Chapter 4: Broken Promises

The days following our incident at the hologram theatre seemed somewhat strained. We'd fallen into a domestic mode, doing mundane activities when Tidus returned from practice. He'd cook our meals and I'd help clean up afterward. We'd watch some shows on the sphere and even played a few video games he owned. But our excursions downtown had come to an abrupt end, which had left me feeling a little disappointed.

Those days and nights spent out on the town had really helped to distract me from my current predicament. Now that they'd ended, keeping my mind from wandering to dark places had as well.

During the day, when Tidus was at practice, I found myself staring at the small device I'd kept on me at all times, hoping it would light up or make some kind of sound that indicated the time machine had been fixed and that I'd be transported back home.

But that never came.

My thoughts began to morph into disturbing visions of Tidus fading away permanently, me dying on my pilgrimage, or even worse—Spira being destroyed. I could blame Shinra all I wanted, but I'd been the one who knocked on Tidus' door, knowing what the dangers of us meeting there could bring. My emotions won over my better judgement in the end. And that was my fault. I'd allowed it to happen. I…messed up in a huge way.

Now, I had to wonder if I even had a world to return to.

Just then, the door opened and Tidus walked in, hair still damp from the sphere pool as he made his way over to where I sat on the sofa.

"Hey, whatcha up to?"

"Oh, uh…" I clipped the device I'd been holding in my hands back onto my belt then forced a smile. "Nothing really. Just checking if it's working yet."

"Yeah, kinda figured." Seeming uneasy all of a sudden, Tidus rubbed the back of his neck then exhaled heavily. "Look, I know I've been a lousy tour guide lately and…well, I wanna make it up to you, tonight. It's the weekend and I normally hang out with a few friends from the Abes the night before a game at that dance club I'd told you about. I, uh…" Tidus was now fidgeting with the chain on his blitz uniform, looking a little nervous. "I'd like it if you joined me. I think we'd have a blast! Besides, it'd be a shame if you didn't show off at least one of those designer dresses."

A wide smile bloomed on my lips. This was exactly the distraction I needed!

"I'd love to accompany you."

"Great!" His face brightened. "I'll go get cleaned up and make us dinner. You'll love it there, I promise. We're gonna have loads of fun!"

"I…look forward to it."

Tidus then hurried off down to the lower level, leaving me hopeful for the evening ahead. But I was still rather deflated from thinking about everything else. There had to be a way to fix things. I couldn't undo what I'd already done, however…maybe someone… or rather something else could.

"The fayth…" I whispered. They'd pulled Tidus from Zanarkand into Spira. If they somehow knew what'd happened. If someone could alert them to what I'd done… But who?

Then it struck me like a bolt of lightning from a thunder spell—Auron!

He could be the key! Tidus had mentioned that he'd never missed one of his games. And tomorrow night, he had a game! If Auron appeared, even briefly, it could be my only chance to correct things.

Relief washed over me, along with a renewed sense of hope. Maybe whatever damage I'd done by being there could be reversed somehow. I had to believe it could. Spira's future depended on it.

Dinner had been delicious as always. Tidus had made us a stir-fry, explaining how we needed to eat something light if we're going to be out dancing all night. And I couldn't have agreed more.

The conversation between us during dinner had been light as well. Tidus told me a little about his friends who I'd be meeting at the club, while I marvelled at how handsome he looked in the outfit he'd changed into before making our meal.

Blue suited him well. And the dark shade of the short-sleeved, dress-shirt he chose to wear really brought out his eyes. I'd only seen Tidus wear dress pants once before, and that'd been when he'd proposed at the end of our trip in Luca at that fancy restaurant by the sea. He looked so mature and…sexy.

Once we'd finished our meal, Tidus shooed me away from the dishes and insisted on doing them while I got ready for the evening.

The warm shower had helped to ease my nerves a little. I was excited about finally going out, but sort of nervous, too. It felt like we were going on a date. And it shouldn't have bothered me so much, since I'd already formulated a plan to fix everything. But I couldn't help being apprehensive. Things between us had been somewhat tense up until a couple hours ago.

That brief kiss was still on my mind. And I'm sure Tidus hadn't forgotten it either. I didn't want to hurt him though. I'd have to return home. I just hoped my fiancé was still there when I did. And that he was still…him.

After zipping up my dress, I inspected myself in the mirror of Tidus' old room and was pleased with the result. The strapless, high-low dress Tidus had chosen earlier in the week seemed appropriate. It was a stunning shade of aqua and went well with the silver, lace-up sandals I'd picked out. There was only one problem—I had no idea where I'd place the transporting device.

Since the dress was flowy enough, I decided to clip it onto the belt of my garment grid then fastened it around my hips underneath the dress. Mission accomplished! The material flowed out enough that no one would be able to tell I was wearing it.

"Yuna, you almost ready?" Tidus called from what sounded like the top of the stairs. "The limo's over in the lot waiting for us!"

