A/N: Motivation is a fickle thing. Sometimes its there and sometimes its not. Sometimes it appears for a second and then is gone for another 10 months. Thanks motivation! You're so useful.

Anyways I just got done replaying Tales of the Abyss (again) and decided that with all the hours I've logged in playing the game that I could probably write a story if I had the proper motivation. Well looks like that son of a gun finally showed its face. Let's just see if we can do something with it. Goodness I hope so.

Not too sure where this story is headed in terms of plot. Maybe it'll just be a cluster of complicated emotions and sorrow. Who knows? But we'll see. You all are free to speculate and perhaps I can take those speculations into consideration. Well that is if this fandom isn't completely dead by now. That would really suck. Let's get on with it already.


Home Calls

If there was one thing that Luke fon Fabre was good at it was hide and seek.

Spending all his life in his family manor in Baticul really sharpened his ability to hide from those that he did not want to be found by. Well, all except Guy. Luke couldn't explain how Guy always knew where he was; he just did.

It was like some kind of sixth sense that Guy had. Whenever Luke wasn't in plain view everyone knew that he was hiding alone. Trying to get some time to himself.

To think.

But, as Guy says, a servant should know their master well enough to find them under any circumstance.

Perhaps that's why Guy always managed to find Luke at the manor and even when he teleported halfway across the world with Tear.

Luke could always count on Guy to find him.

Or at least he thought so.

When it came time for Luke to set Lorelei free he became nothing but fonons. Fonons that eventually mixed with the Planet Storm. He would never return. In a sense Luke was dead.

But he had died for a just cause. To save the world from the twisted view of his previous Master, Van.

Defeating Van wasn't enough though. Asch dying so that Luke could set Lorelei free wasn't enough. And finally setting Lorelei free wasn't enough to save Luke from his eventual disappearance.

He really did disappear just as him and Jade had talked about.

At least he was gifted enough time to set Lorelei free. Fate seemed to spare him at the Tower of Rem. He was given just enough time to finish his journey.

His destiny.

And he did. He had done everything that was expected of him. But one would hope after so much that the young replica wouldn't have to perish. Sadly, it was not so.

Just as Asch did, Luke allowed his death to take him all for the sake of his people, country, and friends.

Reality is cruel that way.

In life Guy could find Luke without skipping a beat, but now there was little chance of the noble ever seeing his friend again.

Guy wishes he could curse Luke's name for dying. Curse Asch for allowing Luke to take his place at the Tower of Rem. But he just couldn't. One life over billions was just unthinkable.

But that didn't lessen the pain he felt when he left his friend to die in the New Hod. He wanted so much to cling to his best friend and tell him how stupid he was being, but the world needed Luke. It needed Lorelei to be set free. Guy just wished it didn't have to end in his lifelong friend's death.

It was like being stabbed through the heart with several tiny blades. The pain and sorrow was unbearable and at night Guy could lay awake for hours thinking of his long-lost friend.

There was no realistic chance of Luke ever coming back; he knew that. Tear, Natalia, Anise, and Jade knew that as well. But that didn't stop Luke from smiling at them all and proclaiming he would be back.

'The damn fool…' Guy thought miserably to himself as he laid in his plush bed.

Tonight, was one of the several night Guy found no matter how hard he tried sleep would not come to him. So, he stared up at the ceiling thinking of Luke. His brash, ignorant best friend. He missed him so much that it was unbearable at times to think of the replica.

Guy wished for nothing more than the ability to track down Luke, but he knew it was impossible. Merging with the fonons of Asch and Lorelei into the Planet Storm made any evidence of Luke virtually untraceable.

But that didn't mean that Guy didn't see Luke in every flash of red hair. Or the indignation cry of a smart mouthed teen. Almost everywhere he looked he was reminded of Luke.

Guy was as far away from Baticul as he could be, yet he still saw Luke walk through his new manor; as if he had never left. Such a lonely existence for the lone heir of Gardios. He could really understand how Luke felt his entire existence now. Luke was raised in a manor where his only contact was Guy, himself, and the maids. Occasionally his wretched father. But really the maids, Pere, and Guy saw Luke more than anyone.

One couldn't really include the Lady of the house, Susanne, for she was so frail that she barely left her room as it was. Out of everyone in the manor Guy could really only find compassion for Lady Susanne and Luke. Duke Fabre be damned as far as he's concerned.

Guy still held a sense of resentment for Luke's father. The slaughterer of his entire family. The blond had let his longing for revenge fade years ago, but the Duke still managed to get under his skin.

Guy let out a heavy sigh and threw his arm over his eyes. Thinking of Luke was doing nothing but souring his mood further. He missed him something awful, but the more he thought about him the worse the pain was.

Tossing and turning for the next several minutes did nothing to appease Guy's troubled mind. With tired and defeated eyes Guy sat up and looked around his large bedroom. So empty and lacking life.

His noble status might have been reinstated but he was by no means any happier. He was still the lone member of the Gardios family. Emperor Peony had allowed the heir to have a manor and try to rebuild his noble name, but as of yet Guy had not extended his name at all.

