Although I'm sure everyone knows - I do not own Final Fantasy of any number, or any of its characters. I write merely for pleasure! Same goes for chapter one.

As the first chapter was from Tidus' point of view, in chapter two we hear from Yuna.

The Days Without You

The door closes and leaves me in silence and solitude. I watch his shadow gradually fade away and for the thousandth time try to raise myself to go after him, or shout, or… do… something. What am I doing to myself, to him, to us?

I rise from the table, taking the small bowl of breakfast and hastily throwing it away. A waste I know, but lately I just cannot bring myself to eat anything without feeling nauseous. Is there something wrong with me? Of course there is, you only need to look at what is happening to us to know the answer.

I shake myself, trying to cleanse myself of all the despair and resentment I keep feeling, it doesn't work, but perhaps a hot shower will remedy that factor. Lulu always says that a hot soapy shower can do wonders for the soul; Wakka disagrees and says that a good, rough play of blitzball always does the job. A tiny laugh slips quietly out of my mouth. I decide that the former is more appropriate as the latter will always make me think of my husband.

I am running late, as usual.

Since vegnagun had been defeated and I had found what I was searching for, the Gullwings had split up, I suppose it was inevitable in a way with Shinra and I leaving, things just would not be the same.

What I did now was entirely different. I arrive at my destination, Bevelle. It was hard to believe that I now worked frequently in the one place that had caused so much trouble and strife throughout my life. It had changed now, still the big affair that I remember it was, but it seemed almost quieter in existence and less holy. Whenever I had visited in the past, I had always felt a need to collapse to my knees and begin to pray. The guards still stood all around the huge building, their presence protecting all who dwelled inside. New Yevon's guards now wore a green and blue uniform to signify their allegiance to the Spiran government. It was now a whole unity, with three capable leaders to rule it.

I remembered the day that I had reluctantly taken on my new role.

Nooj had spoken first,

"I know that you'll want to say no straight away to our proposal, but I think if you think about it for a while, perhaps you'll come on board." He had been an intimidating presence, a man that seemed to reek of no nonsense. A brief flicker of the light-hearted Leblanc had flashed before my eyes, how was it that these two seemed to be in love with each other, they were complete opposites. I had had to smother a laugh as I thought of the pair hand in hand strolling down a beach. It seemed unimaginable.

Gippal had eyed me curiously from his position perched on the edge of the desk. Perhaps I had not efficiently learned to control my laughter. Baralai had then stepped forward, so far he had not spoken, except to greet me, he had made no move except to stand in the corner, choosing this moment to come and stand behind Nooj, "We would gratefully appreciate, if you would consider becoming Ambassador for the people."

I was sure that my mouth had fallen open, leaving me no doubt looking entirely dumbstruck. An Ambassador? Me? "W…why?"

Gippal straightened from his perch. "I'd have thought that rather obvious." He used his hand for emphasis in counting, "for one, you're the high summoner and everyone recognises you, everyone knows who you are and feels a connection."

Nooj cut in, "Whilst I, Baralai and Gippal can relate to our own people, there are still fractions of Spira that are wary of our leadership, for instance the Ronso. I believe that you and the Ronso leader have a rather colourful past." I had laughed at that remark and nodded my head in agreement; Kimahri would always be a dear friend to me, and someone that was very protective of his tribe.

Baralai had stepped close to me, interrupting my thoughts of the Ronso leader. "We know that you said you didn't want this much responsibility, but if you ask any of us, probably the whole of Spira, you were born for this job. You relate to everyone, Yuna."

It had taken a while and some persuasion from my friends, but I had reluctantly taken up the offer. Tidus had laughed at the time and said that it would keep my mind active and me out of the house and under his feet. It had only been a joke, but I could not help but think that perhaps it had kept me away from him a little too much.

I walked into the room and prepared myself for the next couple of hours or so. My first meeting was with a Guado named Tikaen, the Guado were wishing to re-open the farplane and hoping for a little help with finance and protection. Though the meeting would no doubt be serious, I could not help but smile. After the discussion I was to meet up with my younger cousin Rikku, five minutes alone with her would be enough to raise my high spirits. I entered the room, my happy smile turning sympathetic as I eyed the Guado representative.

