A/N: Cheesy title is cheesy. I've been sitting on this story for a while now, wondering whether or not to post it. Soooo, at last, decided to finally share it!

Just something I wanted to write for fun. Yes, Hope/OC, but hopefully still enjoyable. A lot of plot/backstory in the beginning parts to build up their relationship, and the "mature" situation only comes in at the end. So, if all you want to read is that, scroll on down. If you don't want to read that, then just skip it, hah. And it had been a while since I played XIII and XIII-2 when I wrote this so my apologies for anything that's mistaken in some way or another, but I hope you can just roll with it and enjoy!

A New Hope

08 AF:

Hope stared up at the glow from the crystal that still supported Cocoon. In the everlasting eclipse that had befallen them at Yaschas Massif, it was the only source of light in the unnatural darkness. Back on Cocoon, an eclipse had never even been heard of before. Now, most likely thanks to the paradox that had occurred in the area, they were stuck in one as the research at the ruins continued. But they had to be here. According to their calculations, this was where Serah and Noel, those two travelling through time, were to appear. When they would appear, that was not yet known. All he could now was hope that when they did show up, the two would be able to help solve the paradox. Hope... Sometimes he still resented being named that. Other times...it was a nice reminder... Especially in these dark times, it—

"Director!"

The sudden voice became overpowered by a low growling. That warm breath that began to crawl down the back of his neck...it was not a good sign. One of the other downfalls that came with the eternal eclipse, besides the perpetual darkness that hung over all their work in the area, were the powerful fiends that seemed to thrive in the shadows. A curse escaped under his breath as he reached for his trusted boomerang, moving a bit more sluggishly than he would have liked. But, as soon as he turned around and saw the Behemoth that had moved up behind him, the large fiend began to sink back into the darkness. The bang of a gun filled the air, followed by a bullet rushing past Hope. The Behemoth snarled and continued to cower away, not liking the bright light that was now shining in its face.

For good measure, Hope still charged up his boomerang with an electric attack and shot it at the fiend. Still snarling in frustration at the loss of a potential meal, the Behemoth disappeared into the darkness. Whether it was fully gone for now, or merely going to bide its time for a better chance to attack, Hope could not say. For the time being, at least, he could let out a sigh of relief. A Behemoth in these parts, especially in the unnatural darkness, was always a hard fight, one that Hope would rather not face.

"Director, are you all right?" asked the same voice from before. It was much closer now, coming from behind and in the direction of the source of the light that had helped save him. Stashing away his boomerang for now, Hope turned around, and was nearly blinded.

"Gyah!" cried out Hope in surprise, raising his arm to block the bright light.

"Ah! Sorry, sir." apologized the woman. She had sadly lifted the flashlight up at the wrong time to see if he was all right. Bad timing, nothing more.

"Once I get my sight back, I'll be fine." Hope blinked multiple times, trying to restore his vision faster. The blotchy spots in his sight began to fade, adjusting to the current lighting now around him. The woman waited patiently, making sure to keep the flashlight pointed at the ground, never raising it again higher than their knees. Success, he could see again. Sight really could be a precious thing. Standing straighter and smoothing out his jacket, Hope looked to the woman before him. "Thank you..." He faltered for a moment. He could not think of her name. After becoming the Director of Academy Research, he tried his best to learn the members of those assigned to the study of the ruins. Not only the other science members, but the guards as well. Judging from her uniform, the woman was a guard. "Miss?" Sadly, he could not think of a name to go with that braided green hair, or those brown eyes that...were oddly comforting when he thought about it...

"Eyphah," she filled in for him, saluting. "Aislin Eyphah, sir. I was just recently assigned here."

At least now he no longer felt so bad for not having learned her name yet. They were still getting new members to the science and defence teams, especially when someone got badly injured from the fiends and had to be replaced. "Thank you, Aislin. But, what were you doing all the way out here?"

"I was assigned to search for you, actually, Director..." she mumbled, as though embarrassed by such a task.

Hope's brow furrowed. "Really?"

Aislin shuffled her feet, taking a moment to gather her thoughts by shining the flashlight into the surrounding darkness. No new fiends had arrived. "Yes, sir. You hadn't returned yet, and your presence is required back at Paddra Ruins. Something big has been discovered."

Had he really been gone so long that someone had been sent out for him? He had only been collecting more data on the surrounding area, in hopes of pinpointing when Serah and Noel would arrive, nothing that should have taken so long. But then again, while he was now Director of Academy Research, he did enjoy moments like this where he was on his own so he finally had time to think. He must have just lost track of time.

"Let's head back then. I'd very much like to see what this discovery is." Gesturing before him, Hope set off, not too fast so he would not pass the reach of the flashlight.

"Uh, Director? The base is back this way..." Almost hesitantly, Aislin pointed in the direction opposite Hope. The Director blinked and stared in the corrected direction. This far out from their perimeter for the base, and it was fairly easy to get turned around. But, being the one that had just come for him and not the one who had bend spending hours out in the darkness, he would trust her call. Now that he had some more time to think about it, it did look right.

"Yes. Of course it is. I-I knew that."

"Certainly. Whatever you say...sir." After righting his direction, Hope shot the woman a slightly wry grin. It was not hard to tell she did not believe him, not that he had intended to sound truthful. But it was nice to know she would play along with him to help save face, though no one else was around.

Once her gun was holstered, the two of them headed off through the darkness, always making sure to keep their personal light as close to them as possible. Until they got closer to their base camp, it was the only major line of defence they had. Even with Aislin now with him, Hope did not want to test their strength against a Behemoth in the darkness. The fiends seemed to thrive off of the paradox, making them that much harder to kill.

Despite Aislin being the one to carry the light, Hope fell into taking the lead. The silence that began to press in on his ears even became too much for him to handle. It was not normally something tat bothered him, being surrounded by silence, but it was a little more eery when in the darkness than he would like. Whether talking would attract more fiends to them despite the light...well, only one way to find out.

"So when did you get here?" asked Hope, feeling somewhat guilty at not having been aware of a new recruit, even if she was just a guard for the research team.

"Just this week, sir," she responded without missing a beat as they jumped up some boulders. "I was assigned just before getting here. It's rather different from what I expected."

"What did you expect?"

There was a pause.

"I-I'm not so sure, actually..." she mumbled, seeming embarrassed. "I was told of the eclipse, but I really didn't know what to make of the descriptions. All light blocked... Eternal darkness..." Aislin slowed to a stop, the pool of light from her flashlight drawing a protective area around them. She stared up at Cocoon, the glow from the eclipse still present around it. Somewhere in time, there was a massive eclipse, and thanks to the paradox, they were now experiencing it as well. In a way, it was almost beautiful. Haunting, and eery, granted, but also beautiful, at least that's how Hope looked at it. Others... "I hate it."

