Disclaimer: I don't own FFX or Squaresoft.

Angel all people ought to see,

Only you can ease my troubled dreams…

Ash - Candy

"Where have you been Lesca? I've been worried sick."

Lesca sighed and turned to meet the worried face of her father, he looked preoccupied with something other than her disappearance.

"You know not to worry about me dad. I just needed to get out and clear my head."

"You know what day it is. I though you might have done something stupid. You were meant to be watching Yuna. You need to start acting like an adult Lesca." He stated accusingly.

"No, what I need is to live my own life and not be bogged down with your responsibilities."

Braska sighed and rubbed at his temples, "Don't take that tone with me young lady. If your mother were here…"

"Don't you bring her into this!" The anger flared in her and he saw he'd over stepped the mark.

"I apologise. Lesca, there is something I need to tell you. I've been doing a lot of thinking."

She collapsed heavily in a chair, folding her arms and staring up at him sullenly.

"And?"

"I need to avenge your mother. I'm going to become a summoner." He awaited her approval and was instead shocked by her disinterest.

"No." She studied her fingernails with great interest.

"What do you mean "no"?"

"I mean no, you're not. You are not leaving me to satisfy your own guilt and you most certainly are not leaving me to raise my sister." She looked up, rage burning in her eyes.

"You cannot tell me what to do. I'm the adult here, I tell you what you can and cannot do."

"Well start acting like it!" She shot back at him. Silence hung in the air heavily and he moved to comfort her.

"I'm sorry Lesca. I need to do this."

"What about Yuna? What about me?" Her face crumpled and his heart felt cold and hard as lead.

"You'll survive. Look after each other. Look at me. I love you both Lesca, but I can't go on like this. One day you'll understand."

"Have you told Yuna?" She asked quietly.

"Yes, but she does not yet need to know the end result. She knows only that I will defeat Sin."

"I can't believe you would sacrifice your life and leave your children orphaned to settle a score."

Her words stung him and he recoiled from her. "Lesca, don't. I will not leave on my pilgrimage for a while yet, I still must recruit guardians."

"Let me be a guardian. I'm more powerful with my gloves than you are with your staff and I'm a skilled black mage. Besides, you always said you'd teach me some white magic, maybe make me a fully skilled mage?" An edge of hope crept into her voice only to be crushed by the force of his refusal.

"No. I will not risk both of our lives. One of us should be here for Yuna and it has to be you."

"It should be you." The words were said with resignation and he ruffled her hair as he left for the temple.

"Yes, it should." He sighed as he opened the door.

~~~

"Lescy!"

Lesca awoke with a start as the small girl hurled herself into Lesca's lap with a gap-toothed grin.

"Take it easy Yunie! How was school?" She laughed at the enthusiastic child and tickled her, making the girl squeal with delight.

"Good, I – "

The exchange was interrupted by a timorous knock at the door. The girls looked at one another in confusion before jostling each other in their rush to reach the caller. Yuna got there first and opened the door with the toothy grin firmly in place.

"Hi, who're you? Who ya looking for?"

"My name is Auron, I'm looking for a lady named Lesca." The voice rasped.

"Lesca lives here but she isn't a lady. I'm Yuna!" The small girl made a face familiar to Auron and he laughed weakly.

Lesca rushed to the door and pushed Yuna out of the way, gasping at the sight before her.

"Auron! Yevon, what happened to you?"

His clothes hung torn and bloody from his limp frame, his face bruised and swollen, bloody from many small wounds. He leaned heavily against the doorframe in attempt to support his weight, a small bag of belongings slung carelessly over his shoulder. A great sword was strapped to his back and he swayed dangerously under the weight of his baggage.

He smiled faintly and staggered, trying to remain upright.

"I turned it down. I turned it down and now I am disgraced."

She took his arm, ushering the man inside her home, "Hush, Auron and come inside, sit by the fire. Yuna, fetch me some towels and warm water."

The little girl scurried off, leaving the two alone. His rusty brown pools eyed her warily as if expecting some reprimand and she touched his cheek tenderly, withdrawing her hand with haste when he winced at the gentle touch. He took her hand hesitantly and hid it in between his own two larger ones, breaking the silence with his throaty tone.

"I am sorry to disturb you. I, I didn't have any where to go and you were the only person I could think of who might…"

"Might what, Auron?" She asked gently, ripping up one of the clean towels Yuna had brought and using it with the lukewarm water to bathe his wounds.

He sighed heavily and grimaced at the pain, "It matters not." Might care. Might not revile me and cast me aside.

"Ok. Yuna, make some tea for Auron. What do you take, milk, sugar?"

"Thank you for your kindness, but I should leave you in peace." He made to leave, but was surprised by the strength of the small hand suppressing him.

"You're going nowhere, you're in no fit state. Stay the night, tell me what happened. Milk and sugar?" She spoke firmly and he sighed, knowing when he was defeated.

"A little milk please."

"Well? Tell me."

He entered his quarters to find Kinoc there already awaiting his arrival. He grunted acknowledgement at the older man and sat heavily on the hard bed.

"Have you made your decision my friend? The maester awaits." Kinoc smiled jovially and sat beside the youth.

"I have." He sighed and turned from the other mans relentless, probing stare.

"And?"

"I am going to refuse her hand."

"What? Just yesterday you were going to accept! What could have possibly happened in the twenty four hours since I saw you last to cause such a dramatic change of heart?"

"I met someone." A smile played on his lips before he realised and wiped his face to resemble an expressionless mask.

Kinoc raised an eyebrow, "A woman?"

He nodded in acquiescence. "She was…special. Something about her…She made me ask myself why I would trap myself into a loveless marriage and a miserable existence for the rest of my life. I have too much life to experience to throw it away on this Kinoc."

Kinoc smiled and placed a hand on Auron's shoulder. "You realise this will probably mean the end of your duties here? That you will be dismissed from the order?"

"I know."

"All the best then my friend. May Yevon be with you."

