So... I had a brief crisis about this fic and almost deleted the whole thing to start over. I think it's just a me hang up though. Like I like the plot and characterizations... so i don't know...

PS: Thank you for pointing out about the code issue... Apparently still hates my ipad. Here is the actual ending!

Anyways, enough of that. Here is the last part!

Hope relaxed into his warm bed. It was a lazy morning for him. He was not much of a morning person and he wasn't meeting Noel until lunch. He rolled over on his side. Of course Noel wasn't there. He often got up early to go out to the nature reserves and relax. The other still had problems with his memories. Hadn't remember much more then he had after their initial weeks together.

Hope smiled deeply as he rolled over to the side of the bed that smelled like Noel. He didn't know how it was so easy to be around the other. Hope was such an introvert but Noel wasn't one to really set him off. It was just as well that Noel didn't want to bother him with his unrecovered memories that he didn't want to be a burden. He bit his lips as he groaned at Noel's continuing stupidity. Noel was such a lovable idiot.

Reforging his relationship with Noel was the best thing that he'd ever done. Moments together as he tried to reaffirm the Academy's and ensure that they would survive the Chaos War outside. It was so much that was happen though. Over and a half centuries had passed since the chaos had invaded. At least that's what the calendars and clocks said. It didn't feel that. Not at all. He could get the world pass this. And more importantly he'd had this safe haven of his house with Noel. Once he broke him of his annoying early morning habits of getting up horribly early and going out. Firm in his thoughts he relaxed back into the sheets. And that was when the pain started.

He gasped for breath, clutching at his chest. What was happening? He twisted in the sheets and realized that the room was getting brighter and brighter. As the pain grew stronger. Something inside him, warned him to get away from the light. He pushed himself back and fell off the bed. He screamed in pain as the light grew brighter and tried to escape.

The light engulfed him and Hope knew no more.

Noel and Serah sat in companionable silence over coffee in a small cafe near the outskirts of New Academia. Both much earlier risers then their beloved counterparts it had become something of a nice time to meet up. They were like brother and sister in many respects and they had felt that it was a good time to talk about the problems within their group. And Noel had sorely need to talk to her.

"I guess it makes sense that there would be that kind of tension." Serah remarked sadly as she stared down at the table. "In my own way I'm guilty of the same thing. Snow and I have had quit a few private fights. Because I believed that Lightning wasn't trapped in the pillar... We postponed out wedding, practically cancelled our engagement so he could go off a journey that by all means should have been hopeless."

"But you were right." Noel interrupted.

"Surprisingly yes, but I put our whole life on hold. He became a l'cie again. All for my sister who practically hated him." She swallowed hard. "And in a way I forced him to abandon Hope."

"Now that's not true at all." Noel took his hand in hers. "Don't you dare take blame for what they did. They chose not to reach out to Hope. And furthermore... It's them after all that Hope has done... Being distrustful over being thankful."

"That's a rather strong sentiment." Serah teased gently. "But in a way... You and I are the only ones that keep him in the loop. When we meet him in 10AF he hadn't seen any of us in around seven years. And we just popped in and out of his life with no guarantees as we forced him to support our journey."

'That's self defeating!" Noel slapped his hand on the table and gasp when his coffee jumped splattering him with hot coffee. He whimpered slightly as he sucked on the light burn. "I mean... I guess in a way we could all be blamed for hurting someone. But I still don't think its fair that he sacrificed his life for us and basically got nothing in return."

Serah could only nod her agreement. They setlled into comfortable silence when Serah's comm rang. She jumped in confusion and then pulled it out to check. It was a message from Lightning that only said 'urgent.' Feeling nervous she stood up and nodded to Noel.

"Light wants to see us. Now." She explained as she headed for the door. "Something must have happened."

Noel threw back the rest of his drink and took off after her. This didn't bode well. He felt a little nervous as he followed her through the busy streets. When they veered away from the route to Serah's house, Noel realized very quickly that they were heading for his. Noel felt his chest seize up and he pushed past Serah to move faster. Sazh was at the door looking uncomfortable. When he saw the two of them approaching his face only became more grim.

