Chapter Three-

Lightning, Hope, Snow and Serah are casually relaxing within Serah and Snow's living room. Serah sits by the end of the large L shaped couch, sipping on a cup of hot chamomile tea. Lightning sits at the center of the couch flipping through the pages of the old leather bond book that once belonged to Vanille. Hope sits besides her, highlighter exactly where within the book this ancient Oerban incantation of turning stones into the bodies of the deceased is located. Snow who stands behind the couch, nervously paces back and forth:

"Okay, so let me get this straight..."

Snow suddenly exclaims with a bewildered look on his face. "... there's an ancient Oerba spell, ritual thingy you came across Hope, that might possibly transform Vanille and Fang back to normal, out of their crystalized stasis?.."

Hope shoots Snow a quick glance then averts his attention back to the book Lightning is attentively reading:

"Yes, that's correct.." Hope replies. ".. but like I said, it's a ritual that was created to turn stone into human form, so the fact that Vanille and Fang are in a crystal form apposed to stone .. I'm not sure if it'll even work."

A look of disappointment envelopes within Hope's eyes.

"Well, there's still a chance though, right?" Serah quickly adds.

"Yeah babe you're right! There's always a chance, as long as there's hope, a true miracle is always possible!" Snow bursts out in excitement. Serah reaches out and gently places a delicate hand upon his much larger one, a look of admiration within her eyes. Snow continues:

"If we had given up, had lost all hope when saving Serah a year ago, none of us would even be here today, so we need to at least try!"

Lightning closes the book and rests it on top of the large, round glass coffee table, in front of the couch.

"I don't know .. this all seems to be more speculation than anything else. We shouldn't get our hopes up, this might just be an old superstition, an urban legend. Do we really want to put so much stock into this, just to turn out disappointed?"Lightning exclaims.

"Are you serious Light?!.." Snow snaps back. "This is Fang and Vanille we're talkin' about here, our friends! The ones who sacrificed their lives so Serah, so all of us could be here right now.. and you're just going to say, 'ah-eff-it,' it's probably just all make believe mumbo jumbo?!"

Lightning jerks forward from the couch and shoots Snow a glare.

"I'm saying that we can't place much hope on something that we don't even know to be possible! Magickal recipes that supposedly turns rocks into human bodies .. really? are YOU being serious, Snow?! You know, maybe that's just it; you're not thinking seriously.. my sister is about to give birth to your baby, maybe it's time to finally grow up and be a man!"

Snow is taken aback by Lightning's sharp words.

"Pfft, whatever.. you know what, forget it..." Snow storms out of the living room towards the direction of the bedroom. Serah places her cup of tea on top of the coffee table and gives Lightning a look that only Lightning can distinguish.

"What Serah?.. you know I'm right." Lightning says.

"You might be right Light, but so is he and you know it too.." Serah replies. "Anyway, it's getting late, I'm super tired and you (she points to Hope) have school tomorrow, mister."

Hope stands picking up the book as he does, Lightning also stands.

"I'll walk you home Hope." Lightning softly says.

"Nah, it's ok, you don't have to go outta your way Light." Hope replies.

"No, it's fine.. a nice, long walk will do me good."Lightning steps towards Serah, gives her a hug and says to her sister:

"Good night, I love you."

Serah warmly smiles: "I know, I love you too.. good night you two. I'll see you tomorrow at school Hope; and Light... please think about this some more, it could actually turn out to be something. If you were to have had the same attitude about this back on Cocoon when it came to saving me .. bringing me back from crystal stasis, we really all wouldn't even be here right now. Fang and Vanille deserve any possible chance."

A few minutes later:

Lightning and Hope walk together, making their way to Hope's house in the downtown city district of New Bodhum. The two haven't said much to one another since leaving Serah and Snow's house, until Lightning breaks the silence.

"So, Hope... you think Snow was right, about giving this thing a try?"

Hope stops walking for a brief second, somewhat in dismay of Lightning's remark.

"Uh.. honestly Light? yeah, I do..." he replies. "I mean, what's the harm in at least really looking into it, right? And besides, like both Serah and Snow said; it is Vanille and Fang we're talking about. They're one of us, we owe them that much."

Lightning stops and let's out a soft sigh. She walks up to a short wall that divides the sidewalk from a residential home, she leans her backside against the waist heigh wall then leaps backwards, taking a seat upon it. She looks up to the evening sky, the sun is setting and clouds of pink, orange and lavender frame the horizon above the city.