With one final look at my reflection, I smoothed my hands over my short, mocha-colored layers then hurried out of the room to meet him on the main level.

"Sorry, I took so long," I apologized, stepping into the living room to greet him with a sheepish smile.

Tidus stood by the sofa, mouth slightly agape as his gaze carefully raked over me. "You look amazing!"

"Well, you picked it out, remember?" I indicated with a tilt of my head and a sweet smile.

"I know. I have damn good taste." Grin widening, Tidus made his way over, hooked his arm in mine and escorted me to the door. "I got a feeling you're gonna be turning heads, tonight. Good thing you got me for a bodyguard, huh?"

Bodyguard. Guardian. What did it matter? Tidus always seemed to assume a similar role when it involved me, even when I became skilled enough to protect myself. And I suppose that had everything to do with how much he'd lost over the years. At least that was the conclusion I'd come to, especially since meeting this younger version of him, who seemed starved of any real affection.

"Actually, with my skills I could be your bodyguard as well."

Tidus released a sharp bark of a laugh as he set the security system and locked the door behind. "Yeah, no doubt you could. But they don't allow weapons of any kind into where we're going."

"What makes you think I need a weapon?"

"Don't tell me—you've mastered mixed martial arts as well?"

I giggled and shook my head. "No..."

Then, I pointed a finger at the railing of the boat to demonstrate. A thick coat of ice formed around the metal and shattered, leaving the railing undamaged and providing the visual proof I needed.

"So, you're a mage, too!" He chuckled. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised." Resting a protective hand against the small of my back, Tidus guided me over to the docks. "You got an endless coffer of talents, dontcha?"

"Wait until we hit that dance floor."

His grin widened. "Can't wait."

The limo ride had been amazing! I'd never had the opportunity to ride in something so glamorous. Spira may have had a couple advanced airships, but Zanarkand had a wide range of other convenient and luxurious modes of transportation that we could've easily benefited from. And I had to wonder why Shinra hadn't spent his time inventing ones similar for Spira instead of that dangerous Quantum Bender.

When we arrived at our destination, the driver exited the vehicle and opened the door for us.

Tidus gripped my hand and smiled. "As I'm sure you know, we're gonna be blinded with camera flashes until we get inside. The bouncer obviously knows me, so he'll get us in real quick. Just don't let go of my hand, okay?"

"Okay," I answered with a firm nod.

"Alright, let's go."

It was just as Tidus had mentioned. There were several blinding flashes followed by cheering fans and girl's screaming for his attention. I could hardly make out all the people lined up to get inside, but the tall, burly man standing guard of the entrance, quickly paved a way for us to safely enter the nightclub.

Once we were inside, I barely had time to take in the lively atmosphere before we were ushered by another bouncer into the V.I.P section upstairs.

It was dark with colorful laser-lights beaming in every direction to the beat of the techno music booming all around us. Another dance floor was located on the upper level that was just as packed with people dancing as the one below had been.

Tidus tightened his grip on my hand and led me over to the bar, which was heavily decorated in neon lights and swarmed by patrons.

Leaning in so I could hear, he asked, "Whatcha wanna drink?"

Good question. I didn't drink often. And when I had, it was usually only a glass of wine.

"What can I getcha?" The shapely, female bartender quickly wiped down the black, marble counter then greeted us with a friendly smile. "Oh, hey Tidus!" Seeming exhausted, she blew her brunette bangs out of her face and set a glass onto the counter. "You havin' your usual, tonight?"

"Yeah, a whiskey-sour and she'll have…" Tidus looked at me expectantly.

"Um…do they have any wine?"

"Not any that's good, trust me," he advised. "Try a cocktail. They're great here."

"Um…" I didn't drink too many of those. And I certainly didn't know any of them by name.

"Do you like sex on the beach?"

"What!?"

"The drink," he clarified with an amused grin. "Have you had it before?"

"Oh, um…no, I haven't."

"I think you'll like it." Turning his attention back to the bartender, who'd already begun mixing his drink, he shouted over the music, "And one sex on the beach, Leana!"

"You got it! Hey, your crew of misfits are waitin' for ya in the lounge. Why dontcha head on over and I'll send Rofa in with your drinks when they're ready."

Tidus gave an informal salute and chuckled. "Roger!"

With his hand at the small of my back, Tidus led me over to a dimly-lit room off to the side where the music wasn't so loud. Candles enclosed in elegant lanterns flickered atop each of the low-sitting lounge-tables that were set around the intimate space and accompanied by several modern sofa-seats, occupied by what I assumed were his friends.

"Tidus!" they all cheered in unison.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm here." He brushed off the greeting as if it were nothing new then gestured to me in introduction. "Guys, this is Yuna."

"Hey Yuna!" Two, bald guys seated near the back, who I assumed were twins from their identical features—except for the one with the goatee—both held up their beer bottles in greeting.

"Charmed," muttered a young woman who seemed rather irritated, sitting alone on an ottoman with an array of long, violet-colored braids framing her deep-bronze cheeks.

