A/N: Enjoy the new chapter and please review. I do read and love all reviews. Thanks for reading! :)
Revised: July 2014
An annoying beeping sound woke Lightning from her deep, dreamless sleep. She reached over and slammed her hand down on the alarm clock beside her. Rolling onto her back, Lightning stared at the ceiling, contemplating going back to sleep. She was still stuck off duty for a few more days, no one would miss her. She was doomed to spend her day lazing around her apartment, completely and utterly bored out of her mind.
Then she remembered her deal with Hope. She did have work to do. Quickly climbing out of bed and shaking the sleepiness from her limbs, she sped into the shower.
At six-twenty Lightning was showered and dressed. As she went to holster her gunblade, her communicator rang, echoing throughout the silent apartment. Although it was a number Lightning didn't recognize, she answered anyway. "Farron, here."
A women with a soft and smooth, yet confident tone answered on the other end. "Hello, this is Nivien La Salle. Is this Sergeant Farron?"
Lightning was stunned. Out of everyone in the world, she would have never guessed it to be La Salle. "Um... yeah."
"Sorry to call you out of the blue, but... are you seeing H-Director Estheim today?"
Why is she calling me about Hope? "Yeah. I'm working with him today, actually."
There was a short pause on the other end of the line. "Oh... Well, I... I wanted to make sure that you knew what today was... in case no one told you."
Lightning furrowed her brow and put a hand on her hip. She had no idea that there was a significance to the day, but since it had only been four days since her awakening, she wasn't surprised in the least. Though she didn't understand why Nivien would be concerned about her knowing - concerned enough to get her number and call her herself. "I didn't know today was anything special, but... why are you telling me about it?"
There were a few muffled shouts on the other end of the line causing Lightning to wince at the sound. "Sorry about that. Um... well, it's not a special day, it's just... it's the anniversary. Hope's father... Bartholomew, he... he died a year ago today."
Lightning had been standing in front of the couch, but immediately sat down upon its edge. It hadn't even occurred to Lightning to ask about when the assassination attempt had happened. She just figured Hope would tell her about it when he was ready. "I... didn't know."
She could hear the lieutenant sigh over the phone, it causing a crinkling static to sound in her ear. "I figured. Hope doesn't talk about it much... or at all, really." Moments of silence crept by before Nivien continued. "I wanted to make sure you knew so you could... I don't know... look out for him? Make sure he's alright and try to be careful about the subject today. Hope really shouldn't be working, but", the lieutenant chuckled hollowly, "he never stops."
Rubbing her temple with her free hand, Lightning studied the floor. It seemed that Nivien cared deeply for Hope - enough to call an almost complete stranger to look out for him. "Thanks for the call. Of course I'll watch out for him."
"Alright, thank you. Have a good day... Lightning."
"Yeah, you too." Lightning sighed as she hung up and put her comm back in her pouch. Slouching and falling back into the couch, she pinched the bridge of her nose. She laughed bitterly as she thought about hers and Hope's arguments the day before. 'Did you learn nothing from the assassination attempt?' Maker, I'm such an idiot. I brought it up in one of the worst ways possible the day before the anniversary. I practically threw it in his face. Lightning groaned. Now Hope's frustration the night before made perfect sense. All of the stuff he said about his parents dying in front of him... for him. The pain is still fresh.
She hadn't wanted to dwell on Bartholomew's death and Hope's misery, so the fact that his death had been so recent, hadn't struck Lightning. A year can be a long time, but when it comes to the death of a loved one, it might as well have been the week before. Add in the fact that the event had been so traumatic, and that he hadn't had real emotional support - with his family dead and most of his friends gone - she wondered how Hope could even function.
Lightning knocked lightly on Hope's office door, her fist rasping against it gently yet firmly. When she heard nothing, she tried again. After the third try, she slowly opened the door, cautious to make sure another door-to-nose incident wouldn't ensue. Walking in, she closed the door behind her.
Looking around the office, she found Hope sprawled out on the sofa with a book open on his chest. He was still in his same clothes from dinner the day before and had some slight discoloration under his eyes from lack of sleep, so Lightning deduced that he hadn't gone home the night before. He promised me he wouldn't work too late. I shouldn't have even let him work at all.
Cerulean orbs roved over his desk, noticing just how much work Hope had to do. The thick stack of paperwork that Lightning had noticed two days before had grown into a tower with a slightly smaller stack beside it keeping it company. She winced at the thought of how much work there was to be done - on one of the worst days to have to work - and walked over to him.
She picked up the worn-out, leather-bound book, slipping it out of his weak grasp. 'Fabula Nova Crystallis', huh? I guess he decided to continue his research. She looked at his sleeping form, concern and sadness washing over her. She knew how Hope would be when she woke him up and how he would act the rest of the day. He'd be a wreck on the inside, while putting on a smile and acting as if everything was fine.
She knew he'd be miserable for the remainder of the day, but for right now, he was serene. As long as he was asleep, the troubles of the real world couldn't touch him and neither could his pain from the year before.
Watching his chest slowly rise and fall, she sat beside him on the small space left on the couch. She brushed his bangs from his eyes and rested her hand on his face, cupping his cheek. The pinkette stayed like that for a few moments before her hand gently slid down to his chin, then to his collar, until it stopped on his chest. Her hand crept into his that sat there, previously clutching the book. It was the gentlest touch as she tried to not wake the peacefully sleeping man. She couldn't bear to bring him back to the reality that only sleep could steal him away from. Feeling his warm touch and his calm heartbeat under her hand, Lightning felt that indescribable emotion arrest her once again. It seemed it only occurred when she was around Hope.
Upon realization of what she was doing, her hand shot back to her side. What is happening to me? This is Hope. I'm supposed to protect him, not... The soldier clumsily stood and took a few steps back from the sofa, grateful that she hadn't woken Hope up. Replaying the small span of events that had just taken place, she shook her head. "What am I doing", Lightning asked, whispering to herself.
Hope stirred, barely moving, but it was enough that it caused Lightning to jump out of her skin. She looked to the floor - calming herself for it was only Hope - before glancing back at him. Staring at his face, she couldn't rid herself of the new emotion that had wormed its way into her body. The woman wasn't sure she even wanted to. Walking back over to him, she knelt down in front of his face and traced a finger below his eye over the swollen bump she had caused. Then she brushed it along his bottom lip. Her heart beat wildly as her body registered her desire before her mind could. This is ridiculous. Before she could do anything else to the completely unaware Hope before her, she grasped his shoulder and shook him awake.
The young director groggily opened his eyes and slowly sat up. A slender hand came up, fingers rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he registered Lightning with him in the room. "Oh, hey, Light. What time is it?" Hope's wary gaze looked over his mentor's tense form. She looks mad. I knew I should have stopped and gone home last night. He looked around the couch for the book he'd been reading, but stopped when Lightning held it out for him.
Lightning fixed him with a stern eye, trying to cover her still reeling emotions. A part of Hope's hair was standing up, messily out of place from sleeping. It was unfortunately adorable and Lightning had to force her emerging smile back. "It's a quarter to seven. When did you fall asleep?" She tried to look deep into his eyes, hoping to convey her concern through her own, but felt herself drowning in his emerald gaze.
