Chapter 6: Beyond the Veil

I woke to a dip in the mattress and the fresh, citrus scent of whatever shower gel Tidus had just used. Eyelids fluttering open, I rolled over and found him lying propped up on the pillows beside me, hair still damp from the shower, and in nothing but a pair of blue boxer-shorts.

"Morning," he greeted me with a tired smile. "Didya sleep well?"

"I think so. I don't remember waking-up at all."

"You didn't."

Shifting into a similar position against the headboard, I released a troubled breath and met his solemn gaze. "You didn't sleep at all, did you?"

"No, not really. I kinda had a lot on my mind."

And that was my fault. There was no use dwelling on it though. What's done is done as they say. Tidus finally knew the truth.

"I started thinking about a lot of things. Like what's gonna happen here in a matter of weeks. You said this thing called Sin is gonna attack then. And I'm gonna get sucked into another world. Well, what about everyone else here? What happens to them and Zanarkand?"

I looked away and nervously fidgeted with my hands, hesitant to answer. This was not something I wanted to discuss first thing in the morning.

"Zanarkand is gonna be destroyed, isn't it?"

"…Yes."

Releasing a sharp puff of air, Tidus adjusted himself into more of a sitting position and rubbed his jaw as if someone had just punched him in it. And I suppose learning Zanarkand's fate must've felt like a wallop in the face.

"So, all the people here… All my friends… Daz, Jade, and the rest of them—they're all gonna die?"

"I'm sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything last—"

"And what?" he interjected, an edge of annoyance in his voice. "Allow me to go on believing a lie?"

"Tidus… I know you. And I know you're going to want to change things. We can't change things. We're not supposed to. Were you not listening to a word I said last night?"

His brow dipped low in frustration. "So, I'm supposed to just go to this game tonight and not even warn them?"

"It won't change anything," I explained with a level of sternness. "No one is going to survive this attack—no one but you and Auron."

"I just don't get it," he persisted. "Why is it only me and Auron?"

Hugging my arms, I gazed down at the sheets, unsure how to respond. I couldn't tell him the real reason. But I also didn't want to lie anymore.

"Why won't you tell me, Yuna?"

"Because…" I glanced over at him and hitched a quivering breath. "Because I can't risk losing you."

"What makes you think you will?"

A single tear slid down my cheek, and I brushed it away, cursing those blasted hormones. "I can't… I won't… I love you too much. And I don't…"

Expression softening, Tidus leaned over and lovingly brushed the side of my face with his hand. "Hey, I'm sorry. I don't wanna upset you." He held my gaze with an empathetic smile, thumb slowly stroking my cheek. "We must've gone through a lot to be together, huh?"

I momentarily shut my eyes and breathed an incredulous laugh. "More than you could imagine."

"But we got a happy ending, didn't we?" A hint of a smile tugged on his lips, gaze briefly dropping to my stomach. "We're gonna have a family."

Of course that all hinged upon whether I returned to Spira and if the fayth could help our situation before then.

"I want so much for us to finally have our time together. But I'm not sure—"

"Well, I am," he interrupted, voice firm and confident. "We'll make it happen—all of it. I know we will."

"How… How can you be so certain?"

A thoughtful expression crossed his face. "Lemme ask you something—in all the time you've known me, did I ever mention these feelings I get?"

"Constantly."

"Okay…" He softly chuckled at my blunt answer. "How often have they been wrong?"

Not very often from what I could recall, except for that time we'd gotten caught in a storm. "Well, they're not very good when it comes to predicting the weather."

"That doesn't count. Meteorologists can't even get that stuff right. I mean with other things—like serious stuff."

"They've… They've never been wrong."

"See," he indicated with a toothy grin. "We got this. You just gotta trust me."

It wasn't him that I didn't trust. And there was always a first time for everything. I sure hoped he was right though. I finally had the life I'd always wanted in Spira. But to have it ripped away—for it to end in a few weeks like this. Well, I just couldn't accept that either.

"You're right," I agreed, finally feeling more confident. "We'll figure this out somehow."

"That's my girl." His grin slowly waned, eyes fastening on my lips before his gaze met mine in a silent bid for permission. "If I'm really your fiancé, and you're pregnant with my kid, it wouldn't be considered cheating, right?"

His attempt to read my mind had been stunningly accurate. However, that wasn't the only thing stopping me from kissing him.

"I don't want to hurt you," my voice came in a breathy whisper. "Tidus, you know I can't stay here."

"But you're here now," he appealed. "And what's it gonna matter if I end up forgetting everything anyway?"

Gently removing his hand from my face, I offered him an apologetic smile as his expression dropped in disappointment. "I'm sorry." I then vacated the bed and stood at the side, facing him, hugging my arms. "I can't allow myself to—allow us to get caught up in all this."

He gave a sad nod of acknowledgment that tugged on my heart. "We got a job to do, don't we?"

"Yes, we do."

With a mirthless laugh, Tidus raked a hand through the damp strands of his hair and pursed his lips in thought. "It's funny… I finally found the girl I wanna be with. And now, I'm gonna help her get away and agree to have my memory wiped. Talk about crappy luck."

