First off, again, I'm sorry it took me so long to update! There's only about two or three more chapters after this one! However, when I was typing this, I think I may have come up with an alternative ending! So someday during the summer, I may just type the alternate! I'm not going to make any promises, but I think it would be interesting. However, I probably won't get the time. If you really want it, just e-mail me or something some day...! Anyway, here is chapter ten! Enjoy!

Chapter 10: I Want Him To Be Dead

"Only one more week, just one more week!" Rikku practically squealed as the girls walked out of their school. It was a wonderful afternoon. It was a Friday also, so the girls were heading home not to come to school for two days.

"Actually," Yuna said, smiling, "I hate to break it to you, but there's all of next week and then–."

"And then only like three days, and two of those days are finals!" Rikku interrupted, "So in other words, only about a week!"

"And three days."

"Ugh, fine Yunie. A week and three days. So, what are your weekend plans?"

"My father wants me to get things ready for graduation," Yuna said, "I guess we're having a party at the grand hall." Yuna sighed, "I can't say I'm really looking forward to it."

"That's too bad, Yunie," Rikku said, but her mind seemed to be elsewhere, because she then turned to Yuna and said, "And your weekend plans consist of–?"

"Nothing much," Yuna just said, "Yours?"

"Aw, come on Yunie! Let me in on the goods! What are you and Tidus gonna be up to?"

"Nothing," Yuna answered, and honestly, it was the truth. They had officially been a couple for about a week, but both of them had been so busy. Tidus was busy with the new Blitz season, and would be playing his first game that weekend. As for Yuna, she was busy with end of the year things and of course, the spring ballet show.

As far as dancing had gone, Yuna knew she'd do her best in the show, but she was a little worried about after the show. She knew there would be people there, watching her, and wanting her to go to their dance schools. The last place she wanted to go, however, was to a dance school. Or at least, that's what she told herself.

"So, to dance?" Rikku asked, as Yuna climbed in the car after her.

"Yep," Yuna said simply, "To dance."

A smile crept across all of the dance instructors' faces as their dress rehearsal came to an end, with Yuna taking the final bow. They all exchanged glances, and began to clap.

"Finally!" an assistant teacher said, clapping, "Wonderful job, Yuna!"

Yuna just smiled, and said, "I hope I've improved."

"Greatly," Shelinda, who still leaned on her crutches said with a smile, "You're amazing...Probably even better than I!"

All of the other girls, who had been watching, started talking excitedly, and all ran up to Yuna, asking her question after question. Although the show wasn't for a week, the girls acted as if Yuna had just finished, showering her with flowers and all.

"When you get asked to go to the finest schools, what are you going to say?" a girl Rikku's age chirped.

"I'll bet she'll go to the greatest one of them all!"

"The Dance Academy of Luca!"

"No...The Dance Academy of Zanarkand!"

At that, all of the girls squealed, and started saying, "Zanarkand is so amazing!"

Yuna just shook her head and said, "Wanna know what I'm really going to say?"

"What?" all of the girls asked in unison.

"No."

"...No...?"

"No."

The girls were silent, and even the dance instructors looked sad. However, Yuna wore a smile, and then jumped off of the stage.

"Well everybody!" Yuna said, "I'll see you all bright and early!"

Again, there was silence, until the girls finally started saying, "Goodbye...Yuna."

"Bye!" Yuna said, and still mustering a smile, slowly walked out. It really did hurt her to have to turn down all of her...well, fans, but she couldn't very well disappoint them by lying and then going to the Yevon college in Bevelle. That was something that she definitely just couldn't do.

Walking outside, Yuna noticed that it was growing dark, being that rehearsal had gone very long. She also remembered then that she would be home by herself for the weekend. Her father had called her right after school to tell her that he would be away in Luca.

Sighing, Yuna walked around to the taxi that had been waiting for her.

"Rikku, I told you, nothing is happening this weekend!" Yuna said, holding her phone between her shoulder and ear, "Right now I'm trying to do laundry...No...I don't want to go to a party!"

"Come on Yunie!" Rikku said on the other end, "There's a huge end-of-the-year college party goin' on! Invite Tidus!"

"He's at practice," Yuna said, looking over at the clock. It was nine o'clock, and she knew Tidus would be at practice until at least ten.

"So...Invite another boy. Come on Yunie! Puh-leese?"

