XIV

"Lightning!" Serah gasped. She spotted her older sister shooting at a criminal, then avoiding his shots in exchange. Lightning was going to get hurt again if this continued. Why didn't she have any backup or something!?

She sprinted onto the battlefield, and when Lightning saw her she widened her eyes in terror.

"What the- Serah, get back!"

The criminal changed targets from behind his cover, aiming the rifle at the teenager. Lightning watched in horror as the man narrowly missed Serah. She hastily ran to push her down. "Stay down!" she yelled. Serah bit back a few tears of pain, but it was better than getting shot.

In her moment of ignorance, Lightning was shot, right in the thigh.

She grunted, but gritted her teeth. She had a job to do. White flash- Call upon my name…

She jumped into action; flipping with pain and shooting over the barrier.

The criminal started, dropping his weapon and fleeing.

"Men!" she choked out, grasping her thigh. She'd stopped wearing armour since she was promoted from a simple soldier, switching to a more casual, easy-to-get-around-in outfit.

Three backup soldiers came from the back, arresting the young masked man.

"Sergeant Farron, are you injured?" one came up to her. He glared at Serah for a small moment then turned his attention to Lightning again. "I'm fine; just get that punk out of here."

He nodded and saluted.

Serah shuffled over to Lightning. "C-Claire…"

"What the hell did you think you were doing!?" Lightning snapped. "You could've gotten hurt- or worse! Don't you think I've lost enough in my life already!? First dad, then mom, not to mention my whole childhood! What, you think that losing my little sister'll make me feel better about all that shit!? For Fal'Cie's sake, Serah!"

"I was just trying to help!" Serah retorted, freelance tears running down her cheeks.

"I don't need your help- and after this episode, I don't want it, either!"

Serah froze.

"Go home, Serah" Lightning stood and brushed herself down, ignoring the blood now pouring down her leg. She limped away.

"L-Lightning…" she whimpered, burying her face in her knees. "I'm sorry…"

-

Lightning leaned back in her chair and sighed. Serah was sitting across from her, most likely doing homework. She couldn't bear looking at her after what she'd said to her. What a bad older sister she was… Didn't she say that she was the only one that could protect Serah? That was still true, she agreed. But Serah could have gotten hurt in Lightning's place.

"…"

"You alright?"

Serah flicked her head up and tensed. "H-huh…?"

Lightning looked at the wall and crossed her arms. "With homework… need any help?"

Serah attempted to smile. She remembered when she was trying to help Lightning with her homework… those were better days… Reluctantly, she shook her head. "No, thank you…" She didn't deserve Lightning's help.

Lightning rolled her eyes and pulled herself up, leaning over to look at Serah's answers. "Sure you do. You've got most of them wrong."

"O-oh… Sorry… I can't concen—"

"Concentrate, yeah, yeah. What I said isn't an excuse. You know I was just being stupid. Don't worry about it."

Serah knew Lightning was just trying to make her feel better- make everything right again- and it was a nice sentiment, but things with Lightning would never be the way they used to be. Because they weren't children anymore.

--

Chapter Fourteen.

One more to go. My longing for requests has ended. Tune in.