Notes: This is basically a complete Yuna/Baralai plot with no other pairing except for Tidus/Yuna past storyline. Most characters from FFX-2 will be mentioned in interaction with the two main characters. Pardon the spacing.

CHAPTER FOUR: Saving Spira or Yuna.

Brother always had a crush on Yuna. They were cousins, sure, but that didn't mean he didn't feel completely awed by Yuna's gentle beauty and grace. Or that she was one of the most powerful summoners to grace Spira. She was definitely out of his league and even more so when the news hit him years before, the day Yuna would marry. Cid and himself were still on a very rocky relationship. They've always been so hotheaded that you couldn't put both of them in the same room without some kind of viotile argument. It's enough to send Rikku with eyes rolling and foot stamping at the spectacle they sometimes made. It was easier to bear when they gave eachother the silent treatment. At least for those outsiders like Paine, Buddy, Shin, and Yuna. Rikku, on the other hand hated it and she felt like throwing something at both of them.

Brother maintained a more strained and respectable distance from Yuna. He no longer acted like some fool on au unrequited love affair that he wished. He wished so many things. He was able to be one of the best engineers of the Al bhed factions and community. He created the ship that was able to go top speed, faster than Cid's old air craft, and that was a difficult feat to be sure.

Even when the news that she'd marry a Yevonite made him sulkier. Rather he hoped that Gippal, the no good Leader of the machine factions would take Yuna than Baralai, at least, he thought, he was an Al bhed and not a Yevonite. He had to stop himself and remember that Yuna was at least half Yevonite, being born in Bevelle, and had grown up in Besaid island. Her family took took refuge there and gave Yuna a more comforting and loving atmosphere to grow up in. It wasn't that Brother was a prejudice person, no, that wasn't it. He just disliked how the Yevonites had completely taken control over the world with their temple worshipping, their connection with the Fayths and kept too many secrets. He didn't understand why such a a race would want to keep such secrets. The Al bheds were always good for giving out their secrets and building machines to sell to both sides. It was good to see Yuna today, Brother thought to himself. She was and is always beautiful. Even more so now with her babies there, both looking a little like her and with their father's hair color. Brother supposed this certain Yevonite Baralai was okay, even if he were the Praetor of Bevelle.

Yuna and Lulu were always happy to see each other. They gawked at each other's babies and wondered at the miracles they had helped produced into bringing them into this world. Lulu and Wakka were doing good as always for Lulu had the great patience to put up with Wakka's great indecision and somewhat slack of work ethics. But Wakka was a good man, a strong and loyal, loving and protective man so Lulu never minded. She had set aside her feelings for Chappu years before and glad that Wakka was there to comfort her. She knew that Chappu would always be smiling at the both of them and the creation of their now 5 year old boy.

Leaving her children for the first time, even for only a weeks worth was too much for Yuna to bear. She couldn't believe the motherly instincts she produced inside of her and she began to somewhat tear up.

"Yunie!" Rikku sat next to her on the ship. They had just left Besaid island and her babies with Wakka and Lulu and Yuna felt so guilty. She knew she shouldn't be. It would only be a week and besides, she would finally find traces of Tidus again. And the spheres that have been scattered. This time, she felt in her heart that Tidus was waiting for her to find her. Not like 5 years ago when she was hoping he'd find her.

Paine walked nonchalantly up to Yuna. "Maybe this'll make you feel better. Look."

She pointed over at what Shin was doing. Producing a moving image from the broken sphere. Yuna stopped her breath and looked up. She caught a glimpse of Tidus in the sphere. It was really him. She could tell. It wasn't like Shuyin this time. Not someone who looked like him.

"Oh my!" Yuna had her hand over her mouth and she was in utter disbelief. "It is him!"

Shin worked his fingers over the keyboard to punch in numerical Al bhed numbers that would interact with the sphere. He shook his head, "Sorry, that's all I could come up with. I'll let you know if I can do more with this."

"Oh don't be, Shin. You've really outdone yourself this time!"

Rikku was ecstatic! "Oh this is great news isn't it, Yunie? And it'll be like old times. You, me, and Paine scouring Spira and sphere hunting!"

Paine crossed her arms and with her deep voice, "Yuna, you know you have to start working out more. You've been too slack as a mother, which means your power and upgrades are basically downgrades. There's not much of a trace of a warrior in you that you had a few years back."

"No problem, Paine." Yuna beamed. "I've still got my magic abilities and they're strong as ever. Not to mention, I'm good with a gun." With that last remark, she blinked at them.

"True. True. Always the true marksmanship you are." Paine agreed with admiration. "Then leave the warrior skills to me."

"And the thieving and mixing grenades to me!" Rikku cried happily, her arm jolted up in the air to give Yuna their usual high five.

Yuna slept on that airship and it had been a long time that she felt the smooth purring of the tremulous engine beneath them. She didn't think she'd be able to sleep well away from her babies and even checked up on them every two hours. Finally, Lulu had to tell her over the commsphere in Besaid to enjoy herself and not worry a single thing. It was hard for Yuna to do that but her thoughts fled to Tidus again and the memory of him felt good in her mind. She slept good with dreams, the dreams that engulfed her with Tidus. He was there on the farplane, approaching her with pyreflies surrounding them. His blond hairs remained in place and the smile that lit his face made her heart flutter. He held her in a tight embrace, never wanting to let her go and she held him back, her arms enclosed around his much bigger body.