Hope blinked at her in surprise. While it was not uncommon to have people working in the paradox to dislike, or even somewhat fear, the eclipse, hers was no simple dislike. It was as though she held some personal grudge against the eclipse. That grim look on her face as she glanced away from the eclipse said more than even her few words did.

"If you hate it here, you can always get reassigned." While they certainly could use all the help they could get at the Paddra Ruins, Hope was not about to force someone to stay against their will. Being stuck to work in the eclipse was not for everyone.

"But I was assigned here, sir. I will follow the orders I was given." With a flick of her wrist, Aislin continued on through the darkened wilderness.

Hope merely let out a silent sigh before continuing. Following orders like that, almost blindly and without concern for one's self... It reminded him too much of their life on Cocoon—brought up to live the way the fal'Cie dictated. He had hoped that living on Gran Pulse would change things, but some were going to need more time than others.

"Besides...help is needed here," she added. The Director let the matter slide. If she felt her reason for staying was greater than that of her dislike of the eclipse, he was not about to argue. Any help was useful. "Oh good." Aislin let out a small sigh of relief. "There are the searchlights."

Hope looked up to see the border of their main patrols. Once it became clear the fiends would not let them be as long as there was heavy darkness, searchlights were set up so they could keep the fiends at bay. Their pace was picked up the closer they got to their destination. While handy, a flashlight was no substitute for the protection of the searchlights or the base of operations at the ruins.

"Welcome back, Director!" greeted scientist and guards alike. The pool of light Aislin had controlled was shut off once they got into the slightly safer area of the base. Things could still go wrong even when inside, of course. It was not common, but still very possible.

"This way, sir." Aislin did not back down from her post just yet. Though Hope had a good guess where to go, for there were only so many places in the ruins they had been focusing on at the moment...that and he could already see the crowd of people gathered, he still followed the green-haired woman.

"Director Hope! You're back!" cried out Alyssa, pushing through those gathered to Hope. The young scientist grabbed his arm and pulled him forward, much to his surprise. Alyssa was always such a...hands-on person. "Wait till you see this."

"What is it?" asked the Director, laying his eyes on the device that must have caused all the commotion. It was...rather small, hardly seeming of any great importance at first glance. But looks could always be deceiving. Everything in the room seemed to be connected to the small green device in some way.

"We're not sure yet." Alyssa tapped her hand to her chin in annoyance. "We don't even know if we'll be able to get it working again. Power's been restored to the controls, but we haven't been able to so much as turn it on yet."

"It's possible."

Hope and Alyssa looked over in surprise. Aislin was standing by one of the panels, already fiddling with some of the controls. The young Director could feel himself cringing and want to call out at her to stop; there was no telling what pushing random buttons would do. He stopped before even a single noise could escape him. A light whirring hum from behind drew his attention back to the device. Where moments before it seemed dead, the device was now alive. Though its full potential and secrets had yet to be revealed, at least now they were one step in the right direction.

"Sorry, that's all I could get working for now..."

Hope nearly gawked at Aislin. In a matter of seconds, she had managed to turn on the device that seemed to have gotten the other scientists stumped for now, and yet she was apologizing?

"Oh wow! It still works?" breathed out Alyssa in amazement, peering closer to the device. "I wonder what it does..."

"Aislin... You understand this?"

"Yes sir," she answered after a moment of trying to regain her composure. What she had done without asking seemed to have fully sunk in, and was somewhat flustered because of it. "Computers have always been easy for me. The language here is slightly different, but the core's still the same."

He could feel a slight grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. The ease she seemed to have with computers only reminded him of his love for machines, and how easily he could tinker with them to get them to do what he wanted. Everyone had their own strength. And her skill with computers was certainly going to come in handy.

"I think you've just been temporarily reassigned."

09 AF:

"Any more progress?" Hope nearly jumped in surprise himself when Aislin was startled slightly. Scaring her had not been his intent. She must have truly been focused on her work to not have noticed him approaching. Apologies were muttered as she returned to the console in front of her.

"I was just about to request you come, actually, sir. I think I may have it."

"That's great work, Aislin."

A soft sigh escaped her. "It hasn't worked yet, sir. It's best to save any congratulations you may have." Chuckling, Hope nodded to himself. Still modest, even though she had gone through the information they had gathered on the device, now known to be the Oracle Drive, much faster than he had predicted. What other information had been recoded on the Drive would only be found out once they got it working. It was taking a while, bit he was confident that the code would be cracked eventually. Dusting off her hands, Aislin stood straight and looked to the Oracle Drive. Like the other researchers present, Hope also turned and waited with baited breath in hopes of the stored secrets finally being revealed.

They waited. And waited... And...

"Oh, blast it all!" cursed Aislin, huffing in annoyance. She spun around and nearly slammed her hand back on the console. "You should be working!" Panting to vent her frustration, Aislin slowly blinked before glancing over to a mildly surprised Hope. It was the first time he had seen her so frustrated, not that he could blame her. She cleared her throat, seeming embarrassed over having lost her temper slightly. "Sorry, sir."

"Get some rest."

"But, sir—"

"You've been at this nearly non-stop ever since it was first uncovered. Don't get me wrong, you've been a great help in trying to get the Oracle Drive working, but there are still other researchers working on it, and they can continue working while you get some rest." It was very important to sleep in proper shifts, and he tried to make sure everyone followed the schedule. Having eternal night, thanks to the eclipse, was not helpful to anyone's natural sleep schedule. Night and day were lost on them as long as they were in the Paddra Ruins. "I'm sure everything will still be there waiting when you wake up, and you can figure it out then."

"Just let me work at it for a little bit more, please, sir. Everything was starting to make sense!"

Hope gave Aislin a stern gaze. "Don't make me turn this into an order, Aislin." Though part of the guard and not technically a researcher, he still had power over her as long as she was assigned to the ruins and he was the Director of the project. Everyone, including her, was under his supervision.

"Yes, sir. Of course." Saluting, Aislin's posture seemed to droop. She really must have been pushing herself for her to have suddenly become so tired. Opposing to the need of sleep no longer seemed to be high on her priority list.

Hope remained where he was and watched her, almost acting like a guardian, making sure she did not turn back around to continue working. She slowly headed towards the ramp heading over to the living quarters, looking almost dejected when he thought about it. He wished there was some way he could make her feel better, but the only way that came to mind was to let her return to work, and that was not a valid option. Before she got much further, a loud whirring noise came up from behind. Before Hope could even turn around to see what was going on, Aislin had stood up straighter, whipped around, and came nearly rushing back towards the Oracle Drive. He had never seen her look so excited.

"I knew it! I knew it would work! Hah, there is no computer than can leave me baffled forever!"

