-1(A/N: Wow this one took some sorting! I had all weekend to get something done on this and had a serious case of writers block, yes even though a portion of it is from the game again (sorry but as I said previously, I want this to link in with the game so FMV's are just a part of it's lifespan, kay?) I also wanted to make it as believable as possible and not just randomly dump the poor folks in a new location! ^_^ I'm pretty pleased with the most part and apologise for any oddities, it was late when I wrote part of it, I'd had to get up early that morning and was very tired. Please R&R, they're like text cookies - yum! xxx)

An Ending

Chapter 5

A burning heat shrouded Besaid Island as the sun moved directly overhead in the mid-day sky. Yuna and Tidus relaxed on the grassy cliff top overlooking the cove. Yuna smiled as she glanced down at his face – calm, peaceful, serene, his head resting on his folded arms as he lay on his back with his eyes closed, mere days had passed since he had returned to Spira and Yuna was still in a whirlwind of fantasy

"Yuna," He spoke suddenly, startling her from watching the breeze tousling his sun-bleached blond hair, although he never actually moved. She was unsure whether she'd actually heard anything at all until he continued. "Are you happy?"

"What?" She asked, her brow furrowing in confusion and slight annoyance. 'More like what a silly question...' she thought.

"Are you happy?" He repeated, opening one eye to look up at her face.

"Of course I am!" She smiled back. "You're here with me." Tidus smile mirrored her own as he lifted himself onto his elbows and gently touched her cheek with his palm. Yuna leant against his touch and sighed happily.

"I'm glad that's how you feel... but that's not exactly what I meant."

"Oh?" Yuna sat up straight looking a little confused.

"I mean living here on Besaid, like this..." He paused watching her. "Is it really what you always wanted?"

"Hmm." She smiled once more, twisting the fingers of one hand through his hair gently. "It is... quiet!" She replied, her smile widening. "Quieter than I ever remember it being!" She sighed once more and looked down to see two bright blue eyes watching her. "When I was younger, growing up here, it never seemed this..."

"Boring?" Tidus edged with a smile. Yuna laughed and nodded.

"I guess so!" She laughed. "But back then, everyone was so focussed on my Summoner Training that, well, there wasn't really much opportunity to spend days like this. And then the Pilgrimage..." She paused.

Tidus sat up, raising his knees and resting his arms on them, linking his hands and bowing his head.

"After we returned..." She continued slowly. "Things certainly weren't quiet! Besaid Island became such a tourist attraction! Everyone wanted my opinion, my blessing, my... hand..." She smiled lowering her eyes as she saw him turn to look at her.

"You had proposals?" He asked, his head tilted slightly.

"More than you can count!" She laughed. "But although they were sweet and very flattering, none of them mattered. Wakka dealt with the bookings mostly, and the proposals! And then the invites came from each new group trying to make it's name by claiming to be 'backed by the High Summoner'." She put on a low, authoritative voice and chuckled. "And then Rikku saved me!" She beamed. "She came with the sphere that led us to you."

Tidus smiled and reached for her hand resting gently on her knee.

"Since you… after Sin, I didn't really have much free time! Sphere-hunting is a surprisingly competitive job!" She recalled fondly.

"You miss it, don't you?" He asked, squeezing her hand gently but avoiding her eyes.

"What?" Yuna tilted her head inquisitively.

"The Gullwings, the Airship, the adventures… Rikku…" He almost whispered her name and Yuna looked faintly hurt.

"I…" She began awkwardly. "I do miss all of those things." She nodded. "I do miss Rikku, very much so! And Paine, and the rest!" She paused and then laughed softly. "She could always make me smile, even when I was feeling really sad!"

"That's Rikku…" Tidus nodded with a smile.

"But there is someone else who can do that too!" She smiled at him. He smiled back and gently shook his head from side to side.

"But it's not the same, is it?"

