Chapter 2! I'm updating as fast as I can. Thanks for the reviews, they make me happy. I will keep updating!

I think this story will be fairly long. I have alot of things to fit into each chapter. I have Chapter 3 written out, and chapter 4 planned out.

Hopefully they will be both up soon. Thanks again!

"This I swear, I will protect you"

Where the words that rung in Serah Farron's mind, over and over, a never ending record player. Because it was the promise she would keep. She swore upon her parent's graves. Serah was back home. Snow had tagged along. Even if Lightning had told him to stay away, he wanted to see Lightning's face. More over, he wanted to see her open up her presents.

"You sure she'll like it Serah?"

"I'm sure she will. She will love it."

"You know her well..."

Serah turned to smile at Snow. "Of course, she's my sister."

They heard the door open. Lightning stepped into the house. Serah jumped up to hug her sister. "Happy birthday Lightning!" Lightning was tired. Even if she had finished early in the day, she just couldn't return home. She had gone out to search for something to do with Serah today, but no avail. She felt terrible.

"Yeah! Happy Birthday Sis!" Lightning turned her head to see that man. That grin, and messy hair of his. She glared. "What the hell are you doing in MY house. And don't call me by that name." She absolutely thought she was going to have a quiet birthday with her sister, but she had thought wrong. Serah tugged on her arm and gave giggled. "Ahh. Come on Light, the more the merrier!" Lightning sighed, she had no choice but to accept her fate now. She blamed herself for not being with her sister more. It was her fault that Serah was dating Snow. "Fine." She muttered, yet she couldn't take her glare off of Snow.

Serah happily walked over to the fridge to take out the cake. The cake had a simple color. It was pink. It was a strawberry cake, it had exactly 21 candles on it. She set it on the table, and she lit the candles up. "Come on, blow the candles out, and make a wish." Lightning sighed. "Yeah sis, hurry up and blow them out." Snow added. Lightning turned to glare at him.

"This is the worst birthday ever.." She muttered. It wasn't at all horrible, it was just the fact the Snow was there that made it terrible. She closed her eyes. She hadn't had a cake like this in years, she hadn't blown out candles in years either. She stood there, feeling like a small kid. To please Serah she would agree to do this. She leaned in and closed her eyes, and she blew out all 21 candles.

"Happy Birthday Light!" Serah leaned in to kiss her sister on the cheek. Lightning jumped in a startled way. Lightning gently touched her cheek. It was something only her parents would do on every of her birthday's when she was little.

"Happy Birthday Sweetie." Her mother leaned in to kiss her on the cheek.

She felt warm inside. She gave Serah a gentle smile. "I should give you a birthday kiss too, sis." Lightning turned to glare at Snow. "Do that and I'll kill you." She threatened. Serah tugged on Lightning's arm once more. "Come on Light, lets open up your present now." She sighed again. "Fine." Snow was already ahead of them. He had brought the present and place it on the table. It was a box, it had no gift wrapping paper. It was an elegeant box, Lightning opened the box up. To her surprise, it was a gun blade. She looked up at Serah. "How...did you carry this huge thing?" Serah grinned at her sister. "I had Snow carry it for me." Lightning smiled.

"Well at least he was useful for something."

"HEY" Snow said while laughing softly at Lightning. Though it wasn't a joke, Lightning was serious.

She examined the gun blade. She took it out, and she swung it around as if it weighed nothing. While Snow looked at her in awe, Serah smiled proudly. She knew her sister was capable of handling anything. Lightning examined the gun blade. The blade looked familiar to her eyes. It had a some writing on it. "Blessed are those true of heart"

She was sure of it. This blade belonged to her father.

"Papa?"

"Claire? Aren't you supposed to be on princess duty?"

"Thats boring Papa! I came here to see you train!" She glanced up.

"Is that a new blade Papa?" He smiled at her. "Its my buster blade, but I upgraded to a gun blade."

"A gun blade, does that mean its a gun at the same time?"

"Exactly."

"Wow! Thats so cool Papa! Can I learn how to use it sometime?"

"I'll teach you when your older, and if you go attend to your duties, I promise I'll teach you on your birthday. " She smiled at this.

"Okay!" She nodded. She glanced up to her father's blade. "What's that writing on it?"

"Oh this, it says 'Blessed be those true of heart' Your mother had this carved on, its an old Cetra saying. Now, go and attend your duties."

She puffed her cheeks. "Fine." She uttered and ran off.

She glanced up at Serah. "Where did you say you got this?"

