Disclaimer: Final Fantasy is owned by Squaresoft. Trust me, I know.

Never got the chance to go that far,

His life was stole, now we'll never know…

Stole – Kelly Rowling

In the three years that had passed since Aleron's birth nothing much had changed. The sun continued to shine, Spira continued to drift lazily through the cosmos. Sin reappeared. Home was rife with rumours of disharmony buzzing through the ranks of Yevon, the scrambling for new summoner's had began in earnest according to the reports. It did not impact on the lazy pace of life for the Al Bhed people; they had never shown an interest in the workings of the false religion and the latest revelation was no exception to the rule. Once the gossip had been handed on it was forgotten, the murmurs dying within weeks. Lesca for her part pointedly refused to be drawn into any discussion on the state of Yevon, politely declining the offers of snippets of information. She had no desire to be drawn into an argument involving a subject long dead, in her mind at least.

The passing years, though few in number, had been good to her. Where she had once been slight, almost painfully thin, she was now slender and curved. After the birth of her child she had retained her fuller bust and obtained a curve to her hips where she had previously been straight, her taught stomach coaxed back in the months following the arrival of Aleron. She had finally filled out fully into womanhood and she looked the better for it.

At just over twenty years of age, Lesca was a devoted mother. The little that Aleron could speak was in both the languages of Yevon and Al Bhed, and his curiosity as to the workings of the world and enthusiasm for knowledge never ceasing to amaze Lesca. The lad adored his mother, hanging on her every word as she imparted her wisdom unto him, listening in rapt attention as she told him of his father and his heritage. She often worried he was too serious for a child of three before remembering Auron and his unfailing sobriety.

The boy was so like him in so many ways it sometimes hurt her to look at him. His russet eyes as he gazed up at her lovingly were the biggest reminders of what she had lost. The silky midnight hair that tickled her nose as he snuggled up to her, the funny little quirk with his finely defined eyebrows if he was questioning her… the full list was endless. Lesca sighed as she contemplated the turns she had taken through life. She had no regrets about her chosen path, but still she wished and prayed he were by her side. Lesca relished the rare silence, looking out of the window at the familiar scenery, watching as the waves lapped gently against the shore in the distance. Somewhere, blue merged into gold, the exact point obscured by the slight haze lying heavily between the heavens and earth. The young woman absently rubbed in the cream Cid had given to her to ward off the heat of the rays, deciding on a whim to take Aleron to the beach. She was still staring at the beauty of the horizon when the door burst open, Aleron rushing over to her and looking up at her adoringly.

She ruffled the short, ebony locks and kissed his forehead before looking up to find her uncle. She grinned at the older man as he struggled to reclaim his breath. "Hey, Cid. Has he been good for you today?"

"He's always good, Lesca. He's started on making you a present, ain't that right kiddo?"

Cid had stepped into the role of substitute grandfather with relish, providing the male influence Aleron needed and the comfort of a friend and family to his mother. Aleron grinned up at his mother sweetly. Well, at least there's part of me in there somewhere! But then again, Auron smiled like that at me too…maybe he…I don't know anymore.

She must have looked lost in her thoughts as her son began tugging at her skirt. "Mama, Unky Cid helped me!"

She scooped him up, hugging him fiercely. "Really, darling? That's great, what a clever boy! Did you say thank you to Uncle Cid?"

The boy buried his face into her shoulder, inhaling the comforting scent of her. "Fank yoo."

Cid and Lesca grinned at each other as they listened to the muffled thanks. Lesca sat on her chair, gesturing for Cid to take a seat also. The boy clung onto her, entwining her hair in his tiny fingers as he looked up at her. She raised her eyebrows, smiling at him before turning back to her uncle.

"Do you have any plans for today?"

He rubbed his rough chin thoughtfully as he mentally checked his schedule. "Nope, can't say I do. I've sent off those spheres to Yuna and Rikku so I think that's me for the day. Do you have something in mind?"

She gestured to the window, "It's such a beautiful day, I thought I'd take Aleron to the beach. Give him a bit of freedom away from the confines of Home, y'know?"

"Sounds like a plan. Tell you what, Rin's here with some supplies. We'll pick up something from him and head on down from there, what do you say?"

Lesca grinned, lifting Aleron from her lap as she got to her feet. "Great! Where has Rin set up the stall, we'll meet you there in ten?"

Cid pointed down the hall in the general direction of the trade centre. "He's down at the market, I'll see you then."

As he left, Lesca found her son looking up at her expectantly. She rolled her eyes good-naturedly and tickled him, joining in with his giggles as he wriggled under her grip. "So, would you like to go the seaside today? We can take a picnic and go swimming, what do you think?"