Hope blinked at her before staring at the Oracle Drive. It certainly seemed to be fully activated now. The other researchers had stopped what they were doing to come witness the event. "What is it doing?" asked the Director.

"I have no idea." Aislin gave him a light shrug. "However it displays its information, I suppose." Quickly, she returned to the console she had been at, trying to make sense of what was now occurring.

"Look! In the ruins!" one of the researchers called out, pointing behind Hope. The Director and Aislin both turned to see a large device that had been recently uncovered in the ruins coming to life. Light shone out from it and caused broken images to appear floating in the air. Static. It was as though whatever information had been recorded had been degraded greatly, or corrupted somehow. But that did not matter. Hope would recognize the woman that appeared through the images no matter what.

"Light..." he breathed out. It was her...yet not her. Though hard to discern, it looked as though she now wore a feathered suit of armour, making his thoughts go to that of a warrior goddess. All too soon, the records stopped. Why had she been in a recording that had been made hundreds of years ago?

"I know her..." whispered Aislin.

"She's holding up the Pillar with Fang and Vanille," responded Hope automatically. He would never forget that day. That day that apparently should not have happened as he remembered. Lightning's disappearance that, according to Serah, should not have occurred...it was what had caused him to lose everyone he knew. Snow, Serah, even Sazh and his son. All were gone, in different ways, to try and figure out what had happened to Lighting.

"No... I mean, I recognize her. I've seen her before!" Hope turned to Aislin, puzzled. For nine years now, Lightning had been gone. No one had seen her. Before then, Lightning had been a simple soldier in PSICOM. He could think of nothing that would make her stand out in Aislin's memory. "Nine years ago... The Purge out of Bodhum. She was on my train. No way can I ever forget that face. I...I don't want to think about where I'd be now if she hadn't done what she did."

"You were in the Purge?" It was as though she saw her in a new light. That day that his life changed forever... He wanted to say something like he remembered seeing her among the other Purge victims, but that would have been a lie. No memory of her green hair stood out when he thought back. They had been on different trains, after all, so it did not really surprise him. Still...he wanted to have more of a connection to her rather than the happenstance of being in Bodhum at the same time nine years ago. Though they had both been in the Purge, their lives had turned out rather different...until now. In a small way, he did still feel more connected to her now. Hope quickly cleared his throat. Now was not time to let his thoughts wander. They had just revealed the secrets of the Oracle Drive. "I'm glad that you were able to survive it. But, please. You still need to get some rest now."

Aislin looked at him in disbelief before starting back at the Oracle Drive. "But, Director...!"

"No more arguing, Aislin. It's an order now. You did a great job with the Oracle Drive, but you need rest before I'll allow you to see if there's anything else you need to do to help with the information stored on the Drive."

A reluctant sigh escaped her. "Yes, sir..."

Hope climbed the steps to where the Oracle Drive rested with ease. Now that the device was fully functional, it was much easier to gather information. So much was being found out about the Farseers that once lived in the ruined city. He barely made note of the person that passed him on his way up until he noticed the familiar hair.

"Ah, Aislin!" He said her name a bit quicker than he normally would, as though almost flustered. She stopped quickly and turned around, eyebrows arched.

"Yes, Director?"

Mind going blank, Hope only stared at her. Why had he been heading to the Oracle Drive again? Had it been to check on Aislin? No, no. That could not have been it. Though, as he stared at her, it was seeming like a good reason. But, no. Had it been to check on the researchers? No, that did not seem right either. To check on the overall progress? That...seemed right. But, he already knew things were going well. And, since they were going well, he was going to run out of excuses for keeping Aislin "temporarily" reassigned. Excuses? Reasons, he meant reasons. ...And why were his thoughts drifting back to her so frequently?

He quickly cleared his throat. "How is the research progressing?"

Aislin gave him an odd stare. What was that look for? Was there something on his face? Had his voice sounded odd? "No different than it was an hour ago, sir, when you last asked... Everything's going smoothly."

Really? He had asked the same question in the last hour? Hope was not certain which was worse: asking so frequently, or the fact that he did not really remember asking so frequently. Both were bad enough on their own, but together...

"Well, is there anything you need help with at the moment? Where were you headed?"

A forced smile crossed her face, but he could see the worried look behind her eyes. "To sleep, sir. Remember?" She coughed lightly. "You told me last time I needed to head off to sleep. Though, I'm afraid I must admit that I got a bit carried away again with the Oracle Drive... It's just so interesting!" Her excitement was reeled back in and she sheepishly clasped her hands together. "Sorry, sir..."

Hope chuckled at her enthusiasm. She certainly did seem very happy when dealing with the Oracle Drive. In all honesty, he had actually become surprised that she was a soldier rather than a researcher. Not many opportunities for dealing with computers would rise as long as she remained in the military. But, whatever her reason, it was her own, and not a matter for him to pry into unless he was invited.

"It's all right, Aislin. You go an enjoy your rest. I'll need you fully ready for—" Hope was cut off when the power shut down unexpectedly. He cursed under his breath, looking around, but unable to see even an inch in front of him due to the engulfing darkness. With where the ruins were located, the faint light cast from behind Cocoon could not reach them; they were locked in shadows.

Mentally, Hope began to count the passing seconds in his head, licking his lips apprehensively in the process. The back-up generators should have started by now, turning all the lights and various equipment and machines back on. Yet still they were in nothing but darkness. A frustrated sigh escaped Hope. With the darkness, they would become vulnerable to all the monsters that had stayed away only because of their light. Something would have to be done; he needed to find the source of the problem.

As he started to leave, something grabbed onto his jacket and would no let go. He looked back, but realized how silly that was for he could not see anything around him. There had been nothing for his clothing to snag on...so what had stopped him? He reached down to where his jacket was caught and felt a hand clenched tightly, so tight that only fear could keep it that strong.

"Please..." she whispered, her voice coming from closer than it had been before. "Please, sir... Don't leave..."

Hope stared (he believed) at her. From his time with her, he had only learned her to be a strong soldier. But this... She was so scared. So petrified from the darkness that she could no longer function normally. As much as he wanted to stay, his desire to figure out what was going on threatened to pull him away.

"Come with me," he offered as a compromise. "It's okay. You'll be fine." Prying her taught fingers off of his jacket, he held her hand. He could tell that her fear ebbed away slightly, but still lingered.

When he started to move, power flickered back on. The ruins returned to life, and the fear of monsters overrunning them went away for now. Still, the power had gone off, and the reserve power did not start as soon as it had meant to. He was going to have to look into the matter and pray that it did not happen again.

"Sorry, sir..." mumbled Aislin, pulling her hand from his. Hoped blinked in surprise, already having forgotten that he had taken her grasp. Before even thinking, he started to reach out to take her hand back, but realized it was no longer needed, and cleared his throat in embarrassment.