"I guess Rikku has always had my back. She once said to Wakka that everyone if else was having fun, doing what they wanted to do - why couldn't I?" Yuna looked off toward the opposite side of the Island where she could still picture the Al Bhed Salvage Ship floating steadily in the dock. That was the first time she had left the Island in over ten years without her big brother and sister. "And it wasn't so long ago that someone told me to stop fighting other peoples battles." She smiled again. "He said that I had fought and defeated Sin. I had done my job. Completed my Pilgrimage. I guess he was right!"

"He?" Tidus asked with a smile. "One of your suitors?"

"Not quite!" Yuna laughed. "Gippal. Leader of the Machine Faction. An old friend of Rikku's… you'll know what I mean when you see them together!" She giggled. Tidus smiled and watched her for a while.

"Yuna… are you really happy here? Like this? Or would you prefer a little more excitement and adventure?" He turned toward her, swinging his knees to the side.

"What are you saying?" Yuna gasped, rolling to her knees.

"I think… I think you should consider rejoining the Gullwings - or something!" He replied.

"What? But… but what about us?" She asked, her hand leaping to her heart.

"Well, perhaps not the Gullwings. Perhaps someone else?" He glanced at her with a faint smile.

"Hmm… did you have anyone in mind?" She asked coyly.

"I'd thought of someone…" He nodded. "Someone who maybe hasn't seen that much of Spira? Someone who liked the parts he did see and would like to see some more?"

"He?" Yuna mimicked him and giggled.

"So… does that sound like something you'd think of doing?"

"I think, maybe it does!" She nodded with a wide smile. "And I know just where to start!" She added jumping to her feet and reaching a hand out toward him.

Tidus looked up at her, smiled and took her hand pulling himself up.

"But I think perhaps I better go and speak with Lulu and Wakka first!"

Tidus laughed.

"Yeah - I do not want an angry Lulu after me!"

'Sometimes, being a Former Summoner has it's advantages… hmm… sometimes! But calling in a favour is definitely one of those times. Of course it doesn't hurt being the niece of the leader of the Al Bhed either!'

Yuna peered over her shoulder to where Tidus stood gazing out of the tall windows of the Al Bhed Airship, the Fahrenheit, his arms folded over his chest, his eyes bright and a wide smile a permanent fixture on his face. Speaking with Wakka hadn't exactly been an easy task. He had been up in arms at the fact that she wanted to leave Besaid again after such a short stay, but Lulu, the voice of reason in the couple and been understanding enough for both. She had sent them on their way with their best wishes and made them promise to keep in contact and come back soon. Yuna had contacted Cid who had been very loud but only too happy to transport them from Besaid on to their destination. Now, as the sun sank in the sky it felt as though they were heading toward the end of the world!

"Approaching destination!" Cid's voice called via the Airship's intercom. Tidus turned to face Yuna and smiled tenderly.

"We're almost there…" He spoke softly. Yuna nodded and returned his smile, watching as the land mass became clearer and clearer. Zanarkand.

It had been two years since he had seen the ruins of his once bustling home land and what a time that had been. The first glimpse at what everyone had been telling him, that Zanarkand did exist on Spira and was in fact destroyed. Rubble. That and the realisation that this was the final chapter of Yuna's journey had all but brought him to his knees. Tidus looked out at the landscape and then back to Yuna who was gazing out across the view. Gently he reached out to her brushing her hand with his and slowly weaving his fingers through hers. She looked up at him and smiled warmly.

"Ready?" She asked softly. He nodded and they headed away from the window, making their way down to Cid on the Bridge.

Cid set them down in the Ruins not far from the Dome with the words that he would be close by to take them back on their return journey. Yuna thanked her Uncle, sending up a silent prayer of thanks too that the place wasn't heaving with tourists and turned back to Tidus who was steadily walking up the slope to the outcrop of rock. At once she could see things how they had been the night before their battle against Sin gathered around the small campfire in silence, not one of them wanting or knowing how to voice their thoughts and feelings. Slowly, she followed him.