"I-I don't know, actually. I started reading around four, so sometime after that, I guess." Lightning crossed her arms and cocked her hip to the side, voicing her displeasure through her rigid stance. Hope sighed heavily through his nose as he stood up before putting a hand on her shoulder. "I know. You don't have to yell at me. I meant to go home... I just got caught up reading and crashed." He gave her his sweet look of innocence, pleading for her to let it lie.
The teen's grasp on her shoulder was gentle and warm. It made her crave his touch even more. After giving her his reasons for disobeying her orders, his eyes locked back on hers and she felt that feeling that she now knew only Hope could make her feel.
As he waited for her to respond, Hope saw an emotion pass over Lightning's face that he hadn't ever seen on the usually hardened soldier. And it scared him a little.
Confusion and concern crept into his expression and Lightning took a step back from him. Today is about Hope's father. He shouldn't be concerned about me. "Hope." She trembled as his name passed through her lips. Willpower, Farron. Use it. This is just... you are a soldier. "You should go home. Get some rest." Hope stared at her, obviously still concerned about her odd behavior.
"Is something wrong? Did I-" Hope stepped toward her, but she sidestepped around him and stood in front of the couch.
"No, you didn't do anything, but... you need your rest and-"
"You know. Don't you?" Hope cast his eyes down to the floor, biting his lip as he turned toward her.
Lightning knew what he was talking about and she was extremely grateful for his misinterpretation of her behavior. She shifted back into her commanding tone, attempting to slip into her usual self. "Really, you look like hell. You should go to bed. I can have Alyssa help me with the stuff I don't understand and do some of your work for you."
Hope brought his gaze back up to meet hers and smiled meekly. "No, Light, I'm fine." He stretched and went over to the table covered in odd metal parts. Opening the lone center drawer, he took out a stack of clothes. He always kept a couple spare uniforms in his office for these times. "I'll just take a shower in the shop, get changed and meet you back here in a half hour. Sound good?" He shut the drawer and quietly awaited a reply, keeping his gaze pointedly out of view.
The pinkette arched a brow. So that's how you never leave the office. "I can handle this. It's not like you're opting out of work entirely, you're covered."
"No", Hope answered sternly. Lightning was visibly taken aback by his harsh tone. "I need to work. I'm okay... really." Lightning reached out to give him a reassuring squeeze on the arm, but he jerked away from her. "Please don't do this, Light."
Hope's request thoroughly confused her. "Do what?"
He rubbed his eyes with the thumb and forefinger of his free hand before looking at her. His eyes were filled with unrestrained emotion and he knew it. "It's enough that I'll have to face everyone else today. See their sad and concerned faces, hear their apologies. They'll do their best to comfort me, but I don't want their pity. I just want to get through today, okay?" He stared at the clothes in his hand and absentmindedly rubbed his shirt between his fingertips, trying to keep his mind off of the traumatic events that would not leave him be. "I thought that maybe I would catch a break since you didn't know, but I guess... you found out."
Lightning took in his words. It took all of her to not give him that pitiful expression that he despised. Instead she walked over to him and gave him a small hug, patting him gently on the back. Immediately she switched into soldier mode as she backed off, giving him exactly what he wanted. Detachment from emotion. "Alright, Director. Get your ass in gear then." She waved toward the door, urging him off.
Hope smiled, thanking the heavens for whatever it was that awoke Lightning. He knew she was what would make this day bearable. He smiled and walked toward the door, stopping just before he passed through. "Thanks, Light", said Hope with sincere gratitude. With that, he left.
The workshop was empty. No one was due for another two hours so Hope had the floor to himself. There were three showers in the back of the shop. He undressed and threw his clothes to the ground carelessly. Stepping into the first shower, he pulled the curtain closed and turned the water on. For the first few moments, he just stood there, letting the hot water run down his body, attempting to wash away his growing sorrow. He leaned heavily against the wall as the memories ran through his mind.
He remembered everything. Every single detail. The whole incident had only taken a few minutes, but it had felt like an eternity as he had watched his father fall to the floor, clutching his chest in pain. As his father hit the ground, the man aimed his gun at a frozen Hope and was seconds from firing. Hope could have died right there, but the gunman had been shot dead from behind. Immediately snapping out of his shock, Hope knelt by his father and grabbed onto his shirt, shaking him. His eyes were closed... he wasn't breathing... he was gone. When it had been over, his father and three men had lost their lives in exchange for his own. And just like with his mother, he hadn't gotten to say goodbye.
Hope shook his head. I can't do this. I'll never get through today if I keep letting my mind fall back there.
After Hope left, Lightning walked over to his desk and dropped into his chair. Shifting into work mode, she grabbed a handful of papers from the immensely intimidating stack on his desk, hoping to get something done before her stubborn friend returned. The papers' subjects varied widely. Some were construction plans for future cities. Some were mission requests. Some were proposals and plans for future projects and inventions. Some were letters from businesses hoping to work with the Academy. And some were papers Lightning could hardly understand as they seemed to be written in some form of code. She sighed and laid the papers on the keyboard of Hope's open laptop. "I can't do anything." Realizing that she hated Hope's job even more than she had before, she closed her eyes and raked her hand through her hair. She wanted to help him and she was going to, he deserved the help, but she wasn't sure how. I guess I should just wait until he gets back.
Her arm fell back to her side, sitting on the arm rest as she kept her eyes closed. Her thoughts turned back to where they seemed to always land when she let her mind wander. To Hope. The way she had begun to think about him, the way she had felt near him, and the way her hands had seemed magnetized to him while he was asleep, baffled her. Those things had never happened to her around anyone else. It's not something pre-l'Cie Lightning had ever experienced. She began to realize that she was becoming a bit too familiar with Hope, but she wasn't sure if that was a bad thing. They were becoming close. It was bound to happen sometime, with someone. But Hope? Serah had been the only one Lightning had ever allowed inside her heart. Although it was hard to imagine letting Hope in, she couldn't imagine it being anyone else. But what does this mean? What is it that I feel for you Hope?
A soft knock on the door freed Lightning from her thoughts. Before she could answer, the door opened as Alyssa popped her head inside.
"Hello? I-" Alyssa's smile shrunk seeing Lightning in Hope's chair, obviously startled by the unexpected difference in her morning routine. "Oh, hi, Lightning. I didn't expect to find you in here. Do you need something?" She walked over to the desk, staring at the papers strewn across it.
Lightning crossed her arms, uncaring towards the girl's prying gaze. "No", the soldier simply stated.
Alyssa raised a brow at Lightning's curt reply. "Oh, well... Where is the Director, anyway?"
"He went to take a shower." Lightning figured it was best to keep her replies short and to-the-point in order to stave off any unwanted conversation with the perky assistant. She may not come off as the nicest person in the world, but it's not like she ever cared about that much before.
"Well, if there is anything that you wanted to speak with him about, I'm sure I could help you with it. The Director is a very busy per-"
"There isn't."
Alyssa frowned, unsure as to why Lightning was being so standoffish. She reached over Lightning to rearrange and clear some of the papers on Hope's desk, but the soldier grabbed her wrist.
"That's not necessary. I'm looking over these."
