Together Then (Part II)

Disclaimer: Whatever you may read here.guess what.it's all MINE!!! That is of course for all characters from any product directly or indirectly related to Squaresoft including but not limited too..oh what the heck, I am no lawyer, you can figure out what belongs to who, I only write the stories!

Warning: This contains a few spoilers, so unless if you have not finished the game yet, you may get a few early surprises. Oh and if you find anything different with this story and the actual story from the game.well that was my doing, please don't be too harsh.

(The last thing I ever thought about was losing her.not then and certainly not now.)

Night was over and morning was already midway through. Aboard the Airship the crew was still recovering from their latest escapades. This one being a walk into the Omega Ruins that under the guidance of Auron, was supposed to be their last step in preparing for their inevitable battle with Sin. What was not expected nearly became a reality.

They had succeeded in braving the ruins, a place where no mortal had ever returned from, and the very few unfortunate whom had discovered its hidden location. They even succeed in defeating the heretic Omega and thus ending the poor souls' self inflicted misery. Their training had been a near success, that is with one exception.

************************************************************************ When the group had first arrived in the ruins, they were startled to see such a decrepit temple, left in such disarray it was no wonder that this place had been forgotten about. But they also knew that was not the only reason why no one dared step foot in this forbidden place.

Far in the heart of this temple lay the reason for their being there, the heretic Omega. His time was soon coming to an end, they were only there to help speed it up.

Auron took the lead and suggested that they waste no time in finding Omega. No sooner did they begin were they engaged by a vast array of some of the strongest fiends they had encountered up until that point. Fight after fight, it became quite apparent to Wakka that Auron was right, they still had a ways to go before they would be able to face Sin.

As they progressed further, the battles began to wear at them all, as the fiends grew more determined to stop them from making any further progress. But the pressed on, determined to make this journey a successful one. Finally, at the end of a long cavern, there was a ramp, which after having stepped on, proceeded to float up and take them to another room.

Rikku was the most nervous as she tried her best to hide her fear over what lay ahead. "Um.Tidus, are you sure we should go any further, I mean, couldn't we come back another time?" She barely whispered for fear that Auron would hear her and give her the same icy look that kept her awake many nights.

"No, we have to do this.come on Rikku, don't tell me you're afraid of the Boogey man now." He tried to make light of a serious situation.

"Heh.me afraid.of course not, what made you think that.what's a boogey man anyway?" She never had the chance to get a reply from Tidus for as soon as they had ventured a little further into the room; they were met by the most gruesome apparition that any of them had seen.

It was giant and white and smelled of death and decay as it loomed over them on legs that sunk into the ground with every step. It came closer and closer as they all readied themselves for the battle.

Amazingly, as fearsome as the fiend seemed, it was not much of an effort required to take him down. After several key hits from the party, it went down hard and vanished, as did all fiends when they had been defeated.

"Wow, that was too easy.some fiend Omega was ya?" Wakka spoke as he scratched the back of his head, he wondered if it was really to be that easy, he was soon enlightened by Auron.

"That was but a shadow sent to try and dissuade us, Omega is further inside." Auron spoke lowly as he too wished it could have been that easy.

The others simply sighed and sat down for a breather, they were nearly exhausted and now to know that they still had a ways to go left them in down spirits.

Auron let them have a short rest break before he spoke his next instructions, which were a shock to the others at the very least.

"From here on in, the three of you will wait here, the rest of us will go ahead"

The group was shocked that he would make such a choice and split up the group.

"Sir Auron, you can't be serious, I mean who knows what else is in there, we should all stick together!" Wakka immediately protested.

"No, there's no point in all of going in if we might not al make it back out. If things get out of hand, then you will be our only source of escape"

Rikku too agreed with Wakka but Kimhari spoke out in Aurons' favor. "Kimhari agree with Auron, Kimhari know that Auron has most experience, Kimhari will respect words of Auron and will wait here"

Auron turned to Tidus to see if he had his approval. Though he already knew that he did. "What do you think?"

Tidus looked at the others for a moment, then at Auron and he began to get the idea, they wanted to see where he stood.

"I say we go along with Aurons idea, he's right, we might need some help if things get too out of hand"

Having been settled, Auron took lead as he was flanked by Tidus, Yuna and Lulu who up to this point had been more silent then usual, but no one seemed to pay it any mind.

As the four progressed further into the bowels of the ruins, Tidus could not help but feel that Lulu was just too quiet during this whole mission. Yuna had at times been there to offer words of encouragement but Lulu.