"Hope?.." she softly says. "..do you feel any different, since like the whole situation from last year and now living on Gran Pulse?"

Hope looks at her with a confused look on his face, then makes his way to the wall and leaps up as she did, to take a seat by her.

"I mean, yeah of course.." he chuckles. "..we were basically super humans, Light. We summoned Eidolons... defeated Fal'Cie, Gods who pretty much ruled over our every need, and on top of it all; we pretty much caused the destruction of our home.. Cocoon, and had to make a new home here on Gran Pulse, the place we were convinced since birth, to believe was hell on earth without the brimstone. So yeah, I feel way different." he looks at her and notices a sadness within her eyes as she continues to look up at the evening sky. "Um .. is everything alright, Light?" he asks with worry in his voice.

"Yeah, I think so..." she softly replies.

"Listen, you can tell me anything Light, I hope you truly know that. If you need to talk, I'm here to listen, okay?" Hope replies while placing a hand over one of Lightning's. She leans her shoulder onto Hope's and rests her head onto his.

"Yeah I know, but it's nothing... I'm fine, it'll be fine."

Hope smiles, knowing quite well that whatever is eating away at Lightning, it won't be easy for him to get it out of her.

"Well, if I tell you something that's been bothering me lately... do you promise to share with me what's bothering you?..." Hope states with a tone of curiosity within his voice.

"Is everything ok Hope, like at school or at home with your dad?.." Lightning asks now her voice enveloped with worry.

"Yeah, no it's nothing like that Light." he giggles. "so, you promise; if I share something with you, you'll share with me what's on your mind?"

Lightning sighs. "Sure, I promise."

Back at Serah and Snow's house:

Serah enters the bedroom, she finds Snow laying on his back on top of the bed, his gaze fixed up at the ceiling fan that slowly rotates above the large, king-sized bed. He's wearing nothing but a pair of white boxer shorts. Serah makes her way to the bed and lays down beside him.

"Hey you, you okay?..." she lovingly asks him.

"I guess..." he replies. "...I just don't get why Lightning has to be so closed minded about all of this; I mean, it's a possible chance to bring back Fang and Vanille. Doesn't she realize that?"

Serah rests her head on his large, protruding bare chest. "Of course she does, Snow.. I just think it worries her, that's all. After everything we've gone through, bringing me back, losing Cocoon, having to restart our lives here on Gran Pulse... I think it just worries her, the possibility of things getting chaotic again."

Snow tightens his jaw in slight aggravation.

"But it's Fang and Vanille..." he quickly replies. "...they deserve to have us try, possibly even make things difficult again, if there's a sliver of a chance to bringing them back, they deserve that."

Serah lifts her head from his chest, she places a hand to his face, guiding his gaze onto hers.

"You're so amazing, you know that?" she kisses his warm, sweet tasting lips. "I'm so lucky to not only call you my husband but my big, hunky hero too."

Snow turns on his side, pulling her closer and kisses her lips with a tempered passion.

"I'm the lucky one..." he whispers.

Serah could feel the forming of his large erection up against her belly.

"I love you so much, Serah..." he continues to whisper as he seductively kisses her neck, his ginormous member now throbbing in explosive excitement. He continues to kiss her neck and slowly makes his way down to her breasts, she softly moans in pleasure. Snow slips his hand up her loose, silk nightgown and gently begins to rub her vaginal area, remaining above her panties. He can feel with his fingers, her vagina beginning to become warmer and warmer and a moisture forming on her panties. His fully erect, pulsating, large penis rubbing against her bare thigh and she too feels the moisture of it precumming on her soft, warm skin. Snow lifts her panties and as he's about to insert a finger into her, Serah suddenly jerks up and interrupts his advancement.

"No wait ... stop Snow, no..."

Snow in frustrated disbelief. "Are you serious babe .. again?..." He chuckles, not out of amusement but shear annoyance.

Serah sits up on the bed, lowering her nightgown down to her knees. "Snow, you know what the doctor said... we shouldn't be having intercourse this late into the pregnancy. And with you being so big down below, it might hurt the baby.."

"Are you really serious?.." he defeatedly whimpers.

"I'm sorry Snow..." Serah says to him, terrible guilt within her voice. Snow turns over, facing his back to her.

"Whatever... we haven't had sex in over a month now, and I guess we won't be for the next three.." he agitatedly exclaims. "..don't worry about it, I'll just deal, like I have been for awhile now."