"Sorry Rikku, but not tonight. I'm not supposed to leave when my father's not home, remember?"

"That never stopped you before!"

"I don't want him angry at me," Yuna then said, "He might not let me see Tidus..."

"Yunie, you're such a baby!" Rikku said, and Yuna could tell she was pouting, "You're almost eighteen, and you're still letting your daddy tell you what to do!"

At that point, Yuna heard her Uncle Cid yell something.

"Just a second Dad!" Rikku said, and then said, "He just told me to do the dishes."

"And your dad can boss you around?" Yuna said, rising her eyebrows.

"I'm only seventeen," Rikku said, "And 'sides, I only do the dishes 'cause Brother can't."

Yuna just rolled her eyes, and said, "Well, I'm sorry Rikku, but I'm not going to that party."

"Darn," Rikku said then, and then sighed, "I guess I'll call someone else and see if they'll go with me."

"Sorry Rikku," Yuna said.

"Bye," Rikku said with a dramatic sigh.

"Goodbye Rikku," Yuna said, and hurried and turned the phone off before her cousin could continue.

At that, Yuna finished what she was doing, and decided she'd go to bed. After all, she had to be up bright and early for her dance rehearsal the next morning.

Riiiiiinnnnnnng! Riiiiiiiiinnnnnnng!

"What in Spira?" Yuna mumbled as a sudden ringing entered her dreams. It took her a few more rings before she suddenly realized that it was her phone that was ringing, which was sitting on her night stand, right next to her pillow.

Drowsily, Yuna reached for it without looking to see who it was, which really was a habit she had to stop, and answered it.

"Hello?" she asked, hoping she sounded less drowsy than she thought. A quick glance at the clock told her that it was one in the morning.

"Hey...Um...Yuna?" it was Tidus.

"Tidus?" Yuna just said, rubbing her eyes, "What is it?"

"Look Yuna, my old man and me got in a...fight. I...Can I...I mean...Can I...Can I come over?"

"It's one in the morning," Yuna said, clicking her lamp on, although it caused her to shut her eyes immediately.

"I know but...But things were getting violent, and I didn't want to cause any problems and I'm on my way now and..."

"And it's one..." Yuna said, still very groggily.

"Come on Yuna," Tidus said, and he sounded very urgent and upset, as if he'd been crying, "I really need someplace to go."

"Fine," Yuna said, "I'll unlock the door...Just come on in."

There was silence, and finally, with his voice shaking, Tidus said, "I...I really need someone to talk to."

"Fine, I'll unlock the door, come on up," Yuna said, as she slipped her slippers on and bounded down the stairs, "But lock it back when you come in."

"Thanks Yuna, will do!" Tidus said, and without saying goodbye, hung up the phone. Yuna sighed, and unlocked the door. Then, she made her way back upstairs, and back into her bed.

She was just slipping back to sleep when she heard Tidus come slowly into her room. She probably would have just ignored him, but he flipped the light switch, causing the light to go on.

Yuna let out a moan and covered her eyes, and then glanced up at Tidus. He still stood by the light switch, and just stared at her vacantly.

"Tidus?" Yuna said, sitting up, "What is wrong?"

Tidus looked away and said, "I think I killed my father."

"What?" Yuna said, and her eyes popped open and suddenly she felt very awake, "You did what?"

"I-I-I..." Tidus stuttered, and looked ready to faint. He was very white, and his blue eyes looked almost gray. He was rocking back and forth slightly, as if he couldn't stay straight.

"Sit down," Yuna said, and kneeled on her bed, pulling him down, "You look like you could faint!"

Tidus didn't say anything, but he allowed her to pull him down and just sat there, not looking at anything in particular. His mouth was slightly agape, and a tear was slipping down his face.

Trying to calm her breath down, Yuna said, "What happened, Tidus?"

"I-I came home from practice, and my old man was home. He was drunk, as usual. We got in a fight, and he punched me."

Yuna hadn't noticed until right then, but Tidus had a dark shadow under his right eye, and looked as if he had a concussion.

"What happened?" Yuna asked, placing her hand on Tidus cheek, right below the area, "I mean, why did you two start fighting?"

"He said that I shouldn't have done what I did to Nooj," Tidus said, "He said I should've killed your old man. Hell, Yuna, he said he was going to kill your old man! He said he was going to kill you too. He said he was gonna kill every Yevon-be-damned person in Spira Yuna! He said...he said..."