Miffed, Alyssa took a step back and put her hands on her hips, fixing Lightning with a look she had never seen on the usually cheery girl before. "No offense, Lightning, but much of the Director's work is very complicated... not to mention classified. I'm sorry, but I think I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
Icy eyes darted up to Alyssa's. She sighed and rolled her eyes. Looks like she's not going away anytime soon. "Hope already knows I'm here." Alyssa's expression softened, her posture still rigid with apparent agitation. "I'm helping him today. He said that I could."
At that, Alyssa backed off. "Oh... I... guess that's fine. I wasn't sure he would be working today though, because of... well... plus he worked so late last night. But it's not like that's unusual."
Hearing that, Lightning felt herself click into protective mode. "And you just let him?" Lightning stood and walked towards her, backing her into a corner. The intimidating aura surrounding the soldier caused Alyssa's eyes to widen as she hit the wall behind her. "You just let Hope work himself to death and say absolutely nothing to him? You knew he was here last night when he should have been asleep? What's the matter with you? Do you just smile and do whatever he asks? Some friend you are."
Although Alyssa was afraid of the Lightning before her, she spoke, justifying herself and her actions. "With all do respect, he isn't my friend."
"What", spat Lightning, having not expected that reply.
"As much as I wish we were, we aren't friends", responded Alyssa shakily, her voice slowly gaining strength. "Hope has made it quite clear that we have a working relationship. He is simply my boss. I have no real say in his actions. I have expressed my concern about his over dedication to his job before, but really, it's not my place."
Hope walked towards his office, but stopped as he grabbed the handle, remembering the reason he had stayed up all night. The urgent message Alyssa had tried to get to Hope the day before was about the crystal mission. After Hope had finally managed to get a hold of Alyssa, and after hearing what she had to say, he wished he hadn't heard any of it at all.
They had found nothing. Thirty men, including Sazh and Rygdea, had searched throughout all of Etro's shrine and found nothing. Now they were coming back and were going to have to reevaluate the whole plan to see if it was worth the manpower and resources to continue their search. As much as he hated the thought, Hope knew the likeliness of the mission's continuance and it wasn't very likely. If the crystals truly existed, they could be anywhere throughout all of Gran Pulse. They couldn't search everywhere and they really needed to focus most of their time on rebuilding their civilization as well as protecting it.
It had been a long shot in the first place, but Hope had believed that this plan would work. While he was searching for possible locations of the crystals, Etro's shrine seemed like one of the most logical places. It's the reason why the mission's success and future continuance hindered on what they found there. He truly thought they would find a piece there. It was not only the logic behind the location, but the feeling Hope had gotten at the idea. He felt drawn to it. Like something inside him had told him that a crystal shard was there.
But despite the logic and Hope's strong vibe, it wasn't. And now he was going to have to tell Lightning. He let out a shaky breath and eased himself into his office. He shut the door behind him and turned to find a very pissed Lightning standing in front of a cowering Alyssa in the corner. What in the world? "Um... Light? Alyssa? What's-"
Alyssa smiled, stepping around Lightning. "Director, we were just..." Alyssa stopped momentarily, glancing at Lightning, who was now staring at the wall. "...just having a chat about some paperwork. How are you today? You look a little tired."
Hope, furrowing his brow at Lightning, replied, "I'm alright." He walked over to his desk and shuffled around some papers, hoping to move off the topic of his health. "I have a lot of paperwork to get through today and Lightning will be assisting me with them. If you could take notes for me at the one o'clock meeting and meet with the... Smith Tech company for me at three, I would greatly appreciate it."
Alyssa shifted, crinkling her nose minutely. It was her job to be at Hope's side. Wasn't Lightning supposed to be off protecting the city, or something? "Of course, Director, but you know I could help you with some of your paperwork as well?" She bounced a bit uneasily on her heels and folded her hands behind her back.
Not looking up from a page he was staring intently at, he waved her off. "That would be unnecessary, but thank you."
The blonde frowned a bit before putting on her usual smile and turning toward the door. "Alright then."
As Alyssa closed the door, Hope turned toward Lightning. She was still staring at the previously occupied corner, arms crossed, looking extremely displeased. "What was that really about?"
The pinkette turned to face him, her expression remaining intact. "I'm not fond of your assistant", was all she said as she walked over to help Hope with his work.
For the next five hours, Hope and Lightning buckled down on the pages on his desk. Through this, Lightning learned much more about Hope's job as well as the numerous functions of the Academy.
Many previous and new companies and businesses wanted assistance from them. Most wanted sponsorships, partnerships and construction approvals. In order to consider their proposals, Hope and Lightning looked them over and investigated the companies and businesses to make sure they were legitimate and would be prospectively successful, before ultimately approving or denying their requests.
After conquering all of those proposals, they moved on to the plans for future and current inventions and projects. They ranged from small plans like upgrades on weapons to much larger plans like the shield project that Hope and Maqui were intimately involved with. Looking over the blueprints, Lightning found she didn't understand much of the specifications, but with Hope's extensive background in mechanics, he handled most of them while giving her simple explanations and descriptions.
The work was tedious and boring, but with each other's company, it was bearable. Almost arguably fun. Even with the dull topics and work, Hope's kind and funny personality shone through, as well as Lightning's. No matter how much she tried to keep her soldier, business front up, Hope managed to pull out pieces of her true self with little effort.
At one point, as Lightning was reading over a page and laughing at one of Hope's grumblings about needing an assistant for his assistant, he couldn't help but stare at her smile. He loved how it made him feel, especially since he was one of the few that could coax it into appearing. It showed her soft side that she rarely let others see. He knew, even if she would never say it, that she cared about him a lot. Although he'd initially been reluctant to receive her help, he cherished her presence and assistance.
At around twelve thirty, the duo moved on to mission requests. This made Hope a bit hesitant to continue. He had yet to tell her about the status of the crystal mission. Knowing that he should tell her before it inevitably came up along the way, he halted their progress.
"Light?" Hope stood and walked around to the front of the desk, leaning on it with his hands grasping it at his sides. Since they had started working, they'd moved the couch much closer to the desk so Lightning would have a place to sit while she worked. It was only a few feet away from the front of the desk, and now, only a few feet from Hope. Lightning was sitting sideways, back against the armrest, legs extended in front of her, with a fresh handful of documents in her lap.
Eyes still scanning the paper before her, she hummed in response. When Hope didn't continue, she turned her head to face him. His expression was full of conflicting emotions, making her uneasy. He was staring directly at her and she knew that it had to be serious. Shoving the papers off of her, she slid her legs off the couch, sat up, and gave her full attention to the man before her. "Yeah, Hope?"
"I really should have said something earlier, but... I wasn't sure what to say. I still don't really know what to say." He rubbed the back of his head, a reflexive action he usually made when things were tense. Staring at the floor, he tried to find the right words that would make things go smoother, but in truth, Hope wasn't sure how she would react to his next words no matter how he spun it. She could be pissed and angry at the mission's failure and for him not telling her sooner. She could get sad and depressed because of her sister. Or she could stay stoic, only revealing her true emotions to herself later.
Swallowing harshly, he brought his eyes back up to meet her blue orbs. Even though Lightning was exceptional at hiding her emotions, he couldn't help but notice the hint of nervousness in her eyes. He felt a tad prideful knowing that not many people could decipher her emotions at all. "They didn't find anything, Light..." He waited a few moments until understanding crept into her expression. "It's the reason I was reading the book so late last night. I was trying to find more clues."
