DISCLAIMER: I do not own FFX or FFX-2 or any of the characters or places associated with it. I do, however, own the twisted idea for this story.

DO NOT COPY MY STORIES!!

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I have had problems with my fics being stolen. Reviewers of the Silver Wings trilogy know all about the situation. Please keep an eye out for this story or any of my others posted on any other sites. I only post here and I only use the name "akksgurl". If you think my story has been stolen, please contact me so that I can look into the situation. Thanks a lot in advance for your help.

Author's Notes: Some allusions to FFX-2 in this one, so spoilers if you haven't played it.


TWISTED DESTINY
by akksgurl
Chapter Fifteen: A New Beginning

She was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. That was a certainty that could never be questioned. Her breath touched his skin softly as she slept curled up against him with a small smile on her face. Tidus ran his fingers softly through her hair to push a few stray strands from her cheeks. This was the best he'd ever felt in his life…and also the worst. The guilt was starting to creep up into his bones as he watched Yuna sleep peacefully.

Shuyin would never be able to enjoy watching Lenne sleep again. They'd never get to enjoy anything ever again.

Yuna stirred quietly beside him, turning to rest with her back toward him. She cuddled a pillow against her with her cheek pressed firmly into its softness. Tidus carefully extracted his arm from under her neck and sat up straight against the headboard. His knee was feeling better. That'd been proven quite effectively just a few hours before. He thought he'd broken it again, but he hadn't. It must have just given up under the strain of his weight and buckled.

He felt guilty. He was moving on with his life already. He was worried about inconsequential things like his knee. Why wasn't he thinking more about his brother? More about Lenne? More about Reanna? He just felt hollow when thoughts of them crept into his mind. Hollow…empty. He'd cried. He'd screamed. Now he felt nothing.

What was wrong with him? Why wasn't he feeling anything anymore?

Yuna sighed quietly and rolled onto her back. Her right arm crossed over her eyes to shield them from the light streaming in from the window. She let out a yawn and moved her arm, eyes blinking in the light. She smiled at him, "Hi."

"Hi." He replied.

She sat up slowly, pulling the sheet along with her until she was propped against the headboard with the sheet seated demurely just below her neck. Her innocence was charming. He'd always thought so. Especially now that she was covering herself from practically head to toe when she'd been more than eager to reveal herself just a few hours before. He voiced his musings and she blushed a little, "It just seems strange to me to be naked in broad daylight." She admitted with a shrug, "Where I'm from, we're very modest."

"It's okay. I was just saying…" he said, letting the sentence trail off. His head leaned back against the headboard and he sighed. This had to have been the strangest 'morning after' he'd ever been involved in.

She didn't seem to regret it, as evidenced by the way her hand was creeping shyly down his thigh.

He certainly didn't regret it.

Yet…

Tidus let out a moan when her bold little hand made contact. She grinned at him and continued her infinitesimal movements. He was liking this. He really was. If only he could let himself forget like he did last night. He'd managed to push every horrible thing that had happened or would happen into the far reaches of his mind and focus on enjoying Yuna and the moment.

Why couldn't he do it now?

It doesn't hurt anymore…

It doesn't hurt anymore…

It doesn't hurt anymore…

"Stop it…" Tidus commanded, sitting up as straight as he could against the headboard.

Yuna drew her hand back like she'd been stung and stared at him. Her beautiful eyes were wide with questions but the main one shone more. What did I do?

And what had she done? She'd done what he'd been dreaming of for months. They'd done more last night and he was fine. Why was this morning any different? Tidus reached for her hand and pulled it to his lips, "I'm sorry…" he whispered as he placed soft kisses on her knuckles, "You didn't do anything wrong. It's me. It's all me."

"What do you mean?"

What did he mean? Why didn't he know what he was feeling…or was supposed to feel…anymore? He pulled her against him tightly and she lay her head on his chest, "I…I feel guilty I guess."

She turned her head up to him, "About…us?"

He smiled, "I know Shu wouldn't mind, but…I just don't know if it's polite to have sex a few hours after…" he stopped and swallowed, "Well…after that."

"Oh…"

Tidus gripped Yuna's shoulder, "I'm not saying that I regret last night, because I don't." he stated firmly, making sure she was making full eye contact with him, "I love you. I mean that."

"I love you too…and I don't regret it either." Her eyes downcast, she added, "But I understand what you mean."

"You do?"

"Yes." She said, "but…I don't understand why you stopped me."

He didn't quite understand that either. He'd liked it…really liked it. And he'd done more just a few hours ago. He shrugged, "I don't know either. I guess I'm just crazy."

