Chapter 11: Morbid Thoughts Before Leaving

"What?" Yuna just said, looking surprised, "Why?"

"Ransom," Tidus just said, casually, as if it was quite normal.

"Okay..." Yuna just said slowly, taking a deep breath, "What are we going to do?"

Tidus just gave a weird little smile and slowly crept out of the car. Yuna did the same, and followed Tidus up to the crime scene tape, as they joined a group of people who had surrounded it.

Tidus ducked under the tape, as if it were his house, and Yuna simply nervously followed him, wondering what he was up to.

"Hey," Tidus said, stopping suddenly, causing Yuna to run into him, "Let me do the talking, 'kay?"

"Uh...Okay," Yuna just said.

Tidus bit his lip, and looked at Yuna for a while, and said, "I think these Yevonites are real. I don't recognize any of them. But if they're not..." Tidus paused, and made a little motion toward where he had pulled that pistol from earlier.

Yuna's eyes grew wide, and she said, "You'd kill Nooj's men?"

"Yep. Just as easily as I'd kill a real Yevonite."

Tidus started off again, but his words caused Yuna to pause. "Just as easily as I'd kill a Yevonite." Who's side was Tidus on? He would kill Nooj's men, but then he'd also kill Yuna's...

"Excuse me," Tidus said, then, walking up to the men in uniform.

"Sorry kid, we're busy, and you need to stay on that side of the–Lady Yuna? Is that you?" He pulled out a walkie-talkie and said, "We have her! She's okay! She's right here!"

A million Yevonites suddenly ran up to Yuna all surrounding her protectively.

"Uh, what's going on here?" Tidus just said.

"Who are you?" the Yevonite who Tidus had spoke to said.

"I'm Tidus, star player of the Bevelle Brutes," Tidus just said, putting on a little smile, "Yuna and I are friends...She had been over at a friend's house and had a weird feeling that she needed to get home, and I offered to drive her back here."

The Yevonite stared at Tidus for a while, causing Yuna to grow nervous, for she was worried they would arrest Tidus or something.

Instead, the man smiled then and said, "Can I get your autograph? You're an amazing Blitzer!"

"Sure, sure," Tidus said, giving a smile and pulling out a pen, as he signed the man's law-enforcement book.

At that moment, the doors of Yuna's house suddenly opened, with about four Yevonites coming out, dragging a man who was handcuffed.

"We found the intruder!" the men were saying. Tidus and Yuna both turned and stared at the man, and Tidus' mouth dropped and his eyes widened.

The Yevonites led the man to their cars, and left. The remaining ones went who were still protectively around Yuna, turned to her, and said, "Your father has been notified that you are all right. There is to be a watch on your house. A window is broken in the front of your house. Other than that, everything is in tact."

"Uh..Thanks," Yuna just said, and was obviously in shock. She wasn't the only one in shock, either.

Tidus' eyes still watched the area where the Yevonites' cars had left with the intruder, and he still had a shocked expression on his face.

The Yevonites meanwhile took Yuna's arms and led her to her house, and she then snapped out of shock.

"Tidus!" she called, snapping him out of his thought, "Please come here!"

Tidus nodded, and ran up to her, looking at the faces of the Yevonites.

"Uh...Tidus is a good friend of mine," Yuna said, "Please let him stay. I...I'd feel better if I had a friend around..."

"Of course, ma'am," the men said, smiling, allowing Tidus into the house, "You'd best get some rest, though."

"O-of course," Yuna just said with a quaky voice.

Yuna then walked in to her house, and Tidus followed. As soon as the door was closed, Tidus suddenly plopped down on the couch hard and buried his head in his hands.

"What's wrong?" Yuna said, looking confused.

"The guy who was supposed to kidnap you," Tidus just said, "He's a good friend of mine."

"He is?" Yuna said, and she herself plopped down on the couch.

"Yes. A very, very good friend of mine," Tidus looked up, and stared into the distance at nothing in particular. "We used to Blitz together, years ago."

"I'm sorry," Yuna just said quietly, "He'll more than likely end up in jail for some time."

"I know," Tidus just said, looking way from Yuna, "That's why I'm so...bummed..."

Suddenly, out of no where, Yuna suddenly stood up, and she said, "Tidus! Leave Nooj! Why do you stay with him? Why?"

Tidus looked up at Yuna with the strangest look in his eyes. He looked almost as if he didn't care. Then, he just looked at the floor, and said, "I can't."

"Why not?" Yuna said, almost desperately, "You hate him and everything he does! He...He practically killed your girlfriend and your mother! And...And he would kill me too. And my father, and Lord Ohalland, and–."

"And there's nothing I can do but watch it happen," Tidus said, looking up at Yuna, "I didn't have a problem with it 'till recently. I'll–It all gets better during Blitz season...I'll be fine, with Nooj. You see, Yuna...Nooj and me are friends, too. He's only like seven years or so older than us. I've known him my whole life. But...I just can't not belong to his group."

"But..."

"Besides," Tidus said quickly, "If I left, it'd only be putting your life more in danger. Think about it...When I'm with the group, I know all of their plots against you and your father. If it wasn't for my being in Nooj's group, you may have been kidnaped this very evening. And..."

Yuna just sighed, as she realized Tidus wasn't going to finish, and then said, "Tidus, none of this happened until I knew you..."

Tidus laughed, and said, "Oh, it happened. You just didn't know about it. You met Nooj a long, long time ago, you know..."

