Hello everyone who's reading this, here's the fouth chapter for you. Firstly I want to apologise for any lateness of this post but my compy broke and I've had trouble getting my beta to proof read this.

Also there's a few things I want to tell you that have nothing to do with this story. And just so you know but Fang= 0erbayunFang and Serah=Envious sky (I'm Claire).

I have these pictures of Lightning you see and a little while back Fang stole them, so just over a week ago me and Serah launched a crusade to get them back. This included stalking my friend home (Not literally), and a grand battle to get inside her house (This included me jumping over her fence and getting this monster of a scratch on the back of my leg).

When we finally managed to get into the house fang restrained me so I couldn't get anywhere near her room and the pictures but Serah just walked right past us and took all of them and walked right out of the house. When I got loose of Fang I ran out and caught up to Serah. But then when I caught up with her she turned to me and said 'Don't ask just run, NOW!'

It was then I realised that she hadn't only stolen my Lightning pictures back but also Fang's picture of Hope (She is a massive Hope fangirl, stealing that picture is suicide). Unfortunately she realised this quite quickly an ardurous chase up her street ensued.

So I got my Lightning pictures back but she took Hope (Who I've successfully stolen today after going to her house, I have no idea why I did so but who cares I stole her Hope picture, mu hua hua).

I'll tell you the other one in the bottom authors note.

DISCLAIMER:I do not own final fantasy, square enix does.

A broken façade

As the black car drove at a moderate pace towards Bodhum high, the people sitting in its interior sat silent.

Lifting her head to peer over at Fang, a worried expression came over Nataliah's face. The girl in front of her had said barely a word to her since she had given her those documents on Vanille yesterday. Still staring Nataliah took note of the dark circles that had formed under Fang's eyes, clearly she hadn't gotten much sleep last night and Nataliah would have to be an idiot to think that Vanille being MIA was the only reason behind it. The mere mention of Vanille would have brought along with it the painful memories of others that no longer existed in her life.

To put it simply, Light.

Once Fang had defected from cocoon and got to Pulse, she had lost all connections she had with Vanille, so she had no way of knowing what happened to her. Most likely she wouldn't have even hear a word if Vanille died, though that would have depended on the circumstances. But with the painful loss of Vanille she had gained Light, only to lose her as well, Nataliah had always wondered, just how much that would have hurt. Though they hadn't even known each other long it was clear that Fang had come to hold Light dearly and deeply cared about her.

Nataliah herself had never really known much about their relationship, she had always wondered what it was actually like seeing as she'd heard oh so many colourful rumours about it. Things like the fact that they'd met when Fang had been on a mission to assassinate her and that Light herself had subsequently, gouged Fangs right eye out.

How they'd ever developed a friendship was beyond her in almost every way.

The sound of a sigh coming from the seat opposite to her brought Nataliah out of her thought and back into reality. Turning to stare at the women in front of her she asked tentatively, "Fang?"

Nataliah got a grumbling noise in return. She gave little frown at the noise but thought all the same 'Well at least that was something'.

"Fang" Nataliah spoke up again "You going to speak any time today?" Receiving yet again no response she tried a different angle. "Your current mood would confuse Serah and her friends you know and I'm sure you don't want them asking you questions." Nataliah let the words hang in the air for a time before going to speak again.

But Fang beat her to it.

"I can't forget."

"Huh?" Nataliah said at the sudden reply. "Forget what?" but she had a feeling she already knew.

"Everything" Fang answered.

With the tears gone Fang stated strongly if a little sadly, "I'm sorry if this silence bugged you but after last night I can't give a crap, those dreams last night, I saw everything." Pausing again to wipe more tears from her eyes that had accumulated Fang went on sounding more and more distraught as she spoke. "Those damn memories won't leave me alone."

Shaking her head Fang cradled it in her hands and let her tears flow down her cheeks one by one.

"Why do they haunt me like this?" Lifting her head she gazed up into Nataliah's face and she was struck by how haunted Fangs eyes looked. "What did I do to deserve this life?"