"What happened?" he asked, concerned. As long as the power was on, he did not have to rush immediately see to it.

"I..." Her dark-brown eyes gazed back at him before she lowered and shook her head. "It's nothing, sir. It won't happen again." She quickly saluted at him. "I need to go rest now, sir. Goodbye."

Before Hope could even call out to her, she had scampered off down the ramp towards the living quarters. Eyeing her skeptically, Hope pursed his lips together thoughtfully. There was definitely something she did not wish to tell him. That darkness...had completely petrified her. It was more than some simple fear, it was a terrible phobia. Now was not the time for him to draw information from her; he would just have to wait for that right time when he could understand why she was so afraid. And the concern with the power did require his attention. The matter of Aislin's fear would have to be dealt with later.

10 AF:

"You're actually taking a break?" asked Hope a little more cheekily than he normally would have.

Aislin whipped her head around, nearly choking on her drink when she saw who had spoken to her. Immediately, he apologized to her and shifted the records he had in his hand so he could pat her on her back. "It-it's been known to happen, sir," she replied back just as cheekily.

With her no longer reassigned to the Oracle Drive, Aislin was back on her normal guard duties. Their schedules were different, and so he no longer had such frequent opportunities to talk with her. Duties kept him very busy as well. Since the appearance of Serah and Noel, things had shifted into high-gear.

Hope chuckled a bit before taking a seat next to her on the wall of the ruins. From here, they could see all of Paddra. It was actually quite the lovely view. Despite the dark and oppressive atmosphere the Eclipse gave, seeing everything from here was actually...peaceful.

Aislin called out to the Director softly. When he looked down, he saw that she was offering some of her lunch to him. As much as he wanted to share her food, Hope declined. Instead, he began to seek for the answers he wanted: "Aislin?" He swallowed nervously when her warm-brown eyes settled on him. Part of him did not want to ask, but a greater portion needed to have his curiosity satisfied. Perhaps it was because he was a scientist—he did not like leaving anything unknown. "Why is it you're afraid of the darkness?"

The green-haired woman glanced away and remained silent. She gripped her food tighter, and Hope regretted having asked. If it had been something simple or silly, surely would have already given the reason. Her silence only indicated that it was something much deeper than he suspected to be cause of her phobia.

"It actually deals with the Purge," she answered softly before Hope brought himself to apologize and excuse himself. He leaned a bit closer towards her, not wanting to miss a word she said. "And my brother." The Director blinked. Even after looking at her records, there was no mention of any siblings. How much else did he not know about her? "Damien was my fraternal twin brother...yet we couldn't be more opposite. I'd always prefer to have my nose in a book or at the keys of a computer, while he'd be out playing any sort of sport. He was always so competitive too." A wry chuckle escaped her as she shook her head lightly. "I bet now he'd be trying to see how many people he can help.

"Despite our differences, we were still very close. And so, he was always there when I was afraid of the dark to make it better. Back then it was just a silly fear, really. I could never stand being in complete darkness, I never liked not knowing what was around me. But Damien was there to make it better until there was light.

"We went to Bhodum to enjoy the fireworks. Our father should have been with us, but he was busy with work, and wanted us to still see the show. But after... You know all you need to know about the Purge yourself." Aislin shook her head. "After Lightning's show on the train, Damien and I tried to flee as best we could, hiding as we ran. But, Damien..." The green-haired woman hung her head, clutching at her legs. "I'm not quite what sure happened... We were trying to get to where the other Purge victims had gone—it was NORA that had gathered them up, right?" Hope only nodded softly. He had been so focused on his hatred for Snow at the time he definitely did not notice the other people that had been around him at the time. Maybe, had he not been so caught up in his own problems, and worried a little more about the other people, he might have noticed her.

"But there was an explosion... Everything was so bright and loud. And Damien... Damien was no longer beside me. He had fallen...into the darkness, lost somewhere in Lake Bresha below." Aislin curled over a little, the memory of that time taking its toll on her. "He was gone. I was so alone in that time... I barely knew what to do...I just kept running and hiding, afraid to go home in case I was caught. But no one was there to keep the shadows away any more...

"You know, I need to thank you though." Aislin's dark eyes met Hope's. He was surprised when he saw how damp they now were. He wanted to comfort her, to pat her on the back or maybe even give her a hug, but that...that would not be right with his position as Director and her working at the Ruins.

Hope instead asked, "Thank me for what?"

"I don't want this to come off the wrong way, but I need to thank you and the others for...being l'Cie. Had not everyone been so...swept up in the l'Cie scare, hiding would not have been so easy for me. Thanks to you, I was able to keep on going until Cocoon fell."

A soft smile crossed Hope's lips as his hand covered his wrist where the l'Cie brand had once been. He had never thought about it like that. There had still been plenty of other people that had been in the Purge as well. Not all of them survived, but at least now he could believe he had helped in some small way to protect those that were fleeing. It shed a small piece of good light on that troubling time.

"You're welcome," he whispered back. It did not feel right for taking all the credit of her thanks, for his other friends helped so much in that time, helped everyone. Even now, Fang, Vanille, and Lightning still held up Cocoon; they still helped all the lives that now were trying to adjust to life on Pulse. "Why then did you accept the assignment here? Surely they debriefed you on the eclipse."

Aislin smiled weakly. "To face my fears, I guess. Though it hasn't quite worked the way I had hoped." She shrugged off the matter. "But I'm happy to be trying."

400 AF:

Hope headed out of the science department and onto the bright streets of Acadamia. The sight of it still amazed him. Something he had started around four-hundred years ago actually became what rose up into the sky around him. Not only had the grand city actually been built, but the time capsule had also worked. Thanks to Aislin's programming skills, the time capsule that had been created successfully put himself, Alyssa, and Aislin into stasis where they were woken in the future. Unlike Serah and Noel, who could now travel through time as long as there was a gate, there was no going back for the three of them. The future was now their present.

"You don't need to come," said Hope, staring at Aislin concerned.

The green-haired woman pursed her lips. "I know, sir, but I should. What it something goes wrong?"

What if something goes wrong, indeed. It was for that reason Hope did not want her coming with them to the future. At least here, he knew she could live out her life. If something were to go wrong, either with the time capsule or the future itself, there was no telling what would happen to them.

"I want to be there if the time capsule malfunctions for some reason and it needs to be fixed before we can go into stasis again," continued Aislin, defending her point before Hope could even argue. "And, if the future isn't what we expected, having an extra pair of hands won't hurt in whatever mess we could be thrown into."

