled up in Serah's eyes. "Enemy of Cocoon. Danger to us all." she weeped.

Hope sank to the ground, as his legs suddenly felt like jelly. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Serah wouldn't hurt a fly.

"Get it now?" she weeped. "You're my enemy." she turned around. "Good-bye." and ran away, with tears streaking down her face.

Snow didn't know how long he knelt there, but from what he could tell, Phoenix was almost setting. That was long enough for him to pound his fist on the pavement, and take off after Serah, and idea brewing in his head.

Back in Bodhum, after searching for Serah, Snow found Maqui working on a pair of velocycles.

"Serah? Hm. Nah, haven't seen her." He responded after Snow asked.

"Sorry to bother you." Snow smiled. "Good work on those bikes." he called back.

"Don't worry about the bikes, just find Serah." Maqui called back.

Snow hoped he'd find Serah in the diner, but found the lebreau wiping the bar. She looked up as he entered the bar, and immediately saw he was upset.

"Why the long face?" she asked. "You and Serah have a fight?"

"Something like that." he grinned sheepishly. "She's trying to drop the big BU bomb on me."

Lebreau stared thoughtfully at him for a while before sighing. "I don't mean to be insensitive, but if you get that upset just talking about breaking up, it's no wonder it happened."

Snow stared, completely flabbergasted at what she said, but it couldn't be helped, he realized. She's right. He'd always avoided talking about breaking up with Serah whenever she brought it up in the past, and now was no different.

"What are you doing moping around here?" she scolded bringing his train of thought crashing. She smiled sweetly at him. "Go find that girl of yours and tell her what you've got to tell her. I'll throw a romantic dinner when you inevitably make up."

"Right." Snow nodded. "Thanks Lebreau, and I'll make it up to you." he promised as he left.

"You better take good care of Serah, or that sister of hers will string you up. She's hardly your biggest fan, right?" she called after him.

"Got that right."he responded, shivering at the thought.

"Hey, Snow?" she called back.

He turned around, and found her smiling knowingly, like she always did.

"Nice sunset, isn't it? Maybe you should find someone to watch it with." she nodded at the dock that stuck into the ocean.

Snow turned around, and saw Serah staring sadly at the sunset.

"Well, it's now or never." he muttered and raced as fast as his legs could carry him to the dock Serah.

Serah stared at Phoenix as he made his descent to the horizon, and traveling to the other side of Cocoon to bring light over there. Usually, she and Snow would watch the sunset together, but today was different. There would be no more Snow, or Lightning. She was going to leave and turn herself in to the Sanctum. This way she wouldn't bring any trouble to NORA, Lightning, or Snow. Strangely, she felt at peace with this thought.

"Serah!" A voice called out.

She turned and saw Snow racing breathlessly up the dock. He reached her and grabbed her wrist, yanking her brand into view. His face showed the stubborn determination he always had.

"What is your focus?" he panted. "L'Cie have a focus, right? I'll go with you. Help you do it. Just let me."

Serah tugged at her arm. "No. If you're with me the Sanctum will-"

"I will be with you!" Snow pleaded. He took her hand, and grasped it in between his own gloved hands. "No matter what! We've come too far to quit now." He looked her deeply in the eyes, showing passion and determination. The look she had fallen for. But it wouldn't help here.

"I don't know." Serah muttered. "I don't know my focus." her voice shook. "I'm gonna be a monster."

Snow wrapped his arms around her chest and pulled her close. "Not if I'm here. I'll protect you."

He released Serah, and she turned to look at him. "We'll figure this out-do it together." he smiled. "Okay?"

Tears brimmed in her eyes, and she smiled. "Okay." and she melted back into his arms.

They stood like this for a moment, enjoying each other's warmth.

"If it's true what they say." Serah said after a moment. "When we're finished I'll turn to crystal."

"Don't worry." Snow reassured her. "When l'Cie complete their focus they're blessed with the gift of eternity." he looked up at the vestige, that was the cause of all this mess. "They wouldn't call it eternity if you died. You'll see." He pulled her back into his embrace. "You and me, we'll always be together."

Even if death was all that she had waiting, nothing would've changed. Serah was brave enough to face it.

Part 10: Separate Paths

Lightning took cover behind one of the crystal trees, and surveyed the area before waving Hope over. He rushed over and knelt down next to her. On the way to the Gapra Whitewood, she had been tutoring him in the basics of Guardian Corps. knowledge. He now knew most of the code words and military hand motions. They'd even come up with their own paradigms based on their duo style combat.

"Can't believe we made it." Hope muttered.

The gate they had entered to get here closed behind them, with no obvious way out at the moment.

"That'll slow down pursuit." she remarked.

"But aren't there troops on this side?" Hope reminded her. "We can't relax just yet."

"Right." She agreed. "We press on. I'll take point. You watch our backs."

"Actually...why don't you let me take point?" Hope suggested.

Lightning turned, concern written all over her face. "Can you handle it?" she asked.

He ran ahead of her and turned around, staring her fully in the face. "It's not a question of can or can't."

Lightning smiled. Something she found herself doing a lot more lately. "Now you're learning." She nodded her head towards the whitewood, and Hope happily walked ahead.

"Keep your eyes front. I'll watch the rear." she called up to him.

"Got it."

As they traveled through the crystal forest, Lightning explained what the Gapra whitewood was. It is a border zone that separates the wilderness of the Vile Peaks from Palumpolum. Under Sanctum military jurisdiction, the Whitewood serves as an experimental facility for researching bioweapons. The security of the area is built into it's design-the paths winding through the trees are deliberately confusing, which causes intruders to become hopelessly lost.

"But not if you've been here before for training." Lightning grinned mischieviously, seemingly hiding something that would no doubt have gotten her kicked off the GC faster than a behemoth could cut her in half.

Thus they continued on through the winding maze of crystal trees, anxious to get to Palumpolum.