Something in Nataliah's mind urged her to say 'You killed hundreds of people doing Cocoon's dirty work' but that wasn't the question Fang had asked, she'd had a life before Cocoon. Back in that life, she'd done nothing to deserve what had happened to her in the years afterwards, but that was a long time ago.

Focusing back on Fang, she found herself almost unnerved by Fang's sudden breakdown, all it took was a few words and she was in tears. Nataliah bit her lip; she must have really been holding it in.

But really, when it came down to it, though it had unnerved her it hadn't all that much surprised her, it was known that many agents, of both pulse and cocoon put up facades to hide who they really were from the people around them. Who's to say that Fang wasn't just a broken person inside? She certainly had the life to call for that. But right now was not the time to be having an emotional breakdown, as personal as their current mission was to Fang, a mission was a mission and Pulse wouldn't like it if it was screwed up because of emotional problems.

Nataliah didn't try to sugar coat that.

"Fang snap out of it; we'll get in trouble from the higher-ups if we screw up, I know that your life sucks, most likely even more than the usual for agents but I'm not going to let you stuff this mission up for both us because of that."

Nataliah stopped for a second, partly because she was so startled by the look Fang gave her after her past comment.

It wasn't angry or annoyed or any of the emotions that Nataliah would have thought would have been thrown her way, in fact she couldn't name what she saw in Fang's eyes in that moment. It looked as if Fang could see right through her, right into the depths of her soul.

Nataliah turned away quickly so as not to look into her eyes, she began talking again but on a more personal level that she thought Fang would maybe listen to.

"As well Fang, you know as well as me that Serah would see though any fake smiles you throw her way, she has the eyes of a hawk you know, so would you, would you please try to cheer up, just a little at least."

Fang stared long and hard at her after the words had left her mouth and the sheer amount of no emotion in her eyes them made Nataliah shiver.

"You don't know what you're asking." she uttered quietly.

Their conversation ended, Fang turned towards the window and began staring out to the outside of the car, choosing to ignore Nataliah from then on in.

Sensing the futileness of trying to talk to her again Nataliah resigned to being silent as well. She cursed the fact that she had even tried to cheer Fang up in the first place, it seemed that Fang had come out worse than she'd gone in. Nataliah sighed to herself, thinking that as least she'd be able to talk to Travis when Fang was gone. She smiled at the thought and settled in closer to her seat.

It wasn't long before they found themselves in the car park at Bodhum high; Fang got out without a word and left both Nataliah and Travis sitting in the long since silent car.

Sighing to herself again Nataliah pinched the bridge of her nose. The action piqued Travis's curiosity and he leaned backwards from the driver's seat to question her on it, "Fang bugging you?"

Nataliah nodded "Yeah, that she is."

"What happened, she was fine yesterday wasn't she?"

The statement caused Nataliah to laugh slightly but it was a dark sound "Travis I know you're new to this but you'll have to realise fast that most agents seem perfectly fine but in truth and this especially goes for ones like Fang, their nothing but." She sighed sadly. "They're just broken excuses for people."

Travis stopped with words half way to his lips, but abruptly he shook his head and turned back around to start the car.

Before he managed to get the keys even half way to the ignition Nataliah stopped him with a question.

"You scared you'll become like her aren't you?"

That question had struck the bullseye and Travis's grip on the keys tightened considerably.

Twisting around so that she faced him Nataliah slipped through the gap separating the driver's seat from the rest of the car and sat right beside Travis. Flashing him a quick smile Nataliah told him "It's hard to avoid really, when you spend your life in the game. Fang never stood a chance, she been in it since she was five, you know."

"Five?" he exclaimed in surprise.

Nataliah nodded her head "Yep, her sister was only three."

"She has a sister? Why have I never heard of her?" he asked.

"It's difficult to explain why Fang doesn't talk about her." she said rubbing her chin. "All I've really heard about her is that they weren't related by blood."

Travis didn't miss that past tense in her sentence, "Weren't?" he inquired.

Nataliah gave a sad nod of her head "Yeah." Pausing she glanced over at Travis hesitantly. "Do you remember that paperwork I gave her yesterday? You're gonna hate me for this I know, but they were about her sister."

She stopped at that but Travis encouraged her to go on "And?"

