The next morning, Bella woke up, wondering what time it was. Bella yawns quietly, pushing Kirara's fur off her, she stands up walking outside seeing the sun barely rising over the hills while she walks to the clothes, she touches them feeling them dry. Smiling, she quickly dresses in her outfit. And when she was waiting for the guys to get up, she sat near the edge of the haven going deep into thought.

Bella thought about the time she's spent here in Eos, she didn't want to go home back to Cloud, but she missed him so dearly. She began thinking back on what he wanted to tell her, it was so important to him that he planned (probably with Tifa's help) a whole thing just for her. Bella sighs, bringing her knees up to her chest and set her head on her knees.

"What are you going up so early?" asks a familiar voice behind her, she shrugs not moving from her spot.

"Kirara, would you mind telling me what Cloud wanted to do that day?" Bella questions Kirara watching the sun bring light into the world. "I'd feel so bad if it was so important and if I died, I wouldn't know..."

Kirara sighs, sitting next to her friend swaying her tails back and forth gently. "He stopped by a legal place on one of his routes and asked about the process of you becoming legally his little sister," Kirara finally told Bella making Bella's eyes fill with tears. "He claimed for a little while that it's what Zack would've wanted so you wouldn't have to be alone,"

"..." Bella choked out a little sob putting a hand to her mouth. "He... He wanted to do that?"

Kirara nods slowly. "Absolutely. He loves you so much like a little sister – he wanted it to become official," Kirara puts her head on Bella's back, feeling the young woman shake. "Zack always told him to take care of you as if you were his own when he wasn't around, do you remember that?"

"I do..." Bella whispers with more tears streaming down her face. "I remember Cloud telling me not to worry about things when he was around and he would protect me, even after my brother died... After the whole incident with SHINRA, he took care of me. Made sure I was okay..."

Kirara keeps her head against Bella's back as Bella quietly sobs a little bit. "I owe him so much more than a thank you..."

"I'm sure he knows, Bells..." said a voice behind them, Bella's eyes widen turning around seeing Gladio standing there with his pants on. "Men like us – we know you mean so much and we know you thank us. We don't need to hear it all the time,"

"But..."

Gladio shakes his head. "Keep your head up and keep fighting. Make him even more proud,"

Bella wipes her eyes gently with a curt nod, smiling Gladio's way. Gladio then begins putting his shirt on waiting for the others to get ready and dressed.

"Are we ready?" asks the King walking out of the makeshift tent as everyone looks at him. "The Regalia is at the Aracheole Stronghold in Duscae." Noctis as everyone nods getting on their Chocobos, while Bella hops on Kirara and they all speed off towards the Stronghold.

The ride took around an hour and a half, the Stronghold looked impenetrable looking back to the tactician he looks like he was devising a plan in his head. Kirara stops by the Chocobos while Ignis keeps thinking. Kirara then jumps in the air scaring the men while Kirara took to the sky making sure the Imperial Army wasn't around the sky. Kirara keeps her distance while Bella looks down seeing the Regalia down there. Smiling, Bella nudges Kirara who quickly flies down.

Landing on the ground near the guys, Bella hops off Kirara keeping her smile. "I take it, good news?"

"I saw the Regalia, it's in the middle of the fortress, getting there may require a really good plan."

"Thankfully," Prompto begins looking at Ignis as he sees the dirty blond man pacing around. "Our Ignis knows some good plans,"

Ignis puts a finger to his chin as he continues thinking. "We'll have to infiltrate at night," Ignis speaks as he stops. "The night will give us more coverage and get the Regalia out of there without being seen."

Gladio agrees while nodding; "Makes a lot more sense" Bella looks at him. "The dark won't be for another several hours, so we have time to continue making back-up plans in case anything happens."

Everyone nods to that plan as well as they continue their plans with everyone putting in their input. Bella stares at the King while they talk, she kept thinking on how handsome he was, taking a deep breath, Bella shook those thoughts of her head while trying to listen.

After discussing plan after plan, several hours passed as they began heading towards the Stronghold once more; they hid behind trailers and looked beyond seeing an MT standing there. Ignis looks at Noctis as the King looks back at his advisor.

"Warp kill on my count," Bella hears Ignis whisper to Noctis, Bella sat next to Noctis watching him while Kirara was behind them in small form, careful not to draw attention to herself. "3...2...1" She sees Noctis throw his sword and disappear, Bella looks around the corner seeing the MTs both dead that was standing guard.

Ignis begins following Noctis followed by Gladio and Prompto, Bella and Kirara taking up the rear making sure no one follows them.

"I see it!" Bella excitedly whispers pointing at it as they walk towards it but then Kirara growls changing into her giant form growling loudly grabbing the attention of the men. "We have to make a clear path for the Regalia!"