"Don't look at it that way. You're not helping me to get away. You're helping to get me back home…to you. Think about what you must be feeling right now in the future."

"I guess I would be kinda going outta my mind, huh?"

"Of course you would. Tidus, if I don't find a way back, if we don't find a way to fix all I'd changed, we won't have a future together. Do you understand that?"

"Yeah…I do." He swallowed hard, eyes lifting to meet mine in a silent anguish. "It doesn't make this any easier though."

"I know…" I felt horrible for putting him through all this, I really did.

"I, uh… I gotta be at the stadium in a couple of hours to do some drills and warm-up with the team." His face lifted into a hopeful expression. "You gonna come watch me play?"

"You mean watch you throw the match?"

"Yeah," he replied with a terse laugh. "I guess I'm not gonna be very well liked after tonight."

"I'm sure your fans won't abandon you so easily. You've lost a match or two before, haven't you?"

"Yeah well, it's not the fans I'm worried about." Climbing off the bed, he opened the wardrobe to retrieve his bliz uniform then tossed it onto the mattress. "I mean, I'm not gonna make it obvious or anything. But my teammates will know the difference, especially ones like Daz and Jade."

"I'll be there if it helps. Besides, I want to be close by when Auron arrives."

"Nah, he's never confronted me at the stadium after a game. He usually shows up at my door a couple hours later, or I find him waiting for me outside when I get home."

"Do you think I should stay here then?"

"Not gonna lie—I could really use the support tonight. I've never thrown a match before. And I got a feeling my teammates aren't gonna be very understanding when I do."

"Then I'll be there," I promised.

"Thank you." His eyes lingered on me in appreciation before he proceeded to dress in his uniform.

Taking the opportunity to go for a shower, I headed over to the door leading into the hall, only to pause a moment later when he asked, "Where're you going?"

"To shower and change."

"Why dontcha just use the one in here?" He finished buttoning his shorts then went for his hoodie. "This is your room too, y'know? I don't wantcha staying in the other one anymore."

"Tidus…" The sentiment was sweet. But I wasn't sure how I felt about us sharing a bed now, especially after what he'd said earlier. The temptation to do more than just sleep would be something I doubted either of us would be able to resist for long. "I'm not so sure that's a good idea."

His brow creased in mild offense. "C'mon Yuna, you should know me better than that. I'd never force myself on you."

It wasn't him that I was worried about. "I… I know that. It's just…"

"I'll behave. I promise." Zipping up his harness, he tossed me a wolfish grin. "Unless you don't want me to."

"See that right there is why we can't share a bed."

Tidus barked with laughter. "I was joking. Nothing happened last night, did it?"

"No, but…"

"C'mon, go take a shower and I'll bring in that cute Abes outfit of yours I had cleaned the other day."

He wasn't going to take no for an answer, was he?

Just then a wave of nausea rolled through me. I cupped a hand over my mouth and dashed into the bathroom, barely making it on my knees in front of the ceramic bowl before the remnants of last night's dinner spilled out of my mouth.

"Hey, you okay?"

Tidus had followed me inside, crouching next to me as he gathered the hair out of my face and rubbed a soothing hand down my back.

Another wave suddenly struck, barely giving me time to recover from the last.

"Oh man… I was gonna order us brunch but… I doubt you'll want anything after this."

The queasiness had finally passed, and I spit out the remnants left inside my mouth then managed to breathe a laugh. "You're right. I think I'll pass."

Tearing a tissue off the roll, Tidus offered it to me then flushed the contents I'd expelled down the drain. "You gonna be, okay?"

"I'll be fine," I assured, tossing the tissue into the wastebasket before heading over to the sink to rinse out my mouth.

"Y'know…maybe you should stay here after all."

"It's just morning sickness. I'll be fine."

"And what happens if you get dizzy later?"

I turned to meet his worried expression with a long breath. "I only get that way when I'm stressed. Trust me, I'll be fine."

"I don't want anything to happen to you, Yuna."

A tiny smile tugged on my lips. "You…haven't really changed all that much from how you are now. I'm just starting to realize that. I suppose I can expect more of you fretting over me when I return home."

Tidus matched my smile then came over to wrap me in his warmth, resting his chin atop my head. "Is it weird of me to be jealous of my future self?"

"A little," I answered with a weak chuckle. "But I understand why."

"I don't wanna give you up, Yuna. I just found you."

Those words and the anguish in his voice had me aching inside. I wanted so badly to give him what he wanted. But I couldn't. Our life together was in the future, not the present time.

Drawing back, I caught the tears forming in his eyes and instinctively cupped his face, fighting tears of my own.

"You have no idea how much I love you." My voice came in a strained whisper as I struggled to continue, "What I'd do for you. The lengths I'd go…"

Wet lines slid down his cheeks, dampening my fingers. He sucked back a sniffle and pressed his lips tightly together, clearly fighting to keep his composure. But I knew this man. He was about to break.

"This is so damn hard," his voice was shaky and raw with emotion. "Everything… Everything you told me last night and… My old man and… And now this?" He swallowed hard then released a trembling breath. "Why does it have to hurt so much? Is love supposed to feel like…like you just had your heart busted wide open?"

