Nothing new, Square Enix still owns everything

"Will you marry me, Rikku?" His words rang in head...which felt strangely foggy. My body felt strangely heavy. What was going on? Blackness was slipping out of my mind little by little until it lifted. I moved slightly...on a bed? When did that happen? My head hurt slightly and my memory was a little foggy for a moment before everything came back to me. Was it all a dream? Did I dream the entire thing? What had happened and why did I feel this way? What in Spira was going on? I fought against the blackness that consumed me and for a moment I wondered what was happening to me. All sorts of thoughts went through my head, had I dreamed everything? Was this even reality? Was Bahamut messing with me and I had really been asleep the whole time? Speaking of...

"You called," Bahamut's voice said in my head.

"Hey, what's going on?"

"You'll find out soon. Don't worry, keep fighting."

"Wait!"

"Yes?"

"Can you tell me if all of this is real? Am I just having a huge and bizarre dream or is all of this really happening?"

"I assure you this is reality."

"How can this be though? How did you send me back to the past?"

"Tidus was originally a dream of the Fayth, once we stopped dreaming then he stopped existing. For Lady Yuna's deed to the people of Spira we granted her a wish and made Tidus reality. For your help to Spira, for all her guardians deserve something in return not just the Lady, I granted you a wish. You wished he could be alive and so we made it so. Whether he chose to love you or not was up to him, the Fayth will not play with a man's heart for another. You had to make him fall in love with you yourself, you've accomplished that."

"Wait...so what are you granting him?"

"In due time Rikku, in due time. Like I said, the Fayth can not change a man's heart, but a man can change his own heart, his own thoughts, his own life. If my feelings are true, Sir Auron's ending may be very different than what it was."

"What do you mean?"

"You will see, now open your eyes and get back to your adventure." I moved slightly and sat up on the bed and looked around before I heard him.

"Rikku! Finally you're awake," Auron said and grabbed my hand, the relief clear in his voice. I looked at him confused.

"What happened?"

"You fainted after I asked you to marry me...and I'm still waiting for my answer." I looked at him and my face turned red.

"I fainted? How embarrassing...how long was I out?"

"Three days."

"What," I exclaimed and he laughed.

"I'm just kidding, you've only been out for two hours." I punched him playfully but hard enough to make him rub his shoulder.

"That wasn't nice, you big meanie!" I touched his cheek gently and gave him a long kiss and smiled, "But I accept." He smiled and produced a ring from his coat pocket and slid it on my finger before he raised my hand to his lips and kissed it gently. I smiled and felt my breath catch as my skin tingled, "It's so beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it."

"So when is the ceremony?" He looked out the window before he looked back at me.

"In an hour."

"What?! An hours? Oh my god! I have to get ready!" I jumped out of bed and rushed around the room.

"You...look fine." I stopped and looked at him with my hands on my hips.

"Fine isn't good enough Mister Guardian." He paused for a moment and stared at me.

"Then you look beautiful."

"Ok, don't push it." I went to the mirror and began trying to fix my hair.

"You always look beautiful, Rikku. Even when you just wake up." I stopped messing with my hair and looked at him.

"Really?" He thought about it.

"I take it, back when you wake up you look gorgeous." I blushed before I pushed him out of the room.

"Ok Mister Sweet Talker, let me clean up a bit at least. Go...busy yourself somewhere else for a few moments!" I closed the door on him and slid against it slightly, I couldn't believe this was happening to me. I breathed in heavily and exhaled slowly before I got ready.

Auron stared at the door for a while before he looked down confused, shook his head, and went to meet up with Braska and Jecht. He might never understand women, they were so complex. He thought she looked fine, she says fine isn't good enough. What more did she need to do? Was it that much more of a process? What else was there involved? He shook his head again as Braska and Jecht came into view.

"Where's Rikku," Jecht asked.

"Getting ready," Auron replied and his inner thoughts must have been portrayed all over his face because Jecht and Braska began chuckling. "What's amusing," he asked.

"Nothing my young friend, fear not, maybe one day it will all be clear," Braska said and Auron looked at him extremely confused.

