"Look who it is, you!"

This is it, my friends, the final chapter. It took much longer than I had intended, but it's here at long last. I hope you'll enjoy it despite its grammatical flaws. Just one of the disadvantages with English not being my mother language.

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 13 in any capacity except for the discs on my shelf.

Also: This is simply a piece of fanfiction, it doesn't represent my views on the games or how I think they end, I have read Tracer of Memories and know that this fic doesn't follow that story in any way. This isn't even my opinion on how the series should end, and anyone saying otherwise is putting words in my mouth. Gods I can't believe something that obvious needs to be said.

Anyway, sorry for that rant. Please enjoy our stay.

Long Time 3

Serah was absolutely captivating in her wedding gown. It was a long, overly decorated affair with thin straps holding it in place over her shoulders. None of the present guests could resist the rays of pure joy she radiated when she was led down the aisle by a well-dressed, middle aged man with greyish hair with some tints of blonde.

That's probably their father, Mr. Farron, Hope concluded. He saw a woman sit on the front row, he suspected she was in her mid to late forties. Her hair still had a deep colour of rusty red, and her face reminded him a lot of both Lightning and Serah. That ought to be their mother then, Hope thought as he looked between the two of them.

But his heart skipped a beat when he saw the maid of honour. He had never doubted Lightning would've been the maid for Serah's wedding, but he had never considered how she'd look in a dress. He had seen the dress before, many times during her time as the saviour during the end of days. But he had never been able to appreciate how she looked in it by then, another side effect of having most of his emotions and feelings supressed.

But that wasn't the case now when she walked past Hope on the aisle. He could only stare while the other guests were focusing all their attention on bride and groom. I watched her wear that thing for days, and it never occurred to me just how well it suited her, Hope thought.

Lightning didn't seem to be bothered when more than a few pair of eyes turned to her and seemed to be looked on her. She's a model, it's just another day at the office for her, Hope thought with a grin. Her eyes met him for a split second, and his grin sneaked its way onto her lips as well. He gasped for air. Gods, she's beyond beaut

Hope was suddenly shoved gently by his shoulders and brought back to the present.

"Stay focused, son", his father said with an amused grin. "You're not the one getting married today."

Hope glanced from his father to his mother and then to Alyssa. They all gave him knowing grins. Realization hit him like a freight train. They know, he thought in horror.

Alyssa gave him a friendly elbow in the ribs. "Where are your manners, Hope? She got a job to do. There's no reason to distract her right now."

"She the one doing the distraction", Hope mumbled to no one in particular and glanced towards Lightning again. He grinned when he saw that she barely had managed to stifle a laugh, probably thanks to their antics.

Her mother didn't look as amused by her older daughter's antics, but neither the couple by the altar nor the minister seemed to be bothered. She'll hopefully never know of my involvement, Hope thought as he glanced at Lightning's mother.

The minister cleared his throat and began the ceremony. Hope tried to keep his focus on the couple by the altar out of respect to Snow and Serah, but his eyes tended to find their way back to Lightning from time to time. Hope rose from his bench with the rest of the guests at the end of the ceremony when the groom kissed the bride and applauded them. He was surprised that Snow managed to restrain himself and give Serah a proper kiss. He was even more surprised that Serah wasn't satisfied with such chaste kiss and pulled her now husband into a much more intimate and long kiss.

Well, I shouldn't be surprised by a Farron any longer, Hope mused.

The newlyweds turned towards their guests with big grins and received an even bigger applause.

"That went without a hitch", Alyssa commented beside Hope. She had a fond smile. "You'll have to excuse me now", Alyssa told the Estheim's. "There are still lots of things to direct before the day is over."

"Don't overwork yourself", Nora said as Alyssa prepared to sneak away from the crowd when the guests started to leave the ceremony.

"Oh don't worry", Alyssa said and nodded towards Hope. "I've worked for this guy for thirteen years, I know my limits."

The two Villiers were the first to leave the garden, closely followed by the bridesmaids, the best man and the couple's families, then followed by the other guests. Hope was able to catch many familiar faces when the crowd walked past his bench. At least one plus with ending up this far back, Hope thought.

All of the bridesmaid wore the same colour as Lightning, a deep purple dress, though none of them wore identical dresses. There were several maids Hope had never seen, but he recognized Yuel the former farseer, Lebreau from NORA and of course Lightning. Hope got a glimpse of Snow's parents for the first time, both were of middle age and were nicely dressed, though Hope thought they looked pretty ordinary… with the exception that it was easy to see where Snow's height had come from. The elder Villiers was all but a giant, even taller than his son.

