Time Line Explanation: As rebirth-flame pointed out to me I goofed. Yes Hope did freeze himself in 10 AF in this story and not 13 AF like in cannon because I'm a putz (very embarrassed). I somehow missed the fact that there was a three year gap and I honestly thought he froze himself in 10 AF. So at the time I wrote this that is what I thought so I am going to stick with that. So yeah, sorry about the confusion!
Again if there is any confusion, questions, or mistakes about the timeline please let me know :)
Review Thanks!:
ben4kevin: Hope does tend to worry.
rebirth-flame: Yes Hope is a Red Mage and a seer like you described. You're good at this! Yes Hope has an idea what's coming for Noel but he is missing what's coming for him (evil laugh). Yes lots of angst coming your way.
Lazy Gaga: Yes Hope is protective of Noel which will frustrate the man :)
madapocket: Thank you very much!
ryoko126: Thank you. I'm glad you are enjoying the story ;)
AN: Please read at the end of the chapter!
Chapter 19: Another Time, Another Story
Dajh was in the back room of the house playing with the twins while the adults talked in the main room or arguing by the sounds of it. Him and his dad had come over early that morning so he could play with the Serah and Snow's two year old twin boys.
The two little boys were his best friends or basically his only friends. Something that eight year old Dajh hated to admit. He had a hard time getting along with the other children. Being an ex-l'cie and being stuck in time had a way of changing a person. More than most people knew. He was extremely mature for his age something else that set him apart from his peers.
"They fighting," little Bastian said with a sniff. He was easily the more sensitive of the two.
"They're not fighting. They're discussing something," Dajh tried to reassure him. It didn't help his argument when he heard Snow snap something, "loudly." Bastian sniffed and looked as if he was about to cry.
"Wanna see!" Zar squealed. Well his real name was Balthazar but no one called him that except when he was in trouble.
"Oh no you don't," Dajh said as he quickly grabbed the smaller but more feisty twin by his shirt to stop him. "I'll go and see what's going on. You two can wait in there." Dajh pointed to the gated playroom. Zar glared and Bastian sniffed.
"Nice try but it's not going to work," Dajh said as he crossed his arms over his chest trying to sound like his father but knew he failed when Zar continued to give him a dirty look and Bastian sniffed louder.
"Come on guys. I promise to come and tell you what I hear," Dajh said with a sigh. The two little boys looked at each other a long moment before nodding in agreement. He then lifted them over the gate and quietly walked into the main room trying as hard as he could not to be noticed.
His dad was there along with Snow, Serah, and Lightning; none of them looked very happy. The person getting their dark looks was a tall woman with dark hair. Dajh knew this to be Fang. He had met the woman once briefly just before him and his dad returned home.
"So there's really nothing that we can do?" Lighting asked sounding upset and resigned.
"Afraid not," Fang said sounding frustrated.
"I can't believe that!" Snow shouted as he slammed his fist down on the table which made young Dajh jump. "We've been back over four years waiting for you to return with Hope but now you say that you can't…"
"Look I'm sorry it took me so long to talk to you all but I'm new at this," Fang said.
"You said that Hope can't come back here but you didn't say why," Lightning said.
"Because technically he is here. He can't time travel like the rest of you so he had to put himself in a deep sleep," Fang explained.
"Then why can't we go and wake him up?" Snow asked.
"Because," Serah interrupted, "then he wouldn't be able to help me and Noel in the future."
"That's right. If you wake Hope up everything that you all just fought for would be for nothing," Fang said with a nod.
"But he's just a kid. He shouldn't have to worry about things like that," Snow argued.
"I know he's just a kid but he is older than you remember. It's amazing what he accomplished," his dad piped in. Dajh remember how shocked his dad when he saw Hope all grown up. They only had a few moments to speak before the battle started so Dajh didn't have a chance to talk to Hope like he wanted to.
When they all lived together for the short time after cocoon fell Hope had been his best friend. Even though the older boy was studying so he could get into school he always had time for him. Dajh felt bad that him and his dad just disappeared on Hope. Especially after losing his mom, his dad, and Lightning. He knew Hope tried to hide it but Dajh knew that he was sad.
"Now you want to show that you care," Fang said with a shake of her head.
"And what is that suppose to mean?" Snow asked looking angry.
"It means that you all left him!" Fang snapped.
"It's not like I had a choice!" Lightning snapped back.
"No but you didn't try and contact him either," Fang said. Dajh just stood there watching all of this. They were so busy arguing that they had yet to notice him and he didn't want them to notice him. If they noticed him they would kick him out and he wouldn't find out what happened to Hope.
"Like Snow said he was just a kid," Lighting muttered.
"I don't think you realize how all of you leaving hurt him," Fang said with a frown.
"And you do?" Snow asked disbelief clearly on his face.
"After you all left he came to talk to me and Vanille a lot," Fang said looking sad. "Poor kid was really lonely."
"He did look really happy to see me and Noel but anytime anyone else was brought up…" Serah said her voice trailing off.
"So where is Hope now? Tell me he's still not back there," his dad said looking upset.
"Of course not," Fang said with a scow. "Vanille is taking him to his new home."
"Which is?" Snow pressed.
"In the future with Noel," Fang answered.
"Really? With Noel, huh," Serah said with a silly smile.
"What's with that smile?" Snow asked curiously.