Lightning wasn't sure how to take the news. She had known that there was a large chance that the crystal wouldn't be there. But a faint glimmer of hope had toyed with her and her emotions. That hope, as well as the one before her, had left her wanting the piece of crystal to be there more than she should have ever allowed herself. "So what does that mean? Where do we go from here?" Hope's face seemed to fall even more, and she knew that the news couldn't get better from there.
He cleared his throat, attempting to dislodge the apprehension clogging it. "We... or I go over the plans again with the general and Rygdea. We decide if it's worth searching more possible locations."
As much as Lightning tried to hold back her optimistic expression, Hope noticed it all the same. "They might continue with the plan?"
It crushed him to have to tell her, but he had to. "The whole mission really depended on this one, and without its success, I highly doubt that they'll move forward... with the plan." Hope watched as the smallest amount of pain seemed to cross her face.
"But-" Lightning tried to stay calm. She didn't want to let her emotions flow freely, even if it was only Hope, but she found it incredibly hard to keep them reined in. All of her fear, guilt and love for her sister came to the forefront of her mind and her heart at that moment. She hadn't realized before how much stock she'd really put into the mission. The news made her heart hurt. She clutched her chest, trying desperately to keep herself in check.
Noticing how badly Lightning was taking it, Hope pushed his papers off the couch and sat beside her. Without a second thought, he pulled her into an embrace. Although the contact was relatively new between the two, it had become a reflex that neither could deny.
Feeling Hope around her, she felt her will break. Her control over her emotions cracking quickly until it was nothing but dust. A few tears slipped through her eyes as she sat there in his arms. Suddenly she felt a rush of frustration fly through her. Like with the lamp the other day, she just had to throw or hit something. With only Hope in her nearest proximity, she began to hit and punch his chest, letting out all of her anger. She wasn't mad at Hope, not in the least. In fact she was actually grateful for his comfort and honesty. But as she had lost her struggle for dominance over her emotions, she couldn't control her need to destroy.
Hope never let her go. Even as her blows began to hurt him, he continued to hold her, knowing it was what she needed. If being her punching bag allowed her to let out her grief, then that's what he'd be. He felt honored to be allowed to see her raw emotion.
As minutes ticked by, Lightning calmed considerably until she was still, remaining quiet. She let out one last sniffle before pulling away from him. She felt embarrassment strike her as her mind finally began to temper her storm of feelings. Mentally scolding herself, Lightning wiped away the last remnants of tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry."
Hope smiled before getting up to pick up her papers. After setting them back on the couch, the young director returned to his desk. He was fully aware of how she felt about exposing herself. Even though they were close, to Lightning, there was no excuse. She always wanted everyone to think that vulnerability was something she didn't have. And he'd just seen an immense portion of it. "For what", he asked coolly. Grabbing a page from the pile of mission briefs, he was careful to try and seem as if nothing had happened, falling back into his work.
Lightning looked at him, confused until she understood his gesture. He was attempting to spare her the shame she would no doubt put on herself. "Thank you", was all she said before picking up her papers from the couch and assuming her previous position.
Although Hope had been unbelievably kind in pretending that she hadn't made a total fool of herself, Lightning still beat herself up on the inside. I can't believe I did that. I have no right. Not when it's his father's... Serah is still alive. It's me that should be helping him with his grief not the other way around.
The mission briefs and requests were a bit more interesting than the rest of his paperwork, but still left her bored out of her mind. They were mostly about missions on mapping out Pulse. They still had a lot more of the world to discover, and who knew how much they were going to continue to explore. The rest were about surveying possible city locations. With those, all Hope had to do was consider them, look over the location, the time and money that was proposed, and approve or deny them before sending them back to the Calvary to go over with construction crews.
Finishing up around three, Hope and Lightning's brains were spent. As Hope readied himself to shift into mechanic gear and go to work on his shield project, Lightning stopped him. She wanted him to relax some and decided that they should take a late lunch. He reluctantly agreed, realizing that it would be good for a brief reprieve from work.
It was a gorgeous day as the sun shone brightly through the clouds. With the beautiful weather in mind, Hope had suggested that they eat their lunch outside. He even knew of a great street vendor in a kiosk called Academia's Finest. The woman who served the pair, as well as owned the small business, was an elderly woman of sixty five named Jun. It seemed that she and Hope knew each other rather well and that the woman adored him. After talking with her for a few minutes while waiting for their food, Hope and Lightning made their way over to the stone steps in front of the Academy base.
Sitting, they ate in silence for a while until Lightning sighed. "So, Jun seems nice."
Hope nodded, turning slightly to look at her. "She is. She's really nice."
"You guys seem pretty chummy. Do you just eat there a lot or..."
"I used to, but... I guess I got too caught up with work and started working through lunch, so it's been a while."
Lightning sensed Hope was holding something back so she pressed further. "And..."
Hope raised a brow in return. "And what?"
"Nothing", Lightning replied, conveying through her tone that she knew of his half-truth.
When he had finished eating, Hope leaned back on the stone steps, relaxing. He couldn't even remember the last time he had eaten lunch, let alone enjoyed it. It was amazing how something so simple could make him feel so elated and at ease. The food, atmosphere, company was all perfect. Yet he felt he was about to ruin it all with one question that threatened to tumble from his lips. It had been nagging at him for the better part of a half an hour, and in not wanting to upset his beautiful temporary coworker, he'd kept his trap shut. But seeing as their lunch was drawing to a close, Hope felt the need to ask arise.
"Light, I have a question for you, but you don't have to answer if you don't want to", started Hope, staring into the sky.
The question broke Lightning from her thoughts and caught her off guard. "Shoot." The soldier looked at Hope to find him staring off into the clouds, his eyes glazed over like he was worlds away. She was about to jostle him when he spoke.
"Does the pain ever lessen?" He never took his eyes away from the sky as his tone remained even, words clear, despite the heaviness of them. "Of a loved one's death, I mean."
"What?" Lightning blinked in surprise at the question that seemed to come from nowhere. Then again, the whole day was one constant reminder for Hope about one of the worst days of his life. Struggling to find a suitable answer, Lightning mulled over her response in her head.
Hope ran his hand down his tie, awaiting an answer that seemed would never come. "It's alright, Light. Like I said, you don't have to answer."
"No", she replied quickly. "I want to, just..." Hope was trying to talk out his problems. He had been there for her, why couldn't she muster up the courage to be there for him? She just never allowed herself to remember her parents' deaths or the emotional toll they had put on her and Serah. "I don't think I'm the right person to ask."
"Why not?"
"I'd like to say yes, that with time the pain lessens and slowly fades, but... I think that... I forced it to fade. By not letting myself dwell on my past, I cut off most of my emotions with them." She searched Hope's face for a sign of understanding, but his expression hadn't changed. Looking up into the sky, she hoped to find the same peace he seemed to hold. "I do think of them every once in a while, it's hard to push them out completely, so I do feel the pain sometimes. Like I said, I'm not the person to ask." A pregnant pause followed her answer.
"Thank you."
Lightning's brows furrowed as she looked at Hope, scanning his face for any hint of sarcasm or insincerity. She was stunned, figuring her answer to have been no help at all. "But I-"
Hope, finally breaking his eyes away from the glowing sky, looked into the young woman's confused gaze. "You told me how you honestly felt. You didn't give me some cheap answer in an attempt to make me feel better. Thank you, Light."
