Author's Note: Sorry for the long gaps between chapters, but I hope you guys are still sticking with me. I'm going to try to wrap things up within the next several months so for this story so expect to see more updates coming sooner or longer chapters to make up for the time. Hope you enjoy it!

For those who were lost with Hope getting caught last time I did try to explain it a bit in this chapter. There will also be a three day time skip that takes place during the past in this chapter.

Remember to leave a comment/review if you like something or let me know if you think someone's out of character! OoO'''

Story Words: 3,145

The Archylte Steppe - Year Unknown

As the rift closed and Hope saw Vanille's image fade into nothing, he looked down in frustration. They had been so close, and yet out of all his years it was probably the farthest he's ever been away from her. I need to find that artefact.

With that mind set he headed off from his current location and began to travel the Steppe, however, he didn't get far before he heard the sounds of chocobos cawing. On Pulse in his time that wouldn't have meant anything, but on this warring Pulse that could only mean one thing… a patrol was out and heading his way.

The Archylte Steppe - ? AF

"Vanille!" she heard Fang, Sazh and Noel calling out. Opening up her eyes slowly, she saw their faces. They were all looking down at her worried.

"W-what was that?" she asked them as she sat up on her own; Fangs hand resting on her shoulder to help support her.

"What was what? You don't remember?" Noel asked as he looked at her.

"No," she began as she shook her head from side-to-side her pigtails bouncing, "I was talking to him, H-hope." She told them.

"Hope? You saw him!?" Sazh called out in surprise as he looked about for the kid. Remembering her conversation with him her head suddenly shot up looking around for the boomerang. It was right where she dropped it. Seeing it, she grabbed it and held it close.

"H-he was in the rift," she told them.

"The rift?" Noel repeated as he raised a hand to his chin in thought. If Hope was in a rift it obviously meant he wasn't part of this time. But he could be anywhere in time depending on how unstable when it pulled him in.

"Did he happen to mention an era?" Noel asked as he helped Vanille up, much to Fang's annoyance.

"Uh-uh. Not a thing. But…He…he did seem surprised that I was with you guys." She told him as she looked down uncertain.

All of a sudden Fang grabbed her head as a pain crossed over her face as she fell to her kness her eyes shut tight. "F-fang! What's wrong? Fang!"

Steppe - Year Unknown

He put up a fight, but it hadn't lasted long. Anyway he looked at it he had been outnumbered and ill-equipped. Especially when some reinforcements came in.

"Good work, Lads. I'm sure the Council will be pleased to hear of our victory today," said one of the warriors atop a chocobo as she rode closer to them. Eying the catch before her. The sight alone was enough to make her smile as she added, "So this is the one that's been causing all the trouble out here."

With his hands held by the two other guards Hope slowly raised his head to look at the Oerbain captain. "I haven't done anything," Hope told them defensively.

"Whether you've done something or not, it doesn't matta. The council will deal with you, Cocoon scum." At that he knew his attempt to get her to let him go was futile; to her he was simply an enemy of Pulse or as Light, the rogue Guardian Corp member, would have put it a 'target'. It didn't matter to her who he was, or how he got there. She was just doing her duty. Nothing more and nothing less.

"Pull him up lads, we've got to head back." She ordered as the guards did as she commanded practically pulling his arms out of their sockets. On his feet they began to pull him along like cattle as Hope's mind began to race – there was no way he was going to be able to escape this. If they took him all the way into Oerba there was no telling what was going to happen.

Oerba Day 5 - Year Unknown

'I wonder how Hope's doing…' she found herself thinking as she looked up at the sky - walking along through the crowd. It had already been a three full day since she'd seen him get drug in by the guards, and she still couldn't believe it.

He didn't seem like one who would go down easy, at least not when he was fighting that strange monster earlier or the time he attacked her. Before she could think anymore on the matter though, she felt a body smack into hers as she flew backwards onto the hard stone of the street; her palms taking most of the brunt.

"Owwww…" she groaned out as dramatically as she slowly looked up at the 'pillar' she smacked into which seemed unfazed. Regardless she let out an, "I'm so sorry!"

The girl before her said nothing at first. To Vanille she looked to be at least a few years younger than her, possibly around fifteen. She wore a white tank with a similar animal fur on her matching skirt. The girls' eyes flew to her quickly before she shook her head in an 'it's alright' response.

"You are, Vanille," The girl suddenly said as she held out a hand to the Oerbain. "Are you all right?"

"Ah Yes. I am. Both. I mean I'm alright. . But, how did you know my name?" Vanille asked as she took the girls hand and was pulled upward.

"I've seen you," the girl replied in monotone as her brow furrowed a bit. "Many times."

