AN: Thanks to , ben4kevin, Rizuvel, Hatemylife68, and Flummox Florescent for your reviews! I am posting this chapter early mainly because I am having problems singing into this site and I wanted to make sure I got it up. Please leave a review and let me know what you think :)

Chapter 3: Home?

It had been just about a week since Noel had found Hope. His recovery was going a lot slower than Noel would have liked but he did allow Hope to help around the house. It wasn't so much Hope's injuries that him worried but this deep sadness that he seemed unable to shake. Noel guessed he really couldn't blame Hope. He had five years to recover and get use to his new life; Hope hadn't.

The two of them had yet to talk about what they were going to do. Noel just assumed that Hope would want to go back to Academia. People there still talked about him and Noel knew that they would be overjoyed to have him back.

"So what are your plans? Are you going to work for the Academy again?" Noel asked him one evening during dinner. He didn't think it possible but Hope turned even paler than he already was.

"No. There's no reason for me to go back," Hope said looking close for tears. "The reason I joined the Academy in the first place was to save my friends and I accomplished that. Plus if I went back they would treat me like something that I'm not and I don't want to be. But if I'm a bother I could always move to one of the other settlements."

"You're not a bother Hope. Besides I have a feeling that it won't be too long before the others come and get you," Noel told him. Hope had this kicked-puppy-dog look on his face that Noel wanted to get rid of.

"I don't think they can. Not without causing another paradox," Hope said with a shake of his head.

"What do you mean?" Noel asked.

"Since I used a machine that I built while I was in the Academy they would have kept records if I went back. I checked and there never was," Hope explained. "No matter how far in the future I would have traveled it would have been noted that I went back."

"That's not going to stop your friends from trying," Noel pointed out.

"No it's not but…" Hope said looking even sadder. "I'm going to go get some air." He got up and left his unfinished meal behind. Noel debated if he should go after him or not. Hope was obviously upset and wanted to be alone. On the other hand he was still recovering and the monsters had been very aggressive lately. With a sigh Noel got up and followed him.

Hope was standing in the yard looking up at his new Ark. With his pale skin and silver hair the light of the full moon gave him an ethereal glow. Noel never noticed how beautiful Hope was before.

"It looks so odd without the pillar," Hope said without turning around.

"You mentioned that it just disappeared," Noel commented. Hope nodded.

"Along with Fang and Vanille," Hope told him.

"I thought that your friend said he managed to get them out," Noel said now confused.

"Right when the pillar disappeared I heard Sazh say that they also disappeared. I know that they aren't with the others but where ever they are…their safe," Hope said as he rubbed his chest right where is heart was. As Noel watched Hope he realized that he was one of the strongest people that he had ever met but he had this vulnerability to him. It made Noel want to protect him.

"Why don't we go inside and finish our meal," Noel suggested. He was curious how Hope knew or thought he knew about Vanille and Fang but he didn't want him to force it.

"I'm not hungry," Hope said with a shake of his head. Noel tried to keep from sighing. Hope hardly ate anything.

"You're too skinny, you know that," Noel said as he poked him in the side which made Hope yelp.

"Don't do that," Hope said looking slightly put out.

"Then eat more," Noel scolded as he put his hand on Hope's shoulder and guided him back to the house. "Come on let's go. I have to get up early tomorrow and ride to the hunter's camp."

"Why?" Hope asked him curiously.

"Because if you're going to be staying here we're going to be needing something things. Like clothes for you. Mine are a bit big," Noel told him. Hope looked down at the blue shirt and baggy pants with a frown.

"They're not that big," Hope said with a small pout.

"Sure," Noel said with a roll of his eyes. True they were about the same height; Noel just being a little bit taller. But he was a lot broader than Hope. In the last five years he had put on a lot of muscle.

"Thank you," Hope said so quietly and with such a mix of emotions that Noel wasn't sure how to respond.

"Why don't you go to bed and I'll clean up," Noel said no longer feeling hungry himself. Hope opened his mouth like he was going to say something but he didn't. He just nodded and walked into the bedroom.

As Noel lay on the couch that night he couldn't help but to think about the other man sleeping in his bedroom. His worry for Hope was growing. He seemed even sadder tonight than he had been before which was saying something. Thinking back on it Hope hadn't smiled since he found him. There had to be something he could do to change that. The question was what.