Chapter 26: Not just 'till the end…Always

Tidus's POV:

We lay there next to each other for only about half an hour and Yuna had drifted off to sleep during that time.

I had noticed that there were a few things different about her as well. Her hair was shorter…her face wasn't the same baby cute face it had once been. It looked more mature and more like a woman's face.

However the thing that had me confused the most was her attitude. Yuna was always so quiet and bottled up. But only a few short hours ago she had screamed at me in a way I had never thought possible from her.

Maybe it had to do with the fight we had just won…or maybe she finally let her feelings go.

Whatever it was I didn't care…we were together now and that was how I wanted it to stay.

But as I thought this, I heard someone coming towards the room we were in.

I hope it's not Lulu or Wakka…they won't be too happy about this…I can be sure of that.

I decided to wake Yuna then and tell her to get dressed but I was too late. The door lifted up and slowly two figures began to show.

Then I saw something very bizarre.

Forgetting the state I was in, I blurted out, "Auron?"

The eyes of another man locked with mine.

"Auron I thought you said he wouldn't be alive." The other man whispered.

Auron didn't reply…he simply stood there glaring at me.

Then suddenly he rushed towards me and reached over to grab at the entity beside me by the arm.

I watched as he pulled Yuna towards him and pushed the hair on her neck up to reveal, some kind of device. It was flashing every few seconds and then without another word, Auron began to pull her out of the bed.

However it was right at that moment that she woke up and said in confusion, "What's going on…Tidus."

My mind suddenly clicked and I realised that the situation that we were in now was not good.

I grabbed onto Auron's arm firmly and said with embarrassment, "Uh…Auron…I know what this looks like…but well…we're not kids you know…we love each other and…well…don't hurt Yuna."

He simply stared back at me with anger as he let go of Yuna's arm and grabbed me by the neck, "You really have no idea do you? You're supposed to be dead…you and that girl can never be together…never." He growled.

I couldn't breathe…all I could do was cough and gasp out, "Auron…let me…go."

He did so…but it seemed that he was just getting started.

"Get dressed you fool…make sure she does too." He threatened.

With that he and the other man who was eyeing me with sympathy left.

The door in which they had come through shut and I quickly turned to Yuna. However as I did this, I saw that she was already slipping on her top very calmly.

"Yuna…what's going on? Was that really Auron?" I asked as I handed her, her underwear.

She simply nodded and continued to dress.

"Yuna what's going on?" I repeated once more, placing my hand under her chin so that she was facing me.

She closed her eyes and whispered, "Get dressed…you'll see."

With that she crawled over the top of me in order to get off the small bed.

Yuna's POV:

Well I guess this was it…my time was finally up and all I could do was pretend like nothing was wrong and go with the flow.

Tidus didn't remember anything of his past two years spent here…he thought that it was just after we defeated Sin.

I prayed that he wasn't going to die along with me…I just wished that they would spare his life.

What had happened to me last night though? I was acting so strangely…I felt like my mind was going to burst. I had someone telling me to practically kill Tidus…then there was that other voice that had been with me for a while now…and then there was just me.

"Yuna?" came a voice from behind.

I turned to face him, as we were walking up the hill to Mt. Demise no doubt.

"Hush up!" yelled Docile.

"Yuna what's going on?" he continued, ignoring the sentinels' orders.

Then I heard the sound of a fist impacting with flesh.

I winced and turned my head away with closed eyes…why?

Seraph was at my side and at least he went back to sort the man out.

"I can't talk Tidus." I said simply without any feeling.

I heard nothing from him after that and then gradually I began to see a cluster of people forming a around a podium…with no other then Auron in the center of it…gazing over at me with what seemed like regret…but he also seemed like he wasn't too bothered by this whole event.

Both Tidus and I were shoved up to the stage and as I turned to face him, I saw that he was not looking my way, but looking at Auron with a look of pure hate.

I turned away…pained by this expression on his face.