And the spikey, raven-haired guy, along with the girl who had stunning rose-gold locks, both glanced up from the sofa where they were situated and gave an exuberant, "What's up!"

"It's…nice to meet you all."

"Too bad Tidus hasn't introduced us yet." The guy with the goatee shot a playful glower in their team captain's direction.

"Hey, I was getting to that!" Tidus fired back. "Yuna, those two bozos back there are the twins, Daz and Raines. Daz grew a goatee so we wouldn't mix them up anymore," he teased then pointed over to the spikey-haired guy and the girl with the rose-gold tresses. "That's Seven and Ceci. And that one over there," he gestured to the young woman donning violet-colored braids and a stoic expression, "is Jade."

"Again, it's so very nice to—"

"That's one hell of dress you're wearing," Jade rudely interjected, her hazel eyes narrowing in suspicion. "You a model or something?"

"Oh, uh…no."

"Then how'd you score one of Chanez Foren's latest designs? It was just unveiled two weeks ago at the summer fashion show."

"And she looks damn good in it, doesn't she?" Tidus returned with a smug grin, taking a seat on one of the vacant sofas and tugging me down to join him.

"Oooh…" Seven winced, turning to look at Jade. "Better back off this one, sister."

"What?" She innocently shrugged. "I can't ask a valid question?"

"Pay no attention to her," Ceci advised, waving a dismissive hand at the offending party. "She's just jealous that she's not the one wearing it."

"Oh, jump up my ass!"

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Ceci playfully stuck her tongue out at Jade, who responded by leaning over to shove a lemon wedge into the pink-haired girl's mouth.

Laughing at the girls antics, Raines took a sip of his beer and continued to chuckle once he swallowed. "Ah, you can feel the love in this room."

"Yeah, one happy dysfunctional family," Daz added with a sneer.

Sensing my mild discomfort, Tidus leaned in and gave me a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. They're harmless, I swear."

"Well, except for Jade." Seven grinned, raking a hand through his spiky, black wisps. "She can be a crazy bitch when she wants to."

"C'mon guys, cut it out!" Tidus warned. "We didn't come here to hear squabbling all night."

The room fell silent, but thankfully, the guy tasked with bringing our drinks had arrived and promptly brought them over to us, providing a brief distraction.

"Alright, one sex on the beach for the lady and a whiskey-sour for our star player." He then proceeded to address the rest of the room in an equally cheerful voice, "Do any of you need a refill?"

Daz held up his bottle. "Yeah two more beers over here."

"Seven and I are running empty as well," Ceci answered.

"I'll be switching to a double bourbon," Jade chimed in. "Straight up."

"Right away!" The waiter then took his leave, ducking out of the room in a hurry.

"Well, this is a switch." Finger circling the rim of her half-empty glass, Jade glanced up at Tidus with a raised brow. "You never acted so defensive of one of your flings before."

"She's not a fling!" Tidus spat.

"Yeah, I got that when I spotted the rock on her finger."

"What!?" Both Ceci and Seven's eyes widened in surprise, prompting Daz and Raines to simultaneously jump out of their seats to get a closer look.

"Holy shit!" Raines choked in shock. "You seriously gonna settle down!?"

"And we're just meeting her now?" Daz groused.

"Hey, you got it all wrong!" Tidus snapped. "She's…"

For some reason he couldn't say it. I had my suspicions as to why though. So, I had to say what he couldn't. "I'm engaged to…someone else."

"You're kidding?" Jade muttered, her piercing gaze shifting over to Tidus. "I know you like living on the edge, but this is just plain crazy—not to mention pretty low. Having an affair with someone else's girl? You're just asking for a bullet between the eyes."

A fiery rage rushed through my veins. That girl didn't seem to like me from the start. And I wasn't too bothered by it. But now, she was attacking the man I loved.

"We're not having an affair!" I protested. "We're just…friends!"

Rubbing a finger over her bottom lip, Jade studied Tidus' conflicted expression, seeming to draw her own conclusions. "Is that why you bought her that dress?"

"Yo Jade, let it go," Daz warned. "You're only gonna piss him off."

"Well, someone needs to look out for him!" Jade craned her neck to shoot the bald man a stern look. "I don't see you or anyone else stepping up to the plate!"

Tidus' brow dipped low in offense. "I don't need anyone looking out for me! I've done fine on my own all these years. Yuna's a friend I'm helping out, right now. She doesn't deserve to be treated this way and accused of having an affair."

"You're right, Tee," Ceci agreed. "Neither of you deserve to be interrogated like this. And if someone can't respect that then maybe they should leave."

Jade skewered the fair, blue-eyed girl with a glance. "Are you for real, right now?"

"I'm with Cici on this one." Seven leaned back on the sofa and laced his hands behind his head. "You've been spitting fire ever since Yuna walked into the room."

"That's only because you're too blind to see what's really going on here."

Raines scoffed then shook his head in disgust. "Then enlighten us, oh wise gypsy from A-East."