She felt an odd mixture of pride and courage soar into her chest as he smiled at her. Maybe sharing her thoughts and feelings wasn't so bad. "Hope, do you want to… never mind." It was a stupid idea. He already has to think about his father's death, bringing up that would just be wrong and painful.
Sitting up, he gave her his full attention. "What?"
Too late. She had already brought it up. Might as well finish what she started. "I was just wondering if you... wanted to know how my parents died." She averted her gaze from him, but Hope gently pressed his hand to her cheek opposite him, and turned her face to look at him.
"Yes, but only if you want to tell me." His eyes were full of such certainty, such confidence that it reminded her of the boy he once was. Back when he had given them his speech before their journey into Pulse.
Straightening herself up and focusing mainly on fact and memory, not emotion, she prepped her mind. "My father died when I was six. It was a head on collision and my mother had been in the car with him. They said it was a miracle she survived, but it was as if a piece of her died in there with him... My sister was too young to notice, being three and all. Hell, I hadn't really noticed until almost two years later." Lightning sighed. "She never looked at another car the same way again. And the way she hugged us, there was such desperation in her eyes, like she thought that every time she embraced us, it would be the last." Her hair had fallen into her eyes covering Hope's expression from her view, but she preferred it that way. That way she couldn't talk herself out of finishing. "Although Serah had always said that she was jealous of me because she couldn't remember our father, I always wished that I didn't. I know now that the thought is unbelievably childish, but... By the time I was fifteen, my mother had gotten deathly ill. My sister and I had to watch our mother slowly die for months before her heart finally gave out."
When she had finished, Hope didn't know what to say. When Lightning had told him about her parents before, he thought that they had died together, not that it had been two separate incidents. It seemed they were more alike than he thought. But he couldn't believe she had told him something so personal. It was so unlike her. Throughout the whole day she had actually been really sloppy with hiding her feelings. It should have made him feel excited and ecstatic about their friendship finding more depth with them becoming closer. Instead, he felt slightly anxious that something may be wrong.
He had been known to worry too much. His mind often slipped into paranoia, but with the many terrible and tragic events in his past, how could it not? It often seemed as though he would have a few blessed moments, just to have it all stripped away in a cataclysmic event that would leave him with nothing.
Quickly, he brushed off the feelings and thoughts threatening his new happiness. Lightning was letting him in. Although her story had left him deeply saddened by her previous, and most likely still very current pain, he couldn't stop the small feeling of joy from rising within him. He had never dreamed the soldier, his mentor, great friend, and secret love of his life would ever open up to him this much. Especially so soon after her awakening. It meant he was doing something right. Before too much time had passed, he gently clasped her hand in his, and squeezed it.
The words had come much easier then she thought they would. She hadn't told anyone about her parents' deaths, but it was so easy when she told Hope. She wasn't completely sure why she told him. It was wrong of her and she knew it. It was his day to grieve. A part of her though, knew exactly why she had. She thought that maybe by telling him, he would tell her. About what happened with his father. About how he felt. Maybe it would elicit him to deal with the pain and not bury it like she had for so long. He was becoming so much like her already, she really didn't think he needed to learn anything else from her.
When he took her hand, she was startled, but after he squeezed it, she felt that warm feeling overtake her once more. So, she squeezed back. Staring at his face, slight concern about his previous injury crept over her. "How's the eye?"
The corner of Hope's lip twitched upwards. "How's the leg?" They chuckled softly, both aware that neither of them cared much for their injuries at the moment.
As he went to speak, his comm went off, breaking the fragile serenity. Lightning quickly broke the contact, turning her attention back to the slowly drifting clouds. Groaning inwardly, Hope reached for it and answered. "Director Estheim... Right...No...I'll be right there, Alyssa...Thanks." Hope hung up and put his hand on Lightning's shoulder. "Time to get back to work. Care to join me in a meeting?"
Lightning rolled her eyes. "Oh joy." She smiled at him and stood, holding out her hand to help him up.
Managing to get to a meeting early for once, even if it was only by a few minutes, Hope was proud of himself. He sat beside Lightning in a companionable silence, awaiting their third party member.
At exactly four o'clock on the dot, a knock sounded from the door. Alyssa then came in, followed by a man. Lightning considered him for a moment. He was tall, a little over six feet, with a lean build, well dressed in a suit and tie, with shoulder length black hair. His profile spoke business and his smug smirk spoke of a heightened upper-class arrogance, but the look in his eyes as he spotted Hope spoke of a trustworthy ally.
"Here we are, Mr. Hildough. Director... Lightning." Alyssa nodded toward the two and left.
Hope stood and went to shake his hand. "It's been a while, Reuben."
The man grinned and accepted the gesture, taking Hope's hand in a vice-like grip, nearly crushing it. "Too long, kid Director." He let out a throaty laugh as Hope rolled his eyes and they took their seats. His voice was deep and had a rough edge to it, but the ambassador had a very sharp and crisp way of speaking. "And who is our lovely company today?"
Hope turned to Lightning with a gentle smile. "This is Sergeant Lightning Farron. She's a good friend of mine and is helping me out with some things today. And, Light, this is Reuben Hildough, Representative of Academia."
Reuben went to shake her hand and was taken aback by her strong hold. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Lightning gave him a small smile in return. "Likewise."
Moving on topic, Hope clapped his hands together. "So, I assume you've spoken with the General?"
Reuben turned his gaze away from Lightning, seeming a bit reluctant, and looked back at Hope. "I have. He has explained to me the Yeul situation. That poor girl. I understand you think she was some sort of psychic?"
"We have reason to believe so. We aren't sure, but we do need to know if the Sanctum has had any involvement in her death, or if they know anything about her at all. It will lead to how we continue to treat the situation."
Reuben shifted slightly in his seat. "I am flattered at how confident you are in my skills, but you do know this is the Sanctum right? Most likely anything I say or do will be a futile attempt. I mean, yes, they are willing to negotiate and work on some things with me, but this..."
Hope nodded. "Yes, we are well aware. But it is mainly a precaution. We want to cover all of our bases just in case. To them, it won't be the real reason you're there anyway. Just a side discussion you will bring up while informing them of our expansion and discussing more about our current trade negotiations."
A soft knock caught everyone's attention as they turned to look at the door. "Yes", called Hope.
Alyssa stepped partially inside the door. "May I speak with you, Director? It's a bit urgent."
"Of course. If you'll excuse me for a moment."
After they stepped out, the room was overcome with silence before Reuben spoke. "So, you would not happen to be the previous l'Cie, Lightning, would you?"
"That I am."
"Ah, I see. I have heard stories of your great feats of strength and your constant challenging of the impossible. I must say I am quite impressed." He smoothed out the front of his jacket with his hand as he sat up straighter. "Although I thought our good Director had been overstating your unbelievable beauty, I was mistaken."
Lightning shifted uncomfortably in her seat at the flattery. She wasn't sure how to handle the situation. In most other cases, Lightning had always told anyone who dared to approach the hardened soldier to buzz off, usually not even in that nice of a way. But this was a powerful man that Hope worked very closely with and seemed to be friends with. Even though Hope seemed to be friends with everyone, she had to be courteous and gracious. It wasn't that the man wasn't attractive, or that he didn't seem very kind, it was simply that she wasn't interested. She went to speak, but stopped when the door opened.