"If you're wondering why I have been so quiet.well let's just say that I have a few things on my mind.nothing personal."

Tidus was nearly about to ask what was occupying so much of her mind but Auron stepped in.

"We're here, just beyond that opening is our final stop.let's be ready first."

Yuna gathered the others together and cast a quick healing on the party to make sure that everyone was at their best. As they began to head into the last chamber, Tidus turned to Lulu.

"Hey, be careful."
"Don't worry, I'll be keeping an eye on you too." Lulu answered as she followed the others into the chamber. Tidus scratched the back of his head confused but felt a nudge from Auron.

"Let's go.there'll be time for that later"

They both continued into the chamber and readied themselves for the fight with Omega.

At first, there was nothing.
"M-maybe he stepped out, yeah he needed some fresh air, he really doesn't want to mess with us Tidus jested, but then he came.

Lumbering across the floor with all his weight put into every step, the great monster slowly came closer to the group. Yuna clutched her staff tightly as she tried her very best not to scream, even Lulu was repulsed by his presence. Auron simply looked on, he knew what they were there for. What happened next, even he could not be prepared for.

Omega heaved his large body only slightly closer, looked over the four intruders and did something that he had not done in so long a time.he spoke. It was a deep rumble, the kind that reminded one of the sound of the tide coming in, only that it was all around you, so subtle yet so overwhelming. He pointed a shaking hand at them and opened his cavernous mouth.

"Your...sleep...never..end..." He finished it off with a loud roar, which shook the ground they stood on.

They all stood shocked, but then Auron stepped forward "I don't think so"

At that, the others immediately took their positions by his side and readied for the attack. Omega made the first move, a sweep with his tail that seemed to extend forever, it barely missed the group as they scattered and each made their strike.

Yuna was first as she summoned Bahamut in an attempt to fight size with size. After several shots, Bahamut made his mark but was quickly dealt with as Omega slashed deeply into his chest.

Auron came up for a quick cleave and made his mark before being swept back by a strike from Omega. He now turned his attention to Tidus and Lulu. Without wasting any further time, Lulu focused and sent a wave of green light at Omega, which pushed him back several feet and opened a gash above his chest.

Tidus made a quick follow up and struck in the same spot as Omega let out a roar of pain. All in all, they were not doing to badly, until.

"Get back!!!" Auron yelled as he pulled Yuna away as she was the closest to him.

Before the others could even notice what his panic came form, Omega let loose a glistening, almost serene pulse of light from within, it was his final attack.

With almost no time to react, Tidus looked in horror at Lulu who was directly in his path.

"Lulu look out," He screamed as he tried to lunge for her.

He grabbed her as the beam hit them both but he was surprised that it did not hurt as much. Yuna had made a quick effort to cast a shell around them both, though it would not stop the attack completely, it would help brace the impact a bit.

Tidus looked up at Lulu who hand landed only a few feet from him, she was not moving. Blood trickled from the side of her head and her moogle lay still beside her.

Tidus threw aside his sword tried to pick up her limp body to wake her, but he did not feel a pulse. He buried his face in her hair, and the turned to Omega. With tears in his eyes, he thought for a moment that Omega was actually smiling at him, mocking his agony.

He walked over and picked up his sword, lowered his head and spoke "I swear.. I'll kill you.. I'LL KILL YOU!!!!!!!!"

He lunged at Omega and let loose a flurry of blows, each one harder than the last. (This was it the though, if I'm going to die, he'll pay for taking her away from us.from me.)
Finally, when he could swing no more, he dropped his sword and fell to the ground, having spent every last bit of energy, he looked up and saw Omega, he was badly wounded, but still standing. Feeling utter despair over failing to stop him, Tidus simply waited for the end.

He closed his eyes, but was quick to open them when he heard the guttural cry of Omega. He opened his eyes and saw him holding his chest as Auron took the opportunity to come around from behind and pierce Omega's dark heart.

The fallen summoner collapsed with a sickening thud as his blood poured across the floor. Tidus only sat and stared at the ceiling as Auron yelled for Yuna to come and heal Lulu.

************************************************************************ Tidus was simply slouching against the wall, no wall in particular, just a wall. His head buried in his knees. He felt alone again, and he felt lousy. Aside form the bruises and cuts he received from his last journey, he felt the worst wounds of all, the ones on the inside.