The tears finally escaped my eyes, flowing down my face in an agonizing stream. This was killing him inside. Maybe telling him the truth had been another grave mistake of mine. I wanted so badly to soothe his aching heart. But I didn't know how at this point, or if I even could.

Carefully removing my hands from his face, Tidus drew back with a heavy sigh and wiped away the tears staining his cheeks. "I gotta force something down before I leave. Take your shower and I'll, uh… I'll set a change of clothes for you on the bed…for when you come out."

"You… You won't leave before then, will you?"

"Not unless you're planning on taking more than two hours."

"Oh, uh… No."

"I just need some time to get a grip and clear my head, y'know?"

I finally brushed the tears off my cheeks then gave a firm nod. "Okay."

"And I'll uh… I'll call security at the stadium and arrange for them to escort you into a private box for the game tonight."

"Oh, you don't have to—"

"This isn't Spira, Yuna," he interrupted with a level of sternness. "We might not have a whole lot of fiends here, but there're plenty of jerks who get rowdy at these games. And I don't want you near them in your condition."

This wasn't an argument I was going to win. And he was probably right. "Thank you."

"No problem. I'll be in the kitchen."

He then turned and left the room, leaving me alone to shower with my regrets.

The time we'd spent at that dining table after had been almost as strained as they'd been in the days before.

Tidus had made me a cup of peppermint tea, mentioning how it should calm my stomach, while he picked at a salad he'd thrown together.

Our conversation had been mostly about what time I'd be picked up in the limo and what to expect when I arrived at the stadium. He'd also mentioned how he'd called the potion store to have my prescriptions delivered once they'd been filled. Discussing anything about the future or our impending meeting with Auron had been strategically avoided on his part. And that really hadn't helped matters.

A little over an hour had passed when he'd decided to leave. I hadn't tried to stop him though. He was clearly having a difficult time with everything and I didn't want to make it worse.

My prenatal potions had arrived sometime later, prompting me to take the required dosages with a heavy heart, unsure if I'd make it out of Zanarkand in time to birth our little miracle that I wanted so, so much.

The limo had arrived in the early evening at around six to take me to the stadium where I was ushered by security into what seemed to be a small, private room with a perfect view of the sphere pool at mid-level.

It was cozy enough, I suppose. There was a comfy, modern sofa facing the window, a table similar to the low-sitting lounge ones from the club, and a mini-bar stocked with plenty of snacks and non-alcoholic beverages.

I'd taken a seat on the sofa with a bottle of cherry soda and watched the game commence.

Normally I'd be excited to watch Tidus play. But knowing what he was about to do—and how it'd affected him earlier—had sucked any joy I would've experienced out of watching the match.

From the start, I could tell Tidus was lacking his usual energy. His passes were sloppy and his failed shots on goal were so lousy they were almost embarrassing to watch. At this rate, he didn't have to try to throw the match—he was managing to accomplish that goal just by not being able to focus. Then again, maybe that'd been his plan all along.

Half-time had hit, and I was grateful for it. I didn't think I could take another second of Tidus fumbling the ball and getting needlessly tackled by the opposing team. And the crowd was sure to voice their displeasure as well.

I felt so bad for him. What he must've been feeling at that moment. Tidus was a showstopper, someone who played with gusto and poured every ounce of energy into his game. The person I was watching play was merely a shadow of themselves. And it was all because of me.

After a short break, the game resumed. And much to my surprise with Tidus evading almost every tackle and scoring a few goals. He was finally playing to his full potential, which I'd attributed to his coach probably scolding him, along with the rest of his team, for having such a horrible start.

I was beginning to get a little worried though. Tidus knew he had to cost his team the win in order to obtain an audience with Auron. And at this point, I wasn't sure how he was going to accomplish that without making it obvious.

Just as I was contemplating the matter, Tidus sprang out of the sphere pool, body arching back gracefully, as he prepared to set up his signature shot. His boot connected with the ball, blasting it back into the sphere pool and sending it barreling straight past the goalie into the net.

Another goal and the crowd went wild in a thunderous roar.

The tide had turned and the game was now tied with a minute remaining.

But in blitzball things could change quickly. I knew that well from when I played with the Gullwings.

And they certainly did.

Raines passed the ball to Tidus, setting up a perfect shot on goal. But Tidus fumbled what I knew had been an easy play for him, sending the ball into the opposing team's possession and paving a clear path down the middle for them, since the Abes had scattered away from their positions, clearly believing they had the win.

Within seconds his team was scrambling to regroup, obviously still shocked by Tidus' blunder by how much they were struggling to go on the defensive.

But it was already too late. The shot was made with no one setup to tackle or block and the ball went straight into the goal, ending the match with a loud blare of the horn.

An eerie silence settled over the stadium before the fans erupted into an angry choir of jeers and boos.

My stomach dropped. Poor Tidus… He must've felt so…small.

Abandoning my seat on the sofa, I began pacing in the middle of the room, fretting over what would happen next.

And I didn't have long to find out.