"Terribly sorry about that", apologized Hope as he stepped into the room. Reuben stood as he entered.
"No, it is quite alright. I best be off now anyway. I have another meeting to attend and arrangements to make before I head off to the city of the ignorant, pig-headed, Sanctum."
Hope chuckled and Lightning couldn't help but smile. "Already? Well, alright, we must meet up sometime soon. It's been far too long."
"Yes, well, Miss Harleen will be having her annual soiree in due time."
Hope rubbed the back of his neck. "Right, wouldn't want to miss that."
Reuben chuckled and clapped Hope on the shoulder. "I am sure she will not be so forward this time." He turned to Lightning as she made her way over to the two. "And I do hope you come along too. It would be a blessing to have such an astonishing young women in our midst." Hope averted his gaze to the floor as Reuben and Lightning shook hands, the representative slipping a card into her grasp. "Well, I am off." He left the room to Hope and Lightning.
Hope shook his head and smiled as he glanced at Lightning. "Get his card?"
Lightning was quite intrigued as to how he knew. She opened her palm to see, and there was Hildough's business card. "How'd you know?"
Hope shrugged his shoulders. "I had a hunch." Lightning raised a brow at him. "It was obvious enough he was interested, and I'm usually pretty dense when it comes to flirtation. Plus, who wouldn't take the chance to hit on you?" Hope grinned as Lightning scoffed and elbowed him in the ribs.
Over the next few hours, Hope worked on more poles and wiring for the shield project, all the while explaining the basics of the construction and having Lightning help with minor things. The wiring was the most intricate and time-consuming thing which took a lot of concentration, so there wasn't much conversation to be had between the two. By the time he had finished with a second pole, Lightning cut him off.
"Light, I-"
Lightning shook her head before taking his gloves off his hands. "No, you need rest. And you owe me for yesterday."
Hope sighed and resigned himself to her will. "Why do I get the feeling I'm going to be working a lot less with you around?"
"Yeah, yeah. And you are going home. I will drag you back to that house if I have to."
Hope walked over to the corner where his jacket hung on a hook and snatched it up. He put it back on, buttoning it up as he walked back over to Lightning. "That won't be necessary, but I do have to stop back in my office."
Lightning turned and began walking back towards the door. "Then I'll accompany you", she called over her shoulder.
Hope smirked as he followed.
They entered Hope's office and he immediately went over to his bookshelf, grabbing a few books. Lightning frowned at the sight of the new pile of papers on his desk. It wasn't near the size of the old one, but it was well on its way, being a third of the previous stack in only a few hours. "That's depressing."
Hope looked over his shoulder and smiled. "Yeah, it kinda is, isn't it?" He stepped away from the shelves and brought four books over to his desk.
"Those aren't going home with you. You're going home to rest, not to continue working under the guise of reading", Lightning scolded, putting a hand on her hip.
Hope gave her a crooked grin. "Compromise? Come on, Light, I gotta do something."
"Yeah, relax. That's all you need to do."
Hope blew out a sigh. "Fine." He walked over and fell onto the couch. Lightning, still as tense as ever, remained in her stance. "Light?"
She joined his side. "What?"
"Why did you tell me about your parents?" Her shoulders tensed as her eyes darted away from him. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you did, but... why?"
Sighing, Lightning thought hard about what to say. She was completely unprepared for the question and wasn't sure how to answer it. Deciding to go with the one reason she knew, she turned to face him. "I didn't want you to keep your pain bottled up... like I do." Hope looked down at his hands as they played with his sleeve. "I thought that maybe if I told you... showed you that I could, you would too." She tried to look into his eyes, but he kept them focused on his sleeve. "I'm sorry. It was wrong and... manipulative-"
"Don't." Hope looked back up into her eyes. "Don't apologize. I'm grateful for your concern, really, Light, I am, but..." He stopped. He didn't want to talk about it. He knew once he did, there would be no turning back. Truth was, he wasn't sure he could handle it and he didn't need to break down in front of her. But she was right. She had told him something equally painful. It was only fair that he shared as well. "I-I guess I could, but..." A slow smile came to his face as he hoped to lighten the mood some before undoubtedly darkening it soon enough. "...only if I get to take my books home."
Lightning rolled her eyes at his childishness. "Fine."
His victory was short lived and his smile faded as he swallowed. "We were on the fifth floor of the building. My... dad had called me in to discuss some things about Sanctum city. W-we had been receiving threats from them for a while, but the number of them had grown significantly within the past few weeks. Because of that, he wanted to keep me... safe. He was going to put me on lock down in our house guarded by G.C. Soldiers."
Hope stood and walked over to the table on the left side of the room. Pressing on took immense strength and keeping his words even took a hardy amount of control. It was as if he was slipping back into that day. As if he was still that naive and stubborn idiot that had frozen up like a coward. "Of course, I refused. I didn't want to be cowering in my house while others had to deal with the threat. So we began arguing and... I was so stupid. I should have just..." He began fiddling with some of the mechanical parts on the table, keeping his hands busy.
"Anyway, next thing I knew, we we hearing gunshots. Two guards went down in front of us." Hope's breath hitched. "It all happened so fast. The shooting... the shouts. I couldn't even see who was shooting until my father had been hit. I-just... and I froze. When my father fell to the ground, it was like I couldn't move."
"Then I saw the man. He had been disguised in a G.C. uniform. I heard shouts from... Nivien behind me telling me to move and to get down, but I couldn't move my legs. I thought for sure that I was going to die, but then... he was shot in the back of the head. He was dead and so was my father. I-"
He stopped abruptly. Lightning felt her heart ache. His back was to her but she could see his shoulders tense and heard him sniffle. Walking over to him she put her arms around him and rested her head on his back. She could feel his ragged breathing as he attempted to keep calm.
They stood there for a while before he continued. "I didn't even get to say goodbye. He was just gone."
Lightning let go of him and tugged on his sleeve so he would turn around. He easily complied. Wiping away some of the tears from his eyes, she then rested her hand on his cheek. He brought his hand up, covering hers. A tingling feeling coursed through her body at the contact. "We should get going", Lightning suggested before stepping away.
Hope collected himself along with his things for the next few minutes and was almost ready to head out when his door opened to reveal Maqui.
Hope went to speak, but Lightning talked over him. "Don't you knock?" She was sitting on the couch, arms crossed.
The mechanic grinned. "Perks to being the Director's best friend."
"Whatever, Maqui. You make those perks up yourself", Hope mused.
Walking over, he clapped Hope on the back. "What, it's not like I interrupted anything, right?"
Shaking his head, Hope pushed him back a few steps. "What did you want?"
His face turned serious as he rubbed his arm, feeling uncomfortable. He knew he should have just run away from Lebreau. The woman never asked him for any good favors. "I just didn't get a chance to see you today and I, uh..."
Hope smirked. "Lebreau sent you here didn't she?"
"Hey, it's not like I don't care about you. I just don't have the need to fuss over you like she does." Maqui huffed and crossed his arms.
Chuckling, Hope turned toward him. "You can tell her that I'm fine."