Hope was only silent. As much as he wanted her to stay, he had been glad that he had not needed to ask her to come. Despite all the potential risks, he did want her there. Since the death of his father, Aislin was now the only one who, dare he admit it, felt like family to him. She was...someone he enjoyed being around and even wanted to protect. Alyssa was someone he did not mind—she was good at her job and would be handy to have in the future for the completion of the new Cocoon. But it was Aislin he felt more connected to; maybe it was because, like him, she had lost a family member during the Purge.

"But..." Aislin clasped her hands together and glanced down. "It'll be dark in there, while we're in stasis...won't it..." she mumbled as a statement more than a question.

With a sigh, Hope placed a hand on her shoulder, not caring at all about any taboos there might have been with him being her supervisor...for a little while longer. She needed help. No one else knew of her phobia. "Don't worry, Aislin." She looked up once she heard his comforting voice. Hope smiled, passing on as much reassurance as he could to her, and even to himself. "I'll be there to make sure the darkness goes away. You'll see."

And now they were there, in the future of Acadamia, with no problems arising during their stasis. It was so strange, the inhabitants knew of the three of them, yet they knew no one. It was...somewhat lonely, really. Granted, his family was gone, and his friends he had made in those fateful days were now lost in time, one way or another, but the people he had been working with in the Paddra Ruins had a familiarity. Everything had been new and foreign since coming here. The only things that remained, somewhat, the same were Alyssa and Aislin.

People greeted him as he walked the streets, enjoying the leisure time he could take on the moving sidewalks. Glancing over the edge, he felt a huge grin split across his face. Vehicles raced along through the air, and Acadamia continued so far down he was not sure where the ground began. The city had turned out to be more than he ever hoped for.

He was drawn from his thoughts when he suddenly bumped into someone. It had been bound to happen, really, and had happened before whenever he got lost in gawking at the city for there was quite the number of people in Acadamia. Most of the Gran Pulse population was located there, largely due to the preparation for their new ark, the new Cocoon. Some, however, still preferred the smaller towns, like New Bodhum, which had also grown in size.

"Sorry!" he quickly apologized, bowing quite low to the unknown person he had hit.

"It's all right, Director," chuckled a familiar voice. "Just watch out where you are more often. Accidents, alas, have happened where people lose their lives if they fall over the edge."

Hope made a soft groan in sombre confirmation. Accidents were always bound to happen, no matter how hard they tried to avoid the uncertainties. Still, he steadied himself and looked to Aislin. She fiddled with the hat of her uniform before straightening her jacket. While he and Alyssa had immediately taken up their place in the science team, Aislin had joined the ranks in Acadamia's defence. Unlike back in the ruins, she was no longer under his command during normal circumstances. She reported to her superiors in the military, of which he was not one.

"How have you been?" he asked curiously. Yet again with their scheduling and different roles in Acadamia, he had little chance to talk to her, or even see her. He felt guilty about it, really. Hope still normally had Alyssa for company, a bit of the home he knew around. On the other hand, Aislin had no one she knew around her. It may have been a little easier for her to handle, for assignments could often throw soldiers into new locations with new faces (and Gran Pulse still had been quite the mystery even after a decade of living on it), but this was still different.

"Fairly good, sir," she answered with a firm nod.

The Director sighed in annoyance. "Please, Aislin, don't make me say it again: it's just Hope now, okay? No more 'sir' from you." With him no longer in her line of supervisors, he did not like it when she still referred to him as "sir". But, he supposed habits were hard to break.

"If you say so." She shifted her weight a little. Hope could only shake his head lightly. Yet again she avoided calling him by his name. Even if she did not actually use "sir", he knew it had been there. "I am missing home a little now, though," she added as an after-thought to his original question.

A pang of guilt hit him, for he felt responsible for pulling her away from all she used to know. "Really? In what way?" Though he did not want to admit it, even he missed home sometimes too. Not even just their new life on Gran Pulse, but he missed Cocoon sometimes as well. He knew he had to keep moving forward, yet that did not keep him from glancing over his shoulder now and then to look back.

Aislin chuckled lightly and rubbed the back of her neck. "The food for one, actually..." she mumbled, seeming embarrassed that she missed such a thing from home. Hope blinked at her. Then he laughed. It was not directed at her, but rather the realization of how such a simple thing could be longed to have once again. Food was still plentiful, but the dishes had changed over four-hundred years.

"Well that's something that can easily be fixed," responded Hope once he ceased laughing. He cleared his throat once he noticed her expression. Clearly she had mistaken his laugh as a jab at her directly, which had not been the case. "Really. Come over tonight and I can cook you something that'll remind you of home."

The green-haired woman's expression of annoyance morphed into one of surprise. Her dark eyes gazed at him, blinking rarely. He ended up coughing lightly, unused to such a look from her. "You...can cook?"

Hope nodded. "My mom taught me when I was younger. After the fall of Cocoon, I enjoyed practising even more since it reminded me of her..." A soft smile crossed his face at the memory of his mother. He still missed her most of all. Pushing aside the desire to mourn for a moment, he nodded firmly at Aislin again. "The ingredients are a little different, but I should be able to make something just fine."

A knock came and Hope scrambled towards the door, nearly dropping the serving spoon in the process. He cleared his throat nervously, tugging at his jacket and tie of his uniform that he always wore. Biting the inside of his cheek, Hope hesitated before the door. It was just a friendly dinner, and yet he was also rather...nervous.

Aislin smiled at him softly once he opened the door. For a moment, Hope could only stare. There she was, in normal clothing. A simple blouse and jeans adorned her body. No longer was she clad in her familiar military uniform. It was surprising for him to see, really. He could not think of a time where he did not see her donning her uniform. Had her hair not still been tied up in her braided bun, he did not believe he would have been able to recognize her at a glance. It made him smile a little, for now he was literally getting to see another side of her.

Expression faltering, Hope quickly apologized and stepped aside to let her into his place. It was hardly a spacious apartment, one of the smaller ones that was available for purchase in Acadamia, but it was more than enough for what he needed, for much of his time was spent at the main research center. There was not much furnishing inside his place either, for he had yet to bother with making the new time his "home". For now, it was merely a place for him to rest and eat when he was not working.

"Great timing, Aislin. I just finished making the dinner," remarked Hope as he led her back to the small kitchen. The smell of the meal wafted up and tickled their senses. For him, he felt like he was back home, about to enjoy a meal with his family. When he looked over his shoulder to Aislin, he knew that tonight's dinner would be just as good.

He ushered her to take a seat while he finished off cooking dinner. Feeling even more nervous, he could not managed to talk to her as Aislin waited. Hope focused on making sure that the meal turned out wonderfully, so that their shared moment of home would be perfect.

"It looks delicious," praised Aislin when he placed her plate on the table. Steam rose up from the hot dinner, and she leaned over to take in a deep breath. "Ah, smells just like it should. Thank you for this."

