Okay, before I start this chapter, let me just say thanks to all the awesome people who told me to continue DOE. You guys are, quite simply, awesome. I love you all soooo much. You gave me a HUGE dose of the ever-wonderful drug 'self-worth', the best stuff on Earth, shot straight to the jugular. Thank you all so very, very much!

Innit great to be loved?

By the way, Qui-chan, you're finally in here.

*-.-*

"Yuna, just let me explain!"

I could hear Tidus's voice fine through the wood of my door, but I ignored it. He'd been doing this for almost an hour straight. I had locked the door to keep him out and hadn't come out of my room since yesterday, when I found him making out with some slut on the beach. I hadn't even moved from my position on the couch, sitting backwards with my chest and stomach pressed against the back and my arms folded, resting on the top of the sofa. I watched the citizens of Besaid go about their daily lives; a boy chased his sister down the street with a stick held out like a sword; an old woman walked out of a house with the help of a young man I knew to be her grandson; two teenagers, walking hand in hand to the beach. It amazed me how normal these people's lives were.

My mind ran back yesterday's events, how perfect the morning had been. First, me complaining to Rikku about how I wanted Tidus to hurry and wake up, then her telling me a way to get him out of bed. I smiled slightly as  remembered his reaction to my words. The smile faded as the scene of the afternoon replayed itself. For a moment, I closed my eyes involuntarily and saw the image of him kissing that girl on the beach, her hair fanned out over the sand, as though it were burned eternally onto my eyelids. I opened my eyes and shook my head hard, trying to repel the ghosts of painful images from my mind. "Stop," I commanded myself quietly. Was my mind just TRYING to torture me? It certainly seemed like it.

And all this time, Tidus still banged on the door. I stood, growling in frustration, and went up to the door. After unlocking it, I swung it open to see Tidus, his fist still raised. "Stop banging," I commanded. "You're giving me a headache."

"Then just let me talk to you!" His voice sounded desperate, as though his whole life depended upon talking to me. As soon as the thought crossed my mind I banished it. If he was really that dependant on talking to me, he would have just waited until I was ready to talk, not bang on my door constantly for an hour.

"Why? So you can lie some more in a stupid attempt to make yourself look innocent, even though I KNOW you aren't?"

"Yuna, at least let me explain!"

"Tidus, what is there to explain? I found you making out with some slut on a beach. And then you come here and make up some stupid excuse about how she wasn't even human and she had some magical powers that kept messing up your life?! You actually expect me to believe that? What kind of IDIOT do you take me for?!" By this time I was almost screaming, my eyes threatening to overflow any second.

Tidus's voice was quiet. "I don't think you're an idiot."

"Then what do you THINK I am?"

"What about those dreams of yours, Yuna?"

I gasped lightly. How did he know about that? "That has nothing to do with it!"

"That has everything to do with it, Yuna." He started moving toward me, out of the doorway and into my room. I took a step backwards for every step he took forwards. "They started the day I came back, didn't they? And you've been having them ever since. You had one last night, too." By this time he had pinned me against the opposite wall. I was too shocked to do anything besides whisper, "How did you know about that?"

"She told me, Yuna. She's the one doing this to us. She gave us powers we can't fully understand. She makes me see the spirits of the dead, and she makes you see the future in your dreams." He leaned closer to me. "I'm not making this up, Yuna. You've never told me about your dreams. She told me she was doing it to you, just today. Yuna, you have to  believe me. Please."

The future. Was it possible? Was he telling the truth? The future… my eyes widened in shock. Last night's dream… was that a premonition? Would we have a daughter we couldn't care for? Would he really leave me someday? Could his words possibly be true?

Tidus backed away from me, with my eyes still wide from shock. I wasn't too shocked, however, to notice that his eyes held a quite blatant look of desire. It was obvious that he was dying to kiss me, hold me, to touch me somehow.

He squeezed his eyes shut hard, and when they opened again, the look was gone. He turned from me and walked out of my room, closing the door behind him.

I banged my fist against the wall in frustration. Was he telling the truth, or just trying to cover up for his actions?

I didn't know, and it was killing me.

--

"Hey!" Rikku's voice was muffled by my closed door, but I could hear her voice calling from… downstairs, maybe?

"Everybody! Come down to the living room, A.S.A.P.!"

I stood up from where I had been laying on the bed. Had I fallen asleep at some point? I didn't know. I looked at the machina clock hanging on the wall, but it was a few minutes before the numbers registered. Five forty-three, already? I looked outside. It wasn't even close to dark. It looked like there would be at least two hours until sunset.

