Yunie-star-Tidus-cutie-I'm updating! It's Saturday and I'm done with hw so I can write more of my story.

ashitaka666-thank you. I'm continuing as you can see.

RefugeofSouls-That was fun making it a cliffie. It was short because I finally figured out what I had to do to work in Zidane coming back.

Emzies-and-mog-The wait is over and Zidane gets to find out what he's going to do.

LottiRebel-I'm continuing so don't set the shoulder demon on me!

Dagger: Some spoilers in the beginnig that were at the end of the last chapter.

Zidane: What am I going to do now?

Dagger: You're going to explain where you went.

Zidane: Well, what if I don't want to?

Gem: Then, I'll make you explain yourself.

Zidane: Okay, okay, then, I'll explain where I went.

Hope stared at the man on stage who had shouted "Bring my beloved Dagger to me!" Her mother had stood up and looked at him and then ran down towards him.

"What is mother doing? Is that who she's been waiting for? Is that my father?"

She could see her mother pounding on the guy's chest and her mother's friends were nearly or already jumping up and down out of sheer joy. She spotted Vivi and Eiko next to each other bouncing up and down. Next to them were two dragon knights, a female and a male. The female dragon knight was smiling at the guy on the stage and holding the male dragon knight's hand. After the two dragon knights was a red-haired guy that Hope recognized as the man her mother had called Amarant.

"Didn't he say that he had some business to attend to?"

(on stage)

Dagger buried her head in Zidane's chest and sobbed for joy. Six years he had been gone and now he returned. Zidane quietly pulled her off of the stage with him and into a back area.

"How did you survive?"

"I didn't have a choice. So I sang your song."

"Our song. Come, there's someone I'd like you to meet."

"Our daughter?"

"Yes, our daughter. Come on, Zidane."

Dagger basically pulled Zidane along to the royal box. On the way they passed Marcus who was heading to take Zidane's place on stage. He gave them a quick grin, which they returned before he pulled the hood of the cloak up.

(the royal box)

Hope could see her mother and the tailed guy coming back to the royal box. She tried to go out to her mother but was stopped by Beatrix who also opened one of the doors to the box. Steiner held open the other one as the couple came back up.

"Mother, whose this?" Hope asked, looking up into Zidane's face.

"Hello, Hope," said Zidane, kneeling down to Hope's level. "I see you are growing into a nice little girl like your mother."

Dagger also kneeled down and picked Hope up.

"Hope, meet your father."

"Hi," said Hope, somewhat shyly.

Dagger turned to Zidane and said, "She's as rambunctious as you are."

"Excuse me, but there is to be a party afterwards, and it's about to start."

"Thanks, Steiner. We'll be down soon. Zidane what kept you so long?"

"Mother what are you talking about?"

Zidane answered Hope's question.

"I disappeared about half a year before you were born and your mother was waiting for news about me."

"Where'd you disappear to?"

"I want to know that, too," said Dagger coming over and taking Zidane's hand.

"I managed to fight my way out of the Iifa tree and made my way to Fossil Roo and then to Qu's Marsh. I was worn once I got to Qu's Marsh and rested there. It took me about two years to make that journey. I was always getting worn out easily. I stayed in Qu's Marsh for a year to gain back my strength and then headed to Lindblum where I met up again with Tantalus. I was still very easily worn so I didn't act much for the next three years. We hatched a plan to get me to you again. When Boss said that Hope's birthday was coming up, I knew that I had to play the part of Marcus and see you again."

"You mean that you were on the ship last night?"

(a/n they're heading for the party)

"Yes, I wanted to see you badly but I had promised to wait until tonight."

By then they had reached the area where the party was to be held.

"Presenting Her Majesty and Her Royal Highness, Queen Garnet and Princess Hope, escorted by Lord Zidane!"

"Lord Zidane? I don't like the sounds of that."

"He's a little too pompous for me," Dagger said stifling a laugh.

As soon as the three of them had entered the reception, Zidane was immediately attacked by two people.

"Hello Vivi and Eiko,"

They were hugging him and refusing to let go it seemed. Dagger laughed and helped Zidane pull them off.

"I haven't seen you in forever!" exclaimed Eiko.

From the look in Vivi's eyes, it was clear that he felt the same way.

Freya and Frately came over, too. Freya gave Zidane a hug, which he returned quite gladly. Amarant also came over to see Zidane.

"So, you survive?"

"Yes, and I think that even you would have found it a challenge."

Hope looked on in confusion at this odd group of people. She had a monkey tail and the only other person to have a tail like hers was this Zidane guy.

"Is he truly my father? I looked sort of like him and Mother says that I act like him sometimes."

"Come on, let's go get something to eat."

Freya looked over at Zidane and said, "I want to know where you disappeared to after all this time."

The group headed to go get some food and then sat down at a table reserved for them.

Dagger and Zidane sat next to each other, and Hope sat next to her father. Next to Hope was Vivi and then Eiko. Freya and Frately sat on Dagger's other side. There were other dignitaries around the table but Hope paid no mind to them.

"So, where did you disappear to?" asked Freya.

Zidane explained his story again to the others. They were all glad that he had come back but six years?! Maybe Zidane was getting old before his time.

"Daddy, I'm glad you're back."

Zidane turned to his child and hugged her saying, "I'm glad that I'm back, too."

Gem: Ending it here because I can't think anymore. I'll write more when I can think.

Zidane: Yeah, Hope likes me!

Hope: Of course I like you. You're my daddy! runs over and jumps into Zidane's arms.

Dagger (laughing at Hope and Zidane): Well what do you think? Please read and review!