"He's gone." Sazh explained as he stood in front of the door preventing their entrance. Noel's eyes widen and he moved to push past Sazh but was stopped. "Just listen to me for a moment."

Noel bared his teeth and reached for Sazh again but Serah grabbed him and held him back. The older man sighed deeply. Sazh stepped forward and shoved Noel towards the sitting area. The guards outside had watched them nervously but since they all had high level security passes didn't interfere.

"Look. It's really not good. There were signs of a struggle but more importantly... Signs of the holy spooks." Sazh scrubbed a hand across his face, his rough brown face worn in with worry. "we don't know what happened but there's nothing we can do."

"THERE CAN'T BE NOTHING!" Noel was up again but Sazh's pushed him back down with a firm hand on his shoulder. The father in the older man came out full force.

"Look... no one every wants to hear that. I know just the well as the rest of you. But the fact of the matter is kid, there are no leads right now. And the Academy won't let us do anything. And Light... that girl's half cocked and livid. She 'n Snow are in there arguing with those paper pushers. Any more people in there and it'll be bloodshed."

"But Hope!" Noel rasped. Not having anything to do was causing nervous tremors in him. His deepest enemy, the feeling of being helpless was manifesting itself in the worst way. Sazh sighed deeply and Serah wrapped an arm around him tightly. "We have to do something. I can't-"

"I know how you feel." Sazh sighed deeply as his face crossed with lines as he remembered some of his own unpleasant events. "We all want to protect Hope, find him and keep him safe. Also I know that you have a bit more... of invested interest in this mess. But we can't risk the Academy finding out about the whole special powers business and without Hope as our barrier and filter-"

"I don't care about any of that! I care about Hope!" Noel protested and Serah squeezed him again.

"We all care about Hope. And more importantly we have to find him and preserve his work." The pink haired girl spoke as she rubbed a hand soothingly on his back. "I'm sure you understand that."

Noel gritted his teeth even as tears started to fall. With nothing to do the tense anger and need to do something dissolved into emotional pain that he wasn't sure of how to deal with. As the tears rolled down his cheeks he turned and buried his face into Serah and unleashed the emotional pain that he wasn't sure of how to cope with.

Sazh turned from them as the door opened. Lightning exited with a grim look on her face. She approached them carefully and came to stand next to Sazh. She swallowed hard as she saw watched Noel lose his composure. They all sat in silence for a long moment and Lightning spoke up.

"The Academy wants to confiscate the whole apartment. Snow managed to convince them to hold off until we have a moment. But from what I've seen and noted is that it was definitely something not of this world." She spoke quietly.

"And what does that mean?" Sazh asked as he looked back towards the door waiting for Snow's exit.

"I'm not really sure. It could have been Etro but she's still terrible weak. It definitely wasn't chaos. Something doesn't feel right but it definitely means that we don't have a trail."

"Snow went after you without one!" Noel growled and Lightning sighed deeply.

"It's not that we aren't going to go after Hope." She started gently, not something she was really use to trying to be. "It's that there is nothing here that can help us. Snow is in there convincing them to give us Hope's chaos research. Vanille and Fang left earlier to go to HQ and contact Arcane."

"And what will that do?" Serah asked quietly.

"I believe that Hope isn't on the Ark at all anymore. He was in charge of monitoring the chaos outside. I want to see if whatever took him, took him outside."

Noel swallowed hard with nervousness. Going outside meant a slow death from the crystal dust. He stood up nervously but Lightning pushed him back down. "While it sucks there is nothing for us to do until the others are finished."

"And then what-"

A low shudder like an earthquake shook the building. Noel jerked out of Lightning's grip as they all moved towards the door at the second shudder. Soon the whole building was shaking. The 14th Ark gave a sharp whine. It occurred to Noel slowly, almost as if he was outside his body that something was dreadfully wrong with the gravitation cores. The Ark gave another lurch and terror began to fill his veins.

The Ark was falling.