(( Sorry that it took so long to update. Hopefully I still have some readers out there.

But you know the drill. I own nothing. ))

Days are just like moments turned hours. That was how quickly that time went by in this Zanarkand. It was different from the place that Auron had visited with Jecht and Braska. This place... it held life. There was so much going on every moment of everyday. But because of this, time seemed to pass so quickly. And it had been little over a year since he had taken the job to protect Tidus. Even in that short period of time that he had spent with him, he was beginning to feel more protective about him than he had in the beginning... but the silent samurai took it just as something that happened.

"Are you married?"

Auron turned to the question, looking down from his book and at the water's edge, where Tidus had been standing, hands in his blue pockets. "Well?"

Auron shook his head, pushing himself off of the wooden floor, still holding his book as he walked closer to Tidus, his boots almost silent. "No. I am not and have not been married." He then smiled, rubbing Tidus' blonde mane that was in need of a trim. "Is there someone that you are thinking about?"

Tidus rolled his eyes, batting Auron's gloved hand away from him. "Yeah right. I am eight years old Auron."

"Very true," Auron answered back, looking out at the ocean, the sun setting. "But I know of children younger than yourself that are destined to marry. So in a way, they are already married."

"Ew," Tidus squealed. "Girls are gross."

Auron shook his head, a slight smile across his face. "Someday, I believe that you will change that thought." He then turned, heading back to the main pier. "Come, your mother probably cooked dinner and is waiting for our return."

Tidus sighed, then sucked in some air as well as closing his eyes. "Marry her."

Auron stopped in his tracks, turning around slowly to see Tidus, the wind whipping past him. "What did you say?"

Tidus exhaled, the wind rushing past him and blowing into his yellow shirt. "My mom. I want... I want you to marry her. I want you to be my father."

Auron's eyes narrowed. "You already have a father. Jecht is your father."

Tidus' small hands turned into fists, anger flowing over the boy. "He sure didn't act like one. Fathers aren't supposed to call their sons crybabies. Fathers are supposed to play with their sons, supposed to care about them." He then closed his eyes, trying to keep the tears inside. "He wasn't a father! Sons don't hate their fathers and I hate him!" As the tears streamed down his face, he looked up at Auron, running to him and wrapping his hands around Auron's waist. "Please. Marry her and be my father."

Auron was caught off guard, looking down at the child that was holding onto him, crying into his clothes. "Tidus," he whispered, bending down and holding the child's shoulders. "Jecht... he. Tidus he said to me that he lo-"

But his words were interrupted, as a young man in white clothing came running to them, sucking in air as he stopped. "Ti...dus. Your mother... she... she is in the hospital." He then looked to Auron, his eyes not showing very optimism. "Please. Hurry to the hospital with the boy."

Auron nodded, picking Tidus up and setting him on his shoulders, taking off in a run.

It was a pitiful sight when the pair arrived at the hospital that Tidus' mother had been admitted to. Her body looked fine as it lay in the bed, but when she opened her eyes, it looked as if all life had gone from her. While Tidus was crying at his mother's bed side, Auron had found one of the nurses, questioning him.

"So, what happened?"

The nurse sighed, looking into the room before looking back at Auron. "From what we know, she was outside at the market when she just collapsed. A couple of men brought her in, not knowing what was wrong with her. And medically, there is nothing wrong with her."

Auron turned to look at Tidus, the child grasping his mother's hand as she stroked his hair. "So then," he began, turning again to the nurse. "Why do her eyes seem not to hold any warmth of life?"

The nurse lowered his head. "Auron... I know that you haven't been around long, but you should know this. Jecht was like a hero here. And everyone loved him, his wife almost topping the list. He was her everything, even above their child. When he was around, that was all she focused on, and when he was away for games, that was all that she could think about." Raising his head again, he nodded to Tidus. "I can't even imagine what that child has been through." A sigh escaped his lips before turning one last time to Auron. "Auron. The reason that she has no life in her eyes. Her heart is broken. She knows that she will only see her heart's desire once she has passed into the next lifetime. And truthfully, the only reason that she is alive right now is because we wanted Tidus to see his mother before she left this world. She only has a few moments before she is gone."

Auron shook his head slowly, walking into the room, a tear stained face Tidus looking up at him. "What... hic ... is wrong? She was just... hic... talking and... and... and she just closed her eyes." He then looked at his mother, touching her face lightly. "Why is she so cold? What's wrong with her!"

Words escaped him. He couldn't tell Tidus why she had passed, and he thought of nothing that would lighten his sadness. So instead, he picked the child off the bed, setting him on the ground before hugging him. "She is gone into the next life Tidus," he whispered, Tidus' sniffling stopping instantly. "I am sorry."

(( I have decided that I am incapable of writing anything that isn't cute or sad... sorry.))