Noel Kreiss gave Hope a friendly smile when he walked past Hope. The boy wore a dark suit though he didn't seem to be at ease in the attire. Sazh and his little son Dajh followed, both of them dressed for the occasion, though they had kept their old hairstyle. Hope half expected to see a familiar yellow bird peek out from the older man's hair, but he knew that no such creatures existed in this world. No magic, no miracles, just an ordinary world with ordinary people. Hope recognized Rygdea from Cocoon's military and one of the people who had helped found the Academy. The tall man gave Hope and Bartholomew a recognizing nod and followed the crowd. Hope saw Maqui and Yuj from NORA as well in the crowd before he and his parents left their bench and followed the thinning stream of people leaving the garden.

The photo-op had already started when they emerged on the yard facing the east most side of the chateau. A professional photographer was taking pictures of the grinning couple together with their parents and other family members. Several of the guests held their cameras and phones ready in their hands, eagerly waiting for their turn to take ridiculous amounts of pictures. Hope found Fang and Vanille and decided to stand and wait with them. He didn't intend to join the fray with his phone though.

"Aren't you gonna take some pictures?" Fang asked.

He shook his head. "No, I doubt I need to. Vanille can send one to me afterwards", he nodded towards Vanille who held her phone at the ready.

"But you have to take pictures!" Vanille exclaimed. "Ya know, to show respect and all."

Hope chuckled. "I doubt they'll be that upset with me. It may also save them some time if some of us rely on others for pictures."

He was surprised to see Lightning among the first group of family and friends who showered the couple in camera flashes. Nothing should surprise me anymore.

"Doesn't this get you into a marrying mood?" Vanille said with a dreamy tone. Neither Fang nor Hope had time to answer the question when the Villiers and Farrons left the couple for another salvo of photographs. "Oh! Me! Me! Me!" Vanille exclaimed and literally threw herself in front of Snow and Serah.

Laughter and a round of applause could be heard from the crowd. Hope chuckled and looked at Fang. "You heard her, right? You better look out."

Fang smirked. "She knows that I want to wait a while more. I'm not that concerned." The tanned woman turned to him. "What about you. Does this get you into the mood?"

He chuckled again. "I hadn't even thought about it until you brought it up. Can't say I lean for or against it, to be honest. I got quite a lot on my plate as it is", he added with a knowing smile.

He had always been indifferent towards the topic, much to his mother's chagrin. His work simply didn't allow for such luxuries in life, and it would've been unfair to whoever he married, making the whole act pointless. He still remembered how his father had tried and failed to combine his workload with a family back on Cocoon.

"Sure", Fang agreed with a mysterious grin. "But you never know what life throws your way."

Vanille returned to them, her dress more than a little dusty. "Heya, what're you talking about?"

"Marriage in general, I suppose", Fang said and looked back on the newlyweds.

"Isn't it amazing? I'm getting so excited!" Vanille said to Hope.

"Yeah, I'm glad they finally got their wish granted", he agreed.

The photo-op continued for a while, the parents and other family members joined the couple in various combinations and poses until they all excused themselves when Serah made an unusual request. "Could all of our old friends please come forward?"

Most of the guests looked among themselves in confusion at the strange request, but the addressed people had no difficulty deciphering who she meant.

"That's our que", Fang said as she led Hope and Vanille to the gathering group of friends.

Hope suppressed the urge to hug and get reacquainted with the former l'cie, that could wait until later at the reception or the mingle before then. He just smiled brightly and stood next to Snow on his left towards middle of the group and with Noel on his right. Yeul looked was a bit shy, but a few encouraging words from Noel and Serah helped her to muster enough courage to join the group.

The photographer and the two elder Farrons took a number of photos. Hope was used to having cameras pointed at him, but he discarded his usual professional smile and allowed himself to grin into the cameras. He couldn't stop himself, he didn't think he had been this happy before in this life.

"Are you done?" Lightning eventually asked her parents. "I'm sure the guests are starting to get hungry."

"Yeah, yeah, princess", her father said with a slightly mocking tone. "We just wanted to commemorate the moment. You'll understand when you have kids yourself."

Hope stifled a chuckle. Princess? I'll remember that one, Light!

"We're not done yet!" Serah suddenly exclaimed.

The whole group looked at her. "We're not?" Lightning asked.

Serah shook her head. "No, there's still one of us missing. The one who made all of this possible." She turned to the crowd. "Alyssa! Come here before I drag you in front of the camera."

Several guests laughed or chuckled at the outburst. Hope was pleased to see Alyssa appear from the crowd and approach the group. She had teary eyes. "I'm not sure I deserve that", she simply said.

"Nonsense!" Snow exclaimed with his trademark grin. "You're a part of us as well now."

"Please", Serah simply said.

Alyssa wiped a stray tear and joined the group between Lightning and Vanille to the left of Serah.

The bride turned her head back towards to the cameras and smiled. "Now, go wild."

They all chuckled when the cameras resumed flashing.

