Hi everyone! I'm in the ICU right now. :) I'm feeling a little better. But I can't really move anything but my fingers without getting tired hehehe. The doctors said they don't know when I'm gonna be allowed to go home, because they don't know when they're going to be able to stop giving me antibiotics and stuff. So really I've just been trying to basically learn how to breathe again (which I know it sounds kinda funny and stupid but I've basically been on a breathing tube since Saturday, and apparently I've been in a coma since Tuesday), and I've every once in a while had to cough up blood. Gross, I know XD. I believe but I think everything is gonna be ok! ;)

I think the worst things besides feeling so weak is having your parents and friends and other family cry. :( I absolutely hate it. Sometimes I just want to run up and hug them but I can't since I'm too tired. But don't worry, I'm not pushing myself :) I've been sleeping around… meh… all day XD. I don't have to eat because of the IV in my arms, so that's kind of nice cause eating is sort of a process for me at the moment. So really life isn't so bad. The only thing that's scaring me is that my best friend Annie, (Hi Annie, I love you! lol) said that the pneumonia spread to my other lung and I got really bad, and, I don't really remember what much happened after that, but I just remember waking up yesterday morning. And a lot of doctors were doing something to me. O_o. They (you know how negative they can be) are saying I won't make it. But I will, seriously. XD I can't physically talk right now since it hurts too bad but I wish I could tell them I'm physically feeling better, cause a couple days after I first was in the hospital, everything's kinda been fuzzy since late Monday night. I just remember waking up yesterday morning and my brother was really happy. And I remember people trying to say something to me, and now that fuzzyness is gone now and I can think clearly :) I guess I can feel my body repairing itself XD

Also, before we get into the story I want to say again, thank you for reading, seriously! Even though I don't feel spectacular, I'm so glad I made the decision of making a fan fiction account hehe. And it's cool to know all of you are praying for me and stuff so I'm positive I'll be fine!

Warning you in advance that this is going to be a pretty long chapter since I have a lot to I can finish it before wanting to sleep. I'm gonna try to stay awake for like 2 hours, then maybe I'll sleep a little and come back to it. I really don't want to push myself too hard, you know? I was gonna say something else but I forgot. Oh right, thank you for having to sit through my sob story of a life right now XD Hehe no it's not that sad, there are a lot of people in a worse spot than me :)

Thanks if you read all that stuff above and I hope you enjoy the chapter!

It was exhilarating. A feeling of darkness swept over Hope, his body shaking uncontrollably, and his heart beating intensely. Despair washed around him, making him feel as if there was nothing left to live for.

Yet, tiny sparks of hope gleam in this big existence, like pearls in the murky water he imagined before him. He wished he could grow wings and fly away from this dim location, though he knew it wouldn't be possible.

Suddenly, flashes of horrifying images exploded all around him. First a monster, then someone laughing? A beautiful ocean, Lightning trying to grab someone's hand, and an electrifying golden light…

"Snow, do you remember when I had my first earthquake?"

"Oh yeah, I remember."

"I thought the world was ending! I remember screaming and running down the street…"

Snow drifted off from the conversation and looked at Hope, who was now staring at the floor, his eyes full of curiosity. He suddenly saw him shoot his hands up to cover his ears, tears beginning to flow down his eyes. Snow waited a moment for him to do something, but he just looked mortified. Snow cautiously took a step towards him.

"…Hope?" He suddenly saw Hope stumble to the ground. Snow screamed his name as he swooped his arm under Hope to try to catch him. Serah sprinted over to them, noticing how pale Hope's face was getting, and how hard he was shaking.

"Is-is he getting sick again?" Snow asked staring at Hope.

"I don't know. He looks completely different than how he did in the classroom-" Serah suddenly stopped when she saw Hope stop shaking and go completely still.

"H…Hope? Are you ok?" Serah moved in closer and let out a breath of relief when Hope's eyelashes began to flutter open again. They were all startled by the sound of a door crashing open. It was Vanille.

"WOW! Did you guys feel that earthquake? It was SO fun! I – oh my goodness, what happened?" Vanille sprinted over to the barely awake Hope.

"I think he's getting sick again," Snow said, looking up at Vanille nervously. Vanille looked down then gasped exasperatingly, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

"What's wrong? Vanille, are you okay?" Vanille began to take sharp breaths, trying to speak:

"A-a-a-arm…l-l-l… oh my God…" Serah looked down at Hope's arm, her eyes growing abnormally wide.

"No. N-n-n-n-n-n-no… he's… NO! DAMN IT! No, no, no, no…" Snow now saw Hope's brand and abruptly stood up, stomping his way towards the phone; he dialed in a number he didn't even know he still remembered, and began to yell at the phone.

"I need to talk to Lightning Farron, she's at your station. Yeah, I – IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT I NEED TO SAY TO HER IT'S AN EMERGENCY. YES! Thank you. Light, its Snow. Don't hang up – I know you're busy – just listen to me – LIGHTNING. LISTEN. Hope's been branded. He's a l'Cie. Come."

Snow hung up the phone and ran back into the living room where Hope collapsed. Serah remained there, Hope sleeping weakly in her arms. Vanille stood up and leaned against the wall, her eyes watering as she watched Snow wrap his arms around his girlfriend.

"Vanille, do you think you could get some – Vanille… are you okay?" Serah stared at Vanille with concerned eyes.

Snow knew from the second Vanille's expression turned discomforted, and when she covered her ears…

It was going to happen again.

Snow sprinted over to Vanille and caught her right when her legs began to cave in.

"Vanille, please. Wake up before it's too late. VANILLE!" Snow shook her until her eyes opened abruptly.

"My…" Snow leaned closer to try to hear her whispers. "My leg… " Snow looked at her ankle then slowly traveled up two above her knee.

