A.N. This idea came spontaneous^^' I was so bored in school ('cause it was the last day before holidays), that I just wrote something down. At first I thought it's not a good idea, but then it was kinda better. I hope you like this little idea of mine^^' ADDED: I've edited this story and I think it's better than before. I just couldn't read it without thinking:"oh man, how could you write such a crap? You have to edit this!" Well and now I did itx3

Disclaimer – I don't own Final Fantasy

Visit from the Past

It was 010 AF. Ten years after the fall of Cocoon and Hope Estheim seemed to be the only one left from the group of the former l'Cie, who saved Cocoon. He searched for them everywhere, but never found them and now the fourteen year old boy grew up into a twenty-four years old man. He was now the director of the Academy Research, Team Alpha and researches the spacetime anomalies. After all that research he and his Team found an Oracle Drive, that shows images from the future. It wasn't really clear, but he swore he saw Lightning! Then suddenly Serah, Lightnings younger sister, appeared out of nowhere, with a guy named Noel Kreiss.

They said they're searching for Lightning and that they're going to change the future by time traveling. He believed them without asking questions. Hope saw these time gates recently and always wondered what they're for. Before Hope showed them the Oracle Drive they chatted a bit. Serah even asked him why he's all grown up so suddenly, he actually was supposed to be seventeen. That made him laugh, while Serah looked at him in confusion. She must've forgotten that she's in the future.

Once Serah and Noel saw the Oracle Drive they knew that it really was Lightning. But it still wasn't clear to see...Soon after that they continued their journey through the time, while Hope continued on with his work. Later that day he walked around the Yaschas Massif and thought about what Serah and Noel told him.

He was so deep in thought, that he didn't notice that he left the protecting light of the lamps and went into the darkness, where all the monsters lurked. Then he heard some noises behind him and as he turned around, he saw a giant Behemoth running towards him and attacked him with its prank. He didn't even had time to take his weapon, but then the Behemoth was defeated by a powerful Thundaga spell, just before the Behemoth could hit him.

He looked around and saw someone he longed to see for the last ten years. Lightning. She stood there, on a hill and stared down at him. It seemed that she was way stronger, than he remembered. All he could do was to stare at her. She looked like a knight. She wore a shiny armour and white feathers hung on her left site. She jumped down and landed right in front of him. They both noticed that Hope was about ten centimeter taller than her and she even had to look up at him a bit. She lifted her hand and poked his forehead, then spoke teasingly and also sternly. „You shouldn't wander off into the darkness all alone. It could be dangerous."

It was the same line...she said the same thing, as he wandered off alone, after they arrived Gran Pulse back then. Hope was completely speechless and just gaped at her. He longed for so long to see her again, to hear her voice again and here she is, talking to him as if she never disappeared and Hope couldn't say a damn word! But the pink-haired woman continued on. „You really grew up, Hope." Hopes heart skipped a beat, as she said his name, but he remained quiet. Lightning examined him with her icy-blue eyes from head to toe and he felt his cheeks heat up. „And you seem to be toughened up even more. I'm proud of you." His heart skipped a beat once again and his eyes widened. Did she just say she's proud of him? „Why are you looking at me, as if you're seeing a ghost?", asked Lightning and raised an eyebrow, while he snapped out of his daze. „I—I'm sorry..."

„You're a bit more talkative in my memory, Hope. What happened?" What happened?, he repeated the question in his head. What happened? The woman I love appears out of nowhere and pretends as if nothing happened at all and looks like a knight in shining armour! But Hope would never answer this and said instead:„Eh...N-nothing. Nothing at all." Now he finally smiled at his old partner and even got one of her rare half smiles back in return. „How have you been, Hope?"

„Good...I think...Where have you been, Lightning? Are you...from the future?", asked Hope frantically, while she just went passed him and stopped a few meter away from him, her back was facing him.

„Guess I can tell you. I was in Valhalla. And no, I'm not from the future. I'm from the past. But in fact...I'm not really sure how much time had passed...Time has no meaning in Valhalla, but for me it's like I was there a few hours, before I came here. But anyway...in the future...I no longer exist.", she said, while Hopes eyes widened. „What?" He ran to her and stopped in front of her. „What do you mean with 'in the future I no longer exist'?"

„I mean just what I said. You're a smart boy. Think."

„But how do you know?"

„In Valhalla I can see everything. I saw what you did and will do, what Serah and Noel are going to do and how it'll end."

„Then...why aren't you helping them?", asked Hope, not believing that Lightning's not going to do anything to help her sister. „That's not my journey, Hope. It's theirs. And it's their choice how to deal with it. I'm just watching over them. There's nothing I can do.", explained the pink-haired woman, while Hope remained silent for a while, before he spoke again. „Will you stay here?"

„No."

„Will you at least wait till Serah comes back?"

„No."

„Then I'll tell Serah you were here. She'll be so happy to hear this." Lightning shook her head. „You'll forget about me." Hope looked at her in shock. „I could never forget you!"

„You will. Serah and Noel are about to change the future. That means they'll also change the past, your present.", explained Lightning, while Hope looked at her in confusion. „Wait, I don't get it..."

„Why explain, when you're going to forget it anyway?", said the pink-haired woman with a hint of amusement in her voice. „Lightning...!" She held up a finger to silence him. „Didn't I tell you to call me Light?"

„Light...Why are you even here, when I'm going to forget you anyway?"

„I wanted to make sure you're doing alright." Hope went silent, but he couldn't help but fell happy. Happy to see her again, after ten years and to know that she came from the past to him meant that he meant something to her. „Are we...going to meet each other again?", asked Hope, but he was surprised, as Lightning didn't answer him for a while. „Just...", she began, laid a hand on his shoulder and looked deeply into his emerald green eyes. „Just don't lose hope, okay? I can't promise you anything, but I could try to visit you.", lied Lightning. She couldn't crush his hopes just like that. He needed to believe that they're going to see each other again, to complete his own Focus.

