A/N: Ahh Chapter 9! Woo so excited… I never thought I would get this far – I figured id post like 3 chapters and then get bored with it and not do it anymore, but because of my wonderful reviewers whom I love dearly (the whole 2 of them!! woo!!) I have decided to continue. Of course its taking me forever- but it here isn't it? – I know this isn't going to sound like a surprise, Updating for the next month or so may be difficult – I'll try and make time , but I have midterm and Regent, leave it to New York to be the only state that takes regents, and then I get to plan my friend Sweet 17 and my birthdays in February So I'll be busy – but I will try I promise!!!

Disclaimer:.. Why is this so necessary? Because I might write a story so unbelievably awesome that it might challenge square? I highly doubt that is going to ever happen, especially with my stories. So I refuse to admit that I own absolutely nothing and that I'm not even typing this on my computer, but on a cardboard box that I stole from a kid bringing his science project to school…. I mean uh… 7Grader: "there she is!!" Me: "Crap…"::runs away:: " ok well enjoy the chapter!!!!- Ahhh!! Hey you don't have to throw your stupid textbook at me! Jerk!"

A Glimpse of the Past?

When they got to Tidus' house they went inside. Tidus immediately headed for the kitchen.

"Want something to eat?" Tidus asked her while taking a bite of an apple.

Kerri shook her head no and remained silent. I feel bad he probably doesn't want to be stuck hanging out with me and now I'm not even talking to him. I would go home- but I can't.

"So in 7th period you said you live with Sir Auron?" Kerri said finally breaking the silence.

Tidus took a drink of water and then answered, "Yup, which points out that he isn't home."

Just as Tidus finished that sentence, he heard the front door open. Tidus shrugged "Guess I spoke too soon."

Auron entered the Kitchen, "Boy, you better not be talking to yourself, or I'm going to have you committed."

Kerri giggled

Auron then realize Kerri's presence. "Hello, Miss Muratore. This is a nice surprise."

"Yuna and Rikku are working today, so I offered to stay with her till they got back," Tidus explained.

"Tidus, I think Miss Muratore-" Auron turn to Kerri, "I'm sorry what's your first name again?"

Kerri smiled and said, "Kerri."

"Thank you, as I was saying. I think Kerri is more than capable of handling herself- she doesn't need you as a babysitter, not that many people would leave somebody that couldn't care for themselves under your watch- but that's not the point."

Kerri laughed again. I never would have expected Sir Auron to be like this. I thought he was a stiff with no personality. Wow, how deceiving appearances could be.

"Gee thanks for you confidence in me," Tidus stated. "I'm not babysitting Kerri- if she wants to leave she can go," Tidus snapped.

"I don't really want to leave, but if I'm not wanted here, maybe I should go home." Kerri said while looking at the floor.

Auron then turned and looked at Kerri and in a very stern voice he said, "Kerri, our door is always open. You are welcome anytime and don't think otherwise!"

Kerri was a little frightened by his sudden change in attitude, but she forced a smile and said thank you.

Well that was brilliant, you invite a new girl over your house and what do you do? You make her feel unwelcome. Way to go, me! Tidus thought to himself.

"Hey, Ker, want to see the rest of the house?" Tidus offered.

"Surely," Kerri said following him out of the room.

They ended the tour of the house with Tidus' room. It was a dark navy blue and it had a night sky painted on the ceiling. Kerri looked around Wow this looks just like my old room.

"I see you like my room," Tidus said taking a seat on his bed.

Kerri looked at him, "yea it looks just like my old room."

"Well the same guy must have painted your room too, because I don't know of anyone in Spira who could do this, besides him." Tidus said lying back on his bed admiring the ceiling.

"Maybe…"

"Yea, his name was Scott. He was a cool guy."

Kerri immediately jerked her head toward Tidus' direction, "Scott?"

"Yea."

"Scott what?"

"Um, you know I can't remember. Auron probably knows- they were pretty good friends." Tidus said sitting up.

"Wait, what did this 'Scott' look like?" Kerri said growing excited.

"His hair was almost the same color as yours but a little darker, he was a little shorter than Auron, he had blue eyes…" Tidus wrinkled his forehead trying to some more descriptions.

Kerri's eyes grew wide That sounds just like my father, but it couldn't be… or maybe? NO KERRI! Stop giving you self hope – deal with it. He's gone

"You know what? We have a picture of him.' Tidus said getting off the bed and heading for the door.

Although Kerri wanted to jump on Tidus' back and make him run to the picture she quietly followed him.

"Hey, Auron, where's that picture of Scott?" Tidus shouted from the top of the stairs.

Auron looked over his newspaper "Why?"

"Kerri wants to see it!"

"Um, I think its in the computer room," Auron said placing his paper down.

"Ok I'll go look."

Auron looked over at the coffee table and on it was a picture of him, Braska, and… Scott. He took it off the table and put it in the drawer. It's not the time for her to see this. I'm really going to have to call Braska now.

Tidus was looking through all the pictures in the computer room "hm- it's not here!"

Kerri sighed. Whether it was of frustration or of relief she wasn't sure. She didn't know if she really wanted to see a picture of her father who was supposed to be dead, or still live in the reality that he's gone forever. "It's alright, Tidus, don't tear apart your house just so I can see a picture."

"No, it's just what- I just wanted to look at him again –ya know kind of reminisce. He was great," Tidus lowered his voice, "More of a father to me than my dad ever was.

Kerri gasped. "How could you say such a think about your father?!"

"You didn't know my father. He was a self-absorbed drunk. He didn't care about anyone but himself," Tidus shouted. He then looked down at the floor, "Well, eventually, it caught up with him and he got killed in a car crash. And that's why I live wit Auron."

Kerri looked away and said, "I'm sorry… I didn't know."