In a matter of minutes, the door flew open and Tidus, still dripping wet from the sphere pool, rushed inside and urgently grabbed me by the arm.

"We gotta go—now!"

"Wh-why? What's happening?"

"You saw what happened, right?" Tugging me outside into the hall, we were met by security waving us over to a corridor off to the right where they ushered us on through. Tidus offered an appreciative nod to them and bolted down the brightly lit path, tightening his grip on my arm as I struggled to match his pace. "Everyone knows I threw the game. We gotta get outta here!"

Whatever route we'd been on was one Tidus knew well and, thankfully, clear of any fans or staff members.

"How… How did your team react?"

"I didn't stick around to find out. I tore outta the locker rooms as they were coming in with Coach."

We rounded another corner and came to a set of doors that had an exit sign above, just as a familiar girl with long, violet braids accompanied by a big, burly guy sporting a goatee rushed out from the other end, blocking them.

"Thought you'd come this way," Daz muttered, folding his oversized arms and fixing Tidus a stern glare. "What's gotten into you?"

"More like whose panties he's gotten into," Jade fumed, throwing a resentful glower my way. "You made him throw the match, didn't you?"

"I… I…"

"That's enough!" Tidus thundered. "Get outta our way!"

Daz shook his head in disgust. "Not gonna happen bro. So, how 'bout you tell us what's goin' on?"

"Why'd you throw the match?" Jade jumped in. "The Duggles are now in first place. They just secured an advantage over us in the tournament that starts next week, thanks to you."

"We're not gonna lose another game, okay! We're gonna get to the championship. I just had a bad night."

"You're lying." Rubbing his face in frustration, Daz huffed, expression softening as he addressed Tidus. "C'mon dude, you'd never put your reputation on the line for a girl. There's gotta be more to this. Just tell us. We're your friends, remember?"

"I told ya—I had a bad night. I gotta lot on my mind. It won't happen again."

"Yeah, not buying it." Jade's hazel eyes then fastened on me, narrowing in contempt. "And to think I almost believed all the crap you spewed to me the other night. You don't love him. You're holding some shit over his head, that's what I think."

Tidus and I exchanged an uneasy glance before he shook his head and directed his anger at Jade in a holler, "You don't know anything! So stop blaming her for the loss tonight. It was my fault! Now get outta our way!"

"And if we don't?" Daz challenged.

Brow dipping low, Tidus clenched a fist at his side. "Then I'll make you."

Daz issued a humorless laugh at the threat. "Trust me, you don't wanna do that. Let's just hash this shit out right here. We're supposed to be buds. You really wanna put that on the line?"

"No…I don't, but—"

"You stupid son of a—"

Snapping his head over in the direction of the menacing voice, Daz shouted, "Seven—no!"

Maybe it was due to my hormonal changes, or just the raw instinct to protect my man, but when I spotted Tidus' spikey-haired friend charging at him in a fit of rage, I reacted on impulse, throwing up my hand and blasting him with a thunder spell.

The force of the spell sent him flying back and crashing to the ground in a quivering heap right where Ceci appeared, her rose-gold locks flailing behind her as she rushed to his aid.

"Arghhh!" he groaned in agony. "What the hell!?"

Daz and Jade both shot me an accusing glare.

"You're a mage!?" Jade shouted with a level of shock and scorn that I'd never expected to receive for using such a low-level spell in defence.

"So that's what you're hiding," Daz muttered to Tidus, who seemed completely stunned by what I'd done.

Just from their reactions, I got the feeling that mages weren't very welcome in Dream Zanarkand. And if that were the case, I had to wonder why Tidus hadn't mentioned it when I put on that little display outside his houseboat the other night.

"This wouldn't have happened if you would've just gotten outta our way!" Tidus lashed out. "Seven was charging over, ready to throw down punches." His tone then lowered into something less combative in effort to reason with them, "She was… She was just trying to protect me."

"Whatever you've gotten yourself into—you're in way over your head, kid." Finally relinquishing his stance in front of the doors, Daz hurried over to Seven and Ceci with Jade following close behind.

Just when we were about to make a break for the exit, Ceci rose to her feet and hollered, "Not so fast!"

The fair, pink-haired girl's hand darted out, and ice crystals began to form around me. But before the spell had a chance to culminate, Tidus pushed me out of the way and took the brunt of it, encasing him in an icy tomb that shattered thereafter, knocking him to the ground.

"Tidus!" Rushing to his side, I fell to my knees and blanketed him in my warmth as he shivered and grunted in pain. "Are you… Are you, okay?"

"I… I think I'll live," he uttered, breathless.

"Holy shit!" Jade cried, gaze now fixed on Ceci. "You too!?" She then shot a glance at the rest of her friends. "Anyone else got any huge secrets they wanna share?"

"You gotta be outta your mind to jump in front of a spell like that." Daz shook his head at Tidus in disbelief. "She really that important to you?"

"Yeah…she is." With a groan, Tidus moved to sit up then added, "And she's pregnant with my kid."

Their shocked expressions were accompanied by a deafening silence. Tidus really shouldn't have revealed that to them. And, honestly, I was a little surprised he had, considering how well he'd been at keeping secrets in Spira.

