Credit for some this chapter goes to commenter Tossingtides! Thanks so much for the idea you gave me a while back! This was initially going to be a lot closer to your idea, but I just couldn't find a way to fit that in with the rest of what was going on, so I ended up with this. I hope you enjoy it!

ALSO. Hate to break my streak, but I'm going to be missing next week's update due to stuff. Don't worry, though! Just one week! Promise. :)

The extended hug might have been awkward to all of the onlookers in the room, but Ignis didn't care. Evan was welcome to keep hugging him all he wanted.

…Apart from the fact that the hug was already just a bit too tight. Just a bit too much contact for Ignis to endure for long.

Ignis tried to take slow breaths. Calm. Calm. He could remain calm for Evan's sake. He'd done enough already to hurt the boy.

"I… I really don't like Ardyn," Evan muttered into Ignis' collar.

There were several snorts and snickers from the others nearby, and Ignis felt his panic ebb slightly at the unexpected humor as he chuckled.

"He has made sympathy rather difficult at this point," Lunafreya said softly, and Ignis glanced her direction to find her staring at her lap, her hands clasped tightly there.

Had she truly actually formed some type of civil connection with Ardyn? That was such a difficult concept to wrap his mind around, even with Lunafreya's level of mercy. Perhaps he needed to make time to ask her some questions in the near future.

…Oh. Evan's touch really was becoming uncomfortable. He needed to find a way to extract himself without hurting the boy's feelings.

His mind was still racing to solve that dilemma when the lights went out.

"What the hell?" Loqi demanded, sounding more tired and irritated then actually alarmed.

There was a hissing sound and it took Ignis a moment to realize the noise belonged to Echo rather than any daemon. And he'd thought Evan was odd when they'd first found him…

Evan – thank the Six – stepped away from Ignis to look around, though he looked on the verge of tripping over air in the darkness.

Of course Ignis might have been able to see them all well enough, but they didn't have his advantage. Sometimes he wondered how he ever coped without his enhanced eyesight. Then again, it hadn't constantly been night prior to him receiving them.

At least Ardyn had been good for something, even if it had been entirely by accident.

"Prompto?" Ignis called, only slightly louder than normal levels.

And then Ignis almost went blind as a light shot out from somewhere behind all the chairs. He grunted in protest, shielding his eyes.

What the devil was this?

"All right, move your heads."

His head? What?

Ignis didn't resist as Aranea snagged his coat and pulled him back over to his chair, but he was still confused. Evan moved as well, giving Ignis one last tearful yet happy glance before he scurried off to a chair in the second row.

What was–

Ah. So that was it.

A projector. Unexpected. Rare. Very Prompto, though. It explained why he would call them all here – this was the best building for this that Ignis could think of as well. But what did Prompto want to show them all?

Ignis wished he had his shaded spectacles, but he made do with squinting at the bright picture.

Whatever he had been expecting, it definitely wasn't an old news broadcast.

His heart gave a pang of longing at the sight of Insomnia as he settled more comfortably into his chair.

Oh, beautiful Insomnia. In the day. The darkened ruins that Ignis had visited not so long ago were a mockery of that once great city.

The words of the broadcast weren't really important. Just a weather report right then. But still… the news woman's voice… Ignis had never realized that was a lost comfort of familiarity until now. He wondered what had happened to her.

"This is what… it was like before?" Dino asked, and it clicked for Ignis why he'd gotten his name. "This used to be right outside Crestholm?"

The disbelief and wonder in the boy's voice pained Ignis. It hadn't even been that long. Of course, the extra Argentums weren't normal children, but the fact remained younger members of the population didn't know anything better than this. They had no memories of better times. Of the world when it had been bright and kinder.

Kind.

The aching within Ignis only grew as the broadcast moved on from the weather and Regis appeared.

Ignis swallowed past the pain in his throat.

I have failed you. But you'd always known I would, didn't you?

Take care of his son. Not save. Take care.

