Author's note: Wow, it's been a while. I apologize for such a long delay in posting this, I guess life sort of got in the way. But no more! I have a slew of new ideas for this story and I hope to see it through till the end, that is assuming I still have some reader's left ;) If you read it, please review, I thrive on constructive criticism and I want to know what you think. It helps you guys, the readers, as much as it does me. Thanks in advance and enjoy.

Losing It

Yuna drummed her fingers idly against her desk, she could see her teacher's mouth moving, but to her all she could hear was an inner monologue that hadn't stopped since the night she ran into Tidus and Dona. Oh, and how could she forget, the night that Squall had saved her from being potentially raped and beaten, not that she would ever admit it out loud. That along with her father's warning against Tidus had completely shaken her to her core. When she had returned home that night her father was nowhere in sight and she hadn't bothered looking too hard for him. She was embarrassed that she had acted so childish and how easily she had let her emotions take control.

I'm just a typical woman, she thought wryly.

The loud tone that signaled the end of class forced her out of her reverie and she grabbed her bag. It was her last class for the day and she couldn't be more relieved. She had managed the entire day without encountering Tidus, Dona,or Squall. Yuna took whatever small victories she could get at the moment.

Okay, just get out of the building. That's the objective and it's nearly accomplished. I have all my books, all my assignments, everything is in order. Just focus, Yuna.

Yuna was in the parking lot when she opened her bag to make sure she actually did have all her books. She kept up her pace (verging on what could be considered exercise since she was walking so fast) as she riffled through her bookbag, searching for her keys.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me." Yuna stopped three feet short of her car as she put her full attention to finding the one thing preventing her escape. She crouched down on the pavement and started pulling everything out of her bag, but to no avail. "Wow, that's just…perfect." Yuna's shoulders slumped as she stood and turned back her high school.

Well, everyone's probably left by now anyway, she thought as she started back towards her locker, the only place she could think to have left her keys.

The hallways weren't as empty as she would've liked, but Yuna thought of it as beneficial. It would be easier to hide this way. Yuna made it undetected (as if people were hunting her or something) to her locker and hastily started entering her combination. She yanked her locker open to find it empty save a couple books and folders. She sighed angrily and slammed the door shut in frustration.

"Tidus!" Yuna nearly jumped out of her skin. The boy had appeared out of nowhere behind her locker door.

He greeted her with a sheepish smile, "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

"No," Yuna shook her head, taking in a deep breath. "It's fine. What's up?"

Tidus shrugged and leaned against the lockers. "I just saw you walking and thought I'd say hello. I have practice in an hour so I have some time to kill."

His comment rubbed her the wrong way, he made it seem like he was doing her some kind of favor by wasting his time with her. Oh well.

"Well…," Yuna fidgeted with the padlock attached to her locker. "You can help me find my keys." She said, more as a question than a statement.

She watched as Tidus' blasé expression morphed into concern. "You lost your keys?"

Yuna shrugged. "Yeah, it's not a big deal really."

Tidus shook his head. "Do you have a spare at home?"

"Well, yeah I suppose. I don't know how much good that'll do me though, they're at ho-"

Tidus held up his hand to cut her off. "I'll drive you to your house so you can get the keys and then take you back here to your car."

Yuna's opened her mouth to protest. "Tidus-no you don't have to do that, I'll make you late for practice and-"

"Yuna, Yuna, I insist." Tidus pushed himself off the locker he was leaning against and put a hand behind her back as he started walking outside. "What kind of gentleman would I be if I just left you here?"

Yuna smiled, but couldn't help but feel a little skeptical. She had seen him with another woman just a couple nights ago and now he was selflessly driving her to and from her house. She wanted to know what he was up to.

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Yuna ran into her house while Tidus sat in her driveway. The ride hadn't been unpleasant, but nothing more than pleasantries were exchanged. She had yet to bring up anything about Dona, not that she was particularly keen on the subject. The idea of him declaring his undying love for her and that she had interpreted his kind gesture as more than that was wasn't appealing.

She yanked open drawers until she found what she was looking for; a single key attached to a cute, miniature monster that appeared so often in children's books. The thing was called Sin, if she remembered correctly. Grinning, she jogged back outside, but only to find that Tidus wasn't in his car.

She slowed her gait and put her hands on her hips, searching her surroundings.

"Where could that boy be?" she asked herself. Well, the answer was a lot of places. Their house sat on thirty acres, full of varying trees, gardens, and even a hedge maze. But she needn't search for long.

"Hey, Yuna! Over here!"

Yuna turned towards Tidus' voice and found him sitting in their gazebo. What he was doing there she couldn't tell. She walked over to him, perplexed.

"What are you doing?" Yuna climbed the three stairs that led into gazebo where Tidus was standing.

"This is really cool," he stated plainly, his hands on his hips, observing the wood and architecture of the roof.

"Our gazebo? You think it's cool?" Yuna said slowly, trying to figure out if he was just kidding.

"Yeah, I mean aren't you out here all the time?" Tidus asked, his eyebrows raised.

"Not particularly, no," Yuna placed a hand on the side of the structure. It was set in the middle of a small garden, the smallest in their yard, actually; it really wasn't anything spectacular.

"Seriously?" Tidus asked, looking highly surprised. "It just seems like this would be a really great place to think."

Yuna shrugged. "You should see the rest of our yard. There's a lot more exciting places than this."

Tidus grinned, "Show me."

Yuna thought for a moment, she wasn't quite in the mood for giving a tour of her yard, and if Braska were to come home early and found them together it wouldn't be a pretty situation. "Don't you have blitzball practice soon?" She asked, hoping to avoid showing him around.

Tidus frowned, "Yeah, you're right. We need to get you back to your car anyway. Rain check though?"

Yuna sighed with relief. "Absolutely." She turned and started towards his car, her hands fiddling with her keychain.

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Tidus was silent as they rode back to get her car. It was the uncomfortable kind too, and it was making Yuna anxious. She was still playing with her keychain when she finally looked up to see where they were. Or more accurately, where they weren't.

"Hey, this isn't the way to school!" Yuna peered out the window to see that they were in fact heading the opposite way.

Tidus smiled, "I know."

"What's going on Tidus?" Yuna demanded, trying to keep her voice level.

"Relax, it's a surprise," Tidus flashed her a grin before turning onto a street she recognized.

"Are you taking me to your practice?" She asked in shock.

This was getting absurd. As much as she wanted to spend time with him, being forcibly taken to watch him splash around in some water wasn't exactly what she had in mind.

"Not exactly. I lied, I don't have practice. But we are going to the stadium." Tidus smiled, looking pleased with himself. "Oh, and here," He reached over to her side of the car and opened the glove compartment. "These are yours, I believe."

Sitting inside were the keys she had lost, next to a note in handwriting she recognized.

She pulled the paper out and read:

Tidus,

These should help. Good luck with everything and let me know how it goes!

Rikku