"That's enough!" Tidus boomed. Reaching for his glass, he downed the whiskey in it, tipping his head back to suck back the final drops, before slamming it down onto the table in front. "I'm sorry, Yuna. Coming here was obviously a mistake. We should go."

"Aww… C'mon," Daz whined. "Don't leave just because Jade's pmsing or whatever."

"Nah, I'm done." Tidus went to stand and offered me his hand along with a regretful smile. "Let's get outta here, Yuna."

Accepting the gesture, I stood and exited the lounge with him, but stopped and tugged on his arm when he tried to head over in the direction of the stairs.

"What's wrong?"

"We came here to dance, didn't we?"

Tidus scratched his head and heaved a tired sigh. "You still wanna dance after all that?"

"Of course! Don't let what Jade said ruin the night. We came here to have fun, remember?"

"That's right." His smile returned. "Alright then, let's show these guys how it's done, huh?"

With my hand firmly in his, Tidus led me through the crowd onto the dance floor as the music changed into the smooth, sexy beat of Rhythm and Blues.

I closed my eyes and surrendered to the song, moving my body to the fluid beat.

Dancing for me was exciting, liberating, and my guilty little pleasure I pretended not to like so much back in Spira. But Tidus could see right through it from the parties we'd attended. I loved dancing. I just didn't like being the main attraction all the time.

Suddenly, Tidus' hands were on my hips and his hot breath tickled my bare shoulder, sending a pleasurable shiver down my spine. I stifled a groan and arched my back against his chest as our bodies flowed to the sensual rhythm.

Somehow I'd forgotten how dancing to something like this with a partner could be so…erotic. But as fate would have it, the thumping techno and bubbly pop music had transitioned into these smooth, sexy beats that had Tidus and I all but making love on that dance floor with every sensual sway of our hips.

It didn't help any that I knew how it felt to be beneath him, or above, as our bodies danced to the rhythm of our hearts. Those erotic memories flooded my mind. Our breaths hot and heavy, palms gliding over warm skin, slick from our efforts. The little sighs of pleasure, stifled by slow, sensual kisses filled with love. How I missed it—the intimacy, the love we shared. Our dance was a torturous tease, threatening to shatter what was left of my resolve.

Drawing back, Tidus whirled me around to face him then pulled me close. Our eyes locked, and I gripped his shoulders. Those strong hands slid up to my waist then back down to my hips as our bodies flowed effortlessly to the rhythm of the song.

Pulsing with desire, I shut my eyes and released a trembling breath. I was getting caught up in the moment and needed to regain some semblance of control before I did something I would end up regretting.

But when I opened my eyes and caught the hunger in his, all coherent thought was lost. All I could see was the man I loved. My best friend. My lover. The man I was going to marry.

"Yeah, you two look like you're just friends," a venomous voice came beside us, halting our movements and anchoring us back to reality.

"Dammit Jade!" Tidus seethed, chopping the air with his arm like a sword. "Dontcha have anything better to do than trying to ruin our night?"

"Are you really that dense?" she shot back.

"There you are!" Daz emerged from the dancing crowd and grimaced when he caught sight of us in our stand-off with Jade. "Ah shit… We thought you guys left. If I knew you were out here, I would've steered her away."

"Stop talking like you control me!"

"Maybe you should take your own advice and stop trying to control me!" Tidus punctuated, pointing to himself.

"I think Yuna and I need to have a little talk." Jade pitched me a look that would melt steel then added, "In the ladies room."

"Not gonna happen!" Tidus rushed to my defense. "So why dontcha back off, already!"

Sensing this young woman actually meant well, I relented and decided to take her up on her offer. "No, it's fine, really. If Jade wants to speak with me then I'd be happy to ease any of her concerns."

"Yuna, you don't have to do this. You don't owe her anything."

"I know. But maybe it would help. She seems to genuinely care about you. And I don't want to give the wrong impression. These are your friends after all."

"See, that wasn't so hard, now was it?" Jade gloated.

Clapping a hand at the back of Tidus' shoulder, Daz jerked his dark-haired chin over in the direction of the bar. "Let's go have a drink while these two hash shit out."

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Tidus was intent on giving me a way out. And while I appreciated his concern, I felt like this was something I needed to do.

"Yes, I'm sure. Don't worry. I'll be fine. You should know that by now." It was Jade that would have to worry if she tried anything. But I doubted it would come to that.

"Fine, I'll wait for you at the bar with Daz."

After giving him a sure nod, I followed Jade out of the crowd and over to the ladies room where we stepped inside for a few moments of tense silence.

"So talk," I finally spoke, folding my arms, impatiently waiting for her interrogation.

"What's your game?" Her narrowed gaze came at me like a pair of piercing daggers ready to strike.

"What do you mean?"

"What kinda game you playing with him?"

"I'm not playing any game."

Jade snorted and shook her head. "Look, I've known Tidus for the past two years and he's never acted this way around anyone before. You know he's got it bad for you, right?"