Regis had never intended Ignis to save Noct – only to help shoulder his burdens.

That was a bloody lot of expectation to put on the shoulders of a six-year-old. And a lot of faith too.

Ignis couldn't find it in himself to resent Regis. He must have been going through so much pain of his own, and really, what good would telling them have done? How well could children cope knowing that was their future?

It was good to see that old friendly face again, even if it was just a recording. Granted, he wasn't that old yet.

"Hey, that's Noct," Gladio piped up suddenly.

Ignis blinked out of his thoughts, scouring every inch of the footage before him.

Gladio was right, as to be expected. Being able to find and protect Noct was his job, after all.

"…Okay am I imagining things, or is that a certain someone else beside him?" Aranea nudged Ignis with her elbow.

She was right as well.

They weren't terribly obvious, but there both of them were in the background. Noct was in the arms of his nanny, curled into her shoulder and sleeping.

Ignis chuckled. Of course. His habit of sleeping anywhere he could had started young.

And there was Ignis himself – standing with board-straight posture beside the nanny.

"You look a stuffy little brat." Aranea cackled.

There were some snickers of agreement from some of the others.

Ignis sighed. "Is it safe to assume this harassment is going to last for quite some time?"

"Oh, absolutely."

"You owe us this much."

"Yep."

"Better deal with it, dude!" Prompto suddenly popped up at Ignis' side, clapping him on the shoulder.

Ignis shook his head fondly. "Fair enough. It's good to see you again, Prompto."

"You too, Iggy." Prompto beamed at him, looking on the verge of tears of joy. His hand slid off of Ignis' shoulder, and he crouched down beside his chair, scratching the back of his head. "I, uh… Well, guys who'd been scavenging for Crestholm found this and had it sent to the news guys a couple days back. It's not really exciting, but I thought it might… y'know, break the ice? Remind us all of home?"

"Quite right you were," Ignis said.

Prompto's plan had been more successful than he'd realized. Just him gathering them here had been a good first step, and now the film was an extra bonus.

"You should play this for the children of the city," Ignis voiced his thoughts from just a bit ago.

"Whaa? The news? From, like, twenty years ago? For kids?" Prompto sounded more doubtful with every sentence.

"The daylight, Prompto." Ignis gestured. "Some of them have never seen such a thing, and those that have might be too young to recall it."

"…Okay. True."

"I think the whole city could use the reminder, not merely the children. Perhaps both the cities," Ravus said, leaning forwards in his chair to speak with them. "Would you agree, Loqi?"

He got no answer, and they all glanced over to find Loqi slumped over asleep in his chair. Echo was supporting his weight so he wouldn't topple over.

Ravus shook his head. "I'll broach the topic once he awakens. You might consider taking a trip to Crestholm to set this up, Prompto."

"Huh?" Prompto almost fell over out of his crouched position. "Me? Crestholm?"

Cor tilted his head at that as well.

Ravus nodded. "I do believe we're in a position to lend Crestholm more aid than in the past. Astrals know they need it now more than ever, particularly when it comes to shouldering the burden of leadership."

"If they'll accept that aid, I agree." Cor eyed Loqi.

"He will. Believe you me. I've already spoken to him about it." Ravus folded his arms. "We have more than enough here now." He jerked his chin at Ignis.

"Happy to be of help," Ignis returned. And he was. He had a lot of pain to make up for. Of course, that wasn't a straightforward process, but he had to start somewhere.

Even if he couldn't save Noct, he would not be giving up on protecting the people here.

There were still so many he cared for… who cared for him, despite everything the last couple of years had brought.

Subtly, Ignis took Aranea's hand into his own as he turned his gaze back to the projection.

She gave him a surprised look that he caught out of the corner of his eye, but then she smiled at him softly.

All was not lost. Not for anyone in this room.

Maybe everyone here would be dead prior to Noct's return, but Ignis would put up a hell of a fight before he let that happen.