A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I had to plan this to go out with a blast. Actually intended to release it over New Year's Eve, to conclude the year on a high note. But oh well... This is the longest chapter I have ever written by far!

To all who stayed with the story, I must always remember to THANK YOU! *Gives a deep bow* I have made some friends amongst you, and I count myself blessed that some of you bother to listen to me :)
Anyhow, for those familiar with my style of being all over the place, this chapter is a mesh of it, with humour, angst, seriousness, you name it! Actually, it has only one name - DRAMA! Haha... It has come full circle.

More notes at the end, but for now, enjoy! HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! (In case you stopped mid-way through the chapter and gave up :p)

XII. Here I am

One…

"There are many sources claiming that flashes of bright light could be seen from inside the crystal pillar … Ragnarok's crystal fall apart... This is Yuffie reporting live from New Oerba City."

Two…

… the ground shook beneath our feet and screams punctured the still air.
What the hell just happened?

Three…

I looked around me, at the pale faces of the students all frozen in mid-action at whatever they were doing seconds ago. The earthquake didn't feel natural. I was expecting something more to happen, but there was just a morbid silence after the initial screams. I slung Zell's heavy arm off my shoulders and shook him out of his daze.

"Zell, listen to me. Look at me, damn it! Something's gone down, take Aeris someplace safe. I gotta check some stuff up."

Zell slowly came out of his stupor and gave me a nod. He wrapped his arms around a shaken Aeris. I turned to her and rubbed her arm soothingly.

"Don't worry Aeris. Zell will take care of you. I'll check back on you guys in a while."

Aeris took my wrist and gave me a concerned look. "Claire, are you sure? What do you need to do? We can come with you."

"Yeah Tonnerre, Aeris is right. We should stick together in case."

I almost laughed bitterly at the reminder of "sticking together". Nothing good ever seems to come out from that.

"I'll be fine. I just need to grab some stuff. Try to stay in the open ground alright? Don't want anything to fall on your heads."

I gave them a nod, turned and ran towards the dormitories before they had a chance to respond. Other students were either also running haphazardly or huddling in groups to speculate on what just happened. I never speculate. I need my facts in order to decide on my next step.

Back in my room, I reached into the secret compartment at the back of my closet to extract my cell phone. I had also turned on the television to see if I could catch any updates. The same reporter from that night appeared onscreen again.

"Breaking news. Just a while ago, a series of denotation originated from the base of Cocoon, within the Ragnarok's crystal." A close-up shot of a gaping black hole within the crystal pillar was shown, with smoke still emitting from it. I clenched my fist and pushed it against my mouth to stifle my horrified scream.

Oh no, Fang, Vanille… If they are still in there somewhere…

"The explosions caused a tremor to be felt in various parts of Cocoon. Initial speculation was that it could have been the work of Gran Pulse beasties, namely the Cryohedrons and Bombs. Though how they managed to get inside the pillar would require further investigations from the authorities. Cocoon's citizens are advised not to panic and to stay put in their homes. This is Yuffie reporting live from New Oerba City."

The camera pulled away to show the young reporter with a short bob, who appeared to be standing on top of the Oerban Guardian Corps Tower. I raised my eyebrow in surprise. Since when did reporters start taking risks and appear at the top of buildings for their scoop?

I turned my attention back to my cell phone, trying to start it up. My datalogs were still kept in the gadget, and I was eager to access the Guardian Corps internal database for more information. Assuming that my IDs had not been revoked, that is. Perhaps I should try calling Serah as well, make sure that she's alright.

The device activated and brought up a hologram screen of the Guardian Corps network. Apparently, my identification still checked out.

"Welcome to the Guardian Corps Portal, Captain Lightning Farron. You are now accessing classified information."

I clicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth impatiently, as I shuffled the data onscreen, tapping the icons floating and glowing in the air. However, try as I may, I just couldn't find any information related to the explosions. What's going on?

I switched off the hologram and started dialing Serah's number, at the same time rushing out of the room into the courtyard to catch up with my friends. The phone kept ringing, but no one was picking up. Plus, I could hear clicks in the background, like the signal was being tapped. How could it be? This was an encrypted line, standard GC issue. I ignored my suspicions. The more important thing was to reach Serah. Where was she, why wasn't she picking up?

By the time I reached the courtyard, I was so confused and worried that I didn't register the commotion in front of me at first. Then the crowd parted dramatically like the red sea, and I felt like someone had punched me in the gut. All the air rushed out of my lungs at once and I felt weightless. I was completely unaware that my phone had slipped from my hand and crashed to the floor. All my senses reeled and honed in on the figure a distance away, picking herself up from the ground. An abandoned hoverbike lay nearby. My heart started to race in recognition long before my mind could catch up with the mirage. That familiar, achingly familiar silhouette, dusting herself off and shaking out her raven tresses.

