This may or may not have already been done before, but this is just my take on it. I've always wondered what happened during those ten years. Auron seemed to know Tidus very well during the events of the game, so one can only assume they had quite a bit of interaction in Zanarkand.

Tidus was curled up on a chair browsing the photos in a blitzball magazine when his mother stormed out the front door. Not even looking up, he didn't know or honestly care why she left so angrily. He knew he wouldn't be given a real answer, anyway. Ever since Jecht disappeared a few months ago, Tidus' mother was barely willing to give him any time or attention. All she did was stare out the window and cry. It was when her voice, loud and screaming, came filtering in from the window that Tidus finally glanced outside to see her talking to that man in red, the one who had begun showing up from time to time two weeks ago. This finally peaked his interest. Hopping to his feet, Tidus ran to the door, exited, and cautiously approached the pair. His mother was standing at the edge of the boathouse deck, the man in red standing opposite her on the pier. Tidus strained to make out their conversation.

"But who are you?!" his mother cried out hysterically. She was already weeping again.

"My name is Auron," the man replied. His voice, calm and soft and deep, was more difficult for the boy to hear.

"I don't mean your name. Why do you keep coming around here? Who are you?!"

"I..." Auron shifted, looking off to the side. "I've just been concerned for you and your son after the disappearance of your husband."

Tidus now stood behind his mother and stared up at the stranger in red. For the past two weeks he had seen Auron come by the boathouse, exchanging words with his mother. Tidus had never before met this man in his life and yet now the guy comes around like he's an old family friend.

The young mother shook her head, tears on her cheeks. "At first that's all I thought it was. But you've visited so many times, almost every other day. Do you know my husband? Do you know something about him?" She now sobbed into her hands. "Where is Jecht? Where is my Jecht?!"

Tidus looked down at his feet. The sound of his mother's crying used to make him also cry in turn, but now she did it so frequently, and over his father, that he had become strangely apathetic for a seven-year-old. No emotion could be mustered within him at the moment. When his eyes moved back up, he saw that Auron, too, stared at the ground silently.

"Where is my husband?" the mother quietly spoke, wrought with grief. When Auron gently reached a hand out to her, she moved away. Opening her mouth to speak again, only a sob escaped, and she then quickly retreated to the inside of the boathouse, leaving Tidus alone with Auron. A heavy silence settled between them and they stared into each other. The young boy had never spoken to the stranger in red before.

"Mom is mad at you," Tidus finally said.

"Yes," Auron responded. "Yes she is."

Tidus studied his appearance. He could barely see the man's face at all, given the height difference and the high collar that Auron wore, as well as the sunglasses. The boy could also now see that Auron's left arm was snugly tucked inside his coat. From inside the boathouse, it had always looked like he was simply missing the arm altogether.

"Why do you do that?" Tidus asked. Auron answered with a tilt of his head, and Tidus clarified by pointing at his left arm.

"Ah, this," said the man, lifting his dangling hand a bit. "I do this because I lost someone. I lost a man I had dedicated my life to protecting."

"So you have to hide your arm?"

"It's symbolic."

Tidus shrugged, satisfied with this answer. He looked back to the interior of the boathouse, where his mother most likely sat at the window looking out to sea.

"Mom cries a lot everyday," said the boy.

"I wish I could help somehow," said Auron. Tidus didn't know this man at all- didn't know if he was trustworthy, honest, or genuine- but something in the way he spoke those words made the boy feel like he truly did want to be of help.

Remaining turned, Tidus looked out toward the ocean. His young eyes drank in the seascape. No matter how wondrous, the sea now only made him think of one thing. The dark blue of the waters stretched out into the horizon, fading into pink and orange to match the setting of the sun, the waves rippling and breaking the colors apart, mixing with white sea foam and the black of spots the sun just couldn't reach, and somewhere out in the midst of that beautiful image, his father had vanished forever.

"I hope he doesn't come back," said Tidus with an icy tone. Auron didn't respond right away.

"Why would you say that?" the man quietly asked.

"Because I hate him."

Tidus heard the footsteps of Auron and knew he was walking away. He didn't care. He didn't care if Auron left, or if his mother cried. He didn't care if Jecht never came back. He didn't care if he was alone, but in reality those were lies because Tidus desperately yearned to feel nothing, and in truth, he cared so much it hurt.