Nataliah breathed out another sigh. "They said she'd gone MIA, but you have to remember now that Fang use to work for Cocoon. Her sister never left there and well when it comes to Cocoon, MIA never actually means MIA. More than likely she's dead or locked in a torture chamber, probably by Cocoon's own hand rather than her own or another agents."

Travis stared at her long and hard after that, their breath the only thing breaking the heavy silence that had now overtaken the car.

It was Travis who spoke up first, "Why? Why would they do something like that to one of their own agents?" he asked in horror.

Nataliah shrugged "You'd be surprised at what Cocoon would do, there's good reason Pulse agents despise them to the core."

Travis breathed a sigh into the air. "I guess I can see why Fang's so upset now."

"Hm, in a way but what happened to Vanille isn't the only thing she's upset about right now."

Travis guessed that Vanille was the name of Fang's sister and he couldn't help but let the thought slip into his head, 'Heh, what a pretty name'.

Focusing back on Nataliah he asked, "What else is bothering her then?"

Nataliah returned his stare and stated "Because what happened to Vanille is déjà vu, it's bringing up memories she doesn't want to remember."

"Like what?"

Frowning sadly Nataliah turned her gaze to stare into the lap. "Let's just say that Vanille isn't the only person Fang lost this way."

Travis stayed silent, he didn't need to ask who she was talking about, he already knew.

...:...

Fang sat leaning her back against the brick wall of one of the buildings just to the side of the bus bays. Serah's bus hadn't arrived yet but some of her friends were already at school and waiting for it. She didn't make a move to approach them, to say she didn't feel like talking was a colossal understatement and she wanted to keep the time between having to talk and not having to talk as long as possible.

Fang grumbled to herself, knowing that Serah would spot her the moment she stepped off the bus. She wasn't at all in the mood to keep up that damn Topaz and Atla charade. Unfortunately that time came all too soon; the number seven bus pulled into the bus bay and students started filing out one after the other.

Nearly the exact moment Serah's feet had hit solid ground and she was out of the confines of the bus, her watchful eyes found Fang. Lifting her arm into the air, Serah waved over to her and beckoned for her to come closer.

Grumbling to herself again, Fang lifted her body off the ground and made her way over to where Serah now stood with her friends. Giving the clearly downcast Fang a smile, Serah approached her and quietly said in a voice she'd meant only Fang to hear, "What's up Atla? You don't seem too well."

Fang gave her a small shrug and told her in a small voice, "Truth be told, I don't really want to talk about it"

Severe depression was not a subject she was keen on telling Serah about.

Serah didn't pester her about it after that, as small as her voice had been the statement had a finality about it that wasn't to be questioned. Turning back to the rest of her friends Serah gave them a look she was hoping said, leave Atla alone right now. Luckily they saw her message and began a conversation amongst themselves while they made their way inside.

As they moved down the hallways Fang's mind drifted off into a world of its own, and with her mind as far away as it was Fang only picked up parts of the conversation. They seemed to be talking about the coming holiday two weeks from now but Fang wasn't too sure. Like always the conversation seemed like it was beginning to revolve wholly around Serah.

She could hear Lebreau asking her, "Topaz what you going to do in the holidays, got anything planned?"

In the corner of her vision Fang could see Serah shake her head and answering, "Nah, just going to see what happens really."

Fang saw Lebreau shrug her shoulder just before coming to a stop and pointing her finger in the air and making an 'oh' sound.

"Why don't we go to the movies or something, there are some good movies on around now, it'd be a waste not to go see at least one of them."

Fang thought she heard Serah reply to that but her mind was already drifting away from the world in front of her and she didn't like where it was going.

But to the dark, like it'd been in the morning and the night before, Serah had only been able to chase it away for so long. Her mind kept on telling her that nothing of what these kids were saying would have the chance of coming to pass. How it'd hurt to know the truth.

Looking at the latest reports from Pulse's spies, Cocoon was zoning in on Serah's location and fast. There wasn't anything much they could do anymore to protect her except be ready for when Cocoon did find her. And if those report were anything to go by, that time would be all too soon.

Fang was woken up from her deep trance by a hand clamping around her shoulder. Twisting to face whoever was gripping her, she was met with the sight of Maqui's shocked face.