"The look on yer face says it all Red. Women are highly complex creatures, nothin' we men can un'erstand all at once. Takes a while before we can figure out how our woman works and even then she can turn aroun' and surprise ya."

"That sounds incredibly exagerated," Auron said sighing.

"Most women like to look pretty on their wedding day," Jecht said, "it's a special occassion for them."

"I'm not quite sure I agree with all your saying," Auron said looking between Jecht and Braska. Braska smiled.

"You'll find everything out for yourself, Jecht just thinks he's a ladies man." Jecht snorted and Auron smiled.

"Ol' Jecht IS a ladies man."

"Whatever you say," Auron said and Jecht looked at him, "The high and mighty Jecht, King of Blitzball must have women throwing themselves at him left and right."

"That's right." Auron shook his head and smiled.

"You're full of yourself Jecht."

"Whatcha all talking about," I asked. All three of them turned around and stopped. The three of them eyed me up and down. I had let my hair fall down and it fell down to my lower back. A guado in the lobby had heard what was going on and lent me a dress. It was low cut and had thin straps over my shoulders. It was very open down the back, closing right over my lower back in a v-shape and flowed out to the back. It parted along my right leg and the guado had given me small white sandals. The cut across my chest had white flowers sewed into the dress that lay flat. A white veil capped my head and the sheer silk fell to the back of my head as I lifted it and smiled. I looked at each of them until my eyes stopped on Auron, I swear he wasn't breathing until Jecht nudged him in the side and probably made a crude remark into his ear. I smiled as I stepped forward and stopped right before my soon-to-be-husband. "Like it," I asked twirling once and I heard him inhale deeply but he never exhaled, I giggled, "I'll take that as a yes."

"You look...stunning...captiviating..."

"Keep focused there big guy," I giggled and we turned towards Braska as he smiled at each of us, his blue eyes becoming watery, "And you keep it together."

"Ah, very sorry. Very well. A very unique wedding this is, do either of you wish to be married in the name of Yevon?" Auron and I looked at each other, staring into each other's eyes, searching and finding the same answer.

"No," we said together and Braska nodded and began. We listened to him.

"While a very small and private wedding this is, in the city of Guadosalam we will wed Rikku Annaretta Cidolphus and Auron Zaekary Farris. What amazing circumstances to find love on the most dangerous journey one can make, yet together they stand here. Under the universe and blessing, I shall wed these two amazing people and unify them. Do you, Sir Auron take Lady Rikku as your mate? To love and cherish in sickness and in health, and care for her always?"

"I do," Auron said softly as he looked into my eyes.

"And do you Lady Rikku take Sir Auron as your mate? To love and cherish in sickness a-"

"Yes to everything to just asked him and I do," I said cutting him off impatiently and Auron and Braska glanced at each other, Auron reading the thought behind Braska's eyes: You have a lot of work cut out for you my friend. Braska reading Auron's response: I can handle it.

"Then, by the power bestowed upon me: I grant the unification of this marriage with the sealing of a kiss from the groom to the bride that binds the promises you both hold to each other." The next thing I knew, Auron's lips were on mine and happiness overwhelmed me as I melted against him as Jecht cheered loudly and Braska teared and pulled us both into a giant hug once we broke apart. "I wish you both a long and happy life together. This is a joyous moment indeed! I doubt there has ever a pilgrimage like this in all of Spira's history." He let us go and we were both red in the face and all we could do was smile.

"Hey! Let's go get our dinner and start celebratin," Jecht called and I laughed as I took Auron's hand and pulled him with me as we followed Braska and Jecht to the inn where the entire staff has prepared a feast for us. We sat down and enjoyed dinner, everyone taking more than their share of drink and food. Even the staff joined us for the occassion as they sipped drinks. I watched the happiness in the room and smiled before I looked at my mate. I've never seen a bigger smile on his face, I'm sure the large amount of sake he was consuming played a part, and it made my heart soar in happiness as I took another drink and bite of my food. I heard Braska laugh loudly and saw him talking with a few of the staff as they talked about something which they seemed to find hilarious. Jecht's loud laughs came from the other side of the room and he had all but fallen out of his chair he was laughing so hard, the guado's eyes tearing at the story he was telling them. He had to gasp for air before he continued and lapsed back into suffocating guffaws.I looked back at Auron and touched his cheek and he looked at me.