"You gotta be shitting me?" Jade muttered, throwing me an icy glare. "You're a real piece of work, Yuna. Is that what you meant by having to fix something?"

What exactly did she mean by that?

"We just found out last night!" Tidus hurled in my defense. "The only thing we need to fix is the world around us."

"Tidus don't…" I warned in a harsh whisper, heart lurching into my throat.

Ceci's brow creased with worry. "What the hell does that mean?"

"Yeah, I don't like the sound of it either," Daz agreed, folding his arms over his chest. "Just what the hell are you two up to?"

All of a sudden, Jade whirled around and began barking orders to all of them, those violet braids of hers whipping out like the tentacles on a sinspawn. "Daz get Seven back to the locker room and tell Raines to call for security over in section nine. Ceci and I will keep them here until then."

Tidus' eyes widened, stunned by the betrayal of the lot he'd considered friends. "You're gonna have me and my pregnant girl arrested!?"

"Not you, Tee," Ceci clarified with some regret. "Just Yuna. You've gotten mixed up with the wrong girl. She sounds like she's plotting some kinda hostile takeover. And who knows what sort of brainwashing she's done to you to getcha to go along. Don't worry though. We'll get you the help you need."

"I don't need any help!" he fired back. "You got it all wrong! We're not involved in some sinister plot."

"Sure sounds like it." Daz grunted, helping Seven to his feet. "Why else would you say what you did?"

"It can't just mean we're looking to change everyone's opinion about us?" Tidus tried to reason. "Man, with friends like you guys, who needs enemies?" Then, he craned his neck to look at me with a pained expression. "Stop them, Yuna. You have to."

Stunned by his request, I drew back and blew out a sharp breath. Had it really come to this? Maybe I should've stayed back at the houseboat after all.

"If Yuna tries anything, I won't hold back this time," Ceci warned him.

Suddenly, a long, broad katana appeared overhead, accompanied by a deep, familiar voice that filled me with hope, "This ends now!"

"What the—now there's a guy with a big-ass sword joining their ranks!?" Jade turned to her pink-haired friend who stood frozen in fear. "What're you waiting for Ceci? Blast him with a spell!"

"That wouldn't be wise."

"Auron!?" Stunned, Tidus gazed up at the legendary guardian as though he hadn't seen him in ages. "Man, are we ever glad to see you!"

The man in the red coat, who I'd come to admire so much on my pilgrimage, stood firm, katana still pointed at the group in front. "These two are entrusted to me. Leave now or face the consequences."

"Who are you—their leader?" Jade spewed with venom.

"Their guardian of sorts. These two pose no threat to you or anyone else in Zanarkand. Like you, they're just a couple of kids caught up in a series of unfortunate events."

"But she's a mage!" Ceci cried, trying to justify her actions. "She attacked one of our friends!"

"Hmph… You're a mage as well, are you not?"

"Yes, but…"

"One who attacked the captain of her team. Imagine everyone's reaction if the security footage containing that got out. It wouldn't bode well, would it?"

Blackmail!? I suppose Auron wasn't above such a thing. He'd often suggested and agreed to some rather unsavory means when it came to my pilgrimage, now that I thought of it.

"Shit…" Ceci cursed, turning to look at Jade. "He has a point."

"You two," Finally dropping his gaze to us in a stern manner, Auron commanded, "Go—now! We'll meet at the houseboat."

Helping Tidus to his feet, I slung his arm over my shoulder and supported his waist, aiding him as best I could while he limped along with me over to the exit and out into the cool, evening air.

"Over there!" Tidus pointed to a limo parked near the end of the alley. "I told the driver to park out here after he dropped you off."

Just then the driver exited the vehicle, looking quite worried and rather anxious. "Mister Tidus, are you alright?"

"Yeah… I'll live." Continuing to serve as his crutch along the way, Tidus grunted and tried to limp faster toward the limo. "Just get us home."

"Are you certain you don't want to go to an infirmary?" the driver asked, opening the door for us to enter.

"No, he'll be fine," I assured, carefully easing my beloved onto the leather seat where he scooted over with a wince. "I know something that'll help him."

After I slid in beside Tidus, the driver shut the door and hurried upfront to start the ignition.

"Ugh… This sucks. I've never been struck by a spell before." Resting his head back on the seat, he grimaced and held a hand against his chest, breaths labored. "Sure hurts like hell though."

I glanced over at the black, glass partition, separating us from the front of the limo then looked at the man I loved in question. "The driver can't see through that, can he?"

"No…" he breathed. "Why?"

"Because I know something that'll make you feel better." Making quick work of unfastening the belts on his harness, I yanked down the zipper in front and tore it wide-open along with his hoodie, exposing his bare chest and torso.

"Whoa—hey, I kinda envisioned this happening like…at home in bed when I'm not in so much pain."

His baffled expression had me biting back a smirk. "You really have a one-track mind, don't you?"

"Well, what else am I supposed to think when you start tearing off my clothes like that and asking if we got privacy?"