"Now, may I have your attention!" Serah finally shouted to the buzzing crowd of guests as the photographer and eager parents finally seemed to be pleased with their work. "The reception starts in three hours! The chateau has several diversions for you to enjoy until then. An art museum, a beautiful garden with a magnificent view, and a passage down to the sea if you'd like to swim! We've procured a number of swimsuits just in case you'd like that! There's also a buffet with some light food in case you're hungry!" Serah turned towards Alyssa. "The buffet is ready, right?"

Alyssa chuckled. "It's ready, don't worry."

"Right! Go ahead", Serah exclaimed to the guests. "Mingle, I'm sure there are people here who'd love to meet or get reacquainted! Enjoy yourselves!"

The guests took he que and started to disperse in different directions. Several of the younger guests, particularly families with children headed for the sea. Hope decided to follow Serah's advice and get reacquainted.

"Noel!" He said as the boy moved towards Yuel.

"Hey Hope! Long time, right?" Noel said as Yuel moved to his side. Hope grinned and pulled him into a quick but friendly hug.

"Good to see you, both of you", Hope said as he looked from one of them to the other.

"Likewise, Hope", Noel said and took a step back as Hope and Yeul shook hands.

"It's nice to meet you, Hope Estheim", Yuel said a bit shyly.

"Nice to meet you too", Hope said.

"We've heard lots about you lately in the media. You seem to be doing well", Noel said quickly, obviously trying to prevent an awkward silence.

Hope grinned. There was no reason to be embarrassed or feel awkward, they were all friends after all. "I do, but you should take that with a grain of salt. But please, I'm more interested in how the two of you are doing."

"We're doing fine", Noel said. "I'm a park ranger in a wildlife preserve." He hugged Yuel to his chest, much to her embarrassment. "I met this angel when her school visited a while back. Life's been perfect ever since."

Yuel's face turned red as a tomato. "Shut up", she whispered and elbowed Noel in the ribs.

Noel yelped in surprise but regained his balance quickly. He grinned sheeply at Hope. "What about you, Hope? Tell us what the media isn't telling us."

Hope shrugged. "I run my company, and do some private research as well on the side. There's so much for us to learn, yet so little time. I'm simply doing what I can to help advance mankind."

Noel looked at him thoughtfully. "But why, Hope? The world isn't in the same kind of danger anymore. You don't need to shoulder the weight of the world anymore. You can let go of the past. Mankind will manage."

Hope had his reasons, but he concluded that a wedding wasn't the place for such conversations. He had to keep his answer short. "trust me, I have managed to let go, Noel. But sometimes, you have to embrace what you've become as well." It wasn't much of an answer, but Noel would have to settle with it.

The boy nodded slowly. "If you say so, Hope. Sorry, this isn't the time or place."

"No problem, Noel. You're just curious, I can respect that."

"We were on our way to get something to eat", Noel said. "Would you like to join us?"

Hope was hungry, there was no denying that, but he wasn't done on the yard just yet. "Sorry, but I haven't said hi to Sazh or Serah yet. I'll join you guys in a bit if I don't get tied down."

"Sounds good. Shall we go?" Noel asked Yuel.

"Lets", Yuel said.

Serah and Snow was surrounded by eager guests and family members. Hope quickly had to accept that any congratulations would have to wait until later.

A fatherly arm sneaked its way across his shoulders. "You better wait, kid. They'll be busy for a while", Sazh said.

Hope gave the older man a quick hug. "Yeah, they better form a line", he agreed. "How are you doing, Sazh?"

Sazh returned the hug. "I'm doing well, Hope. You?"

Hope took a step back and smiled at Sazh. "I'm good, keeping myself busy and apparently attending a long overdue wedding."

Sazh grinned. "Yeah, I heard they were going to pull that on you. I hope you don't mind", he said while putting an emphasis on Hope's name.

"Of course I don't", Hope said. "It made the whole event much more memorable. It's good to see you." Hope turned to Dajh who was standing close to his father. "Nice to see you as well, Dajh."

"Nice to see you too, Hope", the little boy said.

"What are you doing nowadays?" Hope asked. He was more than a little interested in what his friends was up to.

Sazh ruffled his son's hair a bit and chuckled when the boy tried to escape the assault on his hair. "I'm working as a flight instructor… and doing my best to keep this little rascal out of trouble."

"Dad!" Dajh squirmed at his father. "I want to go to the ocean! Let's go!"

Sazh gave Hope an apologetic look. "Sorry to keep our reunion short, kid." He smiled fondly at his son. "But duty calls."

"I understand, Sazh", Hope said. "We'll talk more later."

"You bet on it", Sazh said as Dajh took off towards what Hope assumed to be the passage which led down the cliffs to the ocean.

