Chapter Two: Battle Wounds

It was early evening two weeks later when they finally reached Bohdum, Lightning leading the way. There weren't very many people out. It was in the middle of the week; surely the citizen's of the small city were at home putting children to rest or cuddling close to their loved ones.

"So sis I guess this is goodnight,"

Lightning looked over her shoulder and glared at the man who dared to call her his sister. Yes, the tall blonde imbecile was married to the younger of the Farrons. She wanted to strangle him with the white coat he wore every time he opened his mouth.

"I'm not your sister, Snow," Lighting replied starkly. "Not today, not tomorrow, not ever."

Fang and Vanille both sighed. There was only so much of the two together that the small traveling party could stand. Snow knew what he was doing every time he uttered what they had coined "the S word".

He looked over the group and gave in. His shoulders slumped and he nudged the smaller boy next to him. The silver haired boy looked up and gathered from the look that it was time to go. As much as he knew living with Snow was better for him, he couldn't help but feel lonely every time he left Lightning's side.

"Hope," Lightning called. She was no longer looking at them, but at something off in the distance. "Lift your head up and go home."

She heard the young man mumble something under his breath. It was just like him to never speak up when it mattered. He'd have to remember sooner or later that, the love she had for him was of that of a brother, she wasn't his mother. She wasn't in his life to replace anyone or coddle him.

"I'll walk with you guys," The last of the men said. His skin was dark and his facial hair was neatly trimmed. The afro he wore served as a nest for the young Chocobo that inhabited his hair.

"Night Sazh," Vanille said waving her hand high as they left the group of women standing there.

"You'll be alright won't you?" Fang asked her attention focused on the shorter woman in front of her. As she expected Lightning didn't say anything to her. She simply raised her pack over her shoulders again and began walking.

"I've got something things I need to pick up," Vanille told Fang. "I'll be home a little later."

"Stay away from those pubs," Fang warned. "I'm not playing the sympathetic friend tonight."

Vanille smiled innocently. She knew Fang. If Vanille called her at two in the morning the dark haired woman would be at her side in at moment's notice. She was too loyal a friend to leave her hanging.

"I'm serious,"

"I'll stay out of trouble," Vanille answered. She bid her roommate Farwell and bounced off. Her sandals kicked up sand as she hurried toward the more bustling part of the city.

Fang stood back and watched as both women went in opposite directions. It looked like she'd be all alone for the night. She sighed and made her way home. The house was dark when she got there. Neither of the houses occupants had been there in so long. When she entered the small house she shuddered. It was cold and the air was stale. They'd cleaned the house thoroughly before they'd gone on their mission. It felt completely unlived in.

She set to fixing that. She laid her pack down; out of the way just in case Vanille did come stumbling home. She walked around their cream colored living room and sat down on the black leather couch. She relaxed kicking off her shoes and propping her feet up on the wooden coffee table in front of her.

The house was starting to look better already. She yawned and gave the temperature of the room a fleeting thought. Her stomach growled angrily. It never failed to get on her nerves at the wrong moment.

Lightning took the long way home. She was hoping to give her sister some time to converse with her annoying husband on the phone before she got there. She couldn't figure out why Serah still lived in her house. When she reached the seaside dwelling she called her own. The lights were on. She could see Serah's shadow pacing back and forth.

She walked up the steps and the door opened. Serah flung herself out the door. Lightning stumbled backwards teetering on the edge of the top step. The smaller woman wrapped her arms around her neck tightly. Lightning felt her hot tears as her sibling embraced her.

Lightning felt a smile tug at her lips. Serah was her world. Her chest swelled with emotion but she took in a deep breath soothing them. Perhaps this was why Serah still lived with her. The younger girl loved her too much to leave her. She feared Lightning being alone with no one to fuss over her.

"I missed you so much," Serah said pulling away from her sibling.

She ushered her into the warmth of the house. It smelled amazing. The table was set and Lightning was sure dinner waited for her, most likely being kept warm in the oven.

"I missed you too," Lightning replied. "But I'm starting to wonder if Snow is on to something with this wife business."

Serah grinned. She helped Lightning put her things away before inviting her fully into the house. It was clean just as she expected.

"Go take a shower," Serah told her. "I'll not have you sitting at the table smelling like that."

"I don't smell," Lightning grumbled. "I'm just not wearing some silly fragrance."

Serah folded her arms over her chest and gave a look that could almost rival one of her own. The older woman felt her resolve crumble. Serah had done so much growing up over the last few years.

"Fine," Lightning gave in.

"Where is everyone anyway?" Serah called from the living room. Lightning walked down the hallway and into her room.

"The boys went home, Vanille wanted to let loose and Fang is probably looking for a victim." Lightning replied. When she turned on the light, her room was exactly the way she left it. She messed it quickly by stripping off her clothes.