I opened the door and walked down the stairs to the living room. In the room was Rikku, Tidus, (I remembered Lulu telling me she would be doing some work at the temple today [Teaching some of the Besaid citizens magic use, I thought]) and three strangers. One of these strangers was female, the others male.

"Yunie, sit down," my cousin said quietly. "There's something we got ta tell you guys."

I frowned slightly and took a seat on the couch next to her, turning so our eyes met. "What's wrong? Who…?" I finished my question with a look around. Rikku got the picture.

"Okay, time for some introductions." She turned first to the girl leaning against the wall, examining a dagger. "That's Myena. She's really good with weapons and the occult... at least, I think that's the word she used." She then pointed to the first boy, who sat behind her, on the arm of the couch. "That's Arel. He uses telekinesis and stuff."

Finally, she motioned to the only remaining stranger in the room, a man clad all in white, with matching eyes and hair. "That's Theo. He's kind of like the head of operations in their group. He knows everything, I swear!"

I looked back to the man labeled Theo, an amused smile on my face.

The lightest of blushes rose on his cheeks. "Rikku, I doubt I know everything." His voice was low and slightly musical, as though he was a professional singer who had spent too much time working, making his musical voice carry into his speaking voice.

The one called Arel grinned, showing almost fang-like teeth. Then something even stranger happened. A young man's voice echoed through my mind, and, by the looks of it, everyone else's. You have to admit, Theo, that you know more than most of us here.

Myena snorted. "Speak for yourself, Arel." When the all of the Spirans' eyes (except for Rikku's) fell upon her, she explained. "Arel uses powers of telepathy to speak," she said simply, twirling a lock of her dark-brown hair that, I noticed then, was cut short (about three inches below her ear) and oddly riddled with red streaks.

"Doesn't that get confusing?" I questioned. It seemed like it would.

Myena simply shrugged. "We're used to it."

"Getting down to business," Theo said pointedly, stopping any further conversation. "There is a reason we are here. Lady Yuna, you and Sir Tidus are in grave danger."

"Hm, ya think?" Tidus asked sarcastically.

The tone of his voice caught my attention more than his words. Glancing sidelong at him, I noticed his stance was tense. He leaned against the wall, trying to look casual, but his entire body was stiff ((A/N: Merry, just shut up -.-)), his arms crossed over his chest and his left ankle hooked over his right. But his eyes… they were filled with malice, and something else… could it be jealousy?

I looked back at him, giving him a questioning look. It appeared that he was, for some reason, jealous of Theo, but I couldn't tell why. My eyes turned stern, and I looked back to the guest.

"Please, Sir Theo, continue, and ignore my friend's comments," I sent another hard glare Tidus's way.

If Theo saw this, he ignored it. "Lady Yuna, my companions and I are here to protect you and Sir Tidus. You see, there is a demonic force surrounding you two, a force that could effect many, many beings." He turned suddenly to Rikku, the only person in the room who had been so far unconcerned in the conversation. "Rikku, I need to stress how important it is that you pay attention. Though this does not concern you now, it will soon. Well… perhaps  not soon by your human time measurements." He paused a moment, thinking, then shook his head. "It does not matter. Be content knowing that it will, in time, concern you quite a bit."

Rikku's eyebrows rose. They kept eye contact for a few more seconds, then Rikku shifted her gaze to the floor, quietly muttering "Okay, whatever."

Theo turned back to us. "Well, first, let me explain who we are. You know our names already. We are what they call Angels."

"Angels?" I asked, confused.

He nodded. "Angels are beings from another dimension--"

"Dimension?" I interrupted again.

The "angel" sighed. "A dimension," he explained, "Is like another world, another time. This world could be a copy of another, or it could be entirely different."

"I'm sorry, but I still don't understand."

"Then let me finish," Theo commanded gently, his patience far from thin. "Say, for example, there is a copy of Spira. This Spira, though it may contain the same citizens, could be entirely different from your own, just because of the actions of one person. Say, for example, the you in another dimension chose to become a priestess instead of a Summoner. How would that world differ from your own?"

"Well, Sin would be here, no one would know about Yevon's true face, and the Yevonites would still be in power."

He nodded. "True, Lady Yuna. Now, say that, instead of defeating Lady Yunalesca, you had chosen to take the traditional way of defeating Sin, by receiving the Final Aeon. How would THAT Spira be different?"

"One of my guardians and myself wouldn't be here." I paused a moment, thinking. "I think I may understand. But what about the worlds that are completely different?"

"Well, those are places that have no relation to your Spira or the people around you."

I nodded slowly. "So, Angels are what they call the people from the world you came from?"