He spent most of the afternoon mingling in the garden and yard with the other guests while he waited for an opening to approach the bride and groom. Most of the guests had little to nothing to do with their previous lives from Cocoon and Pulse from what Hope could recall at least. Many were awed at the fact that a successful businessman like Hope Estheim was invited to the wedding. Particulary because no one had heard that couple knew him personally. It was easy for Hope to avoid the questions with some general answers which didn't really answer anything if you thought about it. He wasn't proud of it, but it was the least complicated answer he could give compared to the alternative. 'Oh, I met them in a previous life. We saved the world, broke time itself and saw the end of days.' Not complicated at all.

He had some pleasant conversations with the parents of the couple and was a bit surprised at how carefree Serah and Lightning's father seemed to be. A bit like Snow I suppose, Hope thought. The conversation eventually turned back towards how Hope was familiar with Snow and Serah when he spoke to Lightning and Serah's parents.

"I was surprised when my girls said they knew Hope Estheim!" Mr Farron said. "But here you are, as an honoured guest no less!"

Hope was unsure if the older man was aware of their previous lives and decided to be as discreet and vague as possible. "Yeah, I guess you could say we go way back. It was a pure coincidence that we met."

"You'll have to tell us about that later", Mrs Farron insisted. "But it looks like they want to speak to you now." She nodded towards Snow and Serah who still were surrounded by guests but were waving him over.

"Better not keep them waiting then. I hope we speak again", Hope said. He bowed to the two Farrons and walked to the waiting couple.

Serah embraced him in a firm yet quick hug. "I'm so glad you could come. I'm sorry I couldn't be there to greet you when you arrived."

"That's alright", Hope said when she let him go. "I'm honoured to be invited."

"Of course you'd be invited", Serah said firmly. "We wouldn't have it any other way. I made that abundantly clear to Claire when she left to come get you."

"It's not like sis would've had it any other way either", Snow added.

Serah grinned at Hope. "True, she wouldn't." She looked thoughtfully at Hope for a moment. "I'm sure all of this was a bit overwhelming, but I hope you're enjoying yourself. This was intended to be our big reunion after all."

"I am", Hope assured her. "Words can't describe how happy I am to see everyone again. It was nice to meet your parents as well." He looked at Snow. "All of them."

Serah let out an amused sigh. "Mom and dad can be a bit much at times. But you'll learn to cope."

"He'll have to learn, and quickly", Snow added almost in a whisper.

That statement puzzled Hope. What did he mean by that? He doubted he'd meet the elder Farrons again for a long time. His work didn't exactly allow for pleasure trips to the parents of his friends. It would probably be years until another reunion like this if there'd be one at all. At the earliest when Snow and Serah started adding members to their family.

Serah's laughter brought him out of his thoughts. "You look like a living question mark!"

"He'll get around to it", Snow said, equally as amused as his wife.

Hope looked from one to the other and shrugged. "I'm sure I will."

"The reception will start in an hour or so", Serah said. "You should mingle some more, or have a look around. This place is beautiful."

Hope glanced around him and saw several impatient faces on the guests waiting for their turn to congratulate the couple. Congratulate! I forgot that! Hope chided himself. He was still overwhelmed it seemed. But he could take a hint and salvage the situation.

"Right, I'll have a look around. Congratulations by the way. To both of you. You deserve this."

They exchanged quick hugs and separated. Hope headed for the garden and accepted a glass from a waiter who was serving refreshments to guests. The garden was home to many different plants, flowers and trees, each more colourful and vibrant then the next. Hope talked to a few of the guests and then sat down on a bench overlooking the ocean. Serah had been right about the garden, it was beautiful. The view was no less spectacular either.

He emptied the glass in one swing and realized too late that he had no idea what the glass had been filled with. Champagne! Hope cursed his dry mouth and thoughtlessness as the final drops left the glass. I guess there'll be no more driving today then, he sighed and pulled out his phone out of his pocket. Where will I stay tonight?

The company had a small office in Caen. It wouldn't be hard to call a taxi and get him there, but they didn't have any empty apartments or lodgings for employees in Caen though. He'd have to find a hotel to stay the night. Not unusual considering his work, but he preferred to have a place to spend the night arranged before he went to the next business trip.

A quick search yielded a myriad of hotels in the surrounding area, though most of them were fully booked. There were fortunately a few spare rooms in the more expensive hotels if the prize wasn't an issue. And money wasn't an issue for Hope Estheim.

"Hey, what are you up to?"

Hope froze when he felt something cold press against his neck.

"Playing with your phone could be considered bad manners on a wedding", Lightning said and rounded the bench he sat on.

Hope chuckled when he realized exactly what Lightning had pressed against his neck: a bottle of beer. He didn't recognize the label. Probably some local brand, he thought as he accepted the bottle from Lightning.