As Auron exited the pier and left Tidus behind, he mentally berated himself. He knew he should have stayed to comfort Tidus. His promise to Jecht had been to protect the boy. Despite this, Auron couldn't stand to hear Tidus say that he hated Jecht. Not after how close he'd become with his father on their pilgrimage, not with how recently that journey had tragically ended. He couldn't bring himself to listen to it. Not yet.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

It was already becoming difficult for Auron to maintain his promise to Jecht. This city, Zanarkand, was so foreign to him. It was tough to become accustomed. Not only that, but it was almost impossible to check on Tidus every now and then without seeming suspicious. Jecht's wife did not know Auron at all and he could not tell her about what had happened to Jecht. She couldn't know about Spira; about Sin. She would never know of Auron's true intentions. Still, even though his summoner was gone, Auron remained a guardian, thanks to Jecht's wishes. He had to protect Tidus no matter what.

Auron stepped onto the pier by the familiar boathouse. The skyscrapers of Zanarkand twinkled in the distance more brightly than the stars in the black sky ever could. Hesitant due to the abrupt ending to his interaction with Tidus' mother a few days ago, he remained there for a time. Before long the front door opened and out came the young mother. He could tell by her expression that she had already been crying, possibly for hours. She approached him with a quick stride and, this time, stepped onto the pier with him rather than staying on the deck of the boat.

"Where is my husband?!" she demanded immediately. Hair tangled and eyes red, the sorrow that was devastating her showed more clearly than ever. She seemed to have aged greatly with each passing day. Auron regarded her with deep empathy, feeling an aching pain in his heart as he looked upon her.

"Jecht is gone," he answered slowly, softly.

Her expression twisting with grief, the young mother brought a hand to her face as she released a strained sob. Fresh tears came forth and she continued to plead with him.

"Tell me where he is." Her voice cracked as she wept, and Auron grimaced behind his collar.

"He's gone. I'm so sorry."

She reached out and shoved him forcefully. Auron stumbled a bit, surprised, but easily regained himself.

"Give me my husband!" Tidus' mother cried out, a rage mixing with her despair. "Bring Jecht back!"

She raised a fist to strike his chest, but Auron reflexively caught her wrist in his right hand. Sobbing heavily, the mother failed to find anymore strength and collapsed there. Auron swiftly moved his left arm from his coat and encircled her waist to support her, gently kneeling with her to the ground. He released her wrist and she, on her knees, fell into him, fingers grasping his red fabric, her face at his chest. She trembled fiercely and desperately cried out her husband's name. Auron remained there, kneeling, one arm around her. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't tell her things were okay. Jecht had essentially died when he had become Sin. Auron had grieved for days over the deaths of his close friends. Now he held onto someone who grieved for the same thing. Auron had already given all the tears he'd once had for Jecht and Braska. He couldn't cry with her. So instead, he held her silently as she writhed in agonizing misery and begged Auron to bring Jecht back.

For a moment, Auron saw young Tidus poke his head out of the front door of the boathouse, but he then quickly disappeared back inside.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"She hasn't gotten out of bed for days," Tidus said as he sat on the edge of the boat, swinging his legs back and forth and regarding the rippling water below. "She won't eat, either. The doctor said she's getting real sick."

Auron stood nearby on the dock. "Is she going to be alright?"

"Why should you care?" Tidus retorted with bitterness. He was resentful of his father for making his mother fall ill. In Tidus' mind, it was all Jecht's fault.

"If she were to die, I wouldn't know what to do."

"Don't say Mom is gonna die!" The boy angrily stood and glared at Auron with tear-filled eyes. The man in red turned to leave, offering his apologies before stepping away. Tidus ran to the other side of the boat and gripped the edge, squeezing his eyes shut and willing himself not to give into his father's old taunts. He willed himself not to cry. His mother slowly deteriorated, and Tidus did his best not to cry.

This chapter included a lot of crying. Given the circumstances, I can't really blame them. Future chapters will still contain drama but not as many tears. I'm having fun writing this, and I hope you had fun reading.