Theo nodded. "Yes. Just like the people here are called Spirans, the inhabitants of Eden are called Angels."

"Eden… and that's your world?" There was so much I didn't know about the places beyond Spira, places I had never known existed.

The Angel nodded again. "Now that you understand that, allow me to explain why we are here. Like I said, Lady Yuna, you and Sir Tidus are in grave danger." Theo's eyes flicked to Tidus, as though expecting him to interrupt again. When all Tidus did was meet his eyes with a hard glare, Theo looked back to me and continued. "There is a creature who has taken interest in you, a demonic spirit. Her name is Lilith and, as far as we can see, she has been following you for quite some time. I believe the time you could relate it to is eleven years." He looked to Myena. "Correct?"

The other Angel shrugged. "Hell if I know."

Once again Arel's voice entered my mind. You're correct, Theo. Continue.

"Eleven years…" I murmured. Since my father died? Why would she take interest in a seven-year-old girl?

Theo gave me a questioning glance but quickly continued. "She has a vast amount of power, Lady Yuna. I must stress how much of a danger she is to you and your…" his eyes darted to Tidus, an amused half-smile on his face. "…Friends," he finished.

I could only nod. He was telling me so much that it was hard to absorb it all.

"I still say we exorcise the bitch and get it over with," Myena said, pausing any further explanation for the moment.

"Exercise?" I asked. It still fascinated me that I knew so little.

Myena laughed. "Not the way you're thinking. To exorcise means, like, to banish. Ya know, kick her out."

"You can do that?" I asked, looking to the white-haired Angel.

Theo nodded.

"Then why haven't you?" Judging by the tone of his voice, Tidus was still mad at these strangers for something I couldn't comprehend.

My back stiffened as I stood. I yanked Tidus out of the room by the arm. "Please excuse us for a moment," I said over my shoulder.

I pulled Tidus out to the entry hall and spoke in a hiss. "What's wrong with you today?"

Our angry eyes met. "What do you expect me to do?" His voice was also a harsh whisper "I saw the way you were looking at that guy when you first came in, I saw how you were practically hanging on his every word. I love you, Yuna; do you expect me to just sit around here while you flirt with some stranger?"

My eyes widened, and my jaw dropped. "What are you talking about?! I was NOT flirting with him!"

"Right," Tidus replied sarcastically.

"And," I continued. "I don't see why you don't like him. He's PROVING your POINT. What could you possibly have against him?"

He grabbed me by the shoulders, and for one wild moment I was afraid he was going to throw me into the wall.

"He's just trying to help," I say, my voice cracking slightly from the emotion I was holding in. I didn't know what was going to happen, and I was scared. I was confused and still scared from my dream the night before. I just wanted it to be over.

Tidus was silent, but much of the anger was gone from his eyes. He let go of my arms.

"Come on, let's just get this over with," I begged.

"How do you know we can trust this—this Theo?"

I looked away. "I don't." I met his eyes again. "But do we have any other options?"

My eyes must have showed my desperation, because he gave in. "Fine. I'll hear him out."

I smiled slightly. "Thank you."

Halfway to the living room, I turned. "One more thing."

He raised his eyebrows, silent.

"Just because I found out what you said about that demon is true, it doesn't mean you're forgiven."

I had turned and walked into the room before he could say anything in response.

"Theo," I asked, sitting on the couch in front of him. "I have a question."

Theo nodded. "Please, ask."

Choosing my words carefully, I asked what had been bothering me since the afternoon before. "You said that an Angel is anyone from Eden. That's just a term of identification, right?"

He nodded again.

"So… what about a demon?"

Theo sat back. "A demon is different. An Angel is specifically from Eden. A demon can be from any world. In fact, all worlds have demons, even if they are only minor ones. Like, for example, on Spira, you have demons referred to as 'fiends.'"

"But the fiends are gone," I reminded him. "I sent them when I sent the Aeons."

"Do you honestly think being told that you can go away is enough for those who have not yet accepted their deaths? That is what a fiend is, correct?"

"No one has seen one since the beginning of the Eternal Calm."

"No one here had ever seen an Angel before about three months ago. Does that mean we did not exist, Lady Yuna?"

"Well, no…"

"I am not trying to make you feel stupid, milady. I am just answering your question the best way I can."

I nodded. After a few moments of silence, I asked, "So, how do we get rid of this demon?"

"There are very few ways to get rid of a demon of Lilith's power. What do you say we do, Arel?"

I agree with Myena. We should have an exorcism.