"Whoa there Atla, you nearly bumped into the wall there, you should paying more attention."

Fang stared blankly at him for a few seconds before her mind caught up and she registered what he was saying. Shaking her head in an attempt to clear it of her previous thoughts she muttered a quick apology and broke away from the group surrounding her. They stared at her in confusion for a bit before she shook her head and stalked away from them, clearly not wanting to be followed.

She knew it wasn't the smartest idea in the world to leave Serah alone but now she found that suddenly she was hit with the urge to be alone and far away from people. Fang pinched her nose in annoyance, breathing out a quick "Damn it."

All it had taken was those accursed documents and that string of dreams and her façade was down and out.

Her mind just wouldn't shut up about her shitty life, choosing to emphasise every bad thing that ever happened to her and she was downright losing it. She couldn't keep her attention on what was happening around her for more than five seconds and her mind just kept taken her back to that dark place she didn't have any intention on going. Slapping both of her cheeks to bring her into reality she shook her head and breathed out a long sigh.

Glancing about the crowded halls, Fang found a way out of the place and away from people of any kind. Somewhere in her mind she noted that there were people around her giving her odd looks but couldn't care less what they thought of her behaviour. Finding a door at last, Fang stepped though it and out into the grounds beyond, seeking somewhere out of sight and out of mind.

...:...

Still in the hallway where Fang had left her, Serah stood with her friends balancing her weight on one leg from the other nervously. Biting the tip of her finger in the same nervous fashion, she turned to the others and questioned. "Shouldn't someone go after her? She didn't seem herself."

Lebreau shrugged. "Maybe not right now. We'll see how she is after class; Mrs Kathina would kill us if she caught us."

There was something weird in her voice as she said that sentence but Serah decided not to ask. "If she's there at all," Serah muttered to herself but shrugging her shoulders.

Serah followed Lebreau's advice and headed to class knowing full well that she wouldn't find Atla there.

...:...

She'd guessed right, Atla hadn't gone to class; she wasn't there first period or for the second. She wasn't even there for recess either by the time that rolled around. Walking into the cafeteria with Lebreau and Maqui, Serah proceeded to sit down at a table with her them, waiting for the others to arrive. She breathed out a long sigh as she did so. The action caught Lebreau's attention and she asked, "You still worried about Atla?"

Serah lifted her head to look up to her friends face and giving her a weak smile she answered with a quick nod. "Yeah."

Lebreau gave her a quick smile in return and with a shake of her head she said, "'Course you are."

"She didn't seem well last we saw her. I'm worried." Serah told her.

"Yes, we see that, but do you actually have any idea where she is? She could've easily of left the school grounds hours ago; the gates were still open when she left." Maqui interjected.

Pausing with words half way to her lips, Serah fell silent for a moment before answering "You kind of have a point there," she said scratching the back of her neck.

Maqui gave a quick 'hm' sound before returning to eating his lunch and leaving Lebreau and Serah to their conversation.

Serah blew out a long sigh and rested her elbows on the table where she sat "He's right, I guess she might not even be here anymore" she muttered.

"Hmmm." leaning closer Lebreau said quietly "But what if she is? You know as well as do that she could use your help right now; you should try and find her."

Biting her lip Serah contemplated what Lebreau had said before nodding her head and saying "I think I will actually."

Getting up from the table she announced the same to Maqui and walked across the tiled floors to the door out of the cafeteria and left to search for Atla.

...:...

Fang breathed out a sigh and changed into a more comfortable position against the wall. She wasn't surprised that no one had found her; she'd hidden herself at the back of the biggest building on school premises. Said back of building faced the fence that was the border of the school, it was only visible if you looked out of a handful of the windows but she'd made sure to keep clear of them.

Satisfied with the position she'd changed into, Fang closed her eyes again.

She wasn't sure why she'd left; she just couldn't be around people right now. The kids that went to this school had no idea of her troubles, no idea of what was really happening out there. Neither did any of the adults here, excluding any cocoon operatives scouting out new recruits. Fang bit her lip at that thought, how strange it that it was when she was ordered to keep watch of Serah here that he had been stationed here.