"Thanks", he said and took a swig, mostly to calm down his nerves. This woman had the ability to make a fool out of him on his best days, he had probably looked like a clown when she surprised him.

She simply smiled at him and sat down next to him. Close, Hope thought when their thighs pressed together. Warm, soft yet firm, going on and… no, I won't go there. He tried to preoccupy himself with something, anything that didn't make him appear like a lovesick schoolboy. She had a bottle of her own in her right hand, the same brand of cider she had been drinking the previous night. He had never thought Lightning of all people would drink something like that. Guess everyone is full of surprises.

"What were you up to?" Lightning asked and snatched Hope´s phone from his lap before he could protest. She scanned the screen critically and sent him a look of disproval. "Planning on leaving us already? I thought you wanted this reunion."

Gods, you have no idea, Hope thought as he became increasingly aware of her for every second she spent pressed up next to him. That flowery scent, like roses, the stray locks of hair waving in the wind, those crystal-clear blue eyes which would drown any man who dared to peer into them, her thighs and legs hidden under your dress… Hope stopped his train of thoughts, mentally chiding himself for letting his mind wander yet again.

He cleared his throat. "No, I mean yes! I wanted this more than anything in the world." If only you knew! "I just realised that I need some place to stay for tonight, that's all!"

She smirked and handed his phone back to him. "You're one of the honoured guests, Hope. We've rented this whole chateau for the weekend… well, Alyssa did anyway. You already have a room. There may even be a second room available." She put an emphasis on the last sentence.

"What do you mean by 'may', Light?"

She took a swig from her cider and smirked at him. "That depends on how much you like your room."

There was something about that smirk, but Hope couldn't quite grasp the hidden meaning behind it. I'll just have to wait and see. He drank some more beer and tried to focus on the taste. It wasn't anything special, no particular taste and neither strong nor weak, just bland. But it was just what his dry mouth needed, especially now.

"Want to tell me more about your modelling career?" Hope asked before the silence became awkward. He knew it wasn't the best topic, but he wasn't thinking that well at the moment at all.

Lightning laughed. "We're at a wedding, and you want to discuss work? What, are you offering me a job?"

He grinned at her. "No, I just wanted to know how you ended up in that business. The Lightning I knew wouldn't have chosen that kind of career."

She shrugged mysteriously and smirked at him. "Play your cards right and I might tell you one day. But I can tell you that the Lightning you used to know has changed quite a bit."

"Definitely, but I still think you're the same person", Hope said before he had pondered the thought.

They spent some time talking about non-work related topics. They compared travels around the globe, favourite foods and music taste, and other trivial matters. Hope didn't mind it a bit, and would've continued until the reception if one of the other bridesmaids hadn't interrupted them and fetched Lightning. Hope hadn't recognized the young women but guessed she was one of Serah's friends. Lightning finished her cider and stood up.

"Duty calls", she said with a hint of annoyance and gave him a fond pat on the shoulder. "We'll see each other at the reception."

"Sure", Hope said as he watched the two women disappear into the chateau.

He spent the rest of the afternoon getting more reacquainted with his former friends from the old world. He wished it would've lasted longer, but the evening approached much sooner than he had expected and he was almost saddened when one of the waiters announced that the guests were to enter the dining room.

The inside of the chateau was even more richly decorated then the outside. Hope saw several centuries old paintings on the walls, painted by famous artists and craftsmen. The curtains by the numerous windows were of crimson velvet, and each doorway was crowned by a prideful coat-of-arms. What a fancy place…

The dining room was big enough for a monarch to hold court, and could easily hold twice the number of guests present. Given how busy the staff looked, Hope was glad on their behalf that Serah and Snow had restrained themselves from inviting even more guests.

There were four large tables present for the guests to seat themselves, one main table for the newly married and their closest family members and then three more placed so no guest's back would face the main table. These tables were placed in the middle of the huge room, while number of smaller tables had been arranged on the far side of the room where the staff was finishing the preparations for a large buffet. Yeah, self-service is the way to go with a crowd this big, Hope thought.

He found Noel and Yuel sitting at the middle of the three tables reserved for guests, not far from where the groom and bride sat at the main table. Hope was about to take the seat next to Noel when he noticed that the plate had a nametag written on it. Vanille, and the one next to it had Fang. Hope saw Noel smirk in the corner of his eye when scanned the other plates but didn't think much about it. Where is my seat?

"Hey, kid, that's my chair", Fang said as she pushed her way past him and sat down on her spot at the table.

Vanille smiled politely as she made her way around him and sat down as well. Sazh and little Dajh were soon there too, the boy's hair was still damp from his dip in the English Channel. Hope scanned the closest seats but came up empty. He found his friends' names as well as other people from the old world, including his parents and members from NORA, sans Gadot, but Hope supposed the best man would've been placed close to the groom during the reception. He began searching further away from the main table, he was a late addition to the guest list after all. They'd probably just placed him further down the table somewhere. Hope had just begun to broaden his search when he was interrupted by Fang.