I had quickly become accustomed to hearing the young man's voice in my head. But he and Theo kept their eyes locked a moment more. Theo nodded suddenly and looked to Myena. "You will perform the ceremony, will you not?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I'm the only one who can recite it from memory."

"Will this work?"

The man who had answered all my questions turned back to me. "There is no way to know for certain. If it does not work, it will almost definitely weaken her enough that we can defeat her."

Rikku, who had been silent this whole time, her eyes on the ground, now raised angry eyes to Theo, but he didn't notice.

"I'm going to need some stuff," Myena said simply.

Rikku tore her eyes quickly from Theo. "I'll help. My dad has an airship we can use. It can take us anywhere in Spira."

I regarded her curiously. This whole day she'd seemed… a lot more serious than usual. I made a mental note to talk to her about it.

Myena nodded, and the girls left, silent.

Theo stood. "I am afraid we must go, too. There are some things Arel and I need to look into."

I stood. "Thank you for all you've told us," I said, bowing. "And it was nice to meet you, Sir Theo, Sir Arel."

Arel bowed his head slightly in response. Theo took my hand and kissed it. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Lady Yuna. I hope we are able to help you."

I blushed slightly. "Please, call me Yuna. There's no need for formalities, since you could be saving our lives."

He nodded, smiling. "Myena should have everything she needs by the end of the week, depending on if it all exists in this dimension…"

My eyebrows rose. He smiled once more. "Never mind." With a glance at Arel, he dropped my hand and said, "We should go." He looked to Tidus. "It was nice meeting you, Sir Tidus."

Tidus nodded, and the two strangers left quietly.

I looked to Tidus. We were now alone together in the house. A week ago I would have jumped at the idea of spending the alone time laying on one of our beds, kissing and talking. But now…

"I'm going to go take a nap," I announced and made my way up the stairs and into my room.

Once there, I lay down on my back, staring at the ceiling. I wanted so badly to believe that Tidus really HAD been under Lilith's power, that she was controlling him, but I just didn't know.

I really wasn't tired. I just wanted to be alone… to think. I hadn't planned on sleeping. I wanted to try and figure out if Tidus really WAS innocent in that whole ordeal with the demon.

I didn't WANT to sleep, but, of course, within moments I was out cold.

I sat in a large, well-lit room, surrounded by people, mostly those I recognized as members of the Al Bhed tribe. My hair was pulled up in tight curls on top of my head and pinned down so it looked like it was styled in a bun. I was wearing a beautiful white lace dress with a long, sleeveless slip under it. The lace went down to just below my knees and covered my arms and part of my hands, where the sleeves tapered off into points that were secured to my middle finger with a thin band of fabric, and the slip was so long that it pooled around my feet. I was sitting at the head of a long table, and next to me… was Tidus.

He looked slightly older; his hair was a little longer, but not so much that it looked messy. His face looked the same, if not a little less boyish and childlike, and his eyes seemed wiser and… I would say more caring, but that wouldn't be right. Paternal, maybe.

Two things surprised me about him at that moment: one, the clean, gold-trimmed robe he wore and two, the brown-haired, blue-eyed girl in his lap. She, too, was dressed up, but, unlike us, who both wore white, she was clothed in a light blue dress with flowers embroidered onto it and white tights. Her short, brown hair was pinned away from her eyes with a dragonfly-shaped bobby pin on either side of her face. The girl was playing with things on the table in front of her and giggling. She received plenty of attention from the woman to her left, who played with her and passed her sweets when she thought Tidus and I weren't looking.

It took me a moment to realize that the woman giving the young girl so much attention was Lulu. She wore a black dress, like the one she had worn on the pilgrimage, but more appropriate for a woman of her age. The neckline fell in a V-shape that was neither too low nor too high, with sleeves that belled out near her hands. She was different from the Lulu I'd known for so long; instead of being stoic and cold, she seemed friendly and cheerful.

I looked to my right. There, sitting next to me, along the side of the table, was a blonde Al Bhed. She wore a long, sky-blue dress of the same color as the little girl to my left's. The Al Bhed, however, had a small bouquet of blue and white flowers laying on the table in front of her. Her long hair hung in ringlets down her back and had small blue flowers stuck in some of the curls, giving the impression that her hair was vines, dotted with growing blooms.

She met my eyes and smiled, and I instantly knew it was Rikku. She leaned closer and said, "I still can't believe it! After SO long, you guys are FINALLY married!"

I smiled back at her. "I can hardly believe it myself," I found myself saying back, speaking slightly loudly to be heard over the din. "Two whole YEARS we've been waiting!"

She hit my arm jokingly. "I know, took you guys long enough!"

