Just a quick note- there is probably some more OOC-ness in this chapter, but then again, this fic IS Au, so I'm thinking that's to be expected.

Chapter 14:

The Next Evening:

Rikku stood before her bedroom mirror; the reflection revealed someone she hardly even recognized anymore. "What's happened to me?" She asked sadly to her other self. Her hair was down and the makeup that once covered her eyes was replaced with bags under them instead that were large enough to take her around Spira several times over. "How did everything get so out of whack anyway?"

Rikku pulled her heap of hair up into a ponytail and began braiding- throwing the random sections upwards before putting her headband on. She then grabbed the mascara and eyeliner, putting the color back into her face. The final touch was the foundation, and she did her best to cover the bags as she possibly could. There was no way she was going to let her appearance deceive her in front of Gippal as she tried to convince him she was fine and no longer needed him. It was bad enough he wasn't going to believe her anyway- if he saw her face and how tired it looked he would worry for her more, and she didn't want that.

As she slid out of her towel and into her thief gear, she heard Lelah fussing as she lie on top of Rikku's bed. Walking over to her, she picked her daughter up and nuzzled her little face. "You're the only good thing about this whole darn mess!" Rikku said lovingly to Lelah, making the little one smile. "You make sure you're extra good for cousin Yunie tonight! I'll come by first thing in the morning to pick you up and give you tons of kisses!" Lelah squealed as Rikku threw her up and carried her out of the bedroom. They headed out the door and into Rikku's hover, ready to head over to Yuna and Baralai's house.

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Meanwhile, in Bevelle Temple: Ten floors down into the Via Purifico Prison

Slovak strolled the cell halls like a proud peacock. Everything was going according to his plan: Rikku was his, Gippal was stepping down as Faction leader and Triad Member, and all of the Al-bhed people would have to answer to him. There was nothing that could wipe the smile he had plastered onto his face, and he was heading towards Gippal's cell to rub it all in his face. As he approached he took a moment to watch his prisoner from afar. He looked a little stronger, a bit healthier, and almost broken.

Almost was not good enough.

Once Gippal noticed Slovak's presence he quickly tensed up and rose to his feet. It had been too long since he was graced with a visit and figured it must be important. Gippal met him at the bars and crossed his arms in defiance. "What do you want?" He asked angrily.

"Now now, Gippy." Slovak warned, lighting a fresh cigarette. "That is no way to talk to someone who holds your life in his hands."

"You're only here because you want something…quit playin' your games and spit it out already." Gippal didn't take his eye off Slovak for a second. He was tired of being at his mercy and no longer afraid of his tricks.

"I see being in here has toughened you up a bit, eh?" Slovak laughed, taking a drag from his cigarette, blowing the smoke in Gippal's direction. "Okay, I like how you think so I'll get right to it. Remember our deal? You step down from the Faction and Triad, Rikku doesn't get killed, and I lessen the death sentence to life in the Purifico prison instead. So what do you say?"

Gippal knew he had no choice; he wanted Rikku and his daughter safe, and at least he would still be alive to possibly see him. That is- if they even wanted to after what he had said to her. He knew his friends would look after her and Lelah like they had promised; at least he had them to count on and it brought him some comfort. He sighed, slumped into the bars as he had done so many times before and shook his head.

"Yeah. You got it. Just leave them alone."

"As for leaving them alone...I'm afraid I can't really do that." Slovak announced, and footsteps approached. Gippal's head shot up. He saw Rikku standing beside him and his heart rose, making him smile.

"Rikku!" Gippal said, relieved she was still all right, although he could tell she wasn't her usual bright self no matter how hard he knew she had tried to make herself not appear so. He was glad she was down there, at first afraid she was still genuinely mad at him. Ignoring Slovak, Gippal shot out questions to his wife. "Why are you here? Is everything all right?" He noticed no sign of his daughter. "Where's Lelah?"

Rikku gulped, realizing that this was going to be harder for her than she had originally thought. He had looked so much better to her than the last time she was there. His eye was silently pleading for some sort of explanation and she wanted nothing more than to try to fight Slovak and save him, but she knew he always had someone watching. Instead she stiffened, and her face turned expressionless. "I'm sorry, Gippal." Was all she could say, and barely so; her voice was low and shaky.

