Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy XIII. Square Enix owns it. I do not own anything. Do not sue me.

Authorial Notice: Remember, reviews make my world go round, and gives me inspiration. Not only do reviews help me, but so does Haruka-Chan 212. Read her stories. I demand it. Oh by the way. I already have the next chapter written. It's a 2 parter because it's so long. One chapter at a time though. You guys aren't that spoiled. :D

SUMMARY EDITED

Lost Then Found
Chapter Three

"Your imagination is your preview of life's coming attractions."
--Albert Einstein

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Lightning and Serah' Apartment
1630 Hours (4:30 PM) - Friday

Serah, Snow, Fang and Vanille had just got done watching a movie when the front door opened. They turned around to see a tired and exhausted Lightning walk through the door with her gym bag in hand. She had a Kleenex up to her nose and her eyes were red and watery, almost like she had been… crying?

"Claire, you're home," Serah's voice faded when she saw her read eyes, "what's wrong?" she asked, getting up from the couch quickly and walked up to her, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Lightning smirked as she dropped her gym bag on the floor, "I'm not crying."

"Aw, what you cryin' for, sunshine?" Fang asked, a bright smile on her face.

As she wiped the tear that fell from her eye, she scoffed. "Didn't I tell you not to call me that?"

"Alright," Fang started, "why ya cryin', Claire?"

"I'm not," Lightning snapped, looking up at her with teary red eyes. "And don't call me that, either."

"You can't have it both ways, Claire. Sure looks like you're crying to me, sunshine. Upset you had to leave for work?" Slightly irritated at Fang's antics, Lightning sauntered off towards the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. She heard the other four start to laugh. "My, my, she's sensitive," she heard the dark haired woman say.

'They're so annoying.'

She managed to reach the sink, coughing uncontrollably from the fumes that had engulfed her body from the gas. She felt the back of her throat close up as she gagged. Shaky hands reached for the sink to turn the knob, cupping her hands under the water to drink the tap in an attempt to soothe her throat and halt her cough.

As much as she didn't want to believe it, she knew it wasn't an accident. She knew her squad didn't like her very much. She heard their little 'talks' when they thought she wasn't there. They knew to only throw in a non-lethal grenade when she gave the order. She didn't give the order.

There wasn't even anyone on the other side of the door.

Shaking it off, she managed to lift her head to look at her reflection in the mirror.

Her eyes were blood red, and not just from the incident caused by her squad mate but from lack of sleep, as well. The dark circles underneath her eyes made it appear as though she had gotten in a very violent fistfight. Her face appeared void of color and lifeless. Her eyes, once a vibrant oceanic color, were now as gray as a storm cloud. Even her hair had lost its sheen. Her friends weren't the only ones noticing the life being sucked out of her. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she noticed her loss of energy as well.

A knock at the door made Lightning jump as she turned towards it. "Claire?" She heard Serah's quiet voice as the door opened. She held a small black cup in her hand. "I brought you some hot lemon tea for your throat. I'm sorry we teased you," she apologized with a smile. "I'm glad you're home."

Lightning took the tea gratefully and took a small sip. "Yeah? Well I'm off until the Monday after your wedding. Don't say sorry. You're not the one who was 'teasing' me. She did," she grumbled, placing the cup on the counter.

"But that's Fang, Claire. That's her personality. She teases everyone. It means she likes you!" Serah said asked as she leaned against the counter. "You took the rest of the week off?"

"Yeah."

Serah smiled and hugged her sister. "I'm glad. It's about time… You need to start taking better care of yourself, Claire. You might be strong but… you're only human like the rest of us," she said as she pulled away and started towards the door. "Take a bath. You look horrible. We can talk when you get out, okay?"

"Alright," Lightning mumbled, "Serah?" her sister turned around to look at her, "thanks for the tea."

"You're welcome, Claire," Serah said as she closed the door behind her.

She walked over to her white, porcelain bathtub and sighed. She put her tea on the little holder, and turned the knob so it would release the hot water before stripping down to nothing. She threw her dirty clothes into the laundry hamper before turning to the counter and shut her eyes as the lights stung her eyes.

The sergeant looked through the cupboard for the scented candles. As her hand reached up for three small candles, she knocked down a few scented sticks – incenses.

Serah had got them for her when the Begum case started. She said they were for 'aroma therapy'. Lightning just thought they were silly. She sighed and grabbed them, putting them in a small jar that wasn't being occupied. 'Might as well see if they work…'

She lit the incense and candles with a single match, placing the sticks on the counter before grabbing the candles. She placed two on opposite ends of the counter and one on the side of the bathtub. She sighed as the scents started to take over her senses.