"Oh Tidus. I promise I'll find you this time. I thought—I thought," she gasped. "I thought that if I just searched for spheres that you'd find me. I realize now, that it was me who should be searching for you, not you to find me. You've always known where I am. But I never know where you are." Tears started to form in her eyes. She started to walk away, feeling his strong arms let go...

"Yuna!"

But to her surprise, he spun her around, grabbed her face in both hands, and kissed her. And kissed her and kissed her... The intimate warmth stole any remaining coherency from her mind. Hypersensitivity to his touch flooded her senses; the tangy warmth and wetness of his lips, the way his hands shuddered as they fell to hold her waist and hips, the dampness and folds of their clothes smashed between them... She lifted her face from his kisses and she saw another face, not Tidus, another in his place. Someone else she knew so well. But these slight differences, it didn't register in her mind, she felt that Tidus was him. That they were both merged and that somehow it felt natural.

The thrill overshadowed the initial learning curve. Her head lolled back and he nuzzled her neck. Her legs gave out, and he lifted her against him. Gasping, she choked out the name of the man whose face hovered over hers, whose lips possessed hers.

"I...I love you Baralai," she breathed, her tear ducts leaking with the confession. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. "I love you..."

She could feel his thoughts. His movements. Everything about him felt as if they were one.

Yuna had felt him stiffened, wondering if she was saying this to him or him. Baralai hated that other person invading their thoughts, she knew. She knew this all too well. Not this invisible dream that was all too real for her and the rest of Spira. If it weren't for him, Yuna may have died along with Spira. She may have saved Spira, but not without the help of her lost love. Can pretending help? Was she being comforted in his arms when her longing was for the other? He brought trembling hands up to cradle her face, kissing her mouth three times before pulling back to look at her. Yuna's eyes fluttered open, and her breath caught. There wasn't a trace. Not one...of angst, regret, self-loathing, inner conflict... Just half-lidded sapphire eyes crinkled in a contented warmth. His mouth opened and closed twice in unformed words, then his brow lifted in the center in a sort of elated disbelief.

Baralai was happy. And when he was happy, he was breath-taking, Yuna thought. She didn't even notice the slight concern he harbored in the back of his mind. He was just elated that they were locked like this. She suddenly felt shy and ridiculously inadequate, wondering how in the world she landed herself a guy like this. "That," she said through the haze of their chemistry, forcing her abrupt shyness into an eager grin, "is an expression I want to see on your face more often."

He exhaled in a light laugh. "I think you're going to." He rested his forehead against her brow, and then grew rueful. "I'm sorry it took me so long to let you see it."

"It's okay." She leaned forward to kiss him again, and then hesitated. In that half second before the attraction carried them away again, right before her eyes closed, a knot of unease formed in her chest, interrupting the bliss, leaving her with the impression that there was something important she'd forgotten.

He paused. "What is it?" he asked, sensing her alarm.

And then she noticed it. It wasn't as obvious in the sunlight as it was in the shade, but with the onset of dusk, she saw it again...the hue of his skin against the darkening sky. "Baralai," she said, pulling back and touching his face. "You're crying."

He smirked.

"No. Not metaphorically. Your eyes. I mean, they're wet."

She reached out and touched the slight tear from the corner of his eyes. Baralai never felt any compulsion to hide himself from her his feelings. He wanted her to feel what he felt all the time. He wanted her to know that she made him feel happy.

He frowned a confusion at her, and stepped back, holding his hand up between them, looking at it in perplexed inquiry. The tranquility left his expression and the moment was ruined as he in turn noticed what she was talking about. Yuna half-regretted bringing it up, but it wasn't normal. She was concerned.

"What does it mean?"

"Baralai..." she breathed again. Thoughts of once Tidus in her arms seem so distant and nothing mattered because he was here with her. Loving her. Making her feel alive.

"Baralai..."

"Yunie!" a familiar high pitched voice broke her dream. Yuna awoke with a start, seeing both Paine and Rikku staring at her from the side of her bed.

"Oh. I'm sorry. Was I saying something?" she feared that they'd know what was in her dreams. Somehow it seemed so secretive to her, that the familiarity of Tidus and Baralai was for her and her alone.

"You were calling for him."

"Who?" Yuna blushed crimson and turned her head away. "I didn't think I'd be such a noisy sleeper."

"You were calling for Tidus."

"W-what?" Yuna's perplexed expression concerned the girls.

Paine edged closer, "Yeah. What's wrong? You've always called out for Tidus once in awhile. Which is why all of us were surprised you went and got married to Baralai."

This can't be, Yuna cried in her head, I thought—she thought, that it was Baralai's name she called out for. It was his lips he felt in her dream, right after his visage merged with Tidus, transforming, changing, fitting her body the way only Baralai could.

"Oh dear." She whispered. "Are you sure I called Tidus's name out loud?"

"Clear as a whistle." Paine offered.

TO BE CONTINUED