"Hey, kid! Stop standing there like a lost puppy and get to your chair!"

Hope gave his friend a shrug. "I would if I knew where it was."

Fang nodded towards the main table with a big smirk. "Shouldn't be that hard for you to find."

Hope chuckled when he followed Fang's gaze and landed on Lightning. She was sitting at the main table a few chairs away from Serah and Snow. The chair next to her was empty. Does that mean… Lightning waved at him and gestured towards the empty chair. I guess it does.

"She's waiting for ya!" Fang said as Hope turned to make his way around the tables. "Don't keep her waiting."

I won't.

"I didn't think I'd be seated at the main table, and certainly not this close to the bride and groom", Hope told Lightning as he sat down on the chair next to her. The nametag read Hope.

Lightning looked a bit apologetic towards their friends left at the middlemost table. "We wanted all of you guys to be seated at this table, but there wasn't just enough space for all of you together with our parents and close relatives."

"I don't think they took any offence, Light", Hope said reassuringly. "They'll understand."

"Right", she said. "I wish it could've been different though." She turned towards the bride and groom and smiled broadly. "But the wedding is next to perfect anyway. I couldn't be happier for them."

Hope chuckled. The time Lightning had scorned Snow and Serah's relationship suddenly seemed like yesterday. Seeing her not only accept the idea but also encourage it was a beautiful sight. We have all grown and changed, Hope mused.

"Some thought you'd like to share?" Lightning asked him with ta coy grin.

"Heh, I was just thinking about your opinion on Snow back on Cocoon. You've changed, Light."

She laughed. "You're one to talk, Hope. You hated his guts."

Hope spread his arms and made a mocking bow. "And I managed to change as well. That applies to all of us, and I'd say it was for the better."

She flicked him on his forehead. "You're right, just don't make a big deal out of it. Change is natural."

Hope wondered if she could see and appreciate exactly how much she had changed from the old world. He never imagined he'd have such a pointless and easy-going conversation with this woman. But this wasn't the Lightning he had known. Not completely at least. Lumina was inside there as well, and together they were Claire Farron, a person Lightning happened to be a part of. But it didn't end there. The whole wedding was a combination of the old and new. His own life applied to that as well. The Hope Estheim who had lead the Academy after the fall was no more.

A hand flicked his forehead again. "Don't zone out on me", Lightning said. "A penny for your thoughts?"

"Nothing, I was just thinking about how much we've all changed, that's all."

Their conversation was cut short after that when Snow and Serah stood up to call for a toast. All of the guests had been seated and served champagne or soft drinks for children and non-drinkers. Hope had been too stuck in his own thoughts when the waiter had asked Lightning if Hope wanted champagne or a soft drink. He was glad she had made the order for him and made a point to thank her later if they had some more time to talk during the reception.

"First, we'd like to thank everyone who managed to be here with us on our big day", Serah began. Snow spoke next. "Some of you got a late invitation, but we're glad you're here none the less. It means the world to us." Serah raised her glass filled with sparkling champagne. "Both of us have waited for this day. We're overwhelmed by the support all of you have shown us along the way. We know it hasn't been an easy journey, but we're finally here to greet the new dawn." Snow raised his glass to Serah's. The guests followed suit. Snow looked like he was about to cry of happiness. "Let's greet it together. We hope all of you will find the same happiness we have found together." They brought their glasses together. "Cheers!"

"Cheers!" the rest of the guests echoed.

A number of speeches followed, spoken by the newlywed's parents, the best man and of course Lightning, though she waited to be the last to speak.

She cleared her throat and looked at Snow and Serah. "To see you this happy… both of you. It's more beautiful than I ever imagined. I knew I didn't always see eye to eye with you, Snow. But I know you'll take care of Serah and make her happy. I couldn't ask for more, thank you."

The assembled guests applauded, and Hope was sure Snow was at the brink of crying at that point.

Lightning held up her left hand to signal that she wasn't done yet. She looked like she was on the brink of tears as well. "You've both earned this happiness. Savour it to the fullest, and always remember to be there for each other."

Both bride and groom cried at that point. Hope could feel tears of joy try to make their way out of the corners of his eyes as well. The guests applauded again, this time without Lightning signalling them to stop.

"That was a good speech", Hope whispered to Lightning when she was seated again.

She actually blushed a little and let out a deep sigh. "I don't know, it wasn't what I had planned to say. I lost the words and had to improvise."

"That's very human", Hope said. "But you managed to salvage the speech and brought both of them to tears. It couldn't have gone better."