Hope flashed her a smile as he took his seat. "Have you been settling in well to Acadamia?" he asked while they started into their meals. It was so hot that Hope regretted taking a bite without blowing on it for longer.

"Fairly well. Hardest part was getting used to the layout of the city, but that learning curve has passed. Now it just sorta fells...like an assignment in a new place on Pulse. The whole 'being in the future' still has really to sink in."

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you join the military? Seeing you work with computers only shows how much skill you have with them." He saw her expression and realized how his question could have sounded as a near-insult. "N-not that you're not good at being a soldier! You're a great addition to the defence of wherever you're assigned, and always work so hard to make sure people continue to feel safe..." Hope trailed off and lowered his head. It was not until he admitted it to her that he admitted it to himself as well. Having her around...made him feel safe.

Aislin gave a wry chuckle and he breathed out in relief for not having insulted her. "I joined because...I thought I could help more people as a solider than as a programmer or researcher. That and, I think it's what Damien would have done after Cocoon's fall. Pulse has many threats, especially for all of us that had lived such sheltered lives on Cocoon."

"But what about your own dreams? Surely you couldn't have always wanted to do what your brother did." Hope immediately regretted pressing into the matter further. Aislin cast her gaze down sombrely. Questioning her reasons, her inner secrets, was not something he should be delving into. If he had brought any doubt into her, any regrets, he wished he could erase it.

"I guess as long as I was working with computers, I would have been happy. But, in a way, Damien's dreams became mine. After the Purge and then the fall, I did not want anyone else to lose their family or friends. I wanted to help as many people as best I could." She glanced up and smiled weakly. "Yet look all you've done to help people! Acadamia, everything and everyone around us, is proof of that. You've...you've really done so much."

Embarrassed, Hope dipped his head and thanked her. He never thought about it much, for he always felt like it was everyone else that had helped to change the future by changing what they did in the past. They had started down the path, but it had been everyone over the past four-hundred years that had continued along that path and created the future that spread out before all of them.

The rest of their meal had momentary bouts of silence. But the silence was not awkward. Hope enjoyed it, for those moments were with Aislin. In the end, though, it all finished too soon.

"Thank you for the dinner. It really did remind me of home." Aislin smiled to Hope, placing down her knife and fork having finished eating.

"Do you need anything else? Something more to drink? I could even make a dessert, maybe," offered Hope. Dinner could not be over, not yet, it was too soon.

Aislin declined by shaking her head. "No thank you. I think I should be heading back now." Before Hope could help her, she stood up and began to head for the door.

"Would you want to do this again sometime?" Aislin stopped and turned around. By her expression, she was just as surprised by his sudden question that he had blurted out as he was. It was just an idea on the back of his mind, one that had only just come into existence before it managed to sneak out and pass through his lips without being filtered for analysis. He stood there, waiting for any sort of response other than silence.

That smile gave him hope before any words filled the air. "Sure. I'd like that."

Darkness.

Everything was black. There was no light for there was no more power. Even out the windows was dark. Hope cursed under his breath. This was the first time the power had gone out since his arrival in the future. Granted, it could have happened before, or be fairly frequent for all he knew at that moment. Though no longer part of his duties, unlike when he had been Director at the Paddra Ruins, Hope still felt like he should leave and see what was wrong. For something wrong with the city's power could also mean something was wrong with the new Cocoon, and that could be disastrous. But then he realized that there was something more important that he had to take care of.

Terrified, Aislin found the nearest person for comfort, and that person was Hope. She gripped tightly onto his jacket, wanting to move closer for comfort, but dared not invade Hope's personal space any more. Surprised by her actions, Hope tried to look at her through the darkness. Just like back in the ruins that one time, he could not see her, but he knew she was right there, within his reach.

Any desire to find out what had caused the power-outage melted away when he remembered her phobia. Even now, it still held her within its clutches. Despite having faced the eclipse, and the darkness of the time capsule, she was still scared of the shadows.

Hope found her hand that clutched his jacket, and from there found her body. She tensed up under his touch, but he would not let her go now, not when she needed help. He traced the hand up her body, nearly caressing her when he became adamant in his decision on how to make her feel better. There was no turning away now. Fabric slipped away as his fingers climbed over her neck, still travelling up. Goosebumps formed under his fingers, dotting her smooth skin as her breath quickened. Despite not inching closer, she did not back away either. She stayed where she stood, awaiting to see, or rather feel, what Hope was doing.

Pace slowing, Hope traced his fingers over and along her jaw. For a moment, he hesitated, his racing heart in his chest, beating so loudly he was certain she would hear it. But he cold not pass up this chance. Unlike before, Hope was not restricted from being her supervisor. Breathing in deep to calm his heart, he continued to find exactly where what he searched for rested.

Fingertips cupped her chin for a second before moving up. His thumb slid over her bottom lip. Warm air tickled his skin as she tried to slow her own heart just like he had done. Despite her lip trembling a little, she did not pull away. Moving away his fingers, Hope leaned in and replaced them with his lips.

Her grip on his jacket tightened. Hope closed his eyes, keeping everything dark, and savoured the feel of her lips against his. Just as he was beginning to enjoy the kiss, Hope pulled away, scared that he had angered or offended her. While his intentions had been good, his final course of action had been made under clouded judgement. He immediately dropped his hands from her and started to back up when the sensation of her lips on his returned.

Though nervous and still unsure of what exactly to do, she was eager to learn. Hope sighed out through his nose in bliss, gently wrapping his arms back around her. Power flickered back on, but, unlike last time, she did not apologize and seek to get away as quickly as possible. Instead, she sought to get as close to him as her body would allow, heat from her seeping through her blouse and into him.

A new feeling of excitement filled Hope, driving him to be even more passionate. All his hidden desires, all his secret wants came rushing forward as he began to grow accustomed to the taste of her lips and mouth.

"Hope..."

That groan that passed her lips as they broke for air attacked his restraints and tormented the control his mind had over him. At last, she had said his name, and it was only for him to hear. It sounded so good, so right, so natural when it came from her. He wanted to hear it again. And then he wanted to have her say it some more. It would be the only thing she said tonight for he wanted to make certain only he was on her mind.

Fingers ran down his chest as he planted kisses along her jaw, feeling every detail he had noted before when searching for her lips in the dark. To him, she tasted sweet, like the best dessert he would ever try. He wanted to savour everything about her as he shyly licked her neck. What felt like yards of fabric gathered between his hands as he clutched at her blouse, pulling it tight over her body. The heat radiating off of her rose, causing his own temperature to rise in turn.

Again she whispered his name under her breath. Feelings he had never felt before rose to the surface when he heard it, as if being magically awakened by her voice. Suddenly, the feel of cloth no longer felt good against his skin. She was too hot. He was too hot. And yet he wanted more of that heat, more of her. That was not possible as long as the layers of fabric were creating an unwanted barrier.