She could see the steam from the water through the little light she had as she stepped in, hissing quietly while the hot water stung her soft skin. She slid down the side of the tub and let her arm dangle off the side as she relaxed her neck on the bath pillow behind her.

As she closed her stinging eyes, her mind drifted to Javier Begum. The past months had been nothing but trouble for her and SWAT. For every step they took, Begum took five ahead of them. The citizens of Bodhum were losing their faith in the Regiment, as every time they were about to apprehend Begum, he slipped between their fingers. It just caused Lightning to work herself to death, spending every waking moment of every day searching high and low for him. Protecting the people of Bodhum was her top priority.

'And it doesn't help that Fang torments me all the time about working nonstop. But… it just shows that she does care enough to know what I'm always doing… Wait. What? Why am I thinking about Fang?'

Mentally scolding herself for it, she directed her thoughts back to work.

She didn't want to take a day off, let alone a full week. She knew that every moment they put the case on a temporary halt, was another moment the citizens would be in danger. They had no leads on Begum and she knew that was why Amodar forced her to take the time off. He knew that if Lightning didn't take her vacation time, she would have missed Serah's wedding.

The wedding.

It was going to be the happiest day of Serah's life, yet also the saddest day of Lightning's life. It would be the day she would give her sister away to Snow. But, as long as Serah was happy, Lightning put her own opinions and fears aside.

She smirked at the thought about Fang in a dress. She was surprised when she heard from Serah that she convinced Fang to actually wear a dress. 'I wonder how she pulled that off. I'm sure she'll look great in that tight, silky blue dress.' Her left hand, which was draped over the side of the tub, maneuvered itself to her stomach to be more comfortable. 'It would show off her legs, that's for sure.'

Lightning's hand gripped her stomach as her nails dug into the skin sensually. 'She has those muscular, curvy legs. The dress will definitely show those off… And her hips…the dress would definitely accentuate that.'

There was a loud knock at the door, but that didn't stop Lightning from thinking about Fang. Her mind continued to drift up Fang's body as she wondered what she might wear under the dress.

Another loud knock. Her name was called.

The thought of Fang's breasts caused her fingers to drift downwards, towards her navel, leaving a small trail of scratches in its wake.

"Oh, sunshine?" the voice said, opening the door, "Oo-h, su-unshine."

As Fang pushed the door open, she leaned against its frame, smirking at Lightning. Her eyes were closed, a hand placed on her lower stomach. She felt a shiver fall down her back, looking the sergeant over with what little glow that flickered on the relaxing woman. Her eyes stopping a few times to take note of the curve of her muscles.

The black haired woman placed a hand on her hip. "You awake, sunshine?" she asked in a soft voice.

The soft voice pulled the sergeant out of her 'dream world'. "Fang!" her hand flew up towards the towel rack above her and pulled the only towel in the bathroom down into the bathtub, covering her. "The fuck are you doing in here?!" She yelled at Fang, who was standing mere feet away from her, arms crossed, smirk on her face.

"You wouldn't answer the door, so I invited myself in," Fang said, a chuckle escaping her lips, "why are you so shy? It's not like I can see anything."

"I'm-I'm not! G-get out of here!" Lightning ordered loudly, pulling the wet towel closer to her in a desperate, yet failed, attempt to cover herself up.

"Serah wanted to know what you wanted for dinner. I insisted I'd ask you and what a sight I see," Fang winked.

"GET OUT!" Lightning screamed, throwing the wet towel at her.

Fang caught the towel, splashing water all over her shirt and looked down. "Oh, would you look at that. You got me all wet," Fang's smirk never faded.

"Get out of here!" the naked woman yelled, covering herself with her arms without success. "Now!"

"At least answer me, then I might leave," Fang replied coolly as her eyes traveled up and down her semi covered body. Lightning gave her no answer; instead she turned away from the woman in an attempt to hide at least her breasts. "You act like I've never seen a woman naked before."

"Wh-what?" Lightning stuttered, eyes wide, "I don't know what I want for dinner. Can you please leave now?"

As Fang turned towards the door, she snickered, "don't worry, you've got nothing to be ashamed about."

"What…?" Lightning mouthed, 'what did she mean by that…?' She shook her head to rid herself of the wandering. 'Why was I thinking about her...?' Her eyes landed on the lit candles and incense. 'It must be the incense… It has to be.' Content with her reasoning, she looked around her, noticing the wet towel draped over the stand up shower.

"And how am I going to dry myself off…?"