"Good." The blond watched as Hope grabbed the last of his things. Lightning stood and walked over, making Maqui visibly cringe a bit, causing her to smile. She insisted on taking a few of Hope's books off his hands before they all stepped out of Hope's office and waited as he locked it. Maqui decided to take the chance to voice his own concern for his friend before he lost it. "I am sorry, Hope."
The young Estheim turned and put a hand on Maqui's shoulder. "Thanks."
Hope stood alone in his empty house. Lightning had walked him home, and left only after threatening him that if he left before a decent time in the morning, his eye would be the least of his worries.
He walked into his study and set the books down on his desk. As he was ready to sit and read through them all, one in particular, exhaustion began to settle into his body. He rubbed his eyes and stretched out, attempting to liven his tired body, but it was no use. Hope was beat.
Going back to his bedroom, he stumbled over his clothing from the day before. When he picked them up, an envelope fell from his pocket and floated to the floor. The memory of the previous day and the envelope made its way into his mind at the sight of it. Throwing his clothes over to the bed, Hope picked up the envelope. He turned on his bedside lamp and sat on the edge of the bed. With the situation the day before, Hope hadn't had the time to ponder about his discovery, its contents, or its curious location. With a bit of trepidation, he opened the envelope. Hope's breath hitched in his throat. It was a letter.
And it was written in his father's handwriting.
Dear Hope,
First of all, I want to say that I'm sorry. You reading this means that I am gone. No matter the reason for my death, I am sorry.
I decided to write this in dedication to your mother. She had always tried to get me to write one and seeing how much you cherish her letter, I figured it was about time to write my own. I always told Nora that the reason I never wanted to write one of these was because it was bad luck. That once you wrote out your goodbyes, it was only a matter of time before you'd die. Truth was, I never really knew what to say. But for the past month, I have thought and thought about what the contents of this letter would read. I found it turned out to be more of an apology than a goodbye.
I really am sorry, Hope. I'm sorry for never being there for you and your mother. I paid the price when I heard the news about the events in Bodhum. I wasn't there to protect you. I should have been and I regret it every day.
Although I lost Nora, I felt unbelievably lucky when I saw you in the doorway that day. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost both of you.
I know I wasn't a very good father, but I hope that you know that I love you. I always have, even if I was never very good at showing it. You were always a terrific boy and you have grown into an incredible young man. You have made me so proud. I know you will be the perfect leader for Academia and do exceptional work in my previous position.
Your mother always said that there was a bittersweet happiness in writing these letters. It was in the thought that even though we were no longer alive, you were, and we would always be in your heart. Well I also found a bit more happiness in it. Hope, if you're reading this, then that means that not only are you alive, but I managed to keep my promise. I made a promise to myself the day you came out of crystal stasis. That as long as I was alive, I wouldn't allow anything to harm you again.
I'm so sorry that I'm not there to protect you anymore, but know that I am proud of who you are and who you've become, and that I love you deeply.
-Love always, Dad
After reading it over for what must have been a dozen more times, Hope's hands, still tightly clutching the letter, fell to his lap. A sharp pain seemed to pierce his chest as silent tears fell down his cheeks. He couldn't believe his father had written him a letter, and he couldn't believe it had taken him so long to find it.
Hope had loved his father, there was never any question of it. And he knew his father loved him as well. They'd had their differences and had butted heads on many occasions, but that didn't mean they didn't love each other. But still Hope was left rather shocked at the letter's words. It was uncharacteristic of his father to express his feelings so openly. In that moment, Hope allowed himself to remember his father, and to grieve completely.
Forty-five minutes passed by until Hope finally picked himself up from his bed and walked over to his dresser. He opened the top drawer and slid over a few old garments before unveiling what he was looking for. There sat his mother's letter. The one she had written for him, just like his father had. Folding the letter back up, he placed it back in the envelope and set it beside his mother's. As he stared at their letters side by side, he felt he had to visit his father.
Swiftly shutting the drawer, he rushed to the front door, but stopped just as his fingertips grazed the door handle. I'm sorry, Light, but I have to do this. Continuing forward, he left his house, heading toward the cemetery.
After leaving Hope's house, Lightning decided to not go back home. The cool night air invited Lightning for a walk and she accepted. It'd been an hour and the soldier was walking along the sidewalks of the city. The hustle of society had died down considerably. Few cars were in the streets and there were even fewer civilians out.
Lightning's mind drifted off into thoughts of Hope's story. Images of it flashed through her head as she visualized the event. Hope and his father arguing... the guards falling to the ground... then his father... the assassin aiming his gun at Hope... Hope huddled over his father's dead body... Lightning stopped, pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. I should have been there for him... protected him. Hell, Nivien was there for him. It seemed Hope and Nivien had been much closer than she had wanted to think about and now she could see how. The thought of the lieutenant comforting him, sent an emotion through Lightning that she wasn't willing to recognize.
Stumbling across a park, Lightning walked over to a swing-set. She grabbed onto the chain of a swing, swaying it back and forth. She remembered the last time she'd swung on a swing-set.
It was just her and Serah. It had only been about a week since their mother died and Serah had begged Lightning to go to the park. Having been eleven o'clock at night, the elder sister had said no. But when Serah batted her eyelashes and the tears had threatened to spill from her eyes, she caved. Although Lightning was fifteen and swinging wasn't her idea of a good time, swinging with her sister that night was the first time she had enjoyed herself since her mother had passed.
As Lightning reminisced, she suddenly felt another presence around her. Slowly, she moved her hand to the hilt of her gunblade. Just as she brushed its edge with her fingers, she was struck by a flying icicle that grazed her bicep. Wincing, she spun in the direction it had flown from. There was no one. No visual or sound that gave away her assailant's position. Drawing her gunblade, Lightning cleared her mind, thoughts solely on her surroundings.
A branch cracked behind her, but before she could turn to face whoever was there, a burst of fire shot up in front of her, setting the grass aflame. Soon the flames grew to encircle Lightning. Then her attackers crept out from the shadowed brush. There were six of them, all in black cloaks. Their faces were covered by their hoods, but by their figures, they all seemed male. All stayed at a distance from the hostile soldier, but one stepped forward, obviously their leader. He was the biggest of them, tall and very muscular.
"There's no need to be alarmed, my friend", announced the man. His voice was gruff and husky. His tone, however, was soothing, accommodating, but Lightning didn't care.
"My bleeding arm and the flames at my feet suggest otherwise." The flames began to die down gradually at the start of their conversation. The leader walked closer. Lightning raised her gunblade above her shoulder, ready for a fight.
He shook his head and bowed before her. "If we'd really wanted to hurt you, then you wouldn't be able to threaten us with that blade now, would you?" Her lack of response urged him to continue. "You're obviously aware of our powers. We have magic on our side." As if to prove this, he brought a flame to his fingertips and held it in front of him. "We just want to talk, but we aren't afraid of a fight if one is forced upon us." He dropped the fire from his hand. "It would be a shame to mark that pretty face of yours."
Lightning tensed, deciding that she didn't care for what they had to say. They'd already attacked her and she wasn't going to give them a chance to finish what they started. "Not interested." The flames licking at her feet had dissipated and with that, she leapt at the leader in front of her. She swiped at him as he jumped back and sent a burst of air at her, blowing her back off her feet. Flipping back through the air, she shot at one of the unsuspecting men approaching at her side. As she landed, he fell dead.