"Nothing really. I just always thought that they would look good together," Serah giggled.
"Together?" Snow asked. Serah nodded. "As in together 'together'?"
"Of course," Serah answered. "They got along really well too."
"Isn't Hope a little young for a relationship?" Snow asked.
"Like I already told you Hope is still a kid but he's not that young. The boy's in his twenties," his dad said. Snow shook his head.
"I still see him as that little kid," Snow sighed.
"And you always will. It's what happens when you become a parent," his dad said. Now it was Dajh's turn to scowl. He hoped his dad wouldn't always see him as a little kid.
"You said he can't come back here but is there any way that we can go and see him?" Snow asked sounding hopeful.
"I don't know. Can any of you travel through time still?" Fang asked.
"I for one have had enough of time travel and goddesses," Lightning scoffed.
"That's right. You completely disappeared from this world for a time. What happened?" Fang asked. Dajh had to admit that he was curious as well. Especially when she mentioned people like Kain or Laguna.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Lighting replied. All the adults shared a look and shrugged.
"So back to my question can any of you still travel through time or even use magic?" Fang asked.
"I can't," Serah answered.
"Which is a good thing. I don't want you seeing the timeline," Snow was quick to say. Serah nodded her agreement. Dajh knew that they all felt that way.
"After…well let's just say it's not a good idea if I time travel," Lightning said as she crossed her arms over her chest looking troubled. If it was because she was remembering something unhappy or she couldn't see Hope, Dajh wasn't sure but he believed that it was probably both.
"The same goes here," his dad said. "It took me a long time to get me and Dajh out of that place. It's not something that I want to do again," his dad said. Again Dajh scowled. That meant that his dad wouldn't let him go see Hope either. He was so scared of time travel and magic now. Which was why he never told his dad that he could still use his magic among other things.
"I can still use my magic but I lost my ability to time travel," Snow said as he looked down at his gloved hands.
"Which I think is a good thing," Serah said as she put her hands on her hips. "I can't believe that you became a l'cie again on purpose."
"I needed to do it," Snow argued.
"I know," Serah said with a sigh. "We all gave up a lot to fix the timeline."
"That's why it doesn't seem right that Hope can't come home. From what Serah said he gave up a lot to. He shouldn't be alone," Snow said.
"He's not alone though. He's with Noel," Fang pointed out.
"Right Noel," Snow said with a roll of his eyes. "What happens if him and Noel don't get along? Then he will be alone."
"They did get along though," Serah added. "In fact they became friends. And like I told you…"
"I know they would 'look' good together but I…" Snow said and the stopped. "Everything's safe there right? I mean they won't have to fight anymore."
"I can't say. Sorry," Fang told them looking serious. Snow sighed.
"That means no," Snow mumbled. Dajh looked at everyone in the room and saw that they all looked upset. He was upset about it too. He didn't like the idea of his friend being in trouble. If the adults couldn't help him then he would have to.
"Now I heard that you two had some mischievous little boys," Fang said with a smile. It was obvious even to Dajh that the woman was trying to change the subject and bringing up the twins was the best way to do it.
"Yes they are a handful," Serah said with a big smile. They're in the back room playing with Dajh." The young boy knew that this was his cue to hurry. He quickly but quietly hurried to the back room, jumped over the gate into the playroom.
"Da?" Bastian said. Da being what the boys called him as they couldn't pronounce his name.
"The adults are coming! Zar grab a book," Dajh told the boys. He knew that he would get in big trouble if he was caught spying and not watching the boys. Zar quickly grabbed a book and handed it over. The boys then sat down and Dajh had just enough time to sit down and open the book.
"Well aren't they cute and…quiet," Fang commented. When the boys saw the woman they scooted slightly closer to him. Unknown to their parents the boys were sensitive to anything dealing with time.
"Their usually not this quiet," Snow said as he looked at them curiously. "Come here you two. This is Fang and a friend of ours." The boys stayed where they were.
"They're probably just tired," Serah said as she stepped over the gate. "It is past their nap time."
"No nap!" Zar shouted.
"What if Aunty Light reads you a story," Snow suggested.
"Yay!" the little boys shouted.
"Come on then," Lighting said with a roll of her eyes. The three of them then took the little boys to their bedroom.
"You know I was promised lunch when arrived," Fang said as she looked at his dad. Dajh was picking up the toys pretending not to listen.
"I suppose that means I get to play chef since everyone else is busy," his dad said. Fang gave him a smile and his dad waved his hand. "Fine, fine. I'll go and make something to eat." His dad then left.
"So did you find our conversation interesting?" Fang asked him.
"You knew I was there?" Dajh asked as he stopped his cleaning. Now that his secret was revealed he didn't see the point of pretending not to eavesdrop.
"Don't worry none of the others noticed," Fang told him. "Now about what we were talking about. What did you think?"
"I…" Dajh started to say and the stopped. If anyone would understand him and the boys it would be Fang. "Me and the boys will go and help Hope if he needs us."
"Glad to hear it. If anyone can help him it will be you and the boys," Fang said with a smile.
AN: Sorry this chapter is later than I wanted it to be but I started school again and I am still sick. It makes it difficult to write. Well after reading this you should be able to guess who the surprise character is and the two originals. Cookies to anyone who knows where I got the twins names from! Please leave a review and tell me what you think!