The sun was a mere golden glow over the western horizon reflected in the pyre flies as they floated lazily overhead. Tidus stood looking out over the view he remembered all too clearly from that last night. As the Fahrenheit drifted further away, the gentle rolling of the tide was all they could here.

"I got a theory." Tidus spoke as he heard Yuna's footsteps approaching. She paused to listen a little way behind him. "I think the fayth gathered up my thoughts and put 'em together to bring me back." He stretched his arms up over his head and closed his eyes before dropping them to his sides once more. "Maybe. Something like that." He added searching the horizon once more before lowering his eyes to watch the water beneath him. Yuna listened in silence, scanning the view wordlessly. Stretching his hands out before him, palms up, he remembered standing on the Deck of the Fahrenheit and seeing the pain in Yuna's eyes as he faded. "Or maybe… I'm still a dream."

Yuna's head snapped toward him at these words, her voice strained and shaken.

"Wait! So you'll disappear?" She made a move toward him in desperation before lowering her head, her hands clasped before her. Turning back to her, Tidus smiled and shifted his footing to fully face her.

"Cherish me, Yuna. And I'll cherish you." Yuna smiled back at him softly. "All right?" He nodded. "We gotta stay together. That's what we have to do." He confirmed turning back the view. Behind him, Tidus heard Yuna's footsteps come rapidly toward him before she hit his back at full speed knocking him forward slightly and wrapping her arms securely around his middle pressing her cheek against his back lovingly.

"Is that what the fayth told you?" She asked as she felt the heat of his hands move over her own. Looking down, Tidus smiled and lifted his head shrugging slightly.

"Nah. But I like it." He chuckled. Yuna laughed. A magical sound that he couldn't get enough of since his return. It was good to see her so carefree after all that time had passed. He laughed with her as she slipped her arms from around him and helped herself to stand straight by pushing off of his hips. Biting her lip to suppress more laughter, she placed her hands in the centre of his back and pushed as hard as she could sending him toppling into the water below.

"Hey, whoa!" He called before water splashed into the air.

Yuna beamed down at him from the outcrop as he stood shaking the water from his hair and wiping it from his face, holding his head at an angle so it would drain from his ear.

"Hey! That's not cherishing!" He complained looking up at her to see her soft smile.

"You didn't disappear." She almost whispered.

Looking at his hands once more, Tidus lifted his arms into the air and laughed as Yuna grinned down at him turning to watch the pyre flies drifting before her. It was too late to save herself when she felt the grip tighten on her ankles and was over the edge before she could catch her breath and in his arms, soaked with water - but she didn't care. He was here, he was real and he was all hers!

Paine stood on the Bevelle Highbridge, her arms folded tightly over her chest as she gazed down the walkway toward the Central area. This was much harder than she had imagined. Perhaps it was wrong to have started here with Baralai. She had already been delaying this for longer than she should have, staying in Rin's Travel Agency, wandering around the Calm Lands all the time very slowly making her way up toward the Macalania Woods and the path that had led her here. She swallowed hard wondering if it was too late to turn away and leave, perhaps go and fine Nooj first, or Gippal - he had always been easy to talk to. She was considering this when a voice behind her broke her concentration.

"Paine?" A soft, well spoken voice ventured. She cringed inwardly and turned as slowly as she could, knowing who would be looking at her.

"Baralai…" She forced a smile nodding slightly. He looked her over and smiled warmly.

"Well you are probably the last person I expected to see at the gates of Bevelle. Are you here on business?"

"Not exactly…" She replied, brow furrowed. Why was she here exactly?

"Lady Yuna and Rikku?" He enquired, brows raised, his kind dark eyes scanning quickly around her.

"I'm… I'm here alone." She managed turning away.

"I… see." He nodded. "Forgive me, where are my manners, please, won't you join me? I was just returning myself - I'd appreciate the company!" He smiled.

Paine looked up at him, a smile forming on her lips as she nodded and held out an arm in an invitation for him to lead the way.