Two men came up behind her, attempting to grab her. She slid easily under their feet, slicing their ankles as she went. They fell to the ground and Lightning sprang up. Dodging a shot of electricity at her side, she stabbed the two in their chests.
This left the leader in front of her with two of his friends at his sides. Confidence shooting through her, she stepped forward and resumed her previous battle stance. "Now it's obvious that I want to hurt you and you should be alarmed. Leave now, or you won't live to regret it."
The ground began to quake under her feet, throwing her off balance. The two men at the leader's sides took the advantage of the distracted soldier, launching themselves toward her. One grabbed her, his hand hot as lava, and burnt Lightning's forearm. Ignoring the flaring pain, she quickly stabbed the man in the arm before switching into gun mode and shooting him in the face. The other one sent a surge of electricity through her, sending her to her knees. As he advanced on her, Lightning tried to focus her mind away from her screaming body. He grabbed her around the neck, only to let go when she stabbed him in the foot. He hollered out in pain until she sliced her blade across his neck as she stood. His body collided with the ground as he clutched his throat, leaving her to face off against the unmoving leader.
He seemed to be a challenge, but since he hadn't made a move on her, she had nothing to gauge his strength on. He already had the upper hand. Standing there, he was unscathed. Whereas she had a severely burnt arm to go with her cut one and shaky limbs as her body tried to fight off the effects of the electricity.
"This has become quite a mess. Why couldn't this have been a friendly conversation?"
Lightning growled at his mock sorrow. "You attacked first."
The man chuckled briefly as he clasped his hands together. "True and we may have underestimated you. You may be a very capable guardian after all."
Lightning blinked rapidly at his last words. Guardian? She went to ask, but before she could utter a word, he threw a flurry of ice at her. Focusing on dodging the icicles and swiping them away with her blade, she wasn't able to see him advance toward her. As she went to slash away the last one, it melted before her, distracting her further. The leader then grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off of her feet. The gunblade began to slip from her grasp as her arm jolted out of reflex, begging her to grab his hands away. But she ignored her reflex, steeling her hold on her weapon. Fast as her namesake, she brought it up and thrust it down on his hands, cutting them clean off.
He screamed in pain as he fell backwards, his hood falling down. Disgusted, Lightning shook his hands off of her before going over to the now hand-less man. She brought her blade up below his chin and waited for his screams to stop. With his face now exposed, she could see his sharp and cruel facial features, partially hidden by auburn bangs. As he calmed down, she spoke. "Now, what did you want from me?"
Anger seemed to replace the horror in his eyes, but was soon followed by a sick sort of joy. "You lose, Guardian", he spat.
Digging her blade a bit deeper into him, she also put her boot on his wrist, watching him writhe and wiggle in pain. "Why are you calling me that? What is it that you want?"
At her questions, there was a sense of satisfaction written on his face. "We have what we want... what we need. Do you?"
At that answer, Lightning knew. "Hope." He laughed harshly. Rage flowing through her, she swiped her blade across his throat, spraying more blood over her and killing him instantly.
As her mind began to race in her worry for Hope, she calmed it. She wouldn't allow her fears to distract her, only fuel her. Sprinting towards Hope's house, she dialed his number. Naturally, he didn't pick up. Please just be asleep. She dialed Alyssa quickly, hoping she would still be working. Lightning didn't imagine Hope was the only workaholic there.
"Lightning, how may I-" Sounding slightly out of breath, she cut the upbeat woman off.
"Hope... is he still at his house?" For his sake, he better be.
"Is everything alright, Lightning? You sound-"
"There's no time", she yelled, sending off alarms in Alyssa's mind.
"Let me check."
Still running as fast as her feet could carry her, she prayed that she could reach him in time. She had to protect him. "Hurry."
"Um... no, he's not."
Dammit Hope.
"He's at Harleen Cemetery. Do you need me to give you the location?"
"Yes, and send a squad of G.C. Soldiers. Someone's coming for him, Alyssa." Maker, please be okay, Hope.
As he knelt in front of his father's grave, his head hung low and his hands grasped his thighs tightly. He couldn't tear his mind away from the memories of his father and his family in his pre-l'Cie life. But he didn't want to. He welcomed those memories as the dark ones turned to fond ones. He no longer wept, for the tears couldn't form. He'd cried himself out. His eyes closed as he put his hand on the front of his father's grave. I'm sorry, dad. Everything I put you through, all the arguments, all the yelling, it wasn't worth it. I would give anything to change that day. I know it's impossible... I've wished so many times over the years to have mom back... and as you can see, it never happened. I just miss you both so much. Thank you for the letter. I know how hard it must have been for you to write it. Hope drew in a deep breath. I love you too, dad.
"It's Hope..." Hope's head snapped up at the sound of a voice. "...right?" There was a woman in front of him and his father's gravestone. She was covered in white, her eyes a wolfish gray. Her voice was smooth, confident and strong. "Oh, I'm sorry... it's Director now." Her words held a threatening tone in her last sentence, malevolence apparent.
Hope steadily stood. Anxiety and fear began to rise inside him as his pulse beat harshly. "What do you want", asked Hope hesitantly, forcing himself to remain calm. He couldn't believe how close she was. How could he have allowed her to sneak up on him like that?
"Isn't it obvious?" The woman raised her hand up in front of her chest, signaling many others to come out of the shadows. All of the rest of them, seven, possibly more, were dressed in black cloaks, hoods drawn. "We want you."
She approached the cemetery. It was grand, taking up many acres. Her mind was racing a hundred miles per hour, thinking of the many possibilities and outcomes of what she may find. Letting the eeriness of the dark cemetery slip past her mind, she plunged in. Her gunblade was drawn in her right hand, as she grasped a flashlight in the other. She fought desperately against the urge to cry out for him, wary of alerting any enemies. Remaining quick and stealthy, her footsteps were light and silent. Alyssa had not only given Lightning the location of the cemetery, but Bartholomew's grave. It wasn't too far from the entrance, but with Lightning's current state of mind, it seemed to be a world away.
After ten minutes of hunting for the grave site, she finally found it, and fought the sudden need to fall to her knees. At the foot of Bartholomew's headstone, laid Hope's communicator. She ran toward it and picked it up. It was still moderately warm from his pocket. Breathing a sigh of relief, she lifted her flashlight up to search the surrounding area. She stopped, seeing a flash of red in its light. Her heart skipped a beat. On the top left corner of Hope's father's headstone, was a large splotch of blood. It had dripped down the gravestone, but stopped halfway down, having dried in it's place. Hope's name tore from her lips.
Swearing, she searched to find any other sign of Hope or his attackers. She couldn't believe she'd let this happen. Where is he? Where is my back-up? I can't let this- Her thoughts halted as she spotted another sign of the attack on Hope. There, stuck in a tree, not far from Bartholomew's grave, was Hope's boomerang. Shining the flashlight on it, she saw it had struck something. A small piece of black fabric hung from it. It looked exactly like the fabric of the cloaks on the men that had attacked her. Rage, terror and sorrow threatened to cripple her as she screamed out for Hope, but there was no reply. There was no other sign of him or his assailants.
As she heard the sound of the incoming G.C. Soldiers, she fell to her knees, unsure of how to continue. She swore she'd protect him. She swore she'd keep him safe. Hope is gone. He's alone... again.