Monday. March 14;
After School; Yuna's House

"Uncle Cid, I'm home!" Yuna called out.

Cid came walking through the hallway and approached the two. "Hello Yuna." He then looked over at the boy. "So this is the father?"

"Yes." Yuna simply replied softly.

Cid chuckled. "You got guts for sticking around this whole time. I like that."

Tidus smiled. "Thank you sir."

"Well come in, come in, we've got lots to talk about." Cid told the two pushing them into the living room to sit down. "Yes Tidus, I remember you now. We met at the hospital briefly last month." He stared at him. "Well I'm a busy man so I only have so much time for us to talk. So let's just cut to the chase…"

"Well sir if I may…" Tidus began. "Yuna and I have been through a lot these past months, it wasn't the least bit easy. But I would just like to tell you that I don't plan on walking away from all of this. I'm going to be here. For Yuna, for the baby, I'm going to be there every step of the way."

"Hmm." Cid pondered. "That's awfully courteous of you boy." He paused for a moment. "But there's more to it then just sticking around. Raising a baby is a lot of hard work and responsibility in which I know the both of you are not the least bit ready to do. You don't have anything to back you up or help you. What do you plan on doing?"

"Uhh…" Tidus trailed off awkwardly looking over at Yuna. "Well you see…"

"I'm right, aren't I?" Cid asked.

Tidus looked at him not knowing what to say.

"…Uncle Cid…" Yuna began to try to reason with him. "We both understand what you're saying. I'll even admit that I'm not ready to have a baby. I was never expecting that I would be having one so early in my life…but I am. Both Tidus and I are having a baby and we will carry out the responsibility."

"But Yuna—"

"I know it will be hard, please uncle just listen to what I have to say." She looked at Tidus then back at Cid. "I don't want to be in this alone. I could really use your support in this since my parents have past. You and Rikku are all the family I have left and I want you to be by our side." Yuna finished. "…Please…"

Cid sighed and shook his head. "Yuna…I…I can't allow you and Tidus to have this baby once it's born."

Both Yuna and Tidus' heads shot up at him shockingly.

"What?" Yuna asked not believing what she just heard.

"What do you mean you won't allow us?" Tidus snapped almost angrily.

"Once the baby is born, it'll be signed up for adoption." Cid told the two.

Yuna sat there in a daze, tears almost escaping her eyes. "But…"

"Look Cid, we already told you that we're going to take respon—"

"The two of you can't raise this child!" Cid shouted shutting Tidus up. "The two of you are too young! You think that's its all fun and games to have a child, well its not! You have no plans for when it's born! Where will the two of you live? Do you have a job? Will you even be able to support the child? Huh? Well?"

Tidus was about to speak but trembled for he didn't know what to say. Yuna was speechless, heartbroken even. Both were at a loss for words.

Cid then stood up. "My decision is final." He then walked out of the room and downstairs into the basement where his office was.

Tidus and Yuna sat there silently for they didn't even know what to say to each other.

"Dammit." He cursed standing up and walking around the room frustrated.

Tears streamed down Yuna's face. "…He's right…"

Tidus looked over towards her.

Yuna lifted her head and stared at Tidus with watery eyes. "…We can't raise this child."

Tidus crossed his arms over his chest. "So that's it then? You're just gonna give up?"

"Well what can we do Tidus?" She shouted. "Cid is only looking out for us in his best interest. He's right and you know it!"

"Well at least I'm not going to give up!" Tidus shouted back.

Yuna turned her head away from him painfully without replying.

"We've been through too much to give up now." He paused looking over at her. "How could you go on living if you were to give up your child like this?"

Yuna closed her eyes, continuously crying without reply.

"I know that I would regret it until the day I die if I couldn't see my child grow up. It'd just be wrong to let our baby go like this."

Yuna reopened her eyes and looked at him. "…Then what are we to do?"

Tidus walked up to Yuna and sat down besides her, holding her hands. "I'm going to do all I can to ensure we can keep our baby…okay? I'll get a well paying job, I'll find us a place to stay, I'll support and take care of you…both of you…and everything will be okay in the end. I promise." He stroked her hair gently while gazing into her eyes.

"Tidus…"

"Just give me some time, okay? I'll have everything ready for when the baby arrives. And when he does, and you hold him in your arms for the very first time, you'll know that everything will be okay and that he will always remain your little boy."

Yuna smiled at him, crying. "……Thank you Tidus…I…I love you so much."

Tidus embraced with her. "I'll always be here you, okay? Don't you ever forget that."

As the two held each other in their arms for comfort, without knowing, Cid was listening in on them the whole time form the other room. He shook his head with a smile. Prove me wrong Tidus. Show me what kind of man you really are, he thought before walking off to the basement.

Later that day, Tidus returned home. As he entered the door, Jecht looked up from the couch to see him enter.

"Tidus." Jecht began, standing up and walking over to his son who was taking off his shoes.

"Not now. I don't have time to talk…" Tidus looked up at his father with a disappointed expression. "…with you."

Tidus walked past his father and into the kitchen where he opened the fridge to get a drink. Jecht shook his head with a disgruntled sigh then followed Tidus into the kitchen. "I want to talk to you."

