AN: Well here's Chapter 11 like I promised! It's a little shorter than I planned but I spent the last several days with my niece and nephews. Even slept in a homemade cave with them! Lesson learned. I am too old to sleep in homemade caves!

Review Thanks:

NekoEiko: Need to find a new hiding spot. So you love and hate cliffhangers...ah..?

thewhitespirit: Glad you liked the chapter and I couldn't help but have the girl whistle at them;) But you don't like cliffhangers...ah?

ben4kevin: You don't like cliffhangers either...eh?

rebirth-flame: Glad you like jealous Noel. You'll be seeing more of him. No cliffhangers for you either...oh dear...

madapocket: Noel does not like to share. Especially Hope. Another person that doesn't like cliffies...oh boy...

xXAngelWithDragonWingsXx: Hope does seem in need of hugs:) So you really don't like cliffies...right...

linkgirlz: Yes she does. I didn't like her the moment she grabbed onto Hope but the fangirl in me squealed when he shook her off! Go Hope!

MelodiousDreams: Thank you for giving this story and chance even though you are not a shipper:) All for the Hope snuggling!

Okay. Now on the the chapter. I will have another one up sometime this week. Please leave a review and tell me what you think!

Chapter 11 Heartbreak

Noel watched as the black light left the woman's hand. He braced himself for the impact. Just before the light reached him something dashed in front of him. It took a moment for his mind to realize what happened. When he did his heart shattered at the sight. Hope was lying crumpled on the ground and not moving.

"Hope!" Noel screamed as he looked down at his quiet boyfriend. Everything in him screamed to go to the fallen man but he couldn't. Not with Alyssa still there. Instead he stepped in front of him and drew his blade. He would not let Alyssa get anywhere near him "What did you do to him?"

"Him!" Alyssa screamed. "That was meant for you. He wasn't suppose to do that. It was suppose to hit you so I could make him come with me."

"You were going to use me against Hope," Noel said as he felt his anger start to rise.

"How else was I going to get him to do what I asked," Alyssa said as she gave him a look as if he was stupid.

"You're a fool if you thought that Hope would help you even if it meant saving me and hurting others," Noel said knowing what he said was true and also knowing that it would destroy Hope to have to make a decision like that.

"He's the fool," Alyssa said with a sneer. "He's no good to me now."

The more the woman spoke the angrier he became. He felt something stir inside. Something he hadn't felt in a long time. He knew what it was and felt a small amount of pride. He released it in the form of lighting. The bolt barely missed Alyssa and it went soaring past her.

"It seems that I have underestimated you. I'll have to make sure I am properly prepared for my next visit," the woman said looking surprised. She then turned on her heel and disappeared into the darkness.

As soon as she was gone Noel kneeled down next to the fallen Hope. He gently touched his shoulder and let out a hiss when he felt how cold he was. Noel gently rolled Hope over and let out a sigh of relief when he saw Hope's chest rise and fall in a steady rhythm. Noel then began to check Hope over for injuries but found none. The only sign that something was wrong with him was the fact that he was unconscious and unnaturally cold.

"It's going to be alright Hope," Noel said as he took off his own coat and wrapped it around Hope. He then gently picked up the smaller man and carried him back inside the shelter wondering what he was going to do now.

He laid Hope down on the bed and then everything that happened in the last several minutes had sunk in. They had a new enemy and she had done something to Hope. Something that was meant for him. He felt a sob sneak out but he stopped himself from crying. He couldn't let himself fall apart. He wouldn't be any help to Hope if he did that. He needed to be strong.

Needless to say Noel did not get any sleep that night. He was too busy trying to come up with a plan and watching over Hope. The man hadn't moved once the whole night. He almost decided to go to the hunter's camp but he didn't want to put them in danger. Alyssa said that she would be back and there was no way that they would be able to fight her.

Knowing that they couldn't stay there Noel thought it would be best to take Hope home. He carefully wrapped the smaller man in an extra blanket as he was still unnatural cold. He then started for home with an unconscious Hope sitting in front of him sidesaddle on a chocobo; the other one he tethered to his saddle.

"You really need to stop getting hurt Hope," Noel told the other man and then kissed him on his temple. Of course Hope didn't respond and Noel's heart broke a little more. If he wasn't for the feel of Hope's warm breath against his neck he would have thought…Noel shook his head. He would not let himself think that way. He would find some way to help Hope if it was the last thing he did.

Three days later Noel wasn't sure what he was going to do. Hope hadn't improved at all. In fact Noel thought he was getting worse. Hope was even colder and his breath had become slower. Noel wished that there was away the he could contact the others but there wasn't. Him and Hope were on their own.

Noel had tried several times to see if he could use his magic again to heal Hope but nothing would happen. This frustrated him to no end. If he couldn't use his magic then there would be no way to protect Hope from Alyssa when she returned. And he be damned if he let that woman get her hands on Hope.

He looked down at the smaller man and felt his heart break even more. He hated the fact that Hope was hurting and there was nothing he could do to help him. They had just found each other and they both had been through so much. It wasn't right that they should be separated after such a short amount of time.

"I'm sorry Hope," Noel said as he laid his head down on the bed near Hope's unmoving hand. "You would have figured out something by now. You're a smart man. Look at everything that you've done. I'm just a soldier. I'm not really good at the whole thinking thing. But I will stop at nothing to save you. I promise."

The only thing Noel could think of would be to go take Hope to Academia. The smartest people lived there. He knew that the journey would be dangerous what with the weather turning colder and Alyssa out there but he didn't know what else to do. He would not just sit there and watch Hope wither away.

Now having a plan Noel sat up, kissed Hope on the forehead and headed outside so he could take care of the chocobos and pull out the wagon so he could transport Hope easier. He had just started lining the wagon with extra blankets wanting Hope to be as comfortable as possible when he saw a bright flash come from inside the house.

Noel immediately stopped what he was doing and ran inside. Standing near the bed were two people that he had never seen before. After what happened with Alyssa he wasn't about to take any chances.

"If you know what's good for you you'll step away from him," Noel growled as he pulled out his sword.