"I was actually looking for some Jewelry at a store, when I noticed it behind the counter. Its said to have belonged to his late Majesty. It used to be called the buster blade, but it was upgraded to a gun blade."

Lightning looked at it again. "Are you sure this was from the late King?"

"Of course, the man knew the king and the entire family, He said they were best friends." Lightning stopped and placed the gun blade down.

"You know sis, the guy wasn't lying, I could somehow feel he was telling us the truth." Lightning paid no attention to Snow. She directed her whole attention at Serah.

"How..." She uttered.

"He told me his name. Zack Fair."

Lightning shook her head. It was impossible. Zack was reported dead also. It was hard for her to take this all in. "You okay Sis?" Snow was getting worried. He was used to having Lightning glare at him. "I'm fine " She replied. She wasn't being harsh to Snow anymore. She glanced up at Serah and gave her a hug. "Thank you." She whispered.

Serah hugged her back. "Its nothing."

"Guess I'll be leaving now, I'll leave the two of you alone." Lightning broke the hug and she didn't glare at Snow, her face was serious as always, but she wasn't angry at him. "Okay, by Snow!" Serah waved at him. She wouldn't dare to kiss him on the cheek in front of her sister. Snow waved back and left.

As soon as Snow was gone, Lightning looked at her sister. "Serah...if its Zack Fair..then this must belong to father..." She looked down at the blade. "You were going to teach me how to use it back then..but you never got around to it..." Lightning uttered softly. Serah heard her, even if Lightning said it so Serah couldn't hear.

"Uncle Zack is alive." She smiled. Lightning turned to look at her sister. "Yeah..that bastard is alive and well.." For the first time in years, she felt happy. Happy because someone precious to her was alive.

"Claire..." Serah muttered. Lightning perked her head up. Serah had just mentioned her real name. "Serah?"

"He was sad. He told me how close he was to mom and dad. He feels like he's the reason behind their deaths. Our deaths."

"But we are dead."

"No we're not. Isn't it enough? I don't want to see others hurt Light."

She knew Serah was right, but what was she to do? Lightning sighed. "Then what do you suggest we do?"

"Well he has the right to know. He's dad's closest, and best friend." Lightning was about to object when Serah raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm telling him weather you like it or not sis." Lightning knew, once Serah decided something, it was decided, it was no use talking her out of it. "Fine." She replied.

"Wait, I remembered I just have something for you." She pulled it out of her pocket, the locket given to her by Zack. The one with the initials of the royal family. "Here, take it. " Lightning took the locket from Serah's hands. She opened the locket up, inside was a jewel. It was white and it glowed. It was beautiful.

"Serah..I can't take this..."

"No. Take it, its my gift to you. " She had no choice but to accept the gift. It was something that Serah had given her, she would treasure it.

"Hey Serah, You leave the day after tomorrow for Eden right?" Serah nodded her head.

"I'm coming with you."

"What? What about your job here?"

"Thats the thing, I was promoted. I'm..." It was hard for her to say it. "I'm going to be on duty at the Royal palace. I'm going to protect Stella Fleuret." Serah sighed. "Are you sure you can do it? Protect someone that was responsible for the state Cocoon is in?" Serah had to ask. She knew her sister was battling inside her heart for this. She knew Lightning didn't know what to do. She knew there was hatred in her sister's heart for the life they were living, though Serah had no complaints about it. "Its okay, I'm sure you can. Remember, Princess, or should I say, Her Majesty Claire is dead. You are Lightning, you have nothing to do with the crown. " Lightning looked up to Serah. She was right, she didn't have to worry about anything.

"Its gonna be weird, returning home to the palace after ten years." Serah smiled.

"But Tenebrae is occupying it. Who knows what they've done to the place."

"I wonder is mom's garden still around?" Serah added. "Lucky, least you get to truly go home."

"No Serah, its not home. A place full of memories is not home. Home is where the heart is, and its here with you."

"No, Light, you're right but, home also means the place full of fond memories, to me at least."

"You know what Zack said? He said, you would have made a great ruler, just like dad. I think he's right."

"But I'm not a queen, I'm not fit to be one, I abandoned my home, because I was a coward. " At those words Serah knew Lightning still lived with that guilt. What saddened her the most was, that she could do nothing about it.

I was a coward. I don't deserve my rights to the throne.

She glanced at her blade.

"I will never leave you. You and I will fight side to side. I will borrow your strength to protect others. She wore this. She would live by this.

What did you guys think?

Yeah I thought this chapter was boring. But I like the heart warming mushy stuff between sisters. I guess it was more family oriented.

What do you guys think? When will Serah tell Zack the truth?

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