Touching Kirara's head as she rushes towards an MT kicking it away from her swinging her Gunblade hitting another MT that was charging at her. Then she feels a sharp pain in her shoulder making her yelp in pain; Noctis hears this seeing Bella stumbling a little trying to regain her balance, Noctis takes his weapon throwing towards the MT as the weapon sticks in his chest as Noctis appears near Bella. Bella looks back seeing him with a worried look on his face.

"I'm okay," Bella breathes out as the blood rushed down her shoulder, "flesh wound," She winks his way and looks back seeing another MT coming their way, she takes her Gunblade switching it into a Gun and shoots the MT in the chest turning to Noctis who smiles her way taking down another MT beside her, she could feel Kirara's magic healing her shoulder.

She heard Noctis grunt and as Bella turns around, she feels the chill of the wind. Bella turns back around seeing a huge being in the sky, her eyes widened closing her eyes as the power of the Six wipes out the remaining MTs. When she felt like it was safe, Bella slowly opens her eyes hearing Prompto in the background.

"That... was... HARDCORE!" Prompto cheers towards the King touching his shoulder. Bella keeps Kirara as a Gun as she walks towards Noctis touching his other shoulder smiling his way. Noctis smiles back to her.

There something in Noctis's eyes that Bella saw, what was it? Those thoughts were interrupted by Prompto as he jumped excitedly.

Back at the Regalia, finally, Prompto looks back and gasps making Bella wonder why he did so. "Guys..." whispers Prompto, his voice shaking.

Everyone turns, gasping as well while Noctis taking Bella gently by the arm and dragging her behind him keeping his glare at the man in front of him. Bella grips his Gun tightly watching him.

"Long as it been, Noctis," The man began looking at everyone as Gladio and Ignis both step beside Noctis while Prompto stays next to Bella as she watches the man put a sword at Noctis's neck. "I see you've received the storms blessing," Bella growls keeping a tight hold on her weapon, ready to attack him. "And yet, you nothing of the consequences,"

"Back off!" snaps Bella ready to pounces but Gladio steps in front of Noctis but the man takes his sword putting it against Gladio's neck then holds a hand up stopping Ignis from attacking as Bella takes a step-in front of Noctis glaring at him.

He's no different from Rufus she told herself. Tall pretty boy who thinks he's better than everyone,

"Be still," The man glares at everyone then stops at Bella, "all of you!" Bella growls lowly, keeping her stance in front of Noctis.

Prompto lets a shaky breath, whispering. "Not good..."

The man then glances at Noctis who stood behind Bella while he speaks. "Heir to the crown befitting no other," Noctis scoffs quietly. "Witness his splendor and glory." Bella keeps her stance, wondering what he was doing as he moves his arm. "All hail the Chosen King,"

Noctis then steps in front of Bella getting almost in the man's face. "Awful high and mighty from an imperial rat," Noctis spits back. "Serving the enemy to hunt down Luna!"

Bella gasps as the man growls latching his hand onto Noctis's neck making Gladio tense up as Bella shifts her Gun to a Blade getting ready to jump in. "I do not serve!" The man dictated to Noctis, "I command!" Tossing Noctis into Bella as she catches him while Gladio jumps in front of them. Bella steadies Noctis getting in front of him as well.

"The King sworn shield and a brand-new face, probably worthless," The man comments on the two of them.

Bella growls putting her Blade in front of her. "You will know me in time, asshole."

"You better believe it," Gladio countered towards the man.

The man raises his sword slowly, "A weak shield protects naught," Gladio summons his sword to protect himself from the man's sword. Bella gets ready to attack but before she could her eyes widen feeling Gladio brush against her as he flew back into the Regalia as the man kicks Bella into the pole knocking the wind out of her. Kirara shifts back from being a weapon and stands tall in front of Bella growling at the man in front of the wounded woman.

"Gladio!" "Bells!" Ignis rushes to Bella's aide while Prompto goes towards Gladio; Bella was struggling to get up, her ears were ringing from the impact that she couldn't quite hear what was going on. Noctis stands in front of Gladio glaring at the man.

"You wanna go?" asks the King, summoning his weapons as they circle around him. "Let's go!"

The man smirks, raising his sword. "Should the Chosen fall, that too is fate," And with that, before they could battle. Ardyn shows up.

"I'd say that's far enough," The man says as Ignis helps Bella up as she tries to shake her head, but the movement made her world spin. "A hand, Highness?"

"Not from you," Noctis snaps at him watching Ignis put Bella on Kirara and lay her down. Kirara growls at Ardyn and the man walking slowly towards the others with Ignis trailing by her side.

Ardyn puts his hands up gently as if trying to keep the peace. "Oh, but I'm here to help."

Ignis was skeptical as they all stand together. "And how is that?"