The boy nodded, smiling brightly at his mother. "I wanna go the seaside!"

"Well, we better get changed then, huh?"

The boy nodded sagely and scurried off to get suitable beach attire. He returned seconds later, holding out the clothes he had picked for her approval. She grinned and dressed him quickly in the small black shorts and red T-shirt, slipping his tiny feet into the sandals he handed to her. She stepped back and scrutinised him, her heart leaping into her mouth as he grinned up at her. Auron's eyes twinkled back at her, his full lips smiling at her lovingly, his eyebrows knitting as he wondered what was wrong.

She shook her head clear of the thoughts and kissed her son. "You look very handsome."

His lower lip quivered as his bronze pools eyed her sadly. "Why yoo sad?"

Lesca sighed and pulled him close. ""I'm not sad honey, you make me so happy. It's just…sometimes you look so much like your daddy, it's like having him back here with me. You're so like him, right down to your mannerisms. I love you with all my heart Aleron and so would daddy. You could never make me sad. Do you understand?"

The lad grinned, nodding. He noticed the worn band of gold on her finger and pointed to it. "What's that?"

"Daddy gave it to me. It's my wedding ring. One day, when you're older and you meet someone, you'll pass this ring onto your wife."

The boy frowned, digesting the information. "Why yoo still have it if daddy's gone?"

She smiled, remembering back to her wedding day. "Because I still love your daddy."

The timepiece hanging on the wall caught her eye and she gasped at the time, "Oh, gods we're late and I'm not even dressed!" She pointed at her son; "This is your fault mister!"

"Uh uh. Unky Cid says yoo always late."

She pulled on her other skirt and top hurriedly, hopping as she slipped on her own sandals. She slung the boy over her shoulder as he giggled at her haste and ran down to the market. Lesca skidded to a halt in front of Cid, smiling sheepishly in apology.

He shook his head, addressing the boy she had just set down. "What did I tell ya kid? Your mom is always late!"

Aleron laughed as Lesca pouted. "Not fair Cid, that's two on one. Where's Rin then? I still have to thank him."

He looked at her with interest. "For what?"

She tapped the side of her nose. "Ah ha! Something he done for me years ago, that's all."

Cid led the way to the small store, waving as he spotted the man he sought. "Rin! Over here!"

The blonde Al Bhed turned toward the voice, nodding as he recognised Cid. He walked over to them, shaking Cid's hand firmly. "Ah, Cid. It is nice to see you again. I see Home has reached completion."

"Yup, it's taken a while but we got there." Cid puffed out his chest proudly as he looked around Home, realising what an accomplishment it had been.

Rin noticed the young woman beside Cid with the child hiding behind her legs. He recognised her as the young woman he had been entrusted with delivering a sphere to, the wife of Sir Auron, daughter of High Summoner Braska, niece of Cid. It was an impressive list of credentials.

"Lesca?"

She smiled at him warmly, "Hi Rin. It's been a while."

"It has…" He studied the child at her side, barely containing his shock as he noted the resemblance to Braska's trusted Guardian. "The child, he is your son?"

She smoothed the boy's hair as he clung to her leg, peering out at Rin suspiciously. "He is, his name is Aleron. Sweetie, say hello to Rin."

The boy shook his head stubbornly, still trying to make up his mind as to whether he liked the strange man.

Rin chuckled at the lad's wilfulness. "How old is he?"

"Three."

Rin raised an eyebrow, "Then he is the son of Sir Auron? He bears a strong resemblance to your husband."

Pain flashed in Lesca's eyes briefly before she managed to lock it away, "He is and he does. I assume you know about Auron?"

Aleron watched his mother with confusion before Cid led him away gently by the hand, not wishing the boy to witness his mother upset.

Rin frowned. "I saw him at the foot of Mount Gagazet after the battle with Sin, I tried to offer my assistance but he would have none of it. Sir Auron did not wish to hinder his progress back to Bevelle. What has happened?"

Lesca bit back the threatening tears. "He's dead. He died at the gates of Bevelle. I, I never saw him again."

Rin took the young woman's hand, offering what little comfort he could. "I am sorry. He was a great man."

She looked at the ground, her hair obscuring her face. "He was."

"Did he know of the child?"

She shook her head silently, a single tear staining the ground as it rolled down her cheek. Rin hesitated before embracing her. "That is perhaps for the best. I apologise, I know it is of no comfort. If you ever need a job, a friendly ear, anything…seek me out."

He left her as she wiped away the tears and replaced her cheery mask as she turned to Aleron. "Well, come on then! We have a beach to get to."