"Its alright," Tidus reassured her.

Kerri still with her back to Tidus continued, "It's just when my father 'died' it wasn't official because he kind of just disappeared and was never heard from again- I miss him so much." She started to cry. Tidus didn't know what to do.

"Hey, you know, if you ever want to talk about him, like you know reminisce, I'll always be here to listen."

Kerri turned and face him. Then with her eyes full of tears she choked out a "thank you" and collapsed into his arm welcoming the strong embrace that followed. Tidus just stood there with his arms wrapped around her until she was finished crying. After a few minutes Kerri looked up at Tidus and said, "I'm so sorry, I'm a guest at your house and I sit here crying."

Tidus looked down at her and smiled. "Hey as long as you're not crying from boredom- it's ok."

She didn't say anything she just smiled. Why is he being so patient? I would be like throwing me out of the house. O well what am I complaining about- I have a friend!

"I know you're new and everything – so thing can be kind of tough. So if you ever need a friend, you can always count on me." Tidus told her.

She hugged him again. "Thanks you, Tidus."

For the rest of the day the two teens got to know each other and enjoyed one another company very much. Kerri was happy to have a friend and Tidus was happy Kerri wasn't crying anymore.

"You want to see the backyard?" Tidus offered.

"Sure!"

After a tour of the yard Tidus and Kerri sat on the hammock and talked and before you knew it dinner was ready and Auron called them in to eat.

"Tidus! Kerri! Dinner's ready!"

Finally! I'm starving" Tidus said while getting up off the hammock.

Me Too!" Kerri said while jumping up off the hammock.

Tidus then gave Kerri a push back down onto the hammock and yelled, "race ya" as he started running toward the house.

"Ahh!" Kerri shouted as she fell back into the hammock. As she fell into the hammock is flipped over ultimately ending with Kerri on the ground. She looked up and called after Tidus "Hey no fair! Cheater!" and she started running toward the house.

Tidus had, of course, made it to the house first and Kerri came in shortly after.

"You are such a cheater, ya jerk!" Kerri said giving Tidus a push.

"Don't be a sore loser!"

"You threw me into a hammock!" Kerri shouted.

"Like that's a reason to be a sore loser!"

Kerri stomped her foot on the ground and said, "It flipped over and I practically ate the grass!"

"Well I hope you didn't eat too much. Don't want to ruin your appetite," Auron interrupted.

Kerri glared at Tidus and said, "Next time you're going down!"

Tidus just laughed and said, "Yea in your dreams."

Auron looked at Kerri and laughed.

"What?!"

"Did you just get into a fight with a chocobo- and lose?" Auron asked.

Tidus started laughing too.

Kerri looked at herself. Her hair was a mess, her eyes were puffy from crying, her hands were filthy, and her pants had grass stains on the knees from the encounter with the hammock. "No! This jerk over here threw me into a hammock- the hammock flipped and I practically ate the grass!" Kerri exclaimed.

Auron just laughed and said, "Alright, go wash your hands."

When Kerri finished washing her hands the three of them, Tidus; Auron; and Kerri, say down and ate dinner. Auron asked Kerri how she liked Besaid and the school, the basic question any parent would ask a kid that new to the neighborhood. Kerri answered all the questioned and when she was done Tidus said, "Hey, Auron, why did you pair Kerri with LeBlanc?"

Auron looked at him and said, "I meant what I said in class, you need a challenge. You are a little too confident and Paine would be good for you. Not to mention Kerri and LeBlanc are both beginners so-"

"They might hurt each other without an experienced opponent." Tidus interrupted.

"He does has a point," Kerri said adding in her own two cents.

"Alright I'll think about it. But I want to see Kerri and LeBlanc work together."

After dinner Tidus' phone rang and Auron answered it. "Hello?"

"Yes, Yuna, he's right here." Auron handed Tidus the phone.

"Yello'?"

"Hey Yuna, your home from work?"

"Alright I'll bring her home now. See you soon."

Tidus hung up the phone "Well Yuna's home- so I got to drive Kerri home now."

"Oh, alright." Kerri got up and gathered her things. "Thank you so much for allowing me to stay, not to mention the delicious dinner- I really appreciate it, Sir Auron."

"You're welcome anytime and please outside of school call me Auron – Sir makes me sound old."

"Auron, you don't sound old – you are old." Tidus said as he walked by him.

Kerri giggled, "Well thank you again." And they left.

Yuna only live four blocks away from Tidus and on a nice day you could walk to the others house. Tidus drove Kerri to Yuna's and when they got there Tidus walked Kerri to the door and waited for someone to answer the door before going back to the car. Braska answered the door.

"Hello Braska! How are you?" Tidus asked him.

"Hello Tidus, Kerri. Thank you for staying with Kerri Today."

"It was no problem we had fun!" Tidus said with enthusiasm.

"Ok well I would invite you in, but Yuna's in the shower."

"That alright. I'm going to go. Tell Yuna I said hello and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Thanks Tidus! I'll see you tomorrow! Bye!!" Kerri called after him.

Thank You's:

Red Hot Moon: You are so awesome!! Thanks for reviewing my story! It's made me want to update – and Kerri's dad… Well I'm working on it… I'm not even really sure where I'm going to go with it. I have an idea, but haven't put it into complete thought lol – but as soon as I know I will let u know!!

Star Girl: Thankss I'm glad U liked it! I have a bunch of other chapters already written and chapter 10 is typed up- just got to tweak it and make it imperfectly perfect. Lol

Thank you!! I love my reviewers!!

Ok well Chapter 10 Preview:

Auron and Braska discuss their situation.

Kerri gets a face full of backpack.

Tidus is Kerri's dad?!

lol well now that your all thoroughly confused- I will leave you! Thanks again and keep reviewing!!! I 3 Uu guys!!