A/N: Been a real long time. Sorry I haven't updated. This story has been hectic and writer's block got the best of me for nearly all my FFX fanfics. I wanna thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter. And I'll understand if no one reviews, it's been a real long time. Please enjoy.

Special Thanks:

SleeepyTidus: Aw! This review made me come back to his fanfic. Thanks a bunch!

Skye's Rain: Thanks for understanding!

digitalgirl89: Sorry I took so long on your command! But here I am!

ryudus: Yes, his life really sucks.

JadeAlmasy: Thanks for your review!

Chapter 11: The Sound of Her Voice

Yuna stood there, dumbfounded as those venom words left the judge’s voice. She bit her bottom lip, chocking on her own pain and misery at the though of not having her only younger brother with her. He wasn’t going…he was being taken away.

Taken.

Taken….from her and her siblings. Taken from his real life, from his light.

‘They can’t!’ She opened her mouth to yell, having no words escape her mouth, she closed it and silently wept as Sora glanced at them all with sorrow. Kairi was the one who tried her best to hide her emotions, hugging Sora from behind and laughing, promising him that she’d visit.

She wept afterwards, locking herself in her room.

Yuna felt herself shaky as Sora had approached her. He hadn’t expected the mute of his older sister to say anything. They nodded at one another and departed. ‘…Sora…’ Yuna thought sadly, wrapping her hands around her knees fighting off the tears that had long threatened to fall down her cheeks.

“Yuna.” Tidus called, hint of sympathy in his voice. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, having known the pain of having something precious being taken away. She couldn’t stand the way Tidus would often try his best to cheer her up, only to fail in the attempt at weep with her. Yuna clung tightly to his shirt, burying her face on his chest and letting depression get the best of her.

“Don’t cry…” He begged, stroking her head softly. Yuna didn’t suffice to his voice; he knew he shouldn’t ask for such a thing knowing that she’d gone through too much already. She was mute. Everything that was on her mind would never be said. She’d never yell when she was angry or laugh when she thought something humorous.

“Yuna…” He called. Yuna couldn’t stand the way his voice would sooth her when she wanted to feel the pain. She couldn’t stand it when her Tidus was always there for her with opened arms. She couldn’t stand not being happy. She couldn’t stand crying and not doing anything about it.

She hated it.

“We’ll get him back. Don’t cry, everything will get better.” Tidus reassured, doubt in his tone. Yuna sensed it and slowly and gently pushed him away. She mouthed words that were thought to be gentle but then she had banged hard on the wood floor, tears pouring from her face as she beat the floor violently. Tidus stopped her, moving his own hands quickly underneath hers only to be pinned with her hands. She stopped.

‘Nothing will ever get better so long as I’m with you. And I can’t stand pain anymore…’ Yuna thought. ‘But…I love you.’ She rest her head on Tidus’s shoulder, letting the nearly evaporated tears go. Tidus stroked her cheek. “Yuna?”

She looked up at her love, forcing a smile. Tidus smiled. “Let’s just get married.” Yuna smiled despite herself, not agreeing but certainly not rejected his offer. She wiped the remaining tears and had suddenly grown tired of having cried hysterically in front of her lover. Not that Tidus minded, he sure as hell hated when a woman wept like that but there was nothing to do but comfort.

“Shh! They’re talkin’ about getting’ married!” Came a loud cry from behind the door, the voice obviously belonging to Rikku. An abrupt ‘hush’ followed afterwards, obviously from Paine, Baralai, and Gippal. Tidus shot Yuna a look of annoyance before heading towards the door and opening it, only to have Rikku tumble down to the floor. Paine sighed.

“Why can’t you guys mind your own business for once?” Tidus asked, sighing in frustration. Rikku sneered. “So can I be the bride’s mate? Or a flower girl…though I think I might have outgrown that position. Come on! We have to make this public!” She shouted excitedly. Yuna sighed, having caught a sudden headache.

Tidus blushed. “T-There is no wedding!” Yuna shot him a glare. “Well not yet!” He added quickly, earning a satisfied look from the mute girl. Rikku pounced on their bed little a five year old and grinned. “Uh-huh, I bet! I still wanna help! Right Paine? Wouldn’t it be exciting?”

Paine added sarcastically, “Oh yeah. I’m sure it’ll be a real joy.” Rikku stuck out her tongue, feeling the urge to jump up and down the bed. They all laughed at her sudden energy, even after a long day. Yuna stopped, having seen Kairi in front of the door. An angry expression on her face had silenced the room.

“How dare you…” She growled. “How could you be so damn happy when Sora isn’t around anymore?” She yelled, pointing accusingly at the traitors for feeling joy for a half a minute. Rikku looked down, feeling sorry she had felt happy when today was in fact a sad day. Paine grunted, walking past Kairi. “So play yourself a sad song when you’ve had a rough day.” She said gently, and left.

Kairi felt her anger growling slowly. Yuna turned to them, standing slowly to excuse herself and gently grabbed the red head from her hands and moved to her room. Kairi looked down the whole time. “Sora’s gone.” She whispered, choking in her own tears. Yuna nodded. “I’m an parentless child, having suffered too much at an early age. I’m finally grown and I’m in collage. I was with my love until I was torn apart from him, I’m working hard…I study hard.” She cried. “Sora’s gone…Aerith and Cloud are gone. And Squall’s not here either! And…and you’re a mute!”

Yuna nodded.

“I can’t stand it.” She whispered, rubbing her eyes at her sudden exhaustion. Yuna placed a hand over Kairi, sighing in the process. “Do you think you’ll ever get you’re voice back?” Kairi asked, her anger from before dying down. The older woman shrugged, pausing to stroke Kairi’s red shiny hair. ‘I hope so.’ She thought.

