"TAKE THE KIDS WITH YOU!"

"Ohmygod, OhMyGod, oHmYgOD, OH-MY-GOD!" Riku was already rushing toward Renton, who turned around just in time to catch her. Impressively, he kept from falling over by turning on the spot, and spinning his friend in his arms.

As Riku's feet touched the ground, both teens still laughing at Renton's good fortune, they heard the Garage side door open and a high, bright voice say, "Renton, I thought...I...could..."

For a moment, Eureka thought her collective consciousness with the coralians had returned because suddenly a voice inside was telling her to grab the other girl and throw her as far as she could. It told her that Renton was hers, that they were one, and this girl was threatening that– she had to go.

Eureka herself was beginning to be affected. She noticed that she had stopped talking, and her fists were clenched. She was about to act. She was about to give into the voice. She was about to pry them apart when–

"It's you! It's you! It's REALLY YOU!" Riku had pushed off Renton so hard that he almost fell to the floor. She shouted while running toward Eureka, who wasn't as quick or strong as Renton. Riku ended up tackling Eureka onto the ground.

Riku pushed herself off the ground, and kneeled over Eureka, straddling her hips between her legs while she stopped to rub her head. "Haha, sorry about that. I'm just so excited you're back! Well, I mean, you didn't leave me, but Renton has told me everything about you. Haha, not like I didn't know most of it. But when I found out that Renton was Member 7! . . ."

As Renton tended to the shop, Riku spent the next hour explaining to Eureka how she had become her and Renton's biggest admirer. She had gone to school with Renton before he had left Bellforest. She was two grades behind him so they never knew or even noticed each other. In fact, no one noticed her.

"You wouldn't believe, but I was the plainest girl you could have imagined!" The truth is that Riku was an extremely shy girl at first look. She would talk her close friends' and family's heads off, but to everyone else she was awkward, introverted, and wore her uniform even on non-school days because she didn't own any other decent clothes.

However, she secretly wished to be outgoing, adventurous, even reckless. And so she was the only person her age, and probably the only person other than Renton at that school, who read Ray=Out. By a silly twist of fate, she had gone out to the fields by what she didn't realize was Garage Thurston one day, in order to see if she could "feel the waves" like Holland, and her role model, Eureka.

"It's true! You were so cool to me back then – and you still are (!) – but back then I admired how you were a young girl and yet apart of the most rad-ist people on earth. How you could ride the waves on the Nirvash better than anyone in the world! . . .Of course, I didn't know anything – well no one did, but still – I didn't know that you didn't have a choice."

That day, Riku saw the Nirvash crash near by. And by the time she got to the cliff over looking Garage Thurston, she saw Renton riding away on his ref board. She ran as hard as she could in the direction he was going, and caught up just in time to see Renton bust through the military gate and take off on his board.

"I thought he was out of his mind! But then, of course, I saw the giant wave he caught. And the light! That wonderful light!"

For a while after that, Riku went on and on about how cool Renton looked in that moment, and how she had a crush on him for nearly a month. Of course, she told Eureka that Ray=Out didn't mention anything about Renton Thurston as long as he was on the Gekko – their were only small photos of him doing menial chores in the background – let alone their relationship, or lack there of.

After Eureka's disappearance, and the start of the Gekko's media campaign to reveal the truth of what happened, Ray=Out, in order to protect Renton's identity, identified Eureka's partner as Member 7, so that only the previous Ray=Out editions had Renton's picture. Axel had always protected the anonymity of Adrock's children – their names, faces, and location – that, combined with the relative unknown-ness of Ray=Out before the coralians disappeared, prevented both the military and the public from harassing the Thurstons in Bellforest. Of course, Riku found out immediately, and befriended both Axel and Renton, upon his return.

"So when did you both know? I mean when did you know how Renton felt? And when did you feel the same way? Renton only ever talks about how the kids got in his way."

"I guess it's a tough thing to say. Renton told me that day, after he jumped into Nirvash. . .that he was in love with me." Eureka's fingers were crossed as she looked vaguely down in embarrassment. Riku's eyes were filled with stars, and her mouth open in a silent "aahh".