No… It can't be… I must be losing my mind… Not again… Stop!

I forced myself out of my reverie and colourful imagination, before the figure could turn around and crush my frivolous hopes once more. If it's not her face that I see…

I bent on my knees to retrieve my phone and stayed in that position for a while to regulate my breathing and regain some of my sanity. If I were to let myself imagine the possibilities, I was sure to hyperventilate on the spot. Willing my eyes to look in another direction, I quickly got up and strode across the courtyard.

Attract…

The gang needed to spread the news to attract the attention of our pink haired soldier. We all fervently prayed that she had cable or television wherever she cooped herself in. I trust Vanille to find the best way to do so.

Distract…

Some fireworks should spark her into action. Snow's idea was brilliant, but I hated to admit that. I even threatened to finish him off if blowing up the crystal pillar damaged my physical self in any way. After all, according to Nabaat, I'm supposedly linked to it.

Extract…

Finally, my turn for some action. I had been playing hide-and-seek with our Lieutenant Colonel for the past week, darting all over the place to avoid her and her cronies. I must say, I was starting to get a sadistic addiction from evading her, and practically laughing in her face as I did so. Vanille had me dressed up from head to toe in some black leather garb, while I toted our weapons around, out of sight in Light's cello case. I doubted Nabaat knew what she was looking for. She probably had her soldiers out searching for a gorgeous woman clad in blue sari.

Now ya see me, now ya don't… Eat this, Nabaat!

Sazh was now rambling something about not being able to give the exact coordinates. I didn't quite care. I set my hoverbike in the general directions and went zooming off towards the flashing green dot indicated on my screen.

The rest of the team were back at headquarters, with a live coverage of my activities from the camera installed on my reflective shades. A mouthpiece wrapped around my ear kept me in touch with them at all times. I spoke into it now.

"Vanille, Sazh, can you check if that psychotic woman is still after my tail?"

"Not that I can see, Fang. Relax, you're almost there!"

"Great. I can see a signboard up ahead. You see that guys? What does it say, eh?"

I accelerated past a neon banner, with elaborate Cocoon script that I could not read.

ようこそ、アルカデイアへ

"I think it says… 'Welcome to Arcadia'", came Serah's reply. "There's some other words underneath I couldn't make out. Something about restricted usage of velocycles?"

Hmm… strange.

"Look, there's another one with some arrows. Wazzit say, Vanille?"

未検定の自動車は、この駐車場を止めてください -D -D

(Cocoon translation: Unauthorized vehicles, please park here -D -D)

"… Fang, I don't speak Cocoon! Wazzit say, Serah?"

"Too fast, Fang, you're driving too fast! I can't catch it!"

"Well, too bad, I'm not gonna slow down just to read some stupid signboards…"

I passed another one in glowing red letters.

最後の警告。未検定の自動車は、絶対には入ることができませんでした。さっさと戻るください

(Cocoon translation: This is your final warning. Unauthorized vehicles will not be able to enter. Please turn your vehicle around now.)

"Oh for Etro's sake, what is that load of gibberish?" I shouted in exasperation.

"Erm, I think it said to turn back… Fang, I told you you're driving too fast, I can't read the words!"

"Serah, forget it alright? I don't care what it says, I'm getting to Light."

I flashed past another sign in blinking yellow.

君、バカじゃないの？

(Cocoon translation: Are you an idiot?)

"Fang! I think the signboard just called you an idiot!"

"Wha-? Nobody calls Oerba Yun Fang an effing idiot –"

Before I could finish my swearing, my hoverbike seemed to have rammed through a force field of sorts. I could feel the shield plaster across my face while I heard an excessive amount of crackling static noise. I sailed through the air for a while, before I realized the glowing green dashboard of my hoverbike had completely died. I looked at it in horror and started to pound my fists on random buttons.

"Vanille! Serah! Can ya hear me?" Oh Fal'Cie, I never thought I would say this. "Help? Anyone?"

Crap! All the electronic equipment died. Was that what those retarded signboards were tryin' to tell me?

My hoverbike continued its freefall happily, oblivious to my state of panic. The artificial brown earth of Cocoon was welcoming me enthusiastically into its embrace, and I pondered briefly how it would taste like in my mouth. In my hysteria, I was trying desperately to hit the mental pause button on the whole life-flashing-in-front-of-me thingy. I refused to sit through the whole boring five hundred years of my life right now.