Hands slid under the back of her blouse, causing Aislin to squirm a little at the touch, but she did not shy away. Hope's hands began to learn what exactly her back was like as he returned to get another taste of her mouth. He felt over every curve and detail of her trim form. No longer did her body tremor lightly under his touch. She welcomed his hands a much as she welcomed the rest of him.

Again she moaned his name, and again his excitement grew tenfold. He would be finished before it began if she kept on saying his name like that, but he enjoyed it too much. Though the empty air between her saying "Hope..." each time lasted too long. If he could not fill that air with his name, then he would just have to fill it with something else.

A groan escaped her when his hands, having finished learning her back, travelled to her front and began to feel all of her curves. That groan of desire...it was as good for him to hear as his name was passing her lips. Hope now knew what he wanted to fill the empty air with.

Hope busied himself with dotting the nape of her neck with kisses. More moans escaped her as he squeezed her breasts gently, causing him to nearly tremble as much as her. His growing need for her only rose. He could not get enough of her, of her scent, of her taste, of her feel, of everything and anything. Satisfaction, while somewhat being filled, was still so far away, and only became harder to reach the more he tried to grasp it.

At last he undid the buttons of her blouse and slid it off, allowing the useless piece of fabric to fall lifelessly to the floor. Breathing hard, Hope took a moment to gaze at her body. Some scars from battle covered her skin, but to him, she still looked perfect. A hand cupped around his chin, forcing him to look back up into those brown eyes that warmed him to the depths of his heart. He was suddenly moving back in towards her, but not by any action of his own. Fingers wrapped tightly around his tie, Aislin pulled him back in for another deep kiss, quickly pressing her body back against his to regain what warmth had seeped away.

It was Hope's turn to groan as she slowly undid his tie, making sure to graze her fingers over his neck. After the tie, she made slow, almost agonizing process with his jacket. He leaned his head back and sighed in bliss when her lips planted kisses down his taught neck. Cool air brushed over his exposed skin when Aislin removed both his jacket and shirt in one swift motion. He did not like that. He needed her warmth. He needed her body back against his.

Rougher than he intended, for his raw, untapped emotions were beginning to control his actions more than his mind, Hope grabbed her and brought Aislin's body back towards his. His lean muscles rippled in excitement when his bare skin finally came into contact with hers. She groaned into his passionate kiss, and he just wanted more. His mind was only able to sit back and enjoy as his emotions and instinct took over completely.

Hands slid up her back, up the nape of her neck, and he slid his fingers into her hair. But having it up would just not do, just like clothes would no longer do. Exploring her neck again as she arched her head back, Hope undid her hair and let the waves of green roll down her skin. They were much longer than he expected, the tips of her hair nearly reaching the small of her back. And he liked it. He liked how it toppled over her skin, accenting certain areas, and how it swayed whenever she moved her head. He liked everything about her, and liked having her there with him.

"Hope."

That was it.

He was completely undone.

Any barriers that may have been up to hold back his restraints were shattered beyond recognition. He groaned, the low noise coming from somewhere deep within his throat. Pulling her body tight against his, Hope looped her strong legs around his waist. His breath was heavy, sounding so husky that he himself barely recognized it as his own. Hope brushed his lips over Aislin's, her warm breath tickling his skin and drawing him further in to her captivating aura that had snared him long ago. Her lips were no longer hesitant. They trembled with anticipation and desire to feel his own lips or tongue over them again. He teasingly licked hers before nibbling gently on her soft flesh, causing her to groan and squirm in his firm hold.

Nails ran down his back, sending shivers of desire to shoot up his spine. Her touch sent his skin afire. For the first time, Hope groaned out her name as she left a trail of kisses down his neck to his collarbone, getting him back for all the teasing he had done to her. But enough was enough. There was no more time for teasing. His body could take no more of it.

Keeping his hold on her strong, for having her drop to the ground now was not an option, Hope carried Aislin the short distance to his room. Whatever his actions were, she never once protested. She eagerly kissed him, causing his need for her to only grow. A sharp gasp of surprise escaped her when he pressed her up against the wall. He kept her there, leaving her no where to go but towards him. And she took that route eagerly.

A low moan from him filled the heated air. His body tensed and he was more trapped by her than she was by him. It was time to free both of them. Lifting her up some more, Hope spun them around towards the bed, finally letting her fall onto the mattress where she quickly sat up on the edge. Before he could do anything else, Hope became frozen as emotions, fuelled by Aislin, took hold of him and would not let go.

She kept him on her, locking their lips together. As he groaned into her, Hope's body quivered when her hands traced down his chest, feeling over every nook and crevasse his muscles formed. He shivered, but it was in excitement rather than cold. She made slow, agonizing work of undoing his pants. Hope was only capable of remaining still, using every ounce of strength to to hold back his desire, want, and need long enough for her to finish. Doing so became difficult when her lips took chase after her fingers down his skin.

His body trembled, and he gripped her long hair to help steady himself as her lips moved more and more dangerously close to his waist. More clothing dropped uselessly to the floor. He was now free. Desire washed over and took control. No longer frozen, Hope laced his arms around Aislin and moved her fully onto the bed, looming over her. Still she did not try to flee or protest in any way. Her hands smoothly travelled up his back before pulling him in for another deep kiss.

Hope was reluctant to leave her lips, enjoying the taste of her too much, but he quickly found bliss in the feel of her neck, her collarbone, and more. Movement down was slowed as he enjoyed her breasts, tentatively kissing her skin softly. When he reached her abdomen, Aislin giggled lightly, squirming under his touch. The noise caught Hope by surprise. He had never heard her laugh before. It was...very pleasing to hear. He kissed her on the same spot, allowing his tongue to graze over her skin. Another giggle passed her lips and her abdomen trembled from being ticklish. Hope grinned onto her skin, flashing her a mischievous look.

Aislin begged him to stop through her laughter while her body shook from his ticklish assault. But he did not want to, for the sound of her laughter was also addicting. He wanted to hear more of it, but soon the desire to hear his name pass her lips again overpowered and drove his actions. Tremors ceased as Hope moved his kisses even further down, leaving behind her ticklish area. Rather than laughter, soft moans soon filled the air.

Enjoying the erotic sounds slipping past her desirable lips, Hope tentatively began to undo her jeans. Hands combed through his hair, but nothing restricted the movement of his mouth over her skin. Fingers began to shake nervously as he began to slide down the remainder of her clothing. Any fears that he may have had were erased as she raised her hips, giving him unspoken permission.