Guy kicked his feet over the side of his bed and allowed his bare feet to touch the cool marble. A small shiver went up his spine and he stood up ignoring the cold that now crawled over him. The blond made his way out of his chambers and proceeded to descend the stairs to reach his kitchen area.

Maybe a hot cup of tea would ease his mind and allow him to sleep for a few hours at the very least.

Guy rummaged through his cabinets until he came across the proper tea leaves. Filling his tea pot with water and placing the tea leaves in the water Guy then placed the boiler on his fonon stove and activated the fire to boil his tea.

Waiting patiently for the whistle to signal the tea had come to a boil Guy leaned against his counter top and titled his head back. He was exhausted from all his troubling thoughts.

Even though Guy knew there was no hope of getting Luke back that didn't stop Guy's poor heart from yearning to save his best friend. Which only caused Guy more pain.

Guy groaned out in frustration and clenched his eyes shut.

"Master Gailardia?"

Guy's blue eyes snapped opened and he glanced over his shoulders at the one person that he shared his manor with.

"Oh, hey Pere. What are you doing up at this time?"

The old servant Pere had come to work for Guy after Luke had disappeared two years ago. Pere had planned on leaving the Fabre manor soon before Luke and his team had set out to save the world a second time, but with his young master's passing it seemed he had little reason to stay in Baticul. Especially when his original master, Gailardia, was all alone in his own manor in Grand Chokmah. Pere had a duty to serve his master and he came to Guy's aid in his time of need.

"I do think that is a bit hypocritical, Master," Pere answered his charge with a slight smile.

Guy couldn't help but give a quick chuckle at his servant's jab. He was right after all. It was no more right for Guy to be awake at the hour than it was for Pere to be.

"Oh, you know, Pere. I've never been one to go to sleep early. Not going to start now." The tea pot began to whistle signaling the water had boiled. Guy grabbed the kettles unheated handle and poured himself a cup of tea. "Would you like to share a cup of tea with me, Pere?"

Pere shook his head lightly, "No thank you Master. I simply wanted to see why you were still awake at such an hour." Setting the tea pot back onto the unlit stove Guy took a sip of his hot tea and sighed as warmth flooded his body.

"Just couldn't sleep is all. I thought a cup of tea would help me," Guy spoke offhandedly to his loyal servant. He didn't really want to bring up the elephant in the room. Luke.

"…If you are certain Master Gailardia. I do hope that nothing is plaguing your mind," Pere spoke with concern in his voice.

Taking another sip of his tea Guy turned to face his servant and friend. "Don't worry Pere. I'm fine."

Pere simply nodded at his master and bowed to take his leave. "Please do sleep soon sire. It is awfully late, and you have a meeting with Colonel Curtis and His Majesty in the morning."

That was right. He did have a "meeting" with Jade and Peony. If one could call it a meeting. Every two weeks the three men would gather together and simply talk. The discussion topics could range anywhere from the status of Malkuth, to the functions of fon tech, and to the Emperor's pet rappigs. Really the meetings were simply to catch up with one another. Life in Malkuth was busy and bustling. There was barely any time to simply chat. Something that Guy did truly miss.

Just like he missed all of his friends. Anise was very close to achieving her status of the first female Fon Master, so she was scarcely seen. Tear was training within the reforming Oracle Knights and overseeing Yulia City as the next heir to her grandfather. Natalia was busy leading and overseeing Kimlasca as it thrived. Jade was really the one member of their group that he saw on a regular basis.

"Sleep well, Pere," Guy said to Pere as he began to make his way to his own room.

Guy continued to stand at his kitchen counter trying his best to relax. While the tea had warmed is body it did little to ease his mind. His thoughts still lingered on his dead friend and his continued loneliness.

Everyone had their own lives to live. Guy included. He just found it difficult to be happy when he knew that his best friend gave his life to save the world and by default Guy.

Guy was certain that when Luke had faded away all the self-deprecating thoughts that he had been having were more or less resolved, but he couldn't help but think that his friend died thinking that he wasn't needed. Or that he wasn't loved.

That he was just some useless replica.

Guy couldn't count how many times he had told Luke that he was of value. That he had a life that was worth fighting for. Luke was his own person. Someone completely different than his original, Asch. He was Luke fon Fabre. Guy Cecil's best friend. And that should have been enough to make him want to live.

Again, Guy was certain that Luke had come to terms with his self-conscious thoughts, but anxiety and fear did a number on a sound mind. Especially when the person that plagued one's mind was unreachable.

The swordsman finished his tea and cleaned his cup before making his way back up the stairs to his chambers. Perhaps now he could get some sleep. The last thing he needed at the meeting in the morning was Jade commenting and teasing on the dark circles under Guy's eyes.

Reaching his bed side Guy crawled back into his covers and bundled up like a child would. He wanted to desperately surrender to sleep. To cease his thoughts. Focus on anything else other than his dead friend.

To simply escape reality if only for a few hours.

Guy's heavy eyelids slid close and his breathing evened out as his wish was granted and sleep overtook him. Perhaps the next night would be better.