Ok Oerba Yun Fang, land with grace, grace, ya hear me? Ya boasted to Vanille that ya won't fall off anything you're riding right? Now's the time to prove it…

I shut my eyes and sent a little prayer up to my pink haired goddess. Then I stood up on the bike with shaky legs, trying to time my landing. As soon as I felt the hoverbike skim the dirt, I pushed off with my powerful legs and dived into the air with my arms outstretched.

Damn! Vanille will be so proud of me… NOT!

Despite my best efforts, I found myself thrown forward by momentum in a tangle of limbs. I could no longer feel which were my hands and which were my feet.

"Ouch, ooo… Kupo's nuts! Yeow! Moogle's butt…"

Halfway through my less than graceful tumble, I became aware of the fact that my dear Captain Lightning Farron might be witnessing this spectacle. If even possible, my panic spiked tenfold at this thought. I curled myself into a ball and relaxed, letting myself rolled along sideways until inertia set in. Then I jumped elegantly up and swept my amazing black hair out of my face, none the worse for wear. Light's cello case seemed to be a bit battered up though.

Phew… Landed with all appendages intact! Well done Fang!

I took a moment to dust my leather jacket off and readjust the cello case on my back. Then I turned slowly around (my back was killing me, alright?), and whipped my now crooked shades off my face. It took me a moment to survey the crowd, all of whom were staring slack-jawed at me like I was their fairy godmother descended from the skies.

My peripheral vision caught a glimpse of pink hair and my heart launched into a frantic gallop of "There, there!" Acting purely on instinct, I already shot forward towards that familiar colour. Curiously, and I swear its not my imagination, the figure seemed to sense a predator, and darted even faster away.

Oh no you don't…

With the last of my strength, I leapt forward to tackle the figure to the ground. There was an indignant and surprised yelp before we hit the ground together. I struggled with the person a while, before flipping her over and staring speechless into the most beautiful, sapphire blue eyes of my dreams. Those said blue eyes widened in shock and seemed to glaze over in stupor.

My own vision adjusted and I took a more careful look at the woman pinned under me. And then I frowned. Something's not right.

"Light?" I asked uncertainly. Who was this imposter, wearing dark rimmed glasses, hair in a side ponytail, and was that a short tartan skirt she had on? Did Light forget to mention that she had a twin sister? Claire? Serah? Clara, maybe?

Something snapped back into that sky blue eyes that I loved so much. She pulled back her fist and walloped me, before bracing her knees on my toned abs and kicking off. She rolled ever so gracefully and launched herself into a backflip, an intimate and recognizable movement even without her cape. I took the moment to appreciate her stance underneath.

Ok, same old painful right hook, check! Belly button ring, check! Black shorts underneath skirt, check! This is my Light alright…

Light landed a few feet away, her gaze betraying her confusion, hurt and anger. I got up on my feet and raised my hands up in surrender.

"Alright, Light, it's me. Fang, alright? No, you're not hallucinating. Yes, I'm real. Let me explain, ok? Wait, don't run away! Listen to me!"

My pink haired soldier looked like she was about to bolt at any moment now.

"I was stuck in that crystal with Vanille, then Jihl Nabaat came along and extracted us out before ya did. Somehow, we woke up. I don't know how, but here I am!" My raised arms now beckoned to embrace her and I took small steps towards her.

"Light, I could have died a million times before. I could have slept for an eternity. But I'm still here. There's gotta be a reason, and I believe the reason is you... You gave my life meaning, and I exist to stay by your side. It took me so long to realize it." I crooked a self-deprecating grin and implored. "Give me a chance back in your life, Light. I'm not gonna hurt ya. I swear it!"

If anything, I think I only ever lived to die for ya…

There was uncertainty and tears in those glistening cerulean orbs. I knew I was getting through to her. I inched forward even more. Come on, Light…

"Fang? Is that really you?" she whispered.

Damn girl, who did ya think was talking to ya for the past five minutes…

Twack!

I stumbled forward in surprise and turned around. A young girl with brunette hair had just whacked me on the head with an oversized twig.

"Get away from Claire, you… you… weirdo!"

"Wait, Aeris, it's alright! She's a friend!" Light hurried forward to stand protectively in front of me. My heart was about to burst with pride and longing. But before I could do anything else, something tackled me from the side and landed me flat on my back.

It took me a moment to recognize the darker blonde hair of my arch nemesis.

"Miss me?" she crooned.

"Nabaat! How?" I growled. I mimicked Light's movement earlier and backflipped a few paces away, my legs still in a crouch. Nabaat gave a shrill laugh and drew her weapon.