I felt so helpless…he didn't know what was going on and I couldn't say anything at all.

It was then that Auron began to speak…but I paid no attention…all I wanted to do was focus on the times I had spent with Tidus and maybe I would die without a broken soul.

Minutes passed and pretty soon so did hours…but as I looked over to Tidus I gave him my most reassuring gaze…that everything would be okay…we would be together no matter what from now on.

He returned the gaze and it made me feel a little better.

Suddenly I saw the moon beginning to hover over the mountain; its glow illuminating the entire hilltop.

It was then that we were freed from our chains and we both sighed with relief as we rubbed out wrists in unison.

But it wasn't a time to relax…not yet anyway. Sentinels were suddenly onto us and pushing us to the edge of the mountain. As I gazed over the edge I felt sick.

"Look how far it goes." I breathed.

Then without warning I was whipped around and Auron came forward and whispered something into my ear.

I felt weird all of a sudden and then when he moved away, I saw Tidus and I knew what I had to do.

I tried to hold myself back...but I couldn't.

"Yuna why are you looking at me like that." He said with concern.

However I blocked off further interruptions from him with my lips and began to breath him in.

I felt him squirming underneath the sentinels hold on him and I desperately tried to break away…I tried with all my might and then before I knew it I had sucked the life from his body…leaving the sentinels to drag his form over to the side.

"Finally." Came Auron's voice… "Now I can do what I should have a long time ago. Yu Yevon…you're dust now." he whispered the last part.

But before he could do anything I felt my body walking towards him and then…

"Remember me?" I said sweetly.

"Huh?" he began before I threw a punch into his face.

He crumpled onto the ground and I leant over him so that I could whisper, "You killed me one thousand years ago and now you're going to kill this girl? Shuyin won't be too happy about this." I spoke…the words coming from my mouth but I had no idea what they meant.

He looked up at me with shock and gasped, "Lenne?"

I stood to my full height and nodded before letting another soul take over, "Hey there…remember me Auron?" I growled as I felt my right foot lift and slam into his ribs.

I felt the sentinels at my side in seconds, but with four souls living inside of me right now I was stronger then them all put together.

I threw them off me and leapt into the air performing a full tornado kick, which knocked them all out on impact.

Then I felt someone familiar take over, "My body…its dead." I gasped as I stared over to Tidus's limp form a few metres away.

Then I felt a hand on my ankle. I turned to see who it was.

"Yuna…don't do this…you know not what you do." Gasped Auron.

I glared at him feeling my own mind come back into play, as I leant down and picked him up by the collar; holding him up high.

"Explain to me what I don't understand." I demanded.

"Yuna…I am trying to destroy Yu Yevon's dream…to make it so it never existed in Spira…so that when you go back to Spira summoners will not be needed."

I frowned and yelled, "But what of Tidus…he won't ever exist if you do that."

"I know that…but what is more important? The one you love or Spira's freedom?"

My face fell into a state of thought and sadness as I looked over to his body.

Then turning back to him I screamed, "NOOOO!" as I threw him back against the podium.

Then someone was on me. It was Docile.

"Hey calm down…" he soothed.

He sounded different now, not like his usual emotionless self.

Seraph was standing in front of me and just as he was about to say something, I saw pyreflies fly out from my chest and into his body. He stumbled back a little and held his head in his hands.

Then suddenly he stood tall and smiled at me, "It's okay Yuna…I'll take care of it."

It was Tidus.

With that he headed over to Auron and picked him up roughly, "Tell me how we can fix this."

"You can't…it's too late." Gasped Auron.

"No it's never to late…tell me how we can fix this?"

"You can't…"

"Explain it to me!" screamed Tidus as he threw Auron up against the podium.

Auron held up his hand and gasped, "Okay okay…soon my body will hit a certain time…no less then a few minutes and then…we will perish along with the rest of this dream."

My eyes widened when I heard Auron say this and I struggled my way out of Docile's grip, as I ran over to Tidus.