"What? Vanille, I don't see anything…" Vanille mumbled something that sounded like 'higher' and Snow embarrassingly lifted her school uniform to find a l'Cie brand. Snow slammed the side of his fist into the wall and sat in silence for a minute.

"Snow, you should prepare…" Snow heard echoes in his ears, and butterflies began to crawl through his stomach. The voice was back. If Serah became one of those l'Cies…

"Vanille, are you awake? Good, can you stand?" Vanille nodded and stood up, her arm gripping Snow's shoulder.

"Serah. Grab Hope, we have to get out of here now. C'MON." Serah nodded obediently and threw Hope on her back; he was surprisingly light, so she sprinted out the door with Snow and Vanille.

Echoes of screams from other dorm rooms traveled through the students' ears, fear clenching their very souls deep inside. Vanille tumbled to the ground and Snow, who had prepared for it, instantly swooped her up bridal style and kept running.

"Thanks," Vanille said, holding her ankle trying to soothe the pain.

Serah began to vigorously press the elevator button, still hearing distant cries from other hallways and whispers of a nameless fear.

"We're not taking the elevator. I'm not risking the chance of us getting stuck." Serah agreed and tried to steady Hope on her back more.

"Here. You help Vanille walk, I'll carry Hope." They quickly switched jobs and began to thump down the stairs.

27th floor.

He heard shrieks of terror and weeping coming closer, and strange sounds of ore whispers, along with flashes of bright lights in the dim staircase.

18th floor.

Snow quickly looked back at Hope, who was still out like a light. Why was he out and not Vanille?

11th floor.

He looked carefully at Hope's brand. It looked different than it did when he first saw it. Did the brand already advance?

4th floor.

Snow's stomach jolted as he tried to ignore the thought of Hope changing into a Cie'th before he completed his focus.

2nd floor.

What was his focus?

Finally.

Serah yanked out her cell phone, helping Serah sit down in front of the school. Even though it wasn't far from the room, she knew they would all be safer if they weren't in there.

She dialed in the Guardian Corps number and waited a couple of seconds until someone picked up.

"Guardian Corps speaking, what's your emergency?"

"I need to speak to Claire "Lightning" Farron immediately."

"Uhhmmmm, she's not here. She stole one of the cars and sprinted out saying something about finding hope, whatever that means. What does she need to hope for? If you want-" Serah hung up and threw her phone on the ground, not caring the screen shattered. Where is Lightning? How far away is she?

Suddenly, a police car that looked like it had a drunk driver in it came bolting into the parking lot. Lightning burst out of the car, parkouring over the car hood and sprinting over to Serah. Slightly panting more out of fear than loss of stamina.

"Serah. Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fi-"

"Good-where's-Hope-let-me-see-him-now," Lightning mumbled quickly, her eyes meeting with Snow, then seeing Hope leaned up against a wall on the ground. Lightning closed her eyes for a second, trying to avoid her anger to get to her. She wanted to rip out her dagger and stab Snow to smack some since into him. He should've known after the earthquake to leave before anything else happened. But what if Hope wasn't a l'Cie? It was too frightening to believe. She walked over to Snow, trying not to laugh at his preparation to put him arms up.

"I have to see for myself," Lightning said shakily, stepping over to Hope. Snow cautiously lifted Hope's limp arm and showed her the brand. Lightning quickly looked away as if it was an inappropriate picture.

The sky suddenly began to pour out rain as whispers began to screech in people's ears. Lightning picked up Hope on her back and began to run down the street. Snow, Serah, and Vanille sprinted to catch up to her, all of them ignoring thinking where they were going, or why it started pouring.

After what felt like forever Lightning finally halted. Serah took a second to absorb everything around her, raindrops plopping on her face.

Forest green colored trees danced in the wind as water splashed on the tips and dripped down to the soft, maroon colored dirt, which at the moment was transforming to slippery mud. Lightning dragged herself into the cave she was looking for, and everyone followed.

Vanille crawled her final steps in, and slumped down on back, panting wildly. Her hair was limp and had gone straight from all the rain, her two pigtails out revealing slightly longer salmon red hair and dirt smudged all over her legs and up her uniform. Snow, who was covered in mud and scratches from branches gently set down Hope, who's hair was tangled from the wind and his face pale from the sudden brand advancement. He still lay asleep as before. Snow heard him slightly regain consciousness halfway through their run, and then he heard him relax again.

"L-Lightning…" Serah panted, tear stains sparkling on her confused face.

"Why are we here?" Lightning glanced up at the thunderous stormy sky, then back at Serah.

"The fal'cie won't find us here. I couldn't let you or Vanille become a l'Cie…" Vanille sharply in took a breath; Lightning glanced over in hesitation.

"You don't mean…" Vanille nodded, and saw Lightning's face change to fury, then quickly back to her monotone, warrior –like expression.

"We need to sleep. We'll think about other plans in the morning. Everyone nodded without any hesitant thoughts and went to sleep.

"Lightning…" Lightning jumped at the sudden break of silence, and looked at Hope, who now was staring deeply into her eyes. Lightning stepped closer to him and kneeled down to look at him.

"What is it?" Hope blinked a couple of times to regain his bearings. He realized he didn't know where he was, but ignored it and grabbed Lightning's shoulder, pulling her closer. Lightning's eyes widened.

"I… I need to tell you my focus." Lightning nodded, preparing for the worst.

Ok, well maybe it wasn't too . I'm tired, since I'm still really sick but I'm supposed to get another round of antibiotics in like 10 minutes, so I'm not allowed to sleep until then. Which drives me insane cause I'm so tired, so I figured I could write a little since I can't talk. My brother said he would try to edit major spelling errors for me. But I'm gonna go now since my chest hurts and I'm way too weak to continue. I love you all! :)