She dodged his question...But he didn't really care right now. The silver haired boy—no man, nodded. „Okay." Lightning patted his shoulder, turned around and began to walk away, but Hope took her wrist quickly, preventing her to go. „Don't go, Light...I've spent the last ten years to find you and the others! You can't just go away now!"

„I have no other choice, Hope.", she replied, not looking at him. „My battle is about to begin."

„What battle?"

„Hope...", sighed Lightning and held her forehead. „What have I told you?" Hope sighed. He knew she won't tell him anything anymore, and that he'll forget this all anyway. „Light, will you remember this?"

„Yes."

„Then let me tell you something before you go. Just stay a bit longer." Lightning thought for a while, before she turned to him. „I think it's okay. I still have some time. What do you want to tell me?" The silver haired man didn't say anything, he just stared at her nervously. His heart pounded fiercely in his chest, as he tried to find the right words.

They looked at each others eyes, Lightning waited patiently for him to finally say something and crossed her arms over her chest. Another minute passed by and Lightning looked at him with a bored expression. „Hope, go on I don't have time for this." Hope snapped out of his daze and seemed even more nervous than before. „I...eh..."

„You what?" Hope went silent again, while Lightning got really impatient. „Hope, either you're going to tell me what you want, or I'm going!"

„Wait, don't go, I'll tell you!"

„Then go on." Hope gulped heavily and took in a shuddering breath, before he spoke. „I...eh..." Lightning began to tap her fingers on her arm and Hope knew he had to say it quickly, or she'll be gone again. „I...kind of...love you..."

„Kind of?", she asked and raised an eyebrow. „I mean...I love you, Lightning!" Hope looked nervously at her emotionless expression. Lightning went silent and Hope became even more nervous. „Lightni—" The pink haired warrior silenced him again, by raising a finger again. He looked at her in confusion and waited for her to say something. He was surprised as she poked his forehead, instead of saying something. „What was that for?", he asked as he rubbed his forehead. „It's fun."

„Not for me."

„Don't care."

„Don't change the subject, Lightning—"

„Light.", interrupted the blue-eyed woman sternly. „I want you to answer me, Light."

„You want me to answer?", asked Lightning and raised an eyebrow, while Hope nodded and looked at her extremely serious. She haven't seen this look for a long time. Lightning tried to let his seriousness waver with her own look, but he resisted her glare. The silver haired man was surprised as he heard the former soldier giggle quietly. „You're braver too, little Hope.", she said and patted his head. Hope frowned as she called him 'little'. „Who's little?", he asked and stood straight and looked down at her with a raised eyebrow.

„Hmph, just a little tease. But I'm surprised. You never resisted my glare." She grinned wickedly at him, but he ignored it and became all serious again. „Just tell me. You said you have to go."

„Even if I tell you, you'll forget it."

„Tell me anyway. Please."

„You really wanna know?" Hope nodded frantically, which reminded her of the fourteen year old Hope. She came closer and stared into his eyes, a small smile graced her lips. „I love you too." Hopes eyes widened in surprise. He never expected her to love him back. „What? You look at me as if I'm going to kill you.", she said and frowned at him, while he scratched the back of his head and chuckled nervously. „Sorry, but I never expected you to say this..."

„Hope.", interrupted Lightning, while he looked at her curiously. „Yes?"

„Just stop talking already." She flicked his forehead and was about to lean in, but stopped as she felt her forehead being poked. Lightning looked at him with a raised eyebrow and saw him grinning widely. „I couldn't resist." The pink haired woman rolled her eyes and leaned in again. Hope leaned in as well and captured her lips in a sweet, chaste kiss. But sadly it didn't last long and Lightning pulled away.

„It's time to go."

„But—" Lightning silenced him by kissing him again, but it was just a light peck. „Serah and Noel changed the future. I can feel it. I have to go now." She went away, but stopped mid-step and looked over her shoulder to him. „...Till we meet again, Hope." With that said she left, while Hope looked after her, till she was out of his sight.

As Serah, Noel and Mog arrived the Yaschas Massif in 010AF again, it looked different. It wasn't dark anymore and Hope and the others memories changed as well. Hope and Serah repeated their 'I'm-so-glad-to-see-you-again' chit chat, before she and Noel explained that they met before, then changed something in the future and came back on the same period of time. Hope believed them, just like the first time, as they told him about time traveling.

Now the Oracle Drive showed the images in a better quality and they were 100% sure that it's Lightning. And she was fighting with some guy in a strange place. Noel said it was Valhalla. Once they talked about what they're going to do to change the future and Noel and Serah left once again, Hope couldn't help but feel as if he forgot something really important...And he thought it has something to do with Lightning.

In this time sapphire blue eyes watched the now twenty-four year old man from a mountain. Lightning looked sadly at him, as he tried to remember what he thought he forgot, but didn't get.

You forgot that I was here. It's good and bad at once. Serah doesn't have to know that I was here. It'll just upset her. I know, once she's going to see me she wants me to stay with her, but it's not the time to meet up with her and Noel. She's going to hold her fears back, when we meet, but then she's way stronger than she is now. All that's in her mind is to find me. But she has to find the real designation of their journey. To change the future, no matter what comes, to create a better world. With the help of Noel, Mog and Hope she'll make it. Good luck, Serah.

A.N. So that was all. My very first Final Fantasy XIII and HopexLight fanfic...I hope Hope and Light aren't ooc, I tried hard to keep them in character. But please bear with me if they're really ooc...

And please review ;3