HUGEEEEEEE DELAY IM SOOOOO SORRY!

Don't get mad; I'm back now! Sorry it took so long! I had some MAJORMAJORMAJOR computer problems! Also, I went and read some of my reviews.

Let's just say I feel special

HOPE'S DAY WITH LIGHTNING

AzureKate

Serah set out the last plate and straightened the silverware next to it, smiling and humming (A/N: Serah's Theme). Hope walked past her with cups, having offered to help.

"Nice song," he said. Serah smiled.

"Thanks!"

"Did you write it or did you hear it somewhere?"

"It's mine in every way."

"Cool. I've never tried to make a song…"

"You should try it sometime! It relieves stress."

"Are you stressed?"

Serah shook her head. "No, not really. But, you know, there's always that time when everyone around is just pissing you off and you want to blow 'em all up…that's when I hum. Right now, I'm just humming for fun. Passes the time."

"Now that's something I could use."

"What?"

"Sometime to pass the time. I get so bored nowadays. Call me crazy, but sometimes I wish we were still l'Cie. I know I hated it more than anything and all, but at least there was always something going on."

"Well, I wouldn't know…one minute I'm in the Vestige and the next I'm in the middle of Pulse with a little boy I've never met before."

Hope nodded. "There's always crystal stasis. Next time you feel like crystallizing, take me down with you!"

"Okay, I'll just call you the minute I start glowing, okay?" she said sarcastically.

"Awesome."

They finished setting up the table as Lightning walked into the dining room.

"Snow done cleaning yet?" Hope asked.

"Almost, not quite."

"Well, everything's ready," Serah said. Lightning nodded approvingly. "Now all we need is the guest."

Lightning nodded disapprovingly.

"I'm sorry! I wasn't thinking, I should've asked you first."

"Yes, you should have, but you didn't."

"I'm sorry!"

Suddenly, the phone rang. Lightning looked like she was going to rip her hair out…or the phone's wiring.

Snow answered it, from the kitchen, and could barely be heard. After a moment of listening, knowing it was going to be for one of them…

"Hope!" Snow shouted.

"Who is it?" Hope called.

"It's your father, hurry up and answer I have to finish cleaning!" he called back. Hope picked up the phone next to the table and Snow hung the other one up.

"Hello? Hi, dad," he said. "Dad… you called for that? …No…yeah…It's on the couch."

Serah whispered to Lightning.

"What do you think he wants?" she asked quietly, so Hope wouldn't hear.

"Obviously something stupid, look at the expression on his face," Lightning replied, making Serah giggle.

"No, dad, I didn't take it. It's on the couch! Yes, it is! Yeah, dad, it is. Go and look!"

Serah giggled some more, covering her mouth to avoid laughing. Lightning just listened, her mouth starting to thin into a smile.

"What do you mean it's not there, that's exactly where you left it!" Hope said into the phone. "How much longer are we going to argue about it? What? …Dad, that's not even the right couch."

Serah laughed for a minute before covering her mouth. Hope paid no attention. Lightning leaned in next to Serah's face to whisper.

"Is it that funny to you?" she asked quietly. She stifled another laugh and nodded. "I don't think it's funny."

"The red couch, dad, the red couch. What do you mean which red couch, we only have one! What…you bought another one? Today? Well, then, dad, unless you moved it, it's obviously not going to be on the new couch!"

"What does he want?" Serah asked loudly, finally asking. Lightning nudged her in the ribs, making her jump up a little. Hope looked to them, and Serah gestured for him to tell.

He held up a finger, and turned away.

"Well, it's there somewhere. No, I'm not coming to help you look for it. Are you just trying to get me to come home?"

"Wouldn't surprise me," Lightning whispered.

"Dad, seriously! Bye!" Hope said, hanging up.

"Did you hang up on him?" Serah asked disbelievingly. Hope nodded and sat down at the table. "So…what did he…want?"

"…Do I have to tell?"

"Yes."

"…He couldn't find…never mind…"

"No, tell me!"

"I'm not supposed to tell!"