"I did?" Yuna said, looking at Tidus with confusion on her face.

"Well, sure. You were kidnaped once, when you were like three. And Nooj said talked to you. But the Yevonites found you and brought you back. So, you were safe..."

"You mean I was kidnaped before?" Yuna said, shock apparent on her face.

"You sure were," Tidus said, giving a little smile, "See. You just don't remember. And there have been at least ten attempts on your father's life. There's been some on Jyscal's too, and even Seymour's. And...I think yours too, a few times..."

"Really?"

"Yep."

Yuna put her chin in her hands thoughtfully, and said, "Then I suppose it really is to the best that you stay with Nooj's group..."

"I guess so," Tidus just said, and stood up, "Well, goodnight, Yuna. I have a meeting I've got to attend."

"What? You're going there right now?" Yuna said, amazed.

"Sure am," Tidus said, biting his lip, "Nooj is not going to be happy."

"What if he finds out you were here, with me?" Yuna said nervously.

Tidus gave a little laugh, and said, "Death will be my apology–that's Nooj's favorite quote."

"What? You'll die?" Yuna said, her eyes wide.

"Sure will," Tidus said, "But don't worry. I swear no one knows. And if they do...I'll just make something up. No big deal. 'Sides that, I heard a Yevonite say your father was on his way home. I really don't feel like meeting him right now."

"Really?" Yuna just said, "My father's coming home?"

"Sure is," Tidus just said, and smiled, giving Yuna a peck on the cheek, "I'll call you if I survive."

Yuna gasped, but Tidus laughed. "Kidding," he said, "I'm going to be fine. Don't worry 'bout me."

"Right...I'll try not to," Yuna said sarcastically. After all, how could she not worry?

"'Kay then, 'night," Tidus said.

"Goodnight," Yuna just said slowly, as Tidus gave a quick smile and left.

Everything seemed to go quiet after Tidus left, but it was only about ten minutes before she recognized the dark car that belonged to her father pull into the driveway.

"Daddy," she said under her breath, and practically ran to the door.

Her father entered, but he did not look happy at all.

Yuna ran and hugged her father upon his arrival, but he just looked at her crossly.

"What's wrong?" Yuna said, pulling away from her father.

"What do you mean, "What's wrong?"' Braska said, shaking his head, and pulling out his phone, "You were with Tidus, weren't you. You know he was involved in this, right? I'll bet if the Yevonites weren't here, he would have helped kidnap you..."

"But Father!" Yuna protested, only to have him shush her, as he dialed a number on his phone.

"I'm sending you to Besaid," her father said, pulling the phone to his ear, "I think it will be good for you."

"Besaid?" Yuna said, "But what about school?"

"You'll take classes at the temple," her father just said, and turned his back to her, and said into the phone, "Hello? Hi, I think I'll send Yuna there right now. What? Oh, yes, please send the airship. Thanks. Bye." He then turned to Yuna, and said casually, "Go get your stuff packed. You'll be leaving in fifteen minutes."

There was no arguing. Yuna knew that. So, obediently, Yuna went slowly to her room, and pulled out her suitcase. However, tears were rolling down her cheeks.

She pulled out her cell phone, and, knowing Tidus probably hadn't made it to his meeting yet, dialed his number.

"Yuna?" Tidus' voice was heard, "What's up?"

"Tidus..." Yuna said, and she suddenly burst out crying then.

"What's wrong?" Tidus said, "No one kidnaped you, did they...Did your father..."

"He's sending me to Besaid!" Yuna bawled into the phone, "I'm leaving in fifteen minutes!"

"YOU'RE WHAT?" Tidus said, and Yuna could hear his brakes squeal and him curse under his breath, "You're leaving to Besaid?"

"Yes. In fifteen minutes! What am I going to do?"

"Okay," Tidus said, calming down some, "You'd better just go, 'kay? You'll be safe there, anyway..."

"But I want to see you..." Yuna just said softly.

"Yuna...Just go, okay? I'll be fine. And so will you. 'Kay? Look, I gotta go. I'll try calling you. Bye."

"Bye..." Yuna just said, and hung up her phone, whimpering softly to herself. Suddenly, however, a horrid feeling came upon her, as she remembered Tidus' words from earlier.

"Just as easily as I'd kill a real Yevonite."

He would not only kill one of his own men...but one of Yuna's also... Yuna's thoughts went back to who's side Tidus really was on.

"What if...What if I just told him where I was...and now...What if he betrays me?" Yuna's mind thought, "No...He wouldn't do that...But then again..."

Her thoughts were interrupted when there was a knock on the door, and a voice of one of her father's bodyguards said, "We need to leave now, Lady Yuna."

Yuna quickly picked up her suitcase, and swallowed. She bit her lip and glanced at her tear-stained reflection, and made a quick decision: "If I'm going to die, I hope it is Tidus that kills me." At that thought, Yuna walked out the door, following the bodyguard.

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update...My Gackt obsession is kind of taking up a lot of my time! (Ask Ayumiyuri sometime, she'll tell you!) Anyway...I'm trying to update when I get the time. I believe the next two chapters may be a little more light, but then I have something fairly big planned for around Valentine's Day! It all depends on whether I get around to it or not...Anyway, I didn't write above, so I'll put it here. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! (By the way, many millions of thanks to those who have reviewed! You all make me very happy and make me forget about Gackt for a little while and write more fanfiction!) Hehe...Again, I hope you enjoyed!