"Well I don't want to talk to you." Tidus snapped angrily. "Look I don't have time for your nagging or complaining about how I ruined you're life, okay? I have work to do."

Jecht crossed his arms. "Oh really?"

"Yeah. I have to find a job, a place of my own, you know, take responsibility for my actions with Yuna. And I only have two months so leave it at that so just do us both a favor and just go back to your drinking and Blitzball watching."

"Tidus…" Jecht began hesitantly. "Look, would you just listen to me for a minute?"

Tidus stood there staring at him. "Uh huh?"

"I uh…I have been doing a lot of thinking lately about all of this with you and Yuna having a baby and well…I've…I've decided I want to help you out."

Tidus' angered expression softened awkwardly. "You want to what?"

Jecht walked up closer to Tidus. "I uh…want to apologize. I wasn't there for you when you needed me. I guess…when you told me you were going to be a father, I panicked. But I know you can use all the support you can get and I just want to let you know that I'll be there for you when you need me."

Tidus raised his eyebrows surprisingly. "Wow…I uh…can't say that I was expecting that. Gee…thanks I guess." He chuckled.

"Tidus." He began seriously. "I was never there for you while you were growing up. I guess I gave up after your mother past away. But now I want to be there for you. Heck, you're going to be a father soon. This is one of the most important moments of your life." Jecht smiled at him. "I'm real proud of you."

Tidus nodded his head with a friendly smile. "It really means a lot to me to hear that from you…dad."

"So…now that we're on good terms again…" Jecht started fresh. "How about I help ya out in lookin' for that job?"

Tidus chuckled. "Yeah, that'd be great."

Friday. March 1;
12:36pm; Lunch

It was a long and stressful for Tidus and Yuna after what Cid had told them. But they wouldn't give up. They had to prove Cid wrong.

Tidus walked into the cafeteria and took a seat down at one of the tables with Wakka. He browsed through the newspaper.

"These just won't due…" He began.

Wakka took a sip of his coke. "Still looking for a job?"

"Yeah." Tidus replied tiredly. "I have to find one soon or else."

"Maybe Cid is just trying to scare you?" Wakka suggested. "I mean like…he wouldn't really do that…"

"I don't want to take that chance Wakka. I have to get all this stuff organized and ready for when the baby is born. It doesn't really leave me a lot of time."

"I know." Wakka paused. "Well just to let you know, I'll be there to help you out. We're buddies till the end."

"Thanks Wakka, I knew I could always count on you."

Soon after, Lenne and Shuyin came walking over and sat down with Tidus and Wakka.

"Hey guys." Lenne began.

Wakka nodded his head smiling while Tidus was occupied with the newspaper. "Still working hard on trying to find a job, Tidus?"

"Yeah. I have a few in mind but they're only part time."

"Well you can apply to those for now since we're in school. Go for a full time job for the summer." Lenne suggested.

"Yeah, that might be best."

"I can get you a job." Shuyin began.

Tidus looked up and over at him. "Oh? What kind of job?"

"After school Blitzball instructor for the elementary schools. Hours 3 to 8. Pays 10 gil per hour, 50 gil a day. Weekends 11am to 8pm. 100 gil per day. So by the end of the week you'll have 150 gil. Easy money." He paused for a moment taking a sip of his drink. "I can get you in if you like."

"Really? That kind of job would be great."

"Good. I can sign you up for tomorrow."

"You run the program?" Tidus asked curiously.

"You bet."

Tidus smiled, nodding his head.

After school, Wakka was found by his locker taking out his books to do his homework when Seymour came walking up beside him. "There you are squirt. Where were you at practice today? You are one of the main players after all."

"Sorry Seymour. Busy, ya? I had an important test today."

"Right. Whatever. Listen, I got the forms for the Blitz tournament in May. I'll leave it up to you to give them out to the other players. Also be here after school with you're little fruitcake friend tomorrow. Important business."

Wakka closed his locker. "Yeah sure—wait—tomorrow? Uh, Tidus is busy tomorrow. We wouldn't be able to make it."

Seymour looked over and gave him an irritated look in his eyes. "And why is that?"

"He's busy with Shuyin who is helping him out in getting a job." Wakka simply told him. "That's all there is too it."

"And why would the fruitcake boy need a job? Or does this have something to do with his little baby?"

"What's it to you?" Wakka asked.

"If I don't see you two there tomorrow, I don't have any objection in kicking you off the team."

"Stop trying to scare us Seymour. You have no one to replace us. You wouldn't be able to go to your tournament."

"Are you trying to taunt me?" He crossed his arms. "Well tell me his reason why he won't be able to come tomorrow and I just might keep his position for him."

"All he's doing is getting a job tomorrow. Geez, can't you just leave it like that?"

"Why is he getting a job?"

"Ah gee…I don't know…to earn some money maybe?" Wakka replied sarcastically.

"Earn money for what?"

Wakka looked away without replying.

"Wakka." He grabbed his shirt tightly yanking him closer. "If you don't tell me what exactly is going on, I'll make sure you'll never get that Blitzball Scholarship that you're trying to badly to get."

Wakka looked at him nervously. Could he really do that?

Another chapter complete for all my fans out there! Hoped you enjoy. As the story is coming to an end, keep a watch out for the final chapters!