"You're coming back with me Fang, whether you like it or not."

I swiftly removed the cello case on my back and kicked it open. With my eyes still on Nabaat, I threw Light's gunblade to her and picked up my Kain's Lance. Light caught her gunblade deftly, but remained standing, glaring between Nabaat and myself.

"Watcha standing there for Light? Get her already!"

"Fang, is that my cello case that you just kicked open? And of all my gunblades, why the hell did you pick my Axis Blade? Where's my Omega?"

I looked over at her incredulously. Why, woman, would you want to choose this moment to pick a fight with me, eh?

Nabaat smirked and wasted no time in advancing upon me. I beat her fencing stick away with my lance as I shouted to Light, "Your sister picked the gunblade, not me! Would ya mind getting over here?" I growled irritably at Nabaat's distracting onslaught. "Oh alright, leave me alone to face off this evil woman, why duncha? I'm sure I can handle it!"

By this time, I had already forced Nabaat against a tree, with my lance pressed against her throat. She continued to grin at me.

"Where's the joke, Nabaat?" I sneered.

"Remember when I told you I understood the whole spectrum of human emotions, Fang?"

"Yeah, what 'bout it?"

"When you can't beat them…" She murmured as she activated the energy in her baton and blasted me off. As I skidded across the dirt, she took the chance to pin me down.

"Join 'em?" I suggested wickedly.

"No…" She enunciated slowly as she gave me a wink. "Cheat!"

And with that, she grabbed my collar to pull me up and plant a kiss solidly on my lips.

Eeew… What the hell?

I made to push her away, but must have looked like I'm groping her or something. Before I knew it, I could hear and feel Light's silent rage, "Fang… You womanizer, you…"

Nabaat laughed lightly and skipped away, and I found that my new adversary was now the love of my life, looking gorgeous still with her blazing blue eyes. I gave an uncharacteristic squeak as the ground around me ripped open in a hail of bullets.

"Wa-wait, Light! It's a misunderstanding!" I parried her lightning quick blows. My god, this woman can fight!

"Which side of my eyes misunderstood you, the left or the right?" She intoned calmly and dangerously, looking about to launch into her fearsome Army of One.

"I don't wanna fight ya alright? Can we please talk 'bout this?" I pleaded while twirling my lance this way and that to deflect her deadly blows.

"Talk to my blade all you want Fang." She locked her weapon on mine and pushed me back till I was against the same tree that I cornered Nabaat on. Suddenly, her strength waned and she stopped, staring into my eyes with pained emotion. I've seen that look before, that night by the cliff in the storm. I was transfixed and couldn't look away.

"Fang, I waited for you for so long! I have so many things to say to you, things that I thought I would never be able to tell you in my lifetime! I thought you were gone for good, and I've tried so hard to move on with my life. Here. I've said goodbye to you already, didn't I? Didn't I?" The last part came out as an uncertain whisper.

My heart twisted as the tears spilled forth from her azure eyes. Suddenly, the fight was no longer about Nabaat. She was just using it as an excuse to channel her heartbreak. I knew what to do. I lowered my weapon gently and closed my eyes. Her gunblade was still digging into my shoulders, and I might have been bleeding. But I didn't care. I opened up my arms and slowly wrapped her in my embrace, aching for the lost years, her lonely struggles that I wasn't there with her for.

It seemed that my warm presence might have finally registered in her adrenaline pumped mind, and her body started to wrack with sobs that had been suppressed for far too long. I finally got to kiss her forehead and run my hands through her silken hair again. I missed her so much. She never once said she returned my affections, the way I feel for her, but I think this is enough for me. More than I could ever wish for. That familiar, flowery scent coming from her, it's all the oxygen I would ever need.

Nabaat must have felt neglected at this point in time. We heard a loud shrill whistle and we were suddenly surrounded by more than a dozen of the Sanctum soldiers. Light stoically pulled herself together and stepped back from my embrace. I thought she would continue to reject me, but she lifted her palm and gently caressed the side of my face, while giving me the sweetest, tremulous smile.

"We'll continue this talk later Fang. Looks like we've got company."

I gave her my most dashing grin and wiped away the remaining tears on her cheek with my thumb. "Later then. We would have plenty of time later, luv."

We fell back to our old paradigms, with our shoulders and back against each other, facing the outside enemies. From gunblade to lance, we were one in unison, and had been so since the day we met.

Long live, all the mountains we moved, I had the time of my life, fighting dragons with you…

Unbeknownst to Fang and Lightning, the rest of their family had already caught up with them. As their two best fighters broke out from within, Snow, Vanille, Hope and Sazh trapped the enemy soldiers from the rear. Even without the aid of magic and Eidolons, all of them were experienced warriors who had withstood the toughest of trials.