That clothing joining the rest on the floor, Hope moved back up and pressed his lips against hers. As much as his desire had taken hold of him, he was still caught in a grip of shyness and nervousness. His body hovered over hers, not knowing if he should proceed. Doubt flashed through his mind for a moment and he broke the kiss, breathing hard in hope to regain some level of coherent thought.

But he did not have to think.

His unasked questions were answered for him, removing any need for him to process thoughts and just allow his emotions to take control.

The green-haired woman laced her hands around his neck, pulling him back in for another kiss, not liking him having broken it so soon. Excitement was reignited as he tasted her tongue and mouth, but still his body remained inches safely above hers.

"Don't stop now..." she groaned into his ear. Her voice took hold of him, and all he could do was follow her request without any more hesitation. Finally lowering his body, Hope caught her lips with his, muffling the light moan of pain that escaped her. Fingers dug into his flesh, harder than he would have liked, but he took the discomfort without complaint, for he knew it was nothing compared to what she was feeling.

Hope began to move his body, becoming accustomed to her feel and the sensation of their beings becoming one. Already waves of ecstasy were flowing over him, but it would not be right until she felt that same pleasure rather than the discomfort that still crossed her face. He wanted to share this new feeling with her, wanted this experience to be memorable and perfect for the both of them.

"Hope..." The Director opened his eyes and looked into the warm-brown orbs of Aislin's gaze. No longer were they shut tight to fend off the feeling of pain. They were open, staring into his green eyes, and he could see the glimmer of pure pleasure glinting behind her gaze, asking for more. He could not help but smile for a moment. All of it was because of him. Hearing his name again and again was proof of that.

Lips melted together. The waves of pleasure were addicting, and he only craved for more. The more pleasure he felt, the more she felt as well. Together their bodies moved, slowly becoming one. His mind began to spin, unable to process all the new emotions boiling up inside of him. All he knew is that he ached for more, and eagerly devoured Aislin every moment he had.

Aislin groaned his name, nothing but pleasure dripping from her lips as she became lost in the mass of new emotions. Movement became synchronized in complete perfection, allowing their heated flesh of their beings to fuse together, sharing every moment. Hope's head spun even more, breaking away from reality as all the sensations rippling over and through his body took him to a place he had never been to before. The only thread that kept him tied to the world was the gaze from Aislin's earthen eyes that managed to pull him back to reality, and back to her.

Souls swelled together, feeding and fuelling off of each other. Brighter and brighter their souls glowed, merging together until they were indistinguishable from each other. Higher and higher they rose, swirling around and breaking away from reality as one. And, as their fateful end was met, the glowing souls exploded and showered their light down below.

Reality sank back in. Waves of pleasure ebbed away, leaving nought but a racing hearts in its place. Excitement began to fade, but the memory of it, of everything, was still freshly imprinted. Hope kept his eyes open as long as he could, staring into Aislin's gaze, for fear that it had all just been a dream, a wonderful and glorious dream, began to creep over him. He could no longer take it. He had to close his eyes.

Exhausted, he collapsed. But she was still there. Her skin still pressed against his. Her warmth still radiated to him. Her scent... Hope breathed in deep, committing her unique smell to his memories. For any time he picked up the scent, he knew she would be near, and he would feel...home. It was all he needed now. No regrets about leaving all he knew behind remained. As long as Aislin was by his side, he would face anything to make their world right again.

Daring to challenge reality, Hope flickered open his eyes. Fields of green hair flowed before his vision. As he moved, glistening skin passed before his eyes until those warm-brown orbs he had come to recognize so well met his gaze. Like him, her eyes gave away her fears of everything being a dream. That would not do at all.

With a small, smooth movement, Hope placed his lips once more over hers. All fears were dispelled with that kiss. Being there, together, was reality.

Morning light broke over her, and Aislin cracked open her eyes. For a moment, all she wanted was to fall back asleep under the comfortable covers when she realized that her bed was not this soft. In fact, she would never fall asleep on her bed. Never. Whenever she returned home from work for sleep, she always just kicked off her boots and got as comfortable as was possible on her couch. Which really was a difficult feat; the floor was probably more pleasing to sleep on.

So why was she on a bed now?

Fear nearly gripped her until her mind fished out the answer she needed. Dinner with Hope had ended...a bit differently from what she had expected. A soft grin parted her lips. There was nothing she could complain about, really, nor regret. But fear still crept over her.

"Hope?" she asked, rising. He was no where in sight. There was nothing around to even hint of his presence having been there. It was as though he had completely gone...perhaps taken by a change in history or some other paradox. Aislin found her throat tightening. He could not be gone. He could not be. She still remembered him, right? "Hope!"

"What's wrong?"

Aislin looked up to see Hope standing in the doorway, still securing the towel that hung from his waist that soaked in what moisture it could from his damp body. A mix of a sigh of relief and a sob escaped her when she saw him there before hugging her legs close to her chest.

Hope swiftly joined her by her side. Seeking to erase what sorrows had managed to cloud her mind, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. For a moment, he remained silent and allowed her to release her sadness. She clutched at him, burying her head into his shoulder while trying to calm her ragged breathing that was all that kept her from crying outright.

"Aislin..." he whispered, combing his fingers through her green tresses. Placing a hand on her chin, he tilted her head up. A pang of sorrow shot through him at the sight of her damp eyes. That was not how it should be. He wanted to see them gazing at him with happiness behind her eyes, or even the stern commitment she had for her job, not this new-found sorrow. "What's wrong?"

She inched closer to him before rested her head against his neck. "I was afraid..."

"But there was no darkne—"

"No." She cut him off, shaking her head lightly. "Not that. It's been on the back of my mind for a while now, and seeing you not there when you should have been only made me remember. What will happen to us if the timeline is fixed? If what Serah claims is true, then this shouldn't even be happening! Will we continue to exist and be allowed to live out the rest of our lives, or will we fade away like all the other paradoxes?"

Sighing, Hope brought her face up once more. He kept her hands securely on her cheeks, making sure she did not look away from his eyes, for she needed to hear the truth. "I can't promise you that I know what will happen at the end of all this. But I can promise you this..." Leaning in, he kissed her as lovingly as he could. With it, he wanted to erase her fears, sorrows, and doubts. He wanted to hear her laugh again, hear her say his name in joy. None of that could happen as long as she remained in the shadows cast by the looming clouds of terror of the unknown.

Parting, he rested his forehead against hers, seeking to lend her some of his warmth and strength. Her eyes, no longer so wet with sorrow, stared into his, waiting for his response.

"Whatever may happen...I will always come find you..."

A/N: Aaaand that is all! Hope you liked it!

(And of course, just announced that Hope is back in his 14-year-old body for LR :'D Not that I hate it; I loved his XIII version as much as XIII-2. Oh well, we'll always have XIII-2 to keep from feeling like pedophiles xD )