And that's what I'd been afraid of. Denying my feelings for him was pointless now, especially after what she'd witnessed on that dance floor. Even I knew that. The way we were moving our bodies had been far from innocent. And if I tried to convince her otherwise, she'd think I was leading Tidus on to take advantage of his generosity. I couldn't allow that either.

Rubbing the tension I felt forming at the back of my neck, I let out a troubled sigh and dropped my gaze. "It's…complicated."

"Yeah, I'd say. You're engaged to someone else."

Actually, I wasn't. But she had no way of knowing the truth, or Tidus for that matter.

"Where does Tidus fit into all this? Are you gonna ditch your fiancé for him?"

Choosing my words carefully, I inhaled a quick breath then responded on the exhale, "Tidus is…my future. That's all you need to know."

"Does he know that?" Her sharp gaze bore into mine, demanding an answer. "Does your fiancé know that?"

They were the same person! I wanted to scream that so badly. I wanted to wake up and find myself safely beside him in our bed. But that wasn't going to happen. I had to deal with this as best I could. And the deeper I fell into this mess I'd made, the harder it became to claw my way out.

"This is a complicated personal matter. I'd prefer it if Tidus doesn't learn about this from anyone but me."

Hands planted firmly on her hips, Jade tossed me a doubtful look. "Sounds like you're hiding something. I'm gonna ask you again, do you plan to ditch your fiancé for Tidus, or are gonna string him along?"

"I'm not stringing him along!" I hollered. "I already told you. Tidus is my future."

"Yeah, but as some fling on the side or…"

"I love him, okay! There's no one else but him!" I probably shouldn't have revealed that.

"Except for this fiancé of yours."

This woman was infuriating. But I suppose I could understand her concern. "You really care about him, don't you?"

"Of course I do! We're the only real family he has. Tidus went half his life without one. And even before losing both his parents, he didn't have much of one growing up."

"I know that."

"Then you should know how vulnerable he is. Love has been nothing but a myth to him. But now, I can see that's changed. He's falling for you. And if this goes any further between you guys and you break his heart—it would devastate him."

"That has never been my intention."

"Then we have an understanding. Either you drop your fiancé or you drop him. You can't have it both ways. Tidus deserves better than that."

Something seemed a little off. And I had to wonder if there was more to this story. "Are you… Are you in love with him?"

Jade gave a terse laugh. "Hardly. You're more my type if you know what I mean."

"Oh…" I didn't see that coming, however, it did provide me with some relief.

"Tidus, Ceci, and the guys are pretty well family to me. I lost mine at a young age as well. We don't exactly say that to one another, but I thought it was something we all knew."

"I think Tidus needs to hear that from one of you."

"Well, I think Tidus needs to know how you feel. And what you plan to do about it."

At that point, I was worried about her spilling all of what I'd revealed in that restroom to him. I'd already said too much, but I knew she wouldn't have backed off otherwise. I'd been so driven by emotion since ending up in Zanarkand that my judgement had been completely clouded the entire time.

"Please don't tell Tidus what we discussed here. This is a delicate situation that I need to handle in my own way. If you care at all about him as you say, you won't interfere."

Folding her arms, Jade peered into my eyes as if they held the answers to an age old secret. "What exactly are you hiding, Yuna?"

"I'd do anything to keep Tidus safe. I don't expect you to believe that, but it's true. And I'll do whatever it takes to secure a life with him. But I can't do that, if you or anyone else interferes, right now."

"Is this fiancé of yours some crazy lunatic we need to worry about?"

"No," I assured with a slow sweep of my head. "It's not that. It's…something only I can fix. And we need to leave it at that."

"Well, whatever you need to fix, do so without hurting Tidus, alright? He's had a hard enough life."

"Mm…" I gave a sure nod then turned to leave.

"Yuna…"

Pausing, I glanced over my shoulder, reluctant to hear anything else this woman had to say.

"He might act all confident and tough but…he's a real softie inside. Just remember that."

And I knew that all-too-well. "I know. I don't intend to hurt him. You have to believe me when I say that."

Feeling as though the walls were caving in, I hurried out of there and over to the bar where Tidus stood chatting with Daz.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Mhm…" That wasn't actually true. I was starting to feel a bit dizzy. "Can we leave?"

"Why?" Tidus furrowed his brow. "What'd she say to you?"

"It's not that," I assured. "I'm just feeling a little faint."

"Do you need to go to an infirmary?" Daz asked with concern.

"No, no, it's nothing like that. I just…need to lie down."

"You sure?" Tidus persisted.

"Mhm."

"Alright then. I'll take you home."

"Oh, I almost forgot to tell ya," Daz piped up. "The limos have been moved out back since the crowd outside got kinda rowdy just after you guys arrived."

"Who told you that?" Tidus inquired.

"Rofa did when he brought over our refills."

"Alright man, thanks for the heads-up. I'll see ya tomorrow night."

"Yeah, we're gonna kick their asses, right?"