Ardyn waves his hand towards the man while Bella watches trying not to move or speak; "By taking the army away,"

"And you expect us to believe that?" questions the shield, glaring at Ardyn.

"When next we meet, it'll be across the seas." Ardyn answers to him, looking at Noctis as he waves his hand towards the man again, making sure he got the notice to leave. "Just so happens we have business of our own with the tutelary deity. Don't we?" Ardyn looks at the man who scoffs walking off, as Ardyn bows to Noctis. "Fare thee well, Your Majesty, and safe travels."

Both men walk off as Prompto looks at everyone; "You guys know that guy?"

Ignis and Gladio sigh as Noctis glares his way; "Ravus Nox Fleuret, first son of Tenebrae...and elder brother to Lady Lunafreya."

I'm such a dumbass! shouts Bella in her mind as her eyes begin feeling heavy. I didn't think straight, and I got cocky... Dammit... with those last thoughts, Bella falls into silent unconsciousness.

After gently putting Bella in the middle, Noctis and Gladio pile in the back with Kirara in her small form in Bella's lap while her head went to Noctis's shoulder. Ignis gets in the driver's side and Prompto in the passenger as they begin driving towards Lestallum. The men began talking about Ravus and everything else while Bella stayed asleep.

It was later that night after they get to Lestallum, which took them around two and a half hours, and Bella still wasn't awake, and the men were growing concerned – mostly Noctis. They had set Bella in bed with Kirara next to her; they were upset with what happened with Jared as well but agreed to take Iris with them to Caem.

In her dream, Bella looks around seeing the familiar place of Edge, gasping in happiness, she turns seeing nothing going on as she runs in, opening to the door to the house they lived in, seeing Cloud and Tifa speaking.

"I'm home!" Bella shouts out but it was as if they didn't hear her. "Cloud-Cloud! Tifa!"

"It's been half a year since she's been gone, Cloud, maybe we should stop looking for her," Tifa spoke to him as he sighed. "She's a tough girl, she knows how to handle herself."

Cloud knew this, however, but – with everything that happened, he didn't want to chance it. "I can't..." Cloud spoke softly. "I promised Zack I would take care of her..."

"I'm here!" Bella says again, walking up to them, touching their shoulder but it went through making her gasp. "No, please! Don't stop looking for me, I wanna come home!" Tears began spilling from her eyes as she went to touch them again. "I miss you... So much... Please don't stop..."

Tifa sighs knowing Cloud's stubborn. "You miss her, you wanted her to be your little sister so bad," Tifa stated to him making her look down in sadness. "Fine. We'll keep looking, we won't stop. She needs to hear she's going to be a little sister again..."

"Please..." Bella said, her voice wavering. "I want to call you big brother to your face."

"I know I can't replace, Zack," Cloud stated softly. "I just wanted her to feel the happiness of having someone to be family again"

"You'd never replace him; you've done your best making sure I was okay!" Bella told him, but she knew better. He can't hear her. Sobs escaped her body as she continues speaking; "You took care of me, Cloud-Cloud, please... Don't give up! Just know I'm okay! I'm coming home soon; I hope so anyway. Me and Kirara! I love you!"

Before she woke up, she heard Cloud speak as if hearing the last part of her sentence. "I love you too, Rose."

Bella gasps away with tears streaming down her face, turning her body to see it was three-forty-five in the morning. Bella slowly sits up turning her gaze seeing Iris sleeping in the bed next to hers. Bella then looks down seeing Kirara sleeping next to her as well, pushing the covers off she steps towards the bathroom, shutting the door before turning on the light. Bella walks up to the mirror seeing her reflection, her eyes were red from crying and her cheeks puffy.

Turning around, she lifts her shirt a bit seeing a bruise forming from the pole she hit. Bella lets out a breath, turning around seeing a shower there, wondering if she should take one.

It wouldn't hurt, Bella thought as she stripped her clothes, quickly starting the shower and quickly took one. Washing her long ombré hair while she was at it and washing her body as well. Letting out a sigh, when she was done, she stopped the water and stayed in there a bit.

"Cloud-Cloud... Are you really looking for me?" whispers in questions the young woman opening the door from the shower and grabs a towel seeing her clothes were folded neatly. Blinking, she looked around seeing the door cracked. A smile adorned her face as she quickly dries off, taking a brush and brushed her now conditioned hair. "Please don't give up, Cloud-Cloud... I'm gonna try finding a way home soon, I just – have to help the man I care for deeply first."

After getting dressed, she heads out into theplace called Lestallum.

~

A/N: Oh gosh! Another update in one day (two days depending on where you're at) Please enjoy this chapter, I nearly teared up writing this because of how Bella feels being gone. But the questions remains;

Will she be able to go home or be trapped in the world of Eos, forever? I guess we'll find out! Let me know how this one is! Love you!