"Are you still Jealous of Jihl?" Serah asked. She flopped down on the couch and picked up the book she'd discarded the day before.

Lightning ignored her. The light pink haired woman shuffled through her clothing and wondered if wearing pajama's at the table was appropriate. She shrugged her shoulders. It didn't matter. She grabbed a pair of dark gray sweat pants and a black long sleeve shirt. She tossed the items on her bed and pulled her robe from her closet.

Serah huffed at Lightning's lack of an answer. She eyed the phone as it sat innocently on top of its charger. Without a second thought she picked it up and dialed the dark haired woman's number. If she was anything like her sister, the older woman was bound to be home and was probably starving.

"I'm inviting her over," Serah yelled to Lightning. She knew Lightning couldn't hear her. She'd heard the bathroom door shut when she retrieved the phone.

Lightning walked over to the shower stall and opened the glass door. Reaching inside she turned the water on, adjusting it to the right temperature. It had been a while since she'd had the chance to enjoy its warm sprays. She discarded her robe and took a few steps backward, looking at her body in the full length mirror.

Bruises littered her body in large splotches. Most of them were fading but there were newer ones. The dark inflamed skin was severally irritated. It's purple and blue coloring making her look like some weird scientific experiment. She only blamed herself. She hadn't been caring for them recently.

"Fang,"

Serah smiled when Fang's voice groggily greeted her. She was had been right.

"Welcome back," Serah said enthusiastically. She heard Fang groan and new it was because of her sickeningly cheerfulness.

"Thanks," Fang replied.

"We were wondering if you'd like to join us for dinner."

"We?" The older woman's voice displayed her doubt. If Lightning hadn't flat out told her no to the idea of having her over for a meal then it was highly probable that the older girl had simply disregarded her.

"I'd love too," Fang replied. She refused to give up an opportunity to annoy her comrade. "See you soon."

"Oh and Fang?" Serah called just before she hung up. "Take a shower."

Lightning hissed when the hot liquid flowed over her shoulders and caressed her aching skin. She tried to concentrate on the water but her mind could only focus on Serah's last question. The aforementioned woman had been a pain in her ass ever since their first encounter. Their group had assumed that everyone had mutual contempt for the blonde.

Apparently they'd been wrong. Lightning cursed Fang. Not only was she aggravated, the scorching intensity in which she felt betrayed only made it worse. She had thought that perhaps she'd squelched any type of feelings she may have developed for the dark haired woman. She gave up on that now.

The first time Fang had announced she was bringing someone special to one of Serah's dinners no one had expected that bitch to enter behind her. As everyone had attempted to be on their best behavior in front of their guest, Lightning had openly expressed her feelings on Jihl's presence in her home. No one dared utter her name in front of the solider. Even Fang knew where the line was after that.

Lightning reached for her shampoo and began massaging the vanilla scented concentrate into her hair. It foamed up as she worked her scalp. She closed her eyes and relaxed her muscles. She wasn't a fan of people touching her but the fleeting thought of a massage passed through her mind.

The soft thuds of someone knocking on the door pulled her from her deliberation.

"Yes?" She answered as she began rinsing the shampoo from her hair.

"We would really enjoy eating tonight," Fang answered.

Lightning rolled her eyes in response. Serah was going to pay for her actions. She'd had enough of Oerba Yun Fang over the last two months to last her at least a year. The door knob turned and the barrier between them pushed inward.

"I will kill you if you don't shut the fucking door," the younger woman snapped. Fang poked her head through the doorway.

"It's not like I haven't seen you naked before," she said. "Besides you brought this upon yourself when you decided not to answer me."

"I'm coming now leave," Lightning commanded.

Fang was satisfied by that answer and closed the door. She helped Serah with washing the dishes she'd used to prepare their meals. It wasn't long before Lightning joined them. She actually looked like a real person for once in Fangs opinion. The clothing she wore on a daily basis took something away from her features.

"Don't you just look so homey," Fang teased.

"Why did you invite her here," Lightning asked Serah when the woman sat down at the table.

"I told you," Serah replied denying her the smile that attempted to play on her lips. "And I was met with no resistance."

"You know you enjoy my company," Fang told her.

Lightning glared at the older woman as she picked up the bowl full of mashed potatoes and began serving herself. She then handed it off. Serah had created them a small feast. She baked fresh bread and roasted Cornish hens for them.

"Serah," Lightning asked looking into the last bowl to be passed her way. "What is this?"

Her sister had gotten creative and made them one of her rice concoctions. Only god knew what she'd incorporated into it. She usually wouldn't tell them the ingredients until after they'd tried it.

The young Farron smiled, taking a page from Lightning's book, she ignored her.