Yuna laughed and pressed more firmly against him, "Crazy, huh? Should I be concerned?"

Tidus winked at her, "Absolutely. Very concerned." He rolled on top of her and pressed kisses into her neck, "Very…very concerned." She lifted her hips to meet him and all thoughts of guilt of any kind were wiped from his memory. He wasn't going to let what happened ruin the rest of his life. He wasn't going to let it destroy what he had with Yuna. Shuyin wouldn't want that and Tidus was sure of it. Shuyin had always said that Lenne was his 'forever' and he'd always wanted Tidus to have that too. He knew what his brother would say if he could see Tidus worrying about how his actions might be constrewed.

"Don't let a little thing like me being dead stop you from living your life…stupid."

He loved the little sounds Yuna made and focused on those as he ran kisses down her jaw and clutched both of her hands with his.

"What in Spira are you two doing?!"

Yuna let out a frightened little squeak as Tidus turned his head to the doorway. Auron stood there blocking the light from the hallway, glowering as he took in the scene. Tidus shook his head in annoyance and rolled off of Yuna, who promptly pulled the sheet up to her chin. Tidus, however, wasn't embarrassed in the slightest and proceeded to slide out of bed stark naked – with the help of one crutch - to pull fresh boxers from his dresser drawer and slide them up to his hips.

Auron stalked over to him, "I asked you a question!"

"And if you don't know what we were doing, then I feel sorry for you." Tidus quipped.

Auron frowned, "I thought you were angry at us."

"I was." Tidus admitted with a shrug, "But now I'm just angry at you."

"Me? What did I do?"

Tidus laughed, his head shaking in time with it, "Well, aside from the breaking and entering you just did now…you want a list?"

"How humorous." Auron replied sarcastically before turning his full attention to Yuna. The woman was still covered with the sheet up to her chin and was peering at Auron apprehensively. The taller man motioned with one hand to the door, "Get dressed. I'll meet you out front. We're going to have to go over a few things before Sin arrives."

"You thought of a new plan?" she asked, lowering the sheet slightly.

"It's no plan, really. We'll just have to face it head on, but I wanted to see if we could get you an Aeon or two before we do."

Tidus glared at Auron, "Great idea, Auron. You're just going to feed her to Sin like you fed Shu and Lenne to Vegnagun. Some friend you are."

Auron grabbed Tidus roughly by the arm and pulled him closer so he could hiss in his face, "I happen to be a very good friend and guardian to Yuna. At least I have her best interests at heart."

Tidus sneered, pushing Auron away from him, rubbing his arm as he said, "Oh, so feeding her to Sin is protection."

"I'm not feeding her to anything!" Auron snapped, "Yuna is fully capable of handling her own."

Neither man had noticed that Yuna had slipped out of the bed with the sheet wrapped around herself until she was standing beside them. She touched Auron's shoulder gently, "You said something about getting me some Aeons?"

Auron turned and nodded, "Yes, you are already a summoner. I don't see why you can't pray to a few fayths before Sin arrives."

"You can't be serious about this!" Tidus shouted, turning Yuna toward him, "Fighting Sin now is suicide!"

Yuna smiled up at him, "It was supposed to be suicide the last time I fought him too." Shrugging, she added, "Maybe I'll get lucky again."

"Yuna…"

"I'll be fine." She said as she casually collected her clothes from the floor by the bed. Tidus watched helplessly as she slipped each article on, lowering the sheet as necessary until she was fully clothed. When she was finished, she kissed him softly, "Just stay here and be safe. Everything will be okay."

"Yuna…!" his eyes pleaded with her more powerfully than words ever could have and he saw her resolve crumbling a little. She turned to Auron, who nodded regretfully and exited the room. Tidus took the opportunity to grab her and pull her into an embrace, "Don't do this. It isn't worth it."

She nuzzled at his neck, "Yes it is. I already told you not to say it wasn't worth it."

"But it's not!" he insisted as he held her out at arms length to look into her eyes, "I don't want to lose you too."

"I'll always be with you…"

Tidus scoffed, "That's bullshit and we both know it." He felt himself getting angry now as he pivoted on his good leg and fell sullenly back onto the bed. This wasn't fair. Why was this happening? Why did she feel like she had to save the world again.

Or was it even that?

He looked up at her, "Do you want to get home this badly?"

"I miss my home." She admitted, "I miss my friends. Yes, I want to go home, but that's not the only reason I want to do this."

"Then what is it…?"

"If I defeat Sin now. If I defeat him permanently, which is what I aim to do, then millions upon millions of lives will be saved." She smiled thoughtfully, "I'd be able to see my father again…"

"You'd be changing the future. I thought you didn't want to do that."