~*~*~

Lesca leaned back onto her hands, tilting her head up to the sun as she savoured the suns rays warming her skin. Every now and then Aleron would pad over to her with some treasure or another, eager to please his mother. He handed her tiny pebbles, rounded to perfection after centuries of being dashed against the rocks by a turbulent sea. She grinned up at him, closing her eyes as he kissed her cheek sloppily. "I love yoo mama."

"I love you too, sweetie."

He ran off, leaping in the breaking surf with glee as she watched over him with a mother's ever-mindful eye. "Don't wander out too far, stay close to the shore Aleron!" She called, shaking her head as she received but a wave in response.

"He's just like you were at that age you know."

Lesca turned to Cid, peering over the top of the sunglasses she had perched on her nose. "He is? I had given up on finding any part of myself in him. He's too much like Auron, Cid." She sighed, fiddling with the pebbles at her side.

Cid nodded slowly as he chose his words. "He may look like him, he may even act like him most of the time but when he let's himself go and enjoys himself its pure Lesca."

"Really?"

"Really."

They sat in companionable silence; Aleron's giggles being carried on the slight sea breeze. Lesca shivered despite the heat and froze, her instincts taking over as she sensed that something was not quite right. She scanned the surrounding dunes for fiends, the edge of her fear dulling slightly when she realised the area was clear. She tried to relax, but she could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. She glanced over at her son, gasping as she noticed a black mass in the water rapidly advancing toward him.

She scrambled to her feet, stumbling in her haste to reach her child. Her legs pounded the sand, her throat hoarse as she called out to him. "Aleron! Get away from the water! Aleron!"

The wind whipped her voice away and he continued to smile and wave, oblivious to the danger he faced. Cid's eyebrows knotted together in incomprehension, the threat still not visible to him. As the hulking form of Sin began to rise from the ocean his eyes widened in horror and he ran toward the child, yelling at him to run to safety. Aleron turned to see the destructive force that was Sin bearing down on him and froze. Lesca's heart pounded against her chest as she willed her legs to go faster.

Damn it! Movemovemovemovemovemove! Too slow, hurry up!

Lesca began screaming as she realised that he was paralysed with fear. "Aleron, don't just stand there! Move, get away!"

The beast reared back, harnessing its energy to attack the small island. Lesca's panic reached new heights as she struggled to reach him, her feet sinking into the soft sand hindering her progress. Her mind became focused as she called upon long forgotten spells, casting the hexes with reckless abandon in a vain attempt to sway the harbinger from its course. The roar of magic slicing through the air pierced her heart as Sin let loose a devastating attack, an assault that Aleron stood directly in the line of. She reached the boy as the full force hit him, the energy of the blow tossing her aside as if she were but a mere rag doll. Lesca's hand flew to her mouth, terror in her eyes as she watched the body of her son shake, the power ripping through his tiny body. A dreadful silence replaced the thunderous horror and Sin submerged back into the depths of the brine. She crawled towards Aleron, shaking fitfully as she prayed to whomever may be listening to spare her son.

She shook him slightly; his body limp and unresponsive as she choked out the words. "Aleron? Aleron sweetie, it's time to get up now. Come on, don't tease mama like this…Aleron?"

Lesca cradled the boy to her chest, whimpering. "Oh gods, no. Not him…not my son! He's just a child…Darling, wake up, don't leave me…"

Cid put a hand on her shoulder, the tears coursing silently down his weathered cheeks. "Lesca? Is he…"

Lesca began to sob, rocking her child slowly in her arms. "They've taken him as well. Why me, Cid? What have I ever done that was so bad, so fucking terrible that I deserve this? I've lost everything. Everything."

He said nothing, holding her close to him was the only comfort he could offer. The pyreflies began to dance around Aleron's body as Lesca watched dully, comprehension eluding her in her grief. His body dissolved completed in her arms leaving the flickers of light to shine brightly in his wake.

I let him die. Our hope has faded to nothing and it's all my fault. I'm so sorry.

A/N: I wish I didn't have to do that, I liked Aleron. : ( Now, anyone up for a challenge? : ) e mail me, Refugee or Pierson or tell us in your reviews (hint hint) and we will set you a suitably arduous task. I am going to come clean here. We have all done our challenges. Refugees excellent "God save you all" a humorous piss take of all the bad plot, crossovers which take place in less than five paragraphs and bizarre couplings (this is primarily a Yuffvine!), Pierson's fantastic "A Guardian of Balamb" (a romantic Rinron). Finally, yes I am ashamed, "Of Salmons and Addictions" by me. Under a different pen name. If you really feel the need, it's The Salmon Lover. Don't ask, believe me, you don't want to know. It is about salmons, cheese, the wonder they can cause together when mixed together and Zell's one true love.

Thanks to The Angel of the Lion, Wi11, Pierson and Refugee. *Waves* Thanks guys! Please review.