"Yeah, I'm just glad it's over now." She glanced at him and grinned. "But give me a call if you need a new spokesperson for the company. I have on good authority that I'm good at speeches."

He chuckled at that. Different or not, Hope enjoyed spending time with this new Lightning. "Will do, I'm sure my Assisting-Director already has your number."

"She do", Lightning said.

They didn't have time for any more chitchat, as the guests sitting around them were instructed to start digging into the buffet by the staff. Hope fell in behind Lightning as she joined the line towards the buffet tables. Hope noticed that the bride and groom remained seated and was served two large plates with neat dishes placed on them.

He chuckled when he saw a large tray filled with neatly cut pieces of steak marinated in red wine. Lightning was filling her plate with the meat.

"I just remember", Hope said as Lightning passed the tongs to him. "You promised to make me some of your famous steak, Light."

She chuckled. "Phrasing, Hope. But I suppose that could be arranged. Some other night of course."

"Of course", Hope said as he took a few slices onto his plate next to a myriad of other dishes. He fondly remembered the grilled meat they had eaten under the Pulsian night sky, a dish he never had been able to replicate himself. That wouldn't be a problem for the chef who had made them though.

They returned to their seats with full plates, Hope's a bit more varied than Lightning's. Hope was thrust into several interesting conversations with the neighbouring guests during the dinner. It was hard to give a good answer on the question on how he knew the bride and groom, but he always managed to deflect the question before he said something weird or stupid. All conversations were interrupted at least once when someone called for a toast or the guests cheered when the newlyweds shared a kiss.

He also managed to talk more with Lightning, which he considered the highlight of the evening until then.

"So, what'll you do when you're done here", Lightning asked with an interesting glint in her eyes.

"Back to work, I suppose", Hope shrugged. He didn't really know what to make out of that question. He grinned. Two can play that game. "But I've heard public relations may increase their ranks shortly. That ought to make things interesting."

Lightning smiled and took a sip from the glass of red wine they had been served for the food. She didn't seem to enjoy it and had fought to drink it during the evening. Hope had considered to offer to drink it for her, but had decided not to. She still had her pride to preserve.

"You'll have to wait a while before that happens", Lightning said with a smirk and leaned back in her chair. "I heard she enjoys her current work, but she appreciates the offer."

"Aw, and here I was hoping", Hope said with fake disappointment.

"Seriously though", Lightning said. "Just work? Nothing else coming up in the near future?"

He took a sip of wine himself. Where is she going with this? "That's the idea. But I'm adaptable, in case something was to come up."

Lightning nodded towards Snow and Serah who stood up and then made their way to a section in the room which had been left empty to serve as a dancefloor. "Want to dance?"

Hope's heart skipped more than a few beats and he was certain he looked like a living question mark. Calm down, Estheim! It's just a dance, don't think too much about it!

"Sure, that'd be nice", he finally said.

They rose from their seats and joined the growing crowd of guests who had formed a square around the dancefloor. A woman dressed in a fancy evening gown made her way to a piano nearby the dancefloor. Hope instantly remembered her. Olga! The singer Light helped during the final days! The one with the wayward husband! The pianist had played a number of familiar songs during the evening, but Hope recognized the next one immediately. Lightning had sung it several times during their journey together back in the days. She had done so when she didn't think anyone had heard her, but none of them had missed the soft song she had repeated like a mantra. Hope had asked Snow about it, and had learned that it was Serah's favourite song, simply known as 'Memory'.

Snow and Serah had the dancefloor to themselves for the first dance, slowly spinning back and forth in tune to the soft melody. The crowd applauded the couple when the music died down and soon joined them on the dancefloor.

Hope savoured every second he got to spend with Lightning and wouldn't have minded if the dance had lasted longer. He danced more than a few times before and had learned some tricks over the years. He made sure to use them all during the dance. It was impossible to contain his grin when she proved to be as well-versed as him in the art of dancing.

"I think you've enjoyed tonight as much as I have", Lightning said as they danced.

Hope made sure to remember the lovely smile she gave him. "I won't deny that", he simply said and spun her around.

Lightning yelped but was quick to adjust her balance just in time for their dance to end and press her body to his. "The night is still young though", she said and looked over his shoulder. "See you soon."

She let him go before he had time to register what was going on. In her stead, Vanille appeared in his arms. The young woman was grinning from ear to ear and looked a bit out of balance. "Hopey!" She cheered. "I. Want. To. Dance."

Hope brought her close just in time for the music to start again. "Let's dance." He noticed that her eyes seemed a bit absent and she stumbled a bit. The conclusion was easy to make. Yep, she's definitely drunk.

"You enjoying yourself?" Hope asked as they danced, making sure not to collide with any other couple on the dancefloor.

"Lots!" She hiccupped. "This is an amazing wedding."