"Seen me?" Vanille began as she slowly began to put the pieces together. After all there were only two people traveling in Oerba at the moment. They were the Paddra Seeress and her Guardian. Though she was a bit surprised. She'd expected the seeress to be old, not this little girl. Before Vanille could even muster a response, the girl continued. "Yes…I've seen many things, some from the past and some things yet to come."

Eyeing her strongly with guilt, she looked away from her as she turned, "But, I fear I've already come too late. The flow of time is altered. The boy who will create a new haven, should not be here."

At her words Vanille found herself cocking her head slightly as she tried to take in everything the girl was saying to her. She's saying the time line is altered? And that the boy who will create a new haven isn't supposed to be here. But who is he? This boy?

Deciding it was best to just ask Vanille leaned down a bit so that she and the girl were eye level, " J-just what are you talking about, hmm?"

"You were not meant to meet him now," the seeress continued her eyes holding a stern look, "Not now, not at this time."

"But, I didn't meet any boy," Vanille tried to tell her in her defense; however, it didn't hit her that the boy she was referring to was actually a man.

"Maybe not a boy. But you did meet him," Yeul clarified as she turned to look back at Vanille. "I only wanted to let you know," she said as she started to walk away, "Your fate was met the day he appeared. But, there is still hope. You can change it if you wish it."

At that Vanille's heart began to race as her fear for herself began to stir. "W-what do you mean? How was it met?" she called out after her as she ran to try and catch up but by the time she made it back into the main square, the girl was gone – it was as if she'd never been there in the first place.

The Archylte Steppe - ? AF

Hearing Vanille's cries and the weight of Noel's hands resting on her shoulders Fang began to see images flash in her mind. Old images that eventually led to a memory. A fight she had had with Vanille before everything started. But it was different than how she remembered it. Despite the concern of the others she kept her eyes closed as it played out.

/ MEMORY\\ "And where do you think you're going, Missy?" Fang asked as she noticed Vanille getting up from her spot by table. Vanille hearing the words instantly stopped in her tracks as her mouth dropped slightly like a child who'd just been caught sneaking out.

"J-just going out," she replied back with a forced grin as she rubbed the back of her head hoping Fang wouldn't catch onto her plans. Not that she really had one, a plan that is…

"Out, eh? Out where?" she insisted as she pulled her feet from the table and got to her feet.

"J-just out…" Vanille answered back uneasily as she gave off a small hesitant laugh. At that though red flags went up for Fang as she quickly gripped Vanille by the wrist as strong and firmly as she could.

"You can't go there, Vanille!" she yelled at her eyes blazing with concern and fear for her sister. She knew all too well what would happen to her if she went there, regardless of what her plans were – the High Council wouldn't have it.

"But Fang!" Vanille began to cry out as she tried to pull Fang's hand away, "He didn't do anything to anyone!"

"And how would you know that!?" Fang retorted.

"You don't know him, Fang!" Vanille called out heartbroken at her sister as tears were slowly beginning to well up. And the sad part was she didn't even know why? Why she cared so much.

"And you do?" Fang shouted enraged.

"It's not fair!"

"That doesn't matta! The council doesn't care! You just stay away from him." She finished as she kicked up out of her chair and stormed out passed Vanille. /MEMORY END\\

With a gasp of realization Fang's blue eyes shot open as she looked over at a terrified Vanille. Seeing her eyes open Noel asked if she was okay. However, Fang ignored him completely as she got to her feet and pulled Vanille up by her arm.

"Hope… When? When did you meet him, Vanille?" she questioned sternly her grip never wavering as her eyes burned holes in her sister.

"W-what do you mean?" Vanille mumbled confused, "It…it was during the Purge in Bodhum."

"Don't you lie to me, Missy!"

"I'm not lying, Fang! I'm not!"

"What's this all about?" Noel asked as he got between the two girls and pulled Vanille's hand free.

"Not sure myself," Fang spat back, "Just now I had a flashback. But it was different than how I remembered it."

"Different? Different as in how?" Noel inquired as he watched Fang closely as she told them about it

"We were talking. Vanille and I. It was about a man taken in back during the war between Cocoon and Pulse."

"A man? Did you catch his name?" Noel continued to ask. " Did you see him?

"Not a glance or a name. All I know is Vanille here was all up in arms over it."

"Fang… Why? Why can't I remember this?" Vanille finally asked out as she raised a shaky hand to her lips.

Biting his lip Noel answered, "It could be some kind of paradox blocking the new memories from appearing. Though I've never heard of that happening before. Don't they say there's always a first time for everything though, or something like that these days?"

"Something like that." Sazh added with a dismissive wave of his hand. "So what now chief?"

"Not really sure. Right now even if we find an artefact to use we don't know when we want to go or if any of the gates here will even take us there. But… if Fang is having new memories and I was a betting man I'd say that's the time we're looking for."

"So we're looking for an artefact to take us back to our time," Vanille breathed out uneasily.