"What for? Why are you sorry? What's going on here?" Gippal tried his best not to freak out. He refused to let Slovak know he got the best of him but it was no use. He looked at Rikku with concern, and gave a nasty glare to Slovak. "Tell me Slovak...what's going on!!" Gippal demanded, gripping the cell bars angrily. Slovak put his arm around Rikku and she flinched at first, but when he squeezed her shoulder slightly she shot back up, receiving the arm.

"Seems your childhood love and I have gotten pretty close these past few weeks." Slovak started with a smile. "She has decided that I was the one she should have been with all along." He nudged Rikku, who could do nothing but stare at Gippal as she watched his face crumble.

"It…It's true." Rikku said, barely able to contain herself. Feeling Slovak's eyes staring through her and the words he said to her the night before

"And it better be convincing…"

Rikku gained her composure, looked her Gippal right in the eye and lied.

"Like I said, it's true. Slovy comforted me after you practically wrote me off. Now at least you can be free like you wanted and never have to be bothered by me anymore."

Gippal stared at her blankly for a few moments before nervously laughing what she had just said off. "Rikku…you don't have to do this, you know. I'm gonna be all right." He reached his hand out to her through the bars and almost caught hers, but Slovak pulled her away. "Whatever he's telling you…don't do this, please…"

"I'm not doing anything I don't want to, Gippal." She said as mean as she could, hoping Slovak would be convinced as he wanted. "After all you had said to me, it makes sense. I guess I really was being selfish and starved for attention like you said. You were right; you were the only one that wanted to give me any attention and I used it…I used you." Gippal shook his head, unable to believe anything she was saying. Slovak, on the other hand, watched Rikku with a sickening glee as she delivered blow after blow.

He knew his wife; he knew she didn't mean what she was saying- that she was being forced to, but he figured he wouldn't be able to get through to her, especially with Slovak standing so close by. Still, it didn't make anything she had just said any easier to swallow and he put his hands back onto the bars as he looked Rikku dead in her eyes.

She didn't think his face could change anymore than it already had, but she was sorely mistaken. Gippal's body shook, his hands gripped the bars tighter, and blood trickled from his palms. Releasing them, he turned around and faced the walls of his cell.

"Please leave." He said through clenched teeth, his fists squeezed tightly shut at his sides. "Just leave me alone…both of you. And never come down here ever again."

The two stood silently; Slovak once again couldn't contain the smile that was forming across his smug face. It was all Rikku could do to keep herself from crying. "Come on, Rikku. Let's go." He grabbed her arm and led her away from the cell; Gippal could hear their footsteps grow fainter until they eventually disappeared. Once he knew they were safely out of his earshot he screamed in frustration, collapsed to the cell floor and cried…

…or at least he thought they were out of earshot. Rikku heard the scream, and she was no longer able to control her own emotions and found herself crying once again. Slovak just gripped her arm tighter and forced her forward. "Way to go, Rikku. I didn't think you had it in you. I'm impressed!"

"Just shut up, Slovak. Now you keep your end of the deal." She wiped her eyes with the back of her free hand. "You promised."

"Of course." He replied, and they entered the glyph, raising them up towards the surface.

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Gippal didn't leave his position on the floor for what seemed like forever. The thought of losing Rikku, his family, his position not only to the Faction but also the Triad deemed his body paralyzed. He knew he had also let his closest friends down, and didn't see any way out of his situation.

"What on Spira am I supposed to do now?" He asked no one, or at least again he thought he was alone. Gippal sensed a presence behind him, and before he turned around he heard a voice say to him:

"The Gippal I know wouldn't give everything up so damn easy."

The Al-Bhed's eyes widened at the sound of the voice, and turned around to confirm it. Gippal leapt to his feet and approached the bars to the source of it.

"What the..." Gippal said, tears re-emerging from his one good eye. "How'd you get past Slovak and his guards?"

"There's no time for that now." The person replied urgently. "We have a plan to get you out of here. Let me tell you what I know…"