Smoothing my hands over the taut muscles on his chest, I gave him a tiny smile then set my palms firmly in place. "Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

I then proceeded to shut my eyes and concentrated on mending his injuries. A warm sensation rushed down my arms and out of my palms, pouring into the man I loved in the bright glow of a healing spell.

A contented sigh left his lips, chest rising then falling in an immense sense of relief.

Opening my eyes, I caught the blissful look on his face and smiled. "Better?"

"Mmm…" he purred. "So, you're a healing mage too, huh?"

"You don't seem very surprised."

A slow grin swept across his face. "After what you told me last night—it would take way more than something like this to shock me."

"I… I suppose you're right." Sliding my hands off his chest, I eased myself back into the seat next to him and exhaled heavily. "Why didn't you tell me that Zanarkand looked upon mages so…unfavorably?"

"Honestly?" He adjusted himself to where he was facing me, arm draping over the back of the seat. "I didn't think you'd ever use a spell here, or feel like you needed to. That and I didn't wantcha to worry." His fingers found their way into my hair, threading through the mocha wisps in gentle, loving strokes. "You were so excited to go out that night. I just didn't wanna ruin it."

"You should've warned me."

His gaze momentarily dropped in regret. "Yeah… I know."

"If mages are deemed such a threat here, why weren't you more guarded when I showed you I was one?"

"Because I never bought into all that crap. Just because someone can cast magic doesn't mean they're gonna go on a killing spree and seek world domination. I told you—people here just don't think on that kinda level. They can't see beyond what's presented to them in a lot of ways. It's like they can't...think for themselves."

"The absence of critical thought," I concluded, thinking back to what Tidus and the fayth had revealed to me.

"Exactly!"

It made sense now, since those in Dream Zanarkand were part of the fayth's hive-mind.

"But…you're not like that."

"Guess that makes me special." He beamed with pride.

"More than you know…"

Smile faltering, Tidus licked his bottom lip in a way that usually meant he had something important on his mind, but was hesitant to give it words. "There's something more to Zanarkand, isn't there?"

My muscles tensed. "Wh-what makes you think that?"

"Well, for one, your reaction just now. And, I dunno… Just a feeling I got."

Those feelings of his really were spot on, weren't they? "Um…"

"It's okay," he chimed in with an understanding smile. "I kinda figured it's one of those things I'm forbidden to know."

"I'm sorry."

"Not as sorry as I am for what happened back there." Tidus' face pinched in distaste. "I can't believe how quick they were to turn on us." Head drooping along with his expression, he sadly murmured, "I… I thought they were different, y'know? I really thought they were my friends."

And as much as I'd wanted to reassure him on the matter, I wasn't so sure if it was a good idea or not anymore. Those friends of his were only shadows of who they'd once been—dreams dead for a thousand years. Not my Tidus though. He was no longer a dream within a dream, but rather, a self-aware young man lost in one.

"They're no different from anyone else here," he continued to gripe, lifting his troubled gaze to me. "You're the only one I really feel connected to, y'know? When I'm with you, I feel more alive than I've ever been. It's just all so natural, raw, and…and tangible. I dunno if I'm making any sense here."

"Far more than you realize," I expressed with an empathetic squeeze to his hand. "I just hope Auron can convince them not to do anything rash."

"Mentioning the security footage sure worked on Ceci. I bet the others will keep their mouths shut as well."

"I hope so. You have to be at that championship game in four weeks. And that means you'll have to find a way to be civil and work as a team again."

"Yeah…not holding my breath on that one."

"What if you told them we…ended things after tonight and that they were right all along?"

"You really think that would work?"

"Mm…" I answered with a firm nod, tilting my head to the side. "Just tell them you found out the child wasn't yours and we had a huge fight because of it. If they're as dense as we suspect, they won't question it."

A faint smile touched his lips. "It's funny, y'know… For someone who's a bad liar, you sure come up with some damn good ones."

"Well…I'm not particularly fond of telling them."

His expression grew thoughtful. "You weren't really lying all those times before, were you? I mean—except for how you got here and the whole spiel you gave in front of Allie."

"No…" I quietly admitted. "I wasn't."

"Are we really all that different together in Spira?"

This was a switch from earlier. I suppose he wasn't so timid to discuss the future anymore, considering all that'd happened tonight.

"We both had gone through so much on the pilgrimage. I think by the end, it changed both of us. It made us stronger. And at the end of my last journey, I'd grown into the Yuna you know now."

"Were you different before?"

"I was…naïve and certainly more reserved and shy. I was driven by duty in life instead of passion. All I'd wanted was to give joy to the people of Spira. And I was prepared to give my own life to do so."

The adoration in his eyes suddenly dulled. "You said before that a summoner's fate was a death sentence. Didya know that before we fell in love?"

"Mhm… I knew ever since I was seven when my father sacrificed himself to bring The Calm. Falling in love with you came as a surprise—a wonderful one. But not one I'd expected to happen on my pilgrimage. It…complicated things as I'm sure you're now aware."

"But I saved you."

"You did."

"Can I ask how?"

Pressing my lips into a thin line, I pondered how to answer his question without revealing too much. "You…looked beyond the veil and used some…critical thought."