He had gone too far on this journey believing that it was a one-way ride with no way home. Then he learned otherwise, and that he need not go back alone, if he even made it back at all. But now.the one whom he would want to go back with was.

"Hey.you gonna be all right ya?" Wakka spoke as he took a seat next to Tidus. He was a bit battered too, but he too felt the same pain that Tidus felt, but he was a bit more willing to talk about it.

"You know, it isn't your fault ya.I mean who could have known what was going to happen." He tried consoling Tidus but he realized that he just needed some time alone.

"Well, when you feel like talkin', you know where to find me." He got up and started to leave.

"Wakka.thanks." He barely muttered, but he knew that Wakka heard him.

Rikku was next to try and console him as she put a hand on his shoulder "Hey.Lulu is a tough girl, she'll be just fine." she spoke, but it was not only to convince him, but her as well.

"Yeah.I know.heck.why couldn't it have been me." He let out as he punched the wall next to him.

Rikku only looked on and shuddered at the sight of Tidus in anger, this was not the way she wanted to remember him as.

"Look, it wasn't your fault.I wished it could have been me also, but it didn't work out that way. Tidus, I lost most of my family, but I still appreciate the ones I have now, and.I even think of all of you as my family.please, don't be angry.it won't make her feel any better either.okay?"

He didn't say a word. Realizing it was something he would need to deal with on his own, Rikku got up and quickly kissed him on the back of his head, to let him know that they were all concerned over her, and him.

A few minutes later, he got another visit, this one was smiling, and trying very hard at it. Yuna walked over to him as Kimhari stood a ways off, not so close that he could hear her, but not too far off at all.

"Hi.I-I just wanted to see how you were doing." Yuna spoke as she leaned against the wall. Though she had seen death many times and the pains inflicted by Sin, it was a way of life that she could never get into her system as being something normal.

She looked him over, but could not see his face, his eyes, the same that had looked into her own and said that he would always be there for her.she tried not to know what was in his heart.but she was no fool.

"Yuna.I-I wanted to thank you for being there to help, I don't know what I would have done without you.thanks.for helping me, for helping Lulu too."

"I.I know how much she means to you.to us all." She tried to cover over her last words but knew it was too late, the tears were already starting to come out.

Tidus stood up and put his hands on her shoulders. She looked at him, into his eyes, searching for something that would tell her that it was still the same.

"Yuna, I want you to know something, after this is all over.I-I'm going home.I-I found out that this isn't the end of my story.but, I don't know how it will go from there.all I know is that.I am not going back alone.I, just." He turned and looked away from her.

"I just don't know with who yet.I-I'm sorry Yuna, please forgive me."

Yuna felt as if there were a million voices laughing at her for wearing her heart on her sleeve the way she did.but she would not let it get the best of her. She wiped the tears from her eyes, and then spoke.

"I understand, you never could hide the truth.and I.appreciate that the most about you.your honesty.I-I have to go" She walked off as Tidus simply stood there with no words to say.

Kimhari soon stood over him, looking on him, not with anger, but with great sadness. He knew how much Yuna cared about Tidus, and it made him happy to see her smile every time Tidus was around, but now.

"Kimhari is sad that Yuna is sad, but Kimhari is grateful that you did not hide the truth from her, Kimhari thanks you"

He nodded and was alone again. For a moment, he wished that he were dead, that it would end now and that he would not need to choose, or go on with his mission, to end the suffering of his father.

"What do you want."? He never turned to see Auron; he would have hit him if he had.

"It was not your fault what happened back at the temple.these things happen."

Tidus quickly turned around and grabbed Auron by his coat and pinned him against the wall.

"That's it, that's all you can say.DAMN YOU! Because of your decision, she's laying there half dead.. are you happy now?"

Auron looked away, he could not face him, he could have easily of pushed him off, but he knew there was some truth behind his words.

"But she is not, and right now, she needs you by her side.so are you going to keep me here like this, or are you going to where you know you need to be?" He got out.

Tidus tried to hold his tears back and slowly released his grip on Auron and began to leave the room.

When the door closed behind Tidus, he never heard Auron speak two words he rarely wished to say

"I'm sorry." He whispered and went off to be alone.

As Tidus stormed off to the one place that he knew he ought to be, he didn't notice Yuna off in the distance watching him walk away, and the tears that so wanted to fall on his shoulders.

He finally made it to the infirmary room. At the end of the hallway was a closed door. Behind that door lay someone he truly need to talk to, and he began to reach for the handle.