"Looks like it," Fang told her as she patted her head hoping it would sooth her worries for a little.

Oerba - Year Unknown

Thankfully with the excitement of the Paddra Seeress, Vanille was able to make a quick and unnoticed break-in of the Oerba prison block. It was a dark and damp place - one Oerba didn't use too often. However she didn't know what was down there. At least not yet. Taking a breath despite her fears building up she headed down the metal steps as lightly as possible.

Once down she found herself in the main hall with two doors to her left and one to the right. Guess I'll just have to pick one and hope for the best. With that thought she placed a nervous hand on the door and gave it a slight twist. With the door open, she waited to hear any sounds. Nothing came though, thankfully. Walking in like she was invited Vanille began to look around the room.

"Let's see," she mumbled out as she raised a hand to her chin. "If I was a guard where would I keep the key to the cell block?" It was a simple thought sure enough. One that she thought would be sure to help her find what she needed. Taking several minutes checking each of the two rooms on the left Vanille finally hit it. Inside a desk in the last room there set of old keys. Well, these might work. I better take them along.

With keys in hand she headed back out into the hall for the last door. Okay. He should be right in there, she told herself as she carefully opened the door. The room was just as dark as the others though crates from old supplies blocked her view of the cells. Moving in she hide behind one of the crates and slowly peaked out from the corner. Taking a nervous breath she whispered out, "Hope? Are you in here?"

Opening his eyes at the sound of her voice, Hope's head shot right up from his seat on the cold stone as he looked out passed the bars. In the darkness he couldn't see much, but he knew the voice.

'V-vanille? What a-are doing here?" he asked as his eyes finally locked onto her as she moved out from her hiding place.

"I came for you, silly. Why else?" she told him a bit teasingly as she made her way over to the bars only to stop. "Unless you want to stay in there?"

"N-no, no." he replied flustered as he shook his head from where he was shackled to the wall. "Alright then," she chimed out as she began to unlock the main cell. Within an instant the lock clicked and Vanille made her way in to free him. However, panic began to show on her face as the sound of guards entering the other rooms made their way through the room.

"Hope, come on! We have to run away!" She pleaded as she ran over to him and pulled him up from his seat on the ground. Once he was on his feet, she took the keys again and unlocked his cuffs. He knew it was dangerous for both of them right now, but he couldn't help but ask her. He had too. "B-but why? Why are you helping me? I'm the enemy..."

"Not now. We don't have time," she insisted as she locked her right hand to his left and began to drag him out. The was no telling how close the guards were since the prison seemed to echo pretty good, but she knew they had to get out.

"D-do you know the way out of here?" he asked her as they began ducking behind crates just as a guard entered the room.

"Just the main way…" she replied with a nervous laugh. "But with you we should be able to handle it. Don't cha' think?"

"Errr…If we have too. I guess." He told her uncomfortably as he gave her a look of uncertainty. However, he followed her just like he had during the chaos of the Purge. The two fought hard side-by-side taking out the guards when they needed too and spent some time hiding in the dark avoiding detection. Within no time at all they had made their way out of the doom and gloom of the prison block and out all the way by the chocobo stables nearing the outskirts of Oerba.

It was here Hope knew he had to leave her. Getting captured like that only gave him more incentive to find a way back home - or what was left of it by now. "That wasn't so hard, now was it?" Vanille chimed out towards him her green eyes dancing.

"Speak for yourself," he found himself teasing a bit as he smiled back over at her. "Oh come on now! It wasn't that bad," she cooed back her smile never faltering until he said it. "Either way thank you... For helping me back there."

Her smile dropping she knew what was coming next… Vanille could see it in his eyes. Even though she helped him and wanted to get to know him better he was going to send her away. And sure enough that's what he said. Even though, Hope himself hated the idea of sending her back. In the back of his mind he kept telling himself it was for the best. She has to.

With a slight wave of his hand and small grin he starts to walk passed her. Grabbing his hand she gave it a small tug as he tried to pass her, "W-wait!" she called out as she tightened her grip, "Take me with you," It was a strange request no matter how she looked at it, but she knew if she just let him go like this she'd always wonder why. Why she was pulled toward him, why he'd shown up before her that day on the hunt, why the seeress had said he wasn't supposed to be here, everything. She had to know it. No matter what.

"Please, Hope." He let out a sigh as he seemed to contemplate his options.

Vanille… If I let you tag along I don't know what will happen, with you – the timeline, everything here. But no matter how much he wanted to tell her no, the shaking grip on his arm told him he couldn't leave her. Not like that – especially if she helped him. There was no telling what would happen to her.

Going against his better judgment he breathed out in defeat a "Fine." At his words he felt her hand let go of his arm as a smile slowly spread across her face.

"Okay! It's settled then," she chimed out with a nod as she walked ahead of him, her smile faltering a bit as she wondered just what she'd gotten herself into.