Tidus flashed a cocky grin. "So, I devised the perfect plan, huh?"

"Not all on your own. But because you were foreign to Spira, you were able to see through a lot of the manipulation being done to us all. You had no regard for the culture and their taboos. So, you challenged anything and anyone who didn't seem genuine, pushing limits no one from Spira would've ever dared to do.

"It was your curious and questioning nature that'd ultimately led us down the path to achieving what the people of Spira had only dreamed of for so long—a world without Sin; an Eternal Calm."

"Sounds like we had a hell of a ride."

"I suppose…"

Just then, the limo slowed to a stop in the marina parking lot, which for some reason had Tidus in a sudden panic.

"Shit…" he cursed, straightening his posture in alarm.

"What's wrong?"

"If you don't wanna be ousted as mage then you're gonna have to trust me, okay?"

"I thought you said he couldn't see anything?"

"He couldn't, but there's nothing that would've cured me this fast besides magic."

And he waited until now to tell me this? "Then what do you propose we—"

"An embarrassing distraction," he answered, ruffling a hand through my hair.

"Wait—ughh! What're you doing?"

"Trust me. Now, c'mere." Pulling me close, Tidus popped open the top button of my denim shorts then roughed up my top a little as the driver's footsteps approached our door. "Quick, get on top of me."

"What!?"

His eyes were urgent and pleading. "Just pretend we're in Spira for a moment, okay? Trust me. He'll close that door real fast."

Against my better judgment, I swiftly adhered to his request and straddled his lap.

"Now, kiss me like you want me."

That wasn't going to be very hard. And I had to wonder just how much of this plan was to serve his own benefit. Unfortunately, I wasn't in the position to question it much, especially after witnessing how his so-called friends had reacted to me earlier and since the driver was already outside our door.

Our lips crashed into a smouldering heap of passion, hands roaming over each other's body, and setting me ablaze. I couldn't allow myself to get caught up in the moment though. It was only for show after all. And I was a little surprised that I'd even agreed to it.

The door finally swung open, and Tidus quickly broke our heated embrace to snap at the driver. "Hey—can we get a little privacy here!?"

"Oh—my apologies, mister Tidus." The driver shut the door in a hurry and retreated back inside.

"How exactly…did this help our cause?" I panted, shooting Tidus a stern glance, hoping to avoid any awkwardness of what we'd done and our compromising position.

"We're not finished yet," he advised, sliding me off his lap. "We need to get him to abandon the limo."

Apparently, Tidus was all business at the moment. So, I suppose my concerns were easily avoided, for now. "I'm almost afraid of what you're about to suggest."

Tidus released an amused chuckle then gestured over to the other side of the vehicle. "Slide over there and I'll stay here. We're gonna rock the limo back-and-forth. There's no way he's gonna stick around after that."

"This is crazy."

"Thought my crazy ideas saved you before?"

Well, he wasn't wrong. With a resigned sigh, I slid over to the other side and waited for his cue.

"I'll start and you follow in that order, okay?"

"Okay." I sure hoped he knew what he was doing.

"Ready?"

"Mhm…"

The rocking then commenced with Tidus pushing his weight on one side of the limo followed by me doing the same on my end directly after. Our pace quickened after a couple turns to where the vehicle was practically vibrating.

"He seriously hasn't left yet?" I threw Tidus a stunned glance, just as we heard the driver's door swing open.

"He is now." Tidus laughed. "Don't stop until he's outta sight."

"Well I can't exactly see him on my end."

"I'll tell ya when."

"Mister Tidus, I think I'll be heading out for the night," the driver called from outside, reducing us into a fit of giggles. "The doors are secured and I'll send someone over in the morning to…" he then mumbled something inaudible before continuing, "Have a good-night!"

"Okay, he's walking away." Tidus chortled. "We can stop."

Slumping against the leather seat, I blew out a long breath and hid my face in my palm, slightly embarrassed at what we'd resorted to doing.

"Was it good for you, babe?" he teased, face splitting into a huge grin.

I giggled and slowly shook my head at his antics. "Only you would think of something like this."

Scooting over to me, Tidus smoothed his hands over my hair, attempting to fix the mess he'd made of it. "It worked, didn't it?"

"I suppose."

He then tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and held my gaze, smile slowly receding. "That was some kiss, huh?"

"Mmm…" And I knew he'd wanted another. Only I couldn't bring myself to do it. I didn't want to hurt him. And yet, every rejection of mine must've felt like a dagger to the heart.

When I was on my pilgrimage, I knew what I had to do at the end. But I couldn't help falling for Tidus in spite of it all. That night at the spring, I'd allowed myself to indulge in the warmth of his embrace and his soft, sensual kisses. And if he'd wanted more back then, I probably would've surrendered to my desires.

I remember thinking it was better to have experienced love—real love—and have it end than to never have experienced it at all. Yet, here I was, denying him that very same thing when he deserved so much more.

"I love you, Yuna."

"I… I love you, too."

Sliding a hand to the back of his neck, I caught the hope and anticipation gleaming in his eyes along with a tinge of sadness as though he wasn't expecting anything to come of the gesture.