"You bet!" Sliding a protective arm around my waist, Tidus ushered me over to the stairwell down to the lower level then around back to a separate door leading outside. "You gonna be, okay?"

The fresh, evening air seemed to help ease my nerves a little to the point where I wasn't feeling so dizzy anymore. "Yes, I… I'll be fine."

"Over here, Mister Tidus!" The limo driver parked near the rear of the alley waved and opened the door for us. "Right this way."

I ducked inside and Tidus scooted in after me, concern mounting on his face.

"Do you want me to getcha some water?"

"Yes, please."

Leaning over, Tidus grabbed a bottle out of the mini-bar at the side then handed it to me. "Do you need anything else?"

"I'm fine, really," I insisted, twisting the cap off to take a sip. "You can stop worrying."

"Home, Mister Tidus?" asked the driver over the intercom.

Tidus pressed the button near the window to confirm, "Yeah, take us home."

Home… Home was back in Spira at our Luca condo. And I had to wonder if I'd ever see it again at this rate.

Draping an arm over my shoulders, Tidus proceeded to apologize for how the evening went as if it were somehow his fault.

"I'm really sorry, Yuna. If I'd known this would've happened…"

"Stop… You're not responsible for how your friends act. It was only Jade and…well, she's just concerned for your well-being."

"She's got a funny way of showing it. She likes to meddle and can be a real pain at times."

"She means well."

"What all did she say to you?"

"She, um… She just wanted to make sure my story checked out. And that I wasn't…trying to take advantage of you or anything."

Tidus' lips pressed into a thin line, gaze growing distant as he looked away. "I guess you got the third degree, huh?"

"It wasn't that bad, really."

"If you say so."

We fell into an awkward silence for the remainder of the ride. Tidus would glance down at me every-so-often to make sure I was okay, and I'd reassure him with a tiny smile each time.

My mind kept wandering back to us on that dance floor, though, before we were rudely interrupted. As irritated as I'd been at the time, I was actually grateful for what Jade had done. I'd been so close to surrendering to my desires.

The feel of Tidus' hands sliding over my body accompanied by the hunger swirling in his eyes had snapped the fine tethers holding my resolve. He could've had his way with me on that dance floor and I wouldn't have stopped him.

There'd been many occasions where I'd been powerless to Tidus' advances back in Spira. Resisting them had never been easy, but now, it was an agonizing task. It had to be this way though. That's what I had to keep reminding myself…for both our sake's.

When we arrived back at the houseboat, Tidus escorted me over to the sofa and sat next to me, still looking regretful and a bit worried. "You feeling any better?"

"I am, actually."

His expression relaxed into a relieved smile. "Good. I was really worried about you."

"You don't need to worry. I'm stronger than I look."

"Yeah, it takes someone made of steel to deal with Jade when she gets all crazy."

"I think she's just misunderstood. She…kind of reminds me of a friend back home."

"Really?" Tidus lifted a brow.

I giggled with a nod, thinking of how much Jade reminded me of Paine. Maybe that's why they'd become fast friends.

"Mhm… Paine is the same way. She can be overprotective of the people she cares about."

"Paine, huh?" he repeated with a light chuckle. "Sounds like a name that should've been reserved for Jade."

"They both may appear tough, but they have soft centers." Like someone else I knew.

"Guess it's hard to imagine that of Jade. But you seem to have pretty good insights, so…"

"Don't sell yourself short. You can be quite insightful as well."

"Really?" A playful smile touched his lips. "Well then… I'm thinking you're not quite ready to crash for the night. So, whaddaya say we have one last dance before you do?"

"Right here?" I blinked in surprise.

"Yeah, why not?" Grabbing the remote off the coffee-table, Tidus hit a button, dimming the lights as a soft ballad filled the room. "They don't play this kinda stuff at the club but…I thought it'd be a nice way to end the evening." Tidus then stood and held out his hand. "C'mon, whaddaya say?"

Well, we wouldn't be bumping and grinding like we were to that song at the club. But this also had the potential to lead somewhere I wasn't prepared to go. Tidus was falling for me. And Jade had confirmed as much. I didn't want him to fall any deeper.

And yet, I found myself accepting his hand as I stood, following him over to the space near the window.

His hands carefully slid around my waist, and mine looped around his neck. Our bodies slowly swayed to the music, finding a perfect rhythm to each gentle note.

Those gorgeous blue eyes held my gaze, no longer possessing the doubt and curiosity of when I'd first appeared outside his door a week ago. Now, they were gleaming with the same love and adoration of the man I'd left behind in Spira. And as much as I'd wanted that from the beginning, it wouldn't be fair to him—to us.

"I didn't get a chance to tell ya back at the club but…you're a real good dancer, Yuna."

"Oh, uh…" In an effort to hide the blush I felt creeping over my cheeks, I looked away and shyly bit down on my lower lip before meeting his gaze once again. "You're not so bad yourself."