"Rosch" she muttered into the air.

She pulled at the silvery-black wig that adorned her head, staring at its long strands. How simply had she managed to get under his sights?

A wig, contact lenses, eye lash extensions, some makeup and not using her actual voice were all it took for him not to recognise her. It was pitiful that a highly trained cocoon agent could not recognise her with such disguise. A kid could recognise her for the love of god. A smile crossed her face at that thought; she actually had proof of that one.

Leaning forward some, Fang laid her head on the knees, crossing her arms around them.

Her thoughts began to swirl around Rosch, memories drawing themselves up from her conscious and flashing in her mind for seconds before floating back down to the darkness. That man had caused her so much pain throughout her life.

For starters he'd never shown a shred of kindness to her or any proof that he even possessed a heart. But his perpetual cruelty to her was only small when compared to the rest of the man's offences. He'd done his best to traumatise Vanille from a young age, something he'd explained in great detail to her when she'd been locked up in cocoon's torture chamber.

A shiver ran up her spine at the thought of the place but she did her best to ignore it.

He'd put Jihl though all hell every moment of their married life, something that was certainly still happening. Fang's hand tightened into a fist as the thoughts kept coming. He'd decided to kill her after she'd found him trying to rape Vanille. She evaded being killed back than by her defection but that hadn't stopped him from seriously attempting to see her to her death a number of times when they'd come face to face afterwards and believe you me, that number wasn't anything small. But that wasn't the worst of it at all.

There was still what he'd done in the torture chamber to account for and that had been beyond there was that mission, the resounding fact that it was his fault, his fault that Light…that Light–

Fang shook her head roughly, trying to expel the thoughts; they would only manage to drag her down again. But as she felt tears lace her eyes at the memories she knew she damage was done.

Her mind fell back to the dark.

...:...

Peering around the side of D block, Serah picked up to what was very obviously the sound of crying.

Tossing up whether or not to actually check around the building, seeing as it was one of the most obviously out of bounds in the school. Her mind made up, she tentatively stepped forward and walked pass the side of the building and towards its back. Dead grass scrunched under her feet and she wondered if the sound of it would scare the person off.

But it hadn't.

"Atla," Serah said quietly upon seeing just who had been around the building.

Atla didn't respond to her, so walked closer to her and said louder, "Atla!"

With Atla still giving her no response Serah walked to stand by her side and sat down next to her.

Observing the sobbing girl quietly, Serah found that Atla didn't seem at all aware of her presence in the area; she was just sitting there, crying, in a world of her own. So she lifted her hand and placed it on Alta's shoulder giving her a little shake.

"Atla," she whispered quietly.

The motion woke Atla up from her daze almost instantly and she looked up to the girl who sat beside her. She stared at Serah for a moment before a strangled sound managed to escape her mouth and she leaned over and pressed her head into the nook of Serah's shoulder and continued to sob.

Serah was taken aback by the suddenness of the movement, but even so she raised her hand and placed it on the small of Atla's back, cradling her as she sobbed into her chest. Wondering as she did so, what on Earth had caused Atla to become so depressed, or had she always been like this and just never let it show?

Had all she'd known of the woman been nothing but a façade?

And that's the chapter. Now for the other thing I told you I would tell you here.

It was my brother's 17th birthday yesterday so he had a party and his friend came over (He had 19 friends over, that not even all he has). Now theres a tradition among his friend that every birthday a few people have to chip in for a dud present (They once all chiped in to buy someone shampoo) So when he was opening his presents, he picks up the biggest one and reads the note taped to it.

This note said "From Chris and Anthony, shortening your grocery bills since 2011."

So he opens it and guess whats inside, ten boxes of coco pops cereal and two chocolate rabbits. (His friend proceeded to steal the rabbits when he was distracted) So currently I now have ten boxes of coco pops in my lougeroom, one of which was already partially eaten because apparently Anthony got hungry.

Mattpuppy and his friend are insane so this is all the norm for them.

Getting back to the story, please review, please please review, there are about 40 hits on the last chapter but I only have 4 reviews, if I don't get any more I swear I'm gonna go insane.

So please find it in your heart to review.