"Why did you want me to kill Tidus then?" I screamed.

He looked up at me and sat up slightly and whispered, "Because…you are not of this world…if you were to perish along with the rest of us, no doubt there would be complications…so if you were to have Tidus's soul within you…I hoped that maybe you would pass as a dream just like the rest of them."

"What about you? You're not a dream." I screamed in confusion.

"It doesn't matter…I have been dead for a long time…I am not real either." He explained.

I looked away and brushed my hair back in confusion. This was all too complicated to even consider.

"What will happen now? What will happen to Yuna?" Tidus suddenly spoke up sounding a little fearful…and then Seraphs body began to twitch and pyreflies flew out from his chest and into my Tidus…the one lying motionless on the ground.

His body seemed to try to get used to having a soul within it again and then finally he was standing tall…but he was very unstable.

There was silence for a long time and then finally Auron spoke up.

"She will be lost…she doesn't belong here and…she will neither go back to her Spira and she will neither disappear with us." He said without even seeming to take into account that Tidus was once again on his feet.

My eyes flashed open and suddenly I began to panic.

I would be lost…I would never exist…I would be nothing…

"Auron fix it!" Tidus yelled once more.

"I can't you ignorant boy. She is an unwelcome guest in this place…nothing can help her now." he yelled.

I turned towards the two arguing men and saw that Tidus was now looking at me. He seemed to be contemplating something and I wasn't sure why I did what I did next but I did it.

I walked over to my lover and stared up into his amazingly blue eyes and leant in to whisper, "It's okay…I'll be okay."

His response was something I expected and yet it was unexpected at the same time.

"No Lenne…I won't leave you."

"You have to…we can't do anything…I'll be okay." I answered feeling this person inside of me taking over.

"But I love you…don't make me leave you because I won't." he said pulling me close.

"Tidus…Shuyin…" was what left my mouth in a strange echo. "I love you to…and even when we're not together, I will always remember…"

"Yuna…Lenne…" he trailed off.

"Shh…I'm still here." I soothed and then suddenly he pulled away and looked hopeful…as if considering something.

"Auron?" he stated questioningly.

"Yes." He replied calmly.

I looked at Tidus with curiosity; wondering what he could possibly be thinking.

"You said that you wanted Yuna to take my life so that my soul would hide hers from the fayth…right?"

"Yes…I did." He replied hesitantly and still not knowing what he was trying to get at I turned towards Auron to see if I could try and decipher his expression.

"Well…could it be possible that she could still do that, so that she will vanish with you and…"

Suddenly I realised what he was trying to say and I intervened.

"No Tidus I won't let you!" I stated and turned his face towards me once more.

He closed his eyes momentarily and then gazed down at me once more.

"Yuna it's the only way…and I'd rather see that you go somewhere…anywhere other then turn into nothing." He told me seriously and brought a hand to my cheek.

He gazed over my features and brushed my cheeks with the back of his hand softly.

"You're so beautiful." He whispered with a small, thoughtful smile.

"Don't…" I whispered back, not wanting to let him make it seem as if this was the end for us…I wouldn't accept it.

"You do realise that it may not work…it's not guaranteed that she'll go with us…" Auron warned.

Tidus's head turned to Auron once more and nodded, "I know…but I have to try."

"I won't do it." I said quietly.

"Yuna…it'll be okay."

"No it won't…I won't let you risk your life for mine and then have us both lost." I stuttered as I began to shake with fear.

"I would rather die knowing that I was doing it for you…I want to give you everything I have and right now…my life is all I have to give."

I looked away but suddenly he pulled my face towards his and hastily descended his mouth onto mine. I struggled against him, I tried to pull away…but he wouldn't allow it. He held me close and continued to kiss me deeper then ever.

I could feel my lungs breathing him in.

"No…why are you doing this?"

"This is what I should have done a long time ago Lenne…I want to save you this time…"

This voice was not Tidus's…it belonged to another and it suddenly occurred to me that this person inside of me was in fact someone who had been the lover of the person who was currently using Tidus's body in a way as well.