We grinned at each other.

Somewhere down the table, someone began hitting one of their eating utensils against their glass. Others picked it up, and soon the noise of silverware clanking against glass was everywhere.

I looked to Tidus. He was already looking at me, and I leaned over and kissed him intensely, my every movement reverberating the love and happiness that already filled the air around us.

The little girl in his lap giggled, pointing at Tidus and my locked lips. When we pulled away, she looked at her father and pointed to her mouth, nodding. He laughed and gave her a quick peck on her lips, and she giggled again.

The scene before me began to fade, but I didn't want it to. I knew it was a dream, and I didn't want it to end. I slipped my arm through Tidus's and rested my head against his shoulder in a futile attempt to keep from being pulled away from this peace, this celebration of our love for each other.

But, like I said, it was useless.

Despite having been taken from my wonderful, serene dream, I woke up with a feeling of warmth and tranquility. Tidus loved me. I had overreacted when I saw Lilith kissing him, the night before. After all, she had kissed him, not the other way around.

I slowly became aware of someone next to me; I felt his arms around my waist, his face in my hair, the skin of his legs that his black shorts exposed against mine.

I snuggled back against him, enjoying his warmth. Tidus wrapped his arms tighter around me.

I kept my eyes closed, blissfully enveloped in his essence; the way he smelled, the way his skin felt against mine, the way his breath tickled my ear; the sheer HIM-ness of the moment that was almost overpowering me.

"Yuna," he whispered, not knowing I had awoken. "I know you'll be angry to find me here when you wake up, but I missed feeling you in my arms so much… when I saw you lying there… I just couldn't help it. I love you, Yuna. I never meant to hurt you. I know you're asleep, but I'm so sorry. I wish that kiss had never even happened. You know I wouldn't ever kiss anyone who wasn't you."

"I believe you," I whispered back, startling him so much that he jumped.

I turned to face him, opening my eyes in time to see him blush.

"I'm sorry, Yuna," he murmured.

"I know," I said back, my voice hushed, as if talking any louder would spoil the peace.

"If I knew--" I cut him off by covering his lips with mine. He returned the kiss's passion to me, and once again I was enveloped in him. Suddenly everything was perfect. Lilith was gone, had never existed. Nothing that had happened that day, or the day before, was real. It was all a dream.

But, when we pulled away, a second or a millennium later, it all came back. I gasped almost silently and buried my face in Tidus's chest.

He pulled me close, his arms tight around my body. He lightly caressed the top of my head with his lips, and I pulled my arms up around his middle.

"How this had to happen to us?" I asked, knowing he'd know what I was talking about.

He shook his head. "I don't know. I wish I did."

I squeezed my eyes shut, willing myself not to burst into tears. It all seemed so hopeless.

Despite my efforts, I felt the tiniest bit of liquid squeeze out between my eyelids. The tear ran down my cheek and landed on Tidus's bare chest.

He must have felt it, because he gave me a quick, hard squeeze and buried his face in my hair. "No, don't cry, Yuna."

Him telling me not to only erased my control completely. I sobbed openly, my face pressed to his skin.

Tidus pulled me back and held my shoulders. "Yuna, look at me," he said so sternly I had no choice but to obey. I raised my tear-filled eyes to meet his.

His voice grew more comforting. "Don't cry. She's trying to make us miserable; every tear we shed just takes her closer to her goal. We have to be strong."

I nodded, but I didn't feel too strong right then.

This must have showed, because Tidus said, "Repeat after me, Yuna: We'll get through this."

I echoed him in a whisper.

He leaned forward a little, as if straining to hear me. "What? I couldn't hear you."

"We'll get through this," I repeated, louder this time.

He smiled and pulled me back into his arms. "That's my girl."

I nuzzled against him, wishing with all my heart that I believed our shared words.

*-.-*

Okay, first, let me apologize to anyone who was confused in reading that. Hell, I was confused writing it.

Second, let me say, yes, Arel IS based on Meta from the Claris Project (highly recommended and at www.kurai.com, in the section labeled "meat". I'm just too lazy to go find the actual link ^^;;;;;).

Third, for any potential stalkers, I decided to post a picture of me in my Rikku costume:

Aren't I just beautiful? XP

Fourth, mucho thanks and rainbows to the all-mighty Shad-chan, who beta-d this and gave me uber-wonderful advice. Ah lurve you, Shaddeh!

Fifth… uh… well, there SHOULD be a fifth thing, but… I guess there isn't… I can't help but feel like I'm forgetting something, but I don't know what…

So, if I remember, I can always post it in the next chapter, hai?

~E.N.