My compliment was rewarded with his cute, boyish smile, only for it to drop a moment later in regret. "I wish Jade hadn't given you such a hard time. I really wanted us to have fun tonight. You didn't even get a chance to have your drink."

"It's fine, really. You had no way of knowing how she'd react."

"Mmm… I dunno. Jade's never been very fond of anyone outside our group. She gets all defensive and snippy. I guess I should've expected it."

"She just cares a great deal for you. I think she's adopted the idea of you being her little brother."

Tidus snorted at the notion then shook his head with a lopsided grin. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Never really thought of it that way before."

"There are more people here that care about you than you think."

Expression growing thoughtful, Tidus peered into my eyes and dared to ask, "Does that include you?"

My stomach swooped into an intense flutter. Of course it did. I just wasn't sure how to tactfully answer without alluding to more or worse—making him think I didn't.

Throat suddenly dry, I swallowed hard, my voice coming barely above a whisper, "Yes, I do care about you. You've been nothing but very kind and sweet to me and…not everyone would take someone in they…didn't know and help them out. You have a big heart."

"I care a lot about you, too, y'know?" There was a smouldering look in his eye that had me bound—it was the same one I'd seen when we were dancing back at the club. "And I really am sorry, Yuna."

Again with the apologies? He really needed to stop. It wasn't his fault. "Tidus… You have nothing to be sorry for. What Jade—"

"I'm not talking about Jade and what happened at the club," he interjected, expression deadly serious.

Now, I was completely confused. "Then for…?"

"For breaking my promise."

Promise? What promise? "I'm not sure I under—"

But before I could finish, Tidus leaned in and claimed my lips in a full, tender kiss that had my blood sailing through my veins at breakneck speed.

Alarms were sounding off in my head, signaling for me to pull away. But instead, I found myself reciprocating the gesture all-too-similar to when he'd surprised me at the spring in Macalania. The warmth of his lips, the woody scent of his cologne, and the depth of emotion behind his kiss were just…too irresistible. I was melting into it—melting into his loving arms with every meaningful glide of his lips.

No… I couldn't allow this to continue. I just couldn't… It wouldn't be right.

Just as Tidus tried to deepen our kiss, I pulled away and out of his embrace, cupping a hand over my mouth in shock of what I'd allowed to happen.

"Yuna…" His voice was as troubled as his marred expression, brows knitting together with uncertainty. "I'm sorry but I can't help what I feel for you. I've tried to fight it. I really have. But you gotta admit—there's something happening between us. And I know you feel it, too. I felt it in that kiss and the way we were dancing at the club and even here."

There was no easy way to walk this back. But I had to try. Hugging my arms for comfort, I prepared to present my case.

"What you felt was a woman desperately missing her fiancé." And that wasn't a lie.

But from Tidus' doubtful look, he wasn't buying any of it. "You haven't mentioned him in almost a week." He then breezed past me to grab the remote off the coffee-table, turning off the music and brightening the lights. "That doesn't sound like someone who's missing the love of their life."

"Because mentioning him is just…too difficult. You even suggested we shouldn't because of how upset I'd become earlier in the week, do you not remember?"

"Yeah, I do," he quietly admitted, stepping directly in front of me, offering little space between us. "But I think you're afraid to admit that this past week we've spent together has changed things. There's something going on between us, Yuna. You can't deny that."

But I had to… "You don't understand."

"You're engaged—I get it. And trust me—I've been fighting these feelings because of that reason. But didya ever think that maybe this guy… Maybe he's not the right one, y'know? Maybe you ending up here was meant to be. Maybe we were supposed to meet."

Yes, but not for another month at the very least. "This isn't fate. It was a—"

"Don't say it was a mistake."

The desperation on his face accompanied by a tinge of hurt had me swelling with guilt.

"I… I can't do this right now."

Just when I was ready to bolt from the room, the doorbell chimed, providing a welcomed reprieve to our intense conversation.

Tidus, however, didn't budge, allowing the doorbell to chime once more.

"You should answer that."

"I don't wanna table this, Yuna. We need to talk about it."

Whoever was outside had now resorted to banging on the door with their fist.

"By the sound of it, there's someone outside that needs to talk to you first."

Frustrated, Tidus blew out an annoyed breath and hurried over to the door to finally open it for whoever was pounding on the other side.

"About time!" A girl around Tidus' age stood in the doorway, wearing a white, skin tight dress that barely covered her bottom and black knee-high boots that matched the dark tresses of hair falling over her shoulders just above the cleavage she was obviously pushing forward to entice him with. "What took you so long?"

"Allie!" Tidus cried in shock. "What're you doing here?"

So she was his recent fling. She was pretty, but trying too hard with that trampy outfit.

"It's the start of the weekend. What do you think I'm doing here?"

"Yeah, I uh… I forgot. Look, this is a bad time, okay?"

Seeming suspicious, the young woman peered over his shoulder and caught sight of me standing near the sofa. Her brow shot up in surprise then creased into an unforgiving frown.