“I hope Aerith and Cloud come back.” Kairi prayed. Yuna stood, feeling tired by the minute and slowly walked to her room where Tidus had awaited her. Kairi looked back to her CD player, having Paine’s words in her head. Frowning, she plopped onto her bed and began to listen to a song that Sora had once loved and shared with her.

Sanctuary.

-Meanwhile-

“Hey Aerith! I’m back and I must say my butt is frozen solid–” Cloud stopped in mid-track. The house was silent except for the sound of burning fire nearby. He scratched his head in confusement and shrugged, taking off his boots and sighing loudly. ‘Wonder where she went. Maybe went shopping…?’

“Aerith?” Cloud called, scratching the back of his head. He stopped upon seeing Aerith’s figure lying nearly lifelessly on the couch. Cloud stopped from a yell escaping his lips. He bent down and shook her gently, calling her name multiple times and not receiving an answer.

“D-Don’t leave me…” He whispered. He rest his head on her chest, crying. Aerith opened an eye. “Cloud Strife…” She whispered, roughly pulling at her fiancé’s hair. “…if you weren’t crying I’d think you were enjoying that…” She said breathlessly. Cloud’s head rose and immediately she was able to breathe again. He smiled awkwardly.

“W-Why’d you fool me?” Cloud yelled. Aerith slowly rose. “I wasn’t. I must’ve dozed…I don’t feel too well either.” She lied back, coughing in the process. Cloud would rest his head on her chest once more, hearing the sound of his heart beat.

“We should be heading back home…” She groaned. Cloud shook his head. “Not until you feel better! And I’m sure the others are doing great without us. You know Yuna can take care of things there.” She smiled and added, “Right, we have to wait for you to recover too!”

‘Right and we’ll get the place to ourselves-’ His thoughts were interrupted with a sudden knock on the door. Aerith smiled in delight, standing quickly and practically ran to the door to reveal a young woman in a nurse’s outfit and another young man, a slight look of sheer boredom on his face almost to say, what-the-hell-am-I-doing-here?

“Rinoa? Squall?” Cloud explained, pointing. Aerith nodded. Rinoa stepped in, smiling brightly. “Doctor Heartilly and nurse Leonhart here to take care of you guys!” She smiled. Squall glared daggers at her at being called a nurse. He was man. Therefore he was doctor. And therefore he could leave. Rinoa grabbed his shirt quickly before he could head to the door.

“And congratulations on your engagement!” Rinoa squealed, hugging Aerith in deep delight. Cloud and Squall glanced at each other and sighed.

Meanwhile

Sora faced his parents; the look of happiness dispersed from their faces and was replaced with a look of sheer evil. He shivered at the kind of beating he’d get once they got to their new home. His mother turned to him and smirked. “I bet you were happy with your idiot friends and slut of a girlfriend.” Sora growled. “Don’t fucking call her that!” He yelled.

His father might have turned to slap him if he weren’t the one driving. “Hn…my he’s learned a set of new vocabulary since we last saw him. Too bad he won’t be using that anymore…” Sora turned in his mother’s wicked gaze.

He, however, did not realize that what was coming next was to be remembered throughout his life. As they arrived home he hadn’t had the chance to examine the place for his father had dragged him in the house without a word and threw him down the floor the instant the house granted them privacy. Sora suddenly saw a white light as his father landed a fist on his eye. His mother sighed, picking the brunette.

“He’s still too weak. His anger towards us wasn’t enough to strengthen him.” She mumbled. Sora hadn’t fought in a long period of time but he wasn’t rusty either. He ruthlessly pushed his mother away and ran to his room. His father beat him to the punch. Literally.

Sora stumbled back to the wall. His father grabbed his arm and beat him like the animal he was, angry that Sora hadn’t been crying out loud for them to stop by now like he had when he was younger. But Sora wasn’t young; he desperately fought off his father and ran to his new room, cuts and bruises forming on his arm when his mother desperately clung to his arm.

He cried.

“Don’t mommy!” A younger Sora cried, clinging tightly on his bedroom still. His mother slapped his cheek and it quickly reddened on impact. He let go, his mother seeking the chance to pull him away from the bed and threw him onto the floor, crawling on top of him and slapping him.

“Why are you so unhappy with your life?” She cried, hitting him without noticing he had already spilled blood on their carpet. Sora cried like most young boys, wondering why his parents had betrayed him and teamed up to emotionally and physically abuse him.

He cried, pounding on the floor that he was to sleep on.

“MOM! Don’t let dad burn me! MOM!” Sora screamed in horror as his father placed his arm near the stove, half drunk. His mother watched with amusement. “This boy needs to learn how to respect others. You beat up another boy!” He yelled. Sora struggled and in result cried louder, earning a slap from his mother who was dying slowly of a hangover.

“I didn’t beat him up! I just asked him nicely to leave me alone and he pushed me to the floor…” Sora explained. After minutes of another set of beating his father had had enough and burned a bit of Sora’s skin over the stove.

It took him four years for his skin to heal, he had explained to the doctors he had been messing with a few matches and burned himself.

This was the beginning of his new life in foster homes.

“Here’s your uniform.” His father walked in, throwing clothes at Sora. “You’re sixteen. Wash them yourself. Bedtime is at seven. And you don’t get breakfast or lunch. Only dinner which has passed…so now you’ll have to wait until tomorrow.” He left.

“Sora!” Yuna called, stroking the younger Sora. He shifted under her gaze, afraid if he moved she might get mad and beat him. She kissed his forehead. “You’re so cute! I bet Kairi and the others will like you!” She grinned. He hadn’t smiled for years but had found it easy to smile at this Yuna.

Sora hugged his knees, and cried, hoping the heavens about might hear him.