She smiled radiantly. Fang better watch out, Hope thought with a grin as they dance.

Fang was the next one to take Vanille's place. "Vanille's in a really good mood tonight", Hope said. "You better be careful."

Fang chuckled. "There's nothing for me to be worried over. It's just a shame she ended up drinking too much. I will NOT hold her hair when she pukes."

"Maybe she'll learn a lesson then", Hope said.

"I hope", she said. "Right, time to change partner, I'd say good luck, but I don't think you'll need it."

Hope danced with Alyssa next. "I'd say the wedding's been a great success. Well done, Alyssa", Hope said.

"Thanks, Hope", Alyssa said. "It's been a lot of work to pull it off, but I'd say it's all worth it."

"Exactly", Hope said. "We're all thankful for what you've done for us. Thank you, for doing what I couldn't do."

The dance was nearing its end. Alyssa smirked at him. "You can thank me by taking advantage of the next dance." She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "Good luck."

"Can I cut in?" Hope heard a familiar voice ask.

"Certainly", Alyssa said and let go of Hope stepped aside for Lightning.

Hope took Lightning in her arms and began to dance even before the music started. He didn't realize what he had done until the pianist began playing a much slower tone. Lightning chuckled against him but didn't seem to have minded his eagerness.

"Straight to the point?" She asked.

For once today, Hope thought and looked at her. She smiled at him as they slowly spun around the floor. He had seen her smile before, but there was something more behind that smile, something pure yet fierce, something new yet old at the same time. Gods she's beautiful. Hope wanted it all.

The room became irrelevant. The dancefloor didn't matter anymore. The other guests could've been armed assassins for all he cared. The woman in his arms was all he cared about. He became painfully aware of her hands as they sneaked into his hair and brought his head down towards hers. He hugged her closer to him as their lips met, savouring the moment and cementing it into his memory.

The sun had risen a few hours before Hope woke up the following morning. The room was unfamiliar. Old European style, he thought as he glanced at the furniture. The room was big, not a suite, but much bigger than an apartment or regular a hotel room. He was lying in a large bed, probably emperor size.

His body felt sore but also more at ease then it ever had been. He tried to stretch his arms when he felt something restraining his arm. Or rather someone. A quick glance revealed a messy bun of rose-coloured hair sleeping on his shoulder. He then realized that both of them were naked.

A thousand memories came back to him at once. Every touch, every sound, every sensation. They flared like wildfires through his body.

Yet happiness didn't manage to register in his mind. Despite the fact that this had been exactly what he wanted… there were just too many questions left unanswered. What does this mean? What happens next? Will she regret it? Will she think I took advantage of her?

The last two questions were too likely for his liking. Great job, Estheim! You may have ruined everything. You may…

"You think too much", Lightning sleepily said.

Hope almost jolted out of the bed, but he managed to enforce the strict discipline and self-control he had developed through numerous meetings with business rivals and politicians.

"You're awake", he said, barely managing to keep his emotions from reaching his voice. Actually being in this situation with the woman he had longed for… that was something entirely new for him.

Lightning crawled on top of him and pressed her lips to his. Hope's thoughts stopped dead in their tracks. Her lips were a bit dry yet impossibly soft, her morning breath noticeably bad amazing at the same time, her body warm and soft like velvet.

She lifted her head from his and smiled. "I don't regret it, Hope. You haven't ruined anything."

He let out a sigh. "So, what'll we do now?"

Lightning smirked. "That show we pulled off last night will cause many questions. We could stay and answer them if you'd like, but I think we can use the time better. Don't you think?"

Hope remembered their kiss had escalated into a make out on the dancefloor and then into Lightning leading him towards her room in chateau for them to spend the night together in privacy. Hundreds of people had seen them disappear with very obvious intentions. His parents among them.

Hope didn't feel any shame about what they had done, but there was merit in running away. Running away! That's what she meant! Eloping!

He took a long breath and mentally prepared himself for the most important question in his life. He slowly caressed her left cheek and brought away a stray lock of hair.

"Light, you are the most amazing woman I've ever met. Will you marry me?"

She leaned down and kissed him. It wasn't neither long nor short, just enough for both of them to enjoy the kiss. "Yes, I will", she said as their lips came apart.

He grinned and kissed her again. It was longer, more intimate.

"I think that minister who wed Snow and Serah stayed for the night", Lightning said. "How about we go find him."

Hope sat up and kissed her again. "Lets", he said.

And that's the end.

I have thought about making something more, like a series of one-shots in a separate story, but I'm not convinced myself. We'll see.

This have been long journey, and I'm glad you've gotten to the end.

Romance isn't really my forte, but I wanted to challenge myself a bit. I don't know if it was successful, but it's done at last.

Best Regards: Jack Hargreave