"But I was really stupid then, and I didn't understand." Eureka's smile began to fade, and small drops of tears came to her eyes. "I actually. . .was REALLY stupid. I wasted. . .so much time, I could have had. . .with Renton."

"Hey, wait! Umm. . .It's okay." Eureka had covered her face in silent sobs, and Riku was panicking. "Really, you're back! You two have all the time in the world!"

Eureka recovered quickly. It wasn't just Renton, no one could really stay sad around Riku. "I know, I know. But. . .I'm still kinda stupid. Or at least, it feels like it sometimes."

"Oh my gosh! I just realized," Riku clapped her hands together and wore a radiant smile. "We're gonna be in the same grade!"

Eureka didn't seem to understand, so Riku went on. "Well, you've been gone for two years, and it doesn't look like you've aged a day. So that means – cause Renton's 17, but – your essentially my age! So when school starts we'll be in the same class! Cause...there's only one...class...in our...grade."

Meanwhile, Renton was finishing up the paperwork for his last big job, and completing the registration as a trapar film mechanic. He had the paperwork ready for months, and knew that if things went as planned he would have a corner on the market – not that Bellforest had much of a reffing "market", but maybe he could finally have something to hold over the crew, if they decided to take off in the Gekko-Go/Moonlight again.

Just as he decided to take a break, he heard a knock at the office door. "Come on in."

Eureka, followed closely by Riku, poked her head in the door. "Do you have a moment, Renton? I want to talk to you about something."

As Eureka stepped in, Riku shouted from outside the door, "I did nothing to persuade her!"

'I think I'll stay out here, in any case.'

Renton, though mildly confused, managed to say, "What's on your mind, Eureka?"

"I- I want to go to school!" Eureka had said that a little louder than she had meant to. Her unintentional shout had caused her to wince, and now she was too frightened to open her eyes to see Renton's reaction. She didn't think Renton would mind, but what if he said no? What if he wanted her to help in the garage, or around the house? She hadn't considered it till this moment but–

"Okay. . .that's, uh, fine with me, Eureka. But. . .can I ask why?"

Eureka began to recite the list of reasons she had rehearsed with Riku. "I want to learn more. . .about science, math, history, literature. There are so many things I've never known because everyone – even Holland – didn't think it was important. I piloted Nirvash, and that's all I needed – it was all I wanted – I don't blame anyone. And not just learning. . ."

Renton saw in Eureka's eyes an emotion he never thought she would have to experience. It wasn't sadness, they both have had plenty of that. If he had to put a name to it, it would be: regret. He had hoped to keep that emotion from her with each day they'd spend together.

"I've never been. . .a girl. I mean, a normal girl. I've never had friends my own age, or anything."

"Ok, ok. I understand, Eureka. It shouldn't be too hard– No, in fact, it will be great!"

Renton launched off his chair and placed his hands on Eureka's shoulders. The look disappeared into mixed excitement and confusion. "Yeah! The kindergarden where the kids go is right next to the school. You can all go there each morning, and you can pick them up each day. Gramps always said it wasn't any trouble going each day to pick them up, but his age is catching up to him fast, since he retired."

"You're sure!" This was easier than she could have hoped. "You don't need help in the garage? Or with house chores?"

Renton beamed at Eureka's naivety. "Haha, the kids have chores, and you'll have some too, but it doesn't take much to keep up the house with Gramps around. As for the garage, Gramps works an hour or two each day, and Riku's brothers, Tidus and Wakka, work on weekends. I really want you to have your own life, Eureka. You're too special for me to keep all to myself."

Eureka smiled back at Renton and leaned forward to kiss him.

"Aaahhhh." Riku had snuck in and seen the kiss. "You two are so cute." The lovers both broke apart and turned bright red. "And innocent!"

"Alright, girls, I gotta get back to work. Eureka, if it's all right with Riku, why don't you two check out the town? We need a few things, and I'm sure Riku already wants to show you the school and her favorite spots."

"YOU BET I DO! Come one, Eureka."

Without waiting for an answer, Riku pulled Eureka away by the arm, and the two were out the door, so that Renton barely had a chance to shout, "TAKE THE KIDS WITH YOU!"

Note: I'm trying to keep to weekly updates. Feel free to scold me mercilessly if I don't.