"Light, Fang!" Vanille waved enthusiastically. "Sazh managed to lower the force field around this area for a while so we could fly in. Sorry we're late!"

Hope threw his boomerang, which managed to catch some soldiers by surprise, before hitting Snow solidly in the chest on its return.

"Ow! Hey, watch it, kiddo!" The brawler frowned as he continued to punch the lights out from nearby enemies.

"Oops, sorry Snow. I'm out of practice…"

Vanille giggled and sent the hooks and wires of her rod forward, entangling the limbs of the soldiers rushing towards her.

In the midst of her deadly sword dance, Light cried out to her friends. "Aeris, Zell, get the hell outta here!" Fang seemed to anticipate her concerns, neatly clearing a path out for the escaping students with powerful lunges from her lance.

Sazh looked around the chaos and spied his old enemy within the fray. "Nabaat! We have an old score to settle!" He challenged with the tips of his guns.

The woman gave an irritated harrumph and proceeded to step backwards slowly. "Retreat!" She commanded, knowing the battle was lost for now.

"Lady, don't even think about it!" Sazh fired two warning shots, narrowly missing Nabaat. "'For every task, there's a perfect tool'. Remember that line, Jihl?"

Nabaat smirked. "Oh do I ever. What about that?"

"Well, say your prayers girl. You're caught on camera." He waved to Yuffie, who was hopping agilely around, catching all the action on video. "Your political immunity with the Eden government will be over by the time this gets out. We'll see how you squirm your way out of this one, Lieutenant Colonel!"

Yuffie concurred and waved cheerily to Nabaat. "This is Yuffie, reporting live from the charming town of Arcadia! Everyone, say 'Cheese'! Or in your case Miss Nabaat, say 'Prison Cell'!"

Epilogue…

A long time later, I stood on the rooftop of the dormitories, enjoying the sunset with Fang. We had to leave for New Oerba soon, to settle the whole Nabaat fiasco and to formally celebrate our reunion at Fang's and Vanille's former hometown.

I still had some things left unsaid, and I didn't want to leave without getting it out in the open. I was still paranoid about not getting any further chances in the future.

Fang was lying down on the sloping roof on her elbows, gingerly nursing the slight wound I had made to her shoulders earlier. I exhaled guiltily and moved her hands aside to tend to the wound myself.

"Fang," I procrastinated, trying to put my thoughts into words. "What if this doesn't last? The closer people are to each other, the more glaring their flaws become."

My hands trembled as I continued. "What if I get bored with you one day, or we bicker all the time, or we have some kind of irreconcilable misunderstanding? What if whatever we have now fades with time, and we become strangers who hardly know each other? I don't have the confidence or faith that I can be by your side forever."

Fang sighed and sat up. Holding my face between her palms, she looked me in the eyes, holding my gaze deeply with her viridian ones. "Claire Farron. Nobody can guarantee what will happen in the future. It is the here and now that's worth thinking about. You're not gonna give up on what could be, just because of all your 'what-ifs' and fears are ya? Giving up before ya even tried? That's not like you, Light."

Her thumbs started to trace my cheekbones in a circular, reassuring manner, her face softening. "I can't promise ya what will happen to us five years from now. Heck, even one year later. I can give ya my word though, that I will treasure every good moments like this with ya. So that I would always remember to hold on to ya with my last dying breath, should ya ever want to leave my side one day. Trust me?"

I could feel the last rays of the sun reflect the brilliance of my smile as I nodded and held on to her hands.

"I believe you."

Final Note: And with that... I conclude my first ever fanfiction. I hoped you have enjoyed it so far. And this is your last chance to tell me how you really feel by hitting the Review button! If you just wanna say "#$%^, Elite! Why did you have to end it?", its also fine by me :p Sequel anyone? Unfortunately, Haruka-chan already had "The Simple Life", so I can't really have "The Complicated Life"... and I don't think anyone would appreciate me writing about mundane Fang and Light stuff, like brushing their teeth and what-not.

If not, the AU sequel of sorts is in my other continuing story, "Midnight Sun". Yes, some shameless advertising here. Do check it out! (Though I'm taking a short breather cos of RL and to mourn the completion of my fanfic) To all my readers and reviewers, have a great year ahead! Goodbye 2010, Helloooo 2011! Remember the lesson, its not about the what-ifs, its about the here and now. Stop stressing out and fretting over your brilliant, ambitious five-year plan. If you believe in yourself, it will sort itself out...