"Tidus, it was probably just bluffs!" Yuna said, "He was probably just really drunk."

"Yeah right! He grabbed his rifle, and was heading out Yuna!"

"You fought him when he had a rifle?"

"Oh, he didn't have it for long," Tidus said, "I took it from him...Well, actually, he hit me in the head with the butt first..."

"Tidus, you look like you have a concussion! You should go to the hospital!"

"No!" Tidus said, "I took it from him, and he punched me! But when he did–."

"Oh Yevon, what happened?" Yuna asked, taking her hand away from Tidus and sitting back from him, her eyes wide open.

"Yuna, the damn gun went off. Right in his face!"

At that, Tidus started crying, and buried his face in his hands, "Oh Yevon Yuna! There was blood everywhere! I...I didn't know what to do!"

"Tidus!" Yuna practically screamed, "If it was an accident, you could plead that it was an accident! Nobody would ever dare try you!"

"I...I had to get out of there!" Tidus said, "I just had to!"

"Tidus..." Yuna said, and found that tears were swelling in her own eyes, "Is he dead?"

"Damn Yuna, I wasn't staying around to find out!"

"Tidus! He could still be alive! We have to go there right now and find out!"

"Hell no Yuna!" Tidus said, backing away from her, "I WANT HIM TO BE DEAD!"

Tidus' sudden outburst caused Yuna to jump back, and, biting her lip, Yuna said, "Where's the gun?"

"In my car..." Tidus said.

"Okay," Yuna said, and slowly dialed a number on her phone.

"Yuna, what the hell are you doing?"

Yuna didn't answer him, and, swallowing, waited until she heard a voice at the end.

"Hello? Hi...I think a gun just went off at my neighbor's. The man living there...I think something just happened. A man...A dark man...Just ran out of the door, carrying a gun. Hmm? The address...Um...Ten-Twenty-Eight South Richfield Drive. Yes. Thank you Sir."

At that, Yuna hang up the phone.

"Yuna, what the hell were you thinking!" Tidus cried, yanking the phone from him, "They'll trace it back to you!"

"They will not!" Yuna said quickly, "They can't."

"And why can't they?"

"First of all, my cell phone isn't registered. Neither is my father's, or Jyscal's, or even Dona's. Anybody related somehow to a Maester does not have their number anywhere. They will track it to a phone that doesn't exist."

"What if they find out it was me...?"

"Tidus, it was an accident, you're not guilty," Yuna said, although tears streamed down her face, "Another man did it."

"What if they–."

"I'll sneak into the law offices in town hall and change the papers Tidus. Nobody will ever know it happened. It will all just blow over."

"That doesn't change the fact Yuna! I killed my own father!"

"You just said you wanted him dead!" Yuna practically screamed.

"That doesn't mean I wanted to kill him!"

"I know Tidus!" Yuna said, "The only one blaming anybody is yourself! Just...Just let it go Tidus. There's nothing that can be done to change it."

"Y-Yuna, I..." Tidus stopped, and then he said, "I have to get out of here! The first chance I get, I'm going to Zanarkand! My coach said there'll be scouts everywhere tomorrow. I'm going to do whatever I can to get back there."

His words suddenly made Yuna realize something. Zanarkand was definitely more important than she was. And rightfully, of course. Zanarkand was his home–it was where he belonged. She couldn't hold him back.

"It's okay Tidus, I understand," Yuna said, as soothingly as she could muster, "Do you want to go to the hospital?"

"No." Tidus said, and Yuna could tell that he was at least calmed down.

"Tidus...You look like you're in shock," Yuna said, "Here, get under the covers."

Tidus did as told.

"There might be a chance that your father's still alive," Yuna reminded Tidus, as she got up and turned off the lights and then slid back under the covers as well.

"He'll say I killed him."

"Tidus, I'll erase whatever he says," Yuna said, staring at the ceiling, "If there's one thing I've learned this year, it's that the politics of Spira can do whatever they want. Absolutely whatever. Whether it's right or wrong. I can change it. All of it. Now go to sleep."

"I'm gonna have blood in my dreams," Tidus said, and Yuna saw a small tear slip down his face.

"Sh...Don't worry about it," Yuna said, cuddling up to him and placing her hand on his shoulder, "Just don't worry about it..."

At that, Tidus was quiet, and soon, both Yuna and he were asleep.