Yuna shook her head and sat down on the bed next to him, "Auron didn't want to change the future. Me…I'd give anything to see my father again."

"Even your life?"

"Even my life."

Tidus chuckled sadly, "I wish I could say the same thing about my old man."

"It's a shame that you can't."

"Yeah."

They grew quiet after that. So quiet that they could hear Auron pacing in the hall outside. Tidus was annoyed. It was as if he was waiting to see just what Tidus had in mind for a goodbye so that he could barge in and rescue Yuna's honor. Yet as she rested her head on his shoulder, he forgot to care about Auron and what the old man was thinking. All he cared about was that this might be the last time he'd ever get to hold her like this…ever. That scared him. There were three possible outcomes to her facing Sin, and two of them meant he'd never see her again.

She'd go home…

She'd die…

Or…she'd lose to Sin, but survive to be with him so they could both die together.

Why did she need to do this? Why couldn't everything just work out nicely like it does in books and movies? Why did she need to do this?

Because she wanted to go home…

He couldn't fault her for that. Home meant everything to him too. It was the place you felt safe. It was the place that kept you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Or…as that cheesy saying went. Home is where the heart is. At least…it would be until Yuna left. His heart was wherever Yuna was going to be. Wherever she was, he was home.

Tidus looked at her, "Take me with you."

"What?" she asked, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Take me with you."

Yuna wrinkled her nose in confusion, "When I fight Sin?"

"Yes. If you're going to die, then I want to die with you. And if you're going to go home…I want to go with you."

"But…" Yuna stammered, "But…you love Zanarkand. This is your home."

"I have nothing left here." Tidus explained, touching her cheek softly, "I have nothing left. Shu is gone. Lenne and Reanna are gone. If you're gone too…all I'll have to do is wait to die. I don't want that. I want to be with you…wherever that is."

"But…you're knee!"

Tidus flexed it slowly and then stood to lean his weight on it, "It's better, actually. I'd be able to stand on it. And once we get you an Aeon, you can Cure it like Lenne did and it'll be good as new."

Her eyes lit up and she smiled, "You'd really do this for me?"

"Of course I would."

She jumped up happily and flung her arms around his neck, "You're going to love my world! I just know it. Rikku is going to think you're just the greatest thing in the world! And Wakka will want to talk to you about blitzball! And Lulu…well…Lulu doesn't like anybody." Yuna kissed him on the nose, "I just know you're going to love it!"

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"Lord Seymour," Tromell's voice came from the doorway, "You asked for a report on the status of Mushroom Rock Road. We're getting more reports of disturbances, my lord."

Seymour looked up from the papers strewn before him on his desk, "What sort of disturbances, Tromell? The same as before?"

Tromell nodded, "Yes, Lord Seymour."

"You may go, Tromell."

As the door shut behind the Guado servant, Seymour stood and stretched, piling the haphazard papers into order. With his marriage to Yuna fully reinstated, and his status as Maester returned, Seymour found himself thrust back into his duties as Maester of Yevon. Only now he had one more duty. One even more important than before. Only himself, Maester Mika, the late Maester Kinoc, and Tromell knew about it. Mika hadn't been thrilled when Seymour had told his servant, but Tromell could be trusted. That had been proven.

These disturbances were Kinoc's fault, Mika had told him. While the machina attack on Sin had been taking place, Kinoc had been sending his Crimson Squad into the cavern for a final test to see how volatile the cave was and had come away with his answer. The cave…and who lived there…was extremely volatile.

At least the four who had survived hadn't made what happened public knowledge. They'd been smart enough to maintain a low profile. Perhaps they didn't really know what was going on. Or perhaps they just wanted to forget. It didn't matter. What mattered was that they weren't Seymour's concern at the moment.

The cave was…

Seymour walked out of his office and into the main entryway of his chateau. He didn't need to tell Tromell where he was going. He knew his servant knew his destination. The walk to Mushroom Rock Road wasn't very long and Seymour was there by midday. Aside from a few Al Bhed nosing around Djose Temple, there was very little Seymour ran into that made him wonder if the cavern had been found.

He took a quick look at his surroundings before climbing down onto the under road and making his way through the mist to the cavern at the far end. Mika had taken it upon himself after the incident with the Crimson Squad to have the door sealed and Seymour was pleased to see that the door remained that way. The door required spheres to open it, and the spheres had been scattered about Spira.

That was a good thing at least.

Seymour touched the door, "1000 years of anger." Seymour whispered to himself, "1000 years of grief."