And I could bear it no longer.

I leaned in and finally claimed his lips in a long, meaningful kiss that he hungrily returned.

Groaning into my mouth, he wrapped his arms around me and wasted no time in deepening the kiss. Our tongues met to glide in long, gentle strokes, sending my pulse into a rapid flutter.

The inside of that limo suddenly felt very warm. And I had to wonder if a small taste of this younger version of the man I loved would be enough to sate my appetite. Those new hormones surging through me were difficult to control and made everything feel more…intense.

With our lips busy, locked in a passionate exchange, our hands began to wander. My fingers slowly trailed down his bare chest, and his palms glided over the exposed skin on my back. It felt so good being with him again, even if it was in a different time and place.

But I knew we'd have to stop soon. I didn't want us to get carried away, especially in the back of a limo when we were poised to meet Auron over at the houseboat.

And yet, every sensual glide of Tidus' tongue threatened to chip away at my resolve. Those soft, moist lips suddenly broke away, only to fasten onto the delicate flesh of my neck. I absently released a breathy moan, sliding my hands around his waist to the smooth, heated skin on his back, pulling him closer to where his chest was tight against me.

My unexpected gesture earned a muffled groan that vibrated against the base of my neck, shooting a tingly sensation throughout my body, and leaving me pulsing with desire. I really should've stopped him by now. But I hadn't. And I was beginning to wonder if I even had any willpower left to do so. His mouth and his hands felt so good on my skin as though it were a soothing balm I'd desperately needed.

By now, I'd realized just how much I'd missed this. I wanted him. I needed him. Being away from Spira, even if it'd been a little over a week, seemed so much longer. And I was beginning to feel…detached. It frightened me a little. But having Tidus by my side, especially in this way, was the only thing keeping me grounded. It was familiar and comforting.

A loud knock came at the window just then, startling us to where we flinched and broke apart.

"You two—out now!" demanded a familiar, authoritative voice. "This is not where I said to meet."

"Crap—it's Auron!" Tidus scrambled to zip up his harness, fumbling with the buckles in a hurry to fasten them. "How'd he know where to find us?"

Well, he was an unsent, so he had a few ways of accomplishing such a task unlike a living person. But I wasn't about to mention that.

"He has his ways, I suppose." After straightening my rumpled top, I buttoned the top of my shorts and smoothed my hands over my tousled hair. "Ready?"

"Yeah, I guess…"

I opened the door and climbed out with Tidus right behind me, expecting to hear an embarrassing lecture.

But the legendary guardian said nothing as we stood there, quietly waiting for him to speak.

Trying to read Auron's famous, stoic expression was almost as pointless as trying to read Kimahri's. But if I had to guess, he probably wasn't too pleased with us at that moment.

"You threw the match."

Tidus let out a dejected sigh and hung his head in shame. "Yeah...I did."

"Why?"

"Because I knew it was the only way to get your attention." Exchanging a nervous glance with me, Tidus resumed addressing the legendary guardian. "And we needed to see you."

"I see…" Then, Auron's unreadable gaze landed on me. "Did I hear correctly earlier, your name is Yuna?"

"Yes, that's correct." Hugging my arms, I sweetly tilted my head to the side and dared to ask, "You…know who I am, then?"

"You're Braska's little girl, are you not?"

"Yes, he…he was my father."

"Hmph… And you're here in Zanarkand."

"Yes, I am. And… And I'll be happy to explain it all to you…if you'll give me the chance."

"She needs your help," Tidus jumped in. "We need your help."

"I see… I must admit—I'm curious to learn how Jecht's son and Braska's little girl ended up in the back of a limo here in Zanarkand."

Tidus gave a nervous laugh. "Well prepare to have your mind blown. I'm still recovering from the other night."

Just then, Auron threw me a guarded look. "Does he know?"

"Not everything. He can't… You know he can't."

"Are you guys really gonna talk like I'm not here?" Tidus groused, folding his arms in an indignant manner.

"Hmph… The marina parking lot is not an appropriate place for this conversation. Come," he commanded, walking ahead, his long, red coat swaying with every careful step. "We'll continue this once we're inside the houseboat."

"How long was this pilgrimage of yours again?" Tidus leaned in and asked as we began to follow Auron over to the docks.

"About eight months, give or take." I glanced up at him, curious. "Why?"

"We spent eight whole months with that grump?"

Releasing a soft giggle, I peered up at the humour dancing in his eyes and offered up a knowing smile. "You won't admit it now, but you love that grump and consider him a second father."

"Wow… You really do know me better than anyone else, huh?"

I quietly responded by taking his hand in mine and lacing our fingers together as we continued along the docks toward the houseboat. After what happened between us in the back of that limo, I was worried about any awkwardness that would arise. Judging from how comfortable we both were at the moment, I suppose it wasn't going to be an issue for now. We had more important things to focus on anyway.

"You're sure Auron can help us with all this?"

"Mm…" I confirmed with a nod. "He's the only one who can."

But I honestly wasn't sure of anything anymore. If Auron couldn't provide us with the aid we needed, then I shuddered to think what would happen to us all.