"Come on!"

"No."

"Fine!" Serah said smiling, sticking her tongue out. She slowly inched toward him. Hope watched her every move. She suddenly grabbed him and started tickling him in attempt to get the information out of him. Lightning stared in surprise as Hope burst out laughing and started struggling. "Tell me!"

"No!"

More tickling, loud laughing, and after a moment, Hope finally gave in.

"His medicine for his rash!" he cried, trying to get away from Serah. Serah released him and burst out laughing.

"Sorry I asked!"

Hope almost fell out of the chair as she let go, and he looked up at her.

"Who told you I was ticklish?"

Serah's eyes shifted toward Lightning, who scratched her head.

"Light! You promised you'd never tell anyone!"

"Sorry, she pressured me."

"You're like part of the family, Hope!"

"Whoa!" Hope exclaimed, jumping. Snow was sitting next to him with his head on the table. "Excuse me for asking, but when did you become a ninja?"

"Yesterday, actually, there's this dojo up the street"—

"Thanks for sharing," Lightning interrupted, smacking him lightly on the face.

"Bitch—UH, I mean, meanie!"

"Why are you censoring yourself?" Serah asked.

"Well duh, there's a child in the room!" Snow said smiling. Hope looked at him.

"I'm not a child anymore."

"Oh, I'm sorry, let me rephrase my sentence. There's a"—

Suddenly the doorbell started ringing.

"Gay-child-sniffer at the door!" Snow said, slamming his hands down on the table. "So, it's necessary to censor my language. They can be very sensitive, you know…one of them bit me!"

"…Where?" Serah asked.

"…My hand…"

"Okay, good," Serah said.

"Um… should someone get the door?" Hope asked. No one got up, and no one seemed to pay attention. "I know you guys are doing this on purpose."

He gulped and stood up, and walked over to the door. He slowly unlocked it and it slid open. Just who he wanted to see!

"Tree boy!" Antoine screamed, holding out his hands. Hope turned and ran into the kitchen with Antoine following him. He managed to corner Hope, and he curled up in the corner with his hands on his head.

"I'm not even wearing the jacket anymore!" he shouted.

"You still smell good."

Suddenly, Antoine was pulled backward, hard, and thrown practically across the whole kitchen. It was Lightning. She looked down at him, and cracked her knuckles.

"Touch him again. I dare you."

He quickly, and quietly, got up and walked into the dining room and sat down without anyone saying a word to him. Lightning held out her hand to Hope, who took it. She pulled him up and brushed him off.

They walked into the dining room and sat down at the table. Snow and Serah sat across from Antoine, who was twiddling his thumbs, while Lightning and Hope sat, unfortunately, next to him. Hope sat on the opposite side of Lightning, as close to her as she would let him get so Antoine wouldn't see him. They started eating. Antoine looked at Serah and Snow.

"So…you are getting married, you two?" he asked. Serah smiled and nodded. Snow suddenly threw an arm around Serah and pulled her close. "Ya, you two make a perfect couple."

"Ha, tell that to sis."

Lightning chucked a noodle at Snow, which hit him in the face…and stuck there.

"Not your sis."

"Not yet, you're not!" Snow said throwing a noodle back at her.

"Trust me, you do not want to start a food fight with me."

"Pssh, you started it."

"I had a reason to."

"And I didn't?"

He paused for a moment before throwing a piece of chicken at her. She gasped and her mouth dropped. She gave him the 'you-did-not-just-do/say-that' look.

He jumped up from his chair and ran out of the dining room toward the door. Lightning, much to Serah and Hope's surprise, followed after him, and the two ran from the house, the door automatically shut behind them. When Hope looked, he saw Serah was struggling to hold back laughter.

"Well, there goes my fiancée."

Suddenly, there was a scream from outside, obviously from Snow, and a loud splash. After a moment of pure silence, the door slid open and Lightning walked inside proudly, sitting back down at the table. After a few more seconds of silence passed, Snow walked inside.

He was soaked.

He walked, shivering, over to the table.

"She pushed me into the pool."