~~~

"Ah, Auron! Have you made your decision my boy?"

Auron grimaced inwardly and walked toward the maester and his plain daughter, Olophius. The other maester's Kelk and Jyscal along with Grand Maester Mika were also in attendance. He eyed the scene warily and bowed to the assembled masters of Yevon.

"Maester Turan, it is an honour as always my lord."

"Enough with the pleasantries Auron! What say you to my daughter's suit?"

Auron hung his head and spoke softly, "Although it is an honour I am not worthy of my lord, it is one I cannot deem to accept. I apologise my lord."

The maester turned red in barely contained rage as his weeping daughter ran from the room in shame.

"You believe yourself to be above this honour I granted you? No longer, boy. You shall suffer my wrath. You are no longer of the hallowed ranks of the warrior monks, you are cast out! Make your own way in this world; Yevon is done with you. Guards, show him what it means to be a traitor in our ranks."

Turan turned his back and let the guards pummel the youth to within an inch of his life, though he did not give up without a struggle, despite his lack of a weapon. Tossed into the street with the little belongings he owned, he awoke from the beating induced slumber, lost. Outside the life of the warrior he knew nothing, no family, no friends outside of the order to turn to. He remembered the kindness of the girl earlier that day, the girl who made his heart leap. Would she remember him, would she accept him? He shrugged and looked at the crumpled piece of paper containing her address. Setting off slowly and painfully in the direction of her abode, he felt his heart grow lighter with every step that took him nearer to her. Maybe it was the right decision after all.

"I turned down the maester's daughters proposal. I have been cast aside by the order and taught a lesson of what happens to traitors such as I."

"That's awful, they had no right! I'll go see them tomorrow, they won't be allowed to get away with this!" She spoke fiercely and he smiled at her concern.

"It is of no importance now. What has happened is in the past and nothing can change that. Didn't you say we should look to the future?"

She grinned, "I did. You're right."

The smile faded and she became lost in thought. He watched her slip away from him and he squeezed her hand.

"Lesca? What is wrong?"

She made a face, "That obvious? I'm just thinking about my father. He's decided to become a summoner. Apparently, its not enough that Yuna has to grow up without a mother, now she must spend the rest of her life without a father too."

Auron mulled over her words. "You are angry with him?"

"Yes. He's being so selfish, going on a foolish pilgrimage under the guise of avenging my mother when it's really so he has to avoid the pain of living without her. We all have sorrow in our lives to deal with, I don't see why he should be allowed to free himself of his grief without a thought of how his actions can add to someone else's anguish."

Hot tears of frustration and woe sprung to her eyes and she wiped them away angrily, glancing up to meet her fathers gaze.

"Lesca, I – "

"Dad, this is Auron. He's been discharged from the warrior monks. He's in a pretty bad way so he's staying here a while. Auron, my father, the soon to be Lord Braska."

Auron bowed deeply to the older man who in response returned the gesture.

"Well Auron, we've been given our orders. It is late, there is a guestroom through the hall; please make yourself at home. Lesca, where is Yuna?"

"She's in bed."

"Thank you Lesca. I'll retire now; I'll see you in the morning sweetheart. Good night Auron."

"Good night, my lord." Lesca giggled at Auron's reverence for authority and lead him to his room.

These are good people, decent people. I only hope I do not let them down. I do not want to hurt Lesca. I wonder if she feels this as well?

Does he know? I don't think so. He's so strong, but vulnerable, words will pierce and wound him more easily than any sword. I want to be there for him…I wonder if he feels this too?

A/N: Thanks Angel! You're the best.