I had picked a bite to eat for my reunion with Rikku, the teenager was usually hungry and she loved small, charming restaurants such as this. Suddenly, I am surrounded by a pair of arms; enveloped in a hug, to which I return in kind. Rikku takes up the chair in front of me and smiles. It has been a few months since I have last seen my friend and I realise now how much I had sorely missed her companionship. Ever since she had become a guardian in my summoning days, we had seemed inseparable, now I was lucky to see her once in a blue moon.

Rikku was wearing what looked to be like Al Bhed gear, similar I realised to the alchemist dress sphere. Ever since the Gullwings had split up, Rikku had acquired a job as Gippal's right hand woman. She now flies all over Spira, doing everything from helping to dig up old machina parts to sphere hunting for historic records. Just about everything that Gippal himself is to busy to do, as he prepares for meetings or spends the afternoon filling in paperwork.

I watch her as she pulls her goggles off her head, shaking her hair as grains of sand follow, dropping onto the table. "Oops, sorry, I've been in Bikanel a lot recently." She hastily rubs the sand off our small table and gives a nervous look around the small restaurant to see if anyone has noticed. I cannot help but laugh at her. "Hey!" She glares at me, but soon erupts into laughter too. "So, I'm a little dusty, but at least I have a great tan!" She proudly pulls up a sleeve and shows me her tanned, toned arm.

"So how are you, Yunie?"

"Hmm, fine," I hastily grab the menu to avoid eye contact with her. "Starving though and you?"

"Hmm, work's great and I'm really enjoying still flying all over Spira." She pauses and I can tell that all is not well in Rikku's world. "I miss you guys though," I pull the menu away so I can see her as she pours out her heart.

"You're not on your own though, I mean you'll see Gippal a lot right, you'll have to send him reports and…" From the blazing hot gaze across from me I can tell that Gippal is a touchy subject. "Oh…"

"Oh, indeed, he makes me so mad!" As if to emphasise the sentence she pulls her hands into tight fists, clenching so tightly that I'm sure blood will flow down the creases at any moment. Rikku and Gippal have a strange relationship. Rikku is fun loving and hard to push, but if anyone knows how to infuriate Rikku its Gippal. I had once spent an afternoon in the company of them both and suffice to say it was not something I would willingly do again.

"What is it this time?" I enquire politely, I do not want to seem like I am prying, though I'm sure she wants to get it off her chest.

"Well… it's… I…" I grab her hand to show her that I am listening, if there is anyone who understands the small intricacies of my cousin it is me. She blows out a long-suffering sigh and continues, "There's this new girl…"

"Ohhhhh,"

"No. Not oh, at least not in that way!" Fury blazes in her eyes and I cannot help but laugh. Her answer is to roughly drop my hand onto the table, and cross her arms over her body in defiance. "Maybe it could be, but, relationships aren't all as easy as yours and Tidus', you know."

Pain flashes through my body and it feels as if someone has ripped out my heart, if only she knew. If only it was simple…

Rikku must have either sensed my hesitance, or seen my pain, as she pauses in her tirade and grabs my hand back up from the table. "Yunie, I'm sorry, is everything okay?" Rikku asks the question so sweetly in a small voice, and I cannot explain why, but fresh tears spring back to my eyes. I glance at our hands and the picture reminds me of the fact that Tidus and I should be the ones holding hands in a quaint restaurant, laughing at some wistful memory of our time together.

"Yunie?" I must have been silent for some time now; a big fat tear betrays me as it falls to land on the table. I can barely comprehend what was happening as Rikku's chair scraped against the floor. She appeared to be talking to someone, her hand still tightly clenching mine in worry. "No, she's fine, but we don't feel like eating right now."

"Is everything okay? Lady Yuna are you-" A heavily accented woman, the server, I decided, appeared to be trying to gain my attention.

"Yes, we're fine, em… her dog just died, very upsetting, if you'll excuse us." Rikku's tone left no room for argument. My dog has just died? At the worst of times, Rikku could still raise laughter, if only I could smile…

She pulls me up from my seat and I willingly co-operate. Once outside the restaurant and into the fresh air, Rikku lets go of my hand and pulls me into a loving hug. She sweeps aside the hair from my left temple and tucks it behind my ear. "Yuna, what's wrong, you're scaring me." Her voice does sound timid, nothing like the strong, confident Rikku I have grown used to.

I open my mouth to speak, fresh tears pouring down my face, soaking into both our garments.

"Everything…" I manage to gasp, before a strangled sob sounds through the chill air.

To be continued…

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Victorious Light