"Who the hell is she!?" Allie roared, pushing past Tidus to confront me from the top of the stairs. "What's going on here!?" Her steely gaze shifted back to Tidus, who was nervously scratching his head for an answer.

"Look, Allie, there's something—"

"It's not what you think," I interjected in a firm tone, catching Tidus by surprise. "I'm just a friend he's been helping out. I'm…engaged." Holding up my hand, I flashed the ring on my finger as evidence. "See!"

"What're you doing here at this hour if you got a man waiting for you at home?"

Lying wasn't something I was fond of doing, even though I had no choice but to resort to it since arriving there. And I hadn't been very good at it in the past. However, I did have a knack for thinking fast. So, I concocted a story that I hoped would be convincing.

"He's…recovering from an accident at an infirmary and doesn't want me staying at home, alone. Tidus has a state of the art security system, and he feels safer with me staying here for a few days as opposed to our place over in A-East."

Seeming unconvinced, her eyes narrowed at me in a deathly glare. "You sure as hell don't dress like someone from A-East."

"The dress was…a gift."

"Really?" she challenged, "from who?"

"That's enough!" Tidus jumped in, shooting the young woman an angry glower. "I think you should leave."

"You really expect me to believe there's nothing going on here?" Her eyes suddenly filled with tears. "I thought we had something special. How could you do this to me?"

"Allie…" Tone softening, Tidus rubbed his brow and heaved a troubled sigh. "I told you from the beginning, I didn't wanna get serious."

"Yeah, at first," she returned, voice strained with emotion. "But I thought things changed. We go out and do things like other couples at times. I thought… I thought I was more than just a cheap lay!"

Tidus raked a hand down his guilt ridden face then offered her a regretful smile. "You're not a cheap lay, okay? I just… Aw, man…"

As jealous as I'd initially been of this girl, I couldn't help feeling horrible for her. She'd fallen for someone who didn't reciprocate those feelings. And that must've hurt terribly.

Obviously Tidus hadn't realized, until now, that these flings of his had the potential to hurt these young women. He'd been jaded for so long that he'd never considered that one of those girls could possibly fall in love.

"You love him, don't you?"

"I do!" she croaked in desperation, wiping the tears from her eyes and daring a glance at the man I loved. "I really do!"

"Allie, look..."

"Can't we go somewhere and talk?" she pleaded, sucking back a sniffle. "This was supposed to be our night and…and… Oh, Tidus, please! If you just knew how I feel when I'm with you, or even without you. I know you're afraid of relationships. But that could change! They don't have to be scary. I can show you something so different."

Hearing this young woman profess her love to the man I was poised to marry had my stomach twisting with dread. I knew what I had to do. And it was going to crush my heart. But for our sake's, and all those in Spira, it had to be done. Tidus had to forget me. And the only way I could think of achieving that goal was to make him want to. He had to hate me.

"You're right," Tidus reluctantly agreed. "We need to talk, but…"

"We could go to the Delmont!"

"A five-star hotel?" Tidus fixed her a skeptical look. "Something tells me you wanna do more than just talk."

Steeling myself for the ache that would follow, I inhaled a quick breath and in almost a demanding tone, suggested, "You should go with her."

His face pinched into a look of despair, eyes slightly widening in shock at my bold suggestion. "Yuna…"

"She loves you, Tidus. You have a real chance to be happy…like I am with my fiancé." I was forcing out the words, one gut-wrenching syllable at a time and fighting back tears with a swelling rage reserved for Shinra's invention and myself for making such a mess of things. "You…shouldn't let that pass you by. Love is hard to find. And…she's the only one who can offer you that, right now."

The anguish reflecting in his eyes cut deep into my heart, shredding it into a heap of empty hope that threatened to weave around and swallow me whole. I'd done what I'd vowed to never do since Tidus had returned to me. I didn't just break his heart—I shattered it into splinters. So much for cherishing…

"Tidus…?" The young woman reached out to gently touch his arm, finally drawing his attention from me and earning a weak smile. "Can we go?"

Seeming on the verge of tears, Tidus swallowed hard and gave a somber nod. "Yeah…"

Allie's face suddenly brightened with hope. "You won't regret this!"

Following the young woman over to the door, Tidus opened it for her, allowing her to pass through, before turning to give me one last longing look that'd quickly soured into contempt.

"Good-night." The word spilled from his lips like a vile poison and eroded whatever had been left binding me together.

Once the door had shut and the lock latched, I collapsed onto the sofa, face buried into the throw pillow as my body quaked in violent sobs. Tidus had never looked at me with such disdain. And it was completely warranted. I'd pushed him away. Pushed him into another girl's arms, who probably only thought she loved him.

As the agonizing tears poured out of me in a river of despair, I began to question all I'd done. Would all of this truly help our cause? The truth was—I didn't know. There was so much I didn't know. All I really knew for certain was that I wanted to go home. I wanted my life back. I wanted the man I'd pushed away. The man I loved more than anything in all the realms combined. The man I was forbidden to have at that time. I wanted…Tidus.