They seemed to have suffered the same fate that we were about to endure right now…and this Shuyin seemed to think that he could save the Lenne inside of me.

Before long however Tidus was falling away from my body and he crumpled limply to the ground below, yet again because of me.

I stumbled back a little and waited to see what was going to happen next. I felt strange.

"It's almost time." Auron spoke up once more and I lifted my face to see him standing on the podium.

I didn't respond in any way whatsoever…I simply looked away and watched as the people around me began to huddle together.

Seraph was on the ground a few feet away while Docile tried to wake him.

I felt the full weight of what seemed to be three other people inside of me; trying to make room for one another…my own soul in the process was being crushed.

Moments later I heard a child speaking and turning towards the voice I instantly recognized the purple-hooded figure from my cell.

He spoke a few words to Auron and a few seconds later the world around me began to blur.

Everyone stared around frantically, asking no one in particular what was going on.

The child stood only feet away from myself now and was advancing closer to me.

He stopped as soon as he reached my shaking form and whispered, "I know what you are…be gone from this place."

"Auron." I stated in a plea for help.

But as I scanned the area I saw that he was gone along with Seraph and Docile and the people behind me were gradually turning into nothing but vanishing pyreflies.

"Where do I go?" I asked quietly.

But then I felt an aching pain in the centre of my chest. Something was trying to escape.

"No where until those two come with me." He replied.

I bent down and tried to breathe and then my body flung upwards and the pressure was suddenly gone as I felt it burst through my chest quickly.

I fell to the ground and landed lifelessly onto Tidus's body.

"You're going home…" said a distant voice and then suddenly everything around me was non-existent.

I woke up to the cool sea breeze skimming smoothly over my cheeks and the rays of the sun were falling over me gently. The surface below was grainy and I instantly recognised it as sand.

I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw was a clear blue sky.

I stared up at it for a moment and sighed deeply. But I was interrupted by a very welcome groan.

I lolled my head to the left and saw a very beautiful sight.

I smiled and let my hand reach over to brush back the blonde locks, which were covering his eyes.

Soon enough he opened his eyes sleepily and rubbed his face. I waited for him to see me and when he did he smiled.

"Have a nice sleep?" he asked as he moved closer.

I nodded and rolled onto my side, suddenly feeling a bulge below me bring me to a halt.

"Wha…" I gasped as I looked down at my stomach.

My eyes widened and my hand immediately flew to my waist to see if it was true.

I heard a laugh and turned to see the blonde I loved watching me attentively.

"You didn't forget you were pregnant did you?" he asked with a smile.

I knew that I looked like I had seen a ghost…but I was in so much shock.

Me…pregnant?

"We should get you inside…you're probably confused from being out in the sun for so long."

He stood up and bent a little to help me up.

When I was finally standing I repeated, "The sun…yes it was just the sun."

Was everything just a dream? Was any of it real?

"I'm thirsty." I spoke up, as I tried to forget it all for the moment…and plus I really was thirsty.

So Tidus led me back towards the village but not before I said, "Tidus?"

"Yeah?" he answered turning back to me.

I looked out to the sea and said, "You won't ever leave me will you…you'll stay with me 'till the end won't you?"

He laughed once more and pulled me into his arms.

"Not just 'till the end…Always."

A/N: After a bloody age I finally updated the last and final chapter. I don't care if you review and I don't care if you flame me. I deserve it for not updating.

My excuse: Nothing apart from the fact that I had a little trouble trying to figure out how to end it properly.

So yell, scream, abuse, whatever…I feel horrible for doing this to you…for the people who were actually deeply into this story.

So until next time…I promise that I will not ever drag another fic out like this again.

Thank you to everyone from the bottom of my heart for reading my story. I really appreciate it. I hope that the last chapter satisfied you. I know it satisfied me.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Square Enix owns FFX and everything associated with it.

Yunie Tidus