"I've never been happier," I whispered and he smiled.

"Nor have I," he replied, taking my hand and placing a gentle kiss to my lips. Jecht came over and grabbed him by the shoulder and grinned.

"Hey man, this party's great! Congrats on everythin'! I call a toast! To my best pal and fellow guardian, many years happiness and have lots o' little tykes!" The room burst in agreement before drinks were downed and Jecht fell to the floor as he downed his glass. The guado carried him to his room, stumbling from drinks and Jecht's weight. Braska congratulated us, hicupping slightly before he departed to his room. The guado gave their individual congratulations and we departed for the night. Auron scooped me up in his arms and walked, as best he could without stumbling, me to our room and shut the door behind him. Never have I had a night quite like that my wedding night, by the time I was done I had all but passed out next to my mate as happy as could be.

I woke late the next morning and I realized why we were to stay an extra day. I could barely open my eyes as the light stabbed them and I hid my face in Auron's chest...man he smelled like sake, how much did he drink? We all got carried away last night, no doubt each of us had a killer hangover. Auron was still asleep and I held him close for a few moments before I attempted to get up. I stumbled slightly and put a hand to my head as I looked around. Our clothing was all over the floor, thrown this way and that. I smiled as I made my way to the shower. The hot water felt good as I changed into my clean clothes and paused at the doorway. Auron was still out cold, I was sure he wouldn't wake up any time soon. I snuck out of the room and into the lobby. Braska was sitting there with a glass of water and a cool cloth on his head.

"Morning Braska," I whispered.

"Mmm...morning Rikku," he whispered back.

"Headache?"

"I feel like Sin is trying to burst out of my skull," he whispered and took a sip of water.

"Ouch, I don't have too bad a headache. Is Jecht still asleep?"

"No, Jecht is awake an' 'bout to fall flat on his face," Jecht's voice said from the hallway as he threw himself into he nearest chair and closed his eyes.

"How's your head?"

"No better'n my stomach," he mumbled and threw his head back and tried to relax. "Where's Red?"

"He was out cold when I left the room," I said and got two grunts.

"Wonder when he'll wake up," Jecht said and sighed. "Man...I shouldn't have drank so much last night...'s a good thing we're staying one more night." I nodded before I got up.

"I'm going to see if Auron is up yet." I walked to our room and opened the door. The bathroom door was shut and the tell tale noises of too much to drink were coming from it. I knocked on the door, "Hey? You ok?" I didn't get a response but silence followed. I opened the door slightly and wrinkled my nose at the smell before I knelt by Auron. "You ok," I whispered. He was as white as a sheet, sweating and shaking.

"No," he whispered and his stomach threatened to upturn itself again.

"Hang on," I said and grabbed a cloth and wet it with cold water, wrung it out, and knelt next to him. I gently dabbed his face and wiped the sweat off before I washed it off with cold water again and left the cloth on his forehead as I made him lay down and set his head in my lap. I ran my fingers through his hair and began humming softly and I watched him fall asleep. I continued to soothe him and watched the color come back into the face as the hours passed. Eventually he woke up and looked up at me and I smiled, "Hey, how are you feeling?"

"Better," he said softly.

"Think you can eat something?" He thought about it.

"Maybe..." I nodded and kissed his forehead.

"I'll be right back." He nodded and I laid him down gently and went to the kitchens and approached one of the chefs. "Excuse me."

"Yes Lady Guardian," the guado asked.

"Do you know how to make soup?"

"Soup? What kind of soup?"

"Something like...you know...bland." The guado looked at me funny and I sighed. "Here let me show ya," I said and went raiding the cabinets as I put water in a pot and started the stove. After minutes of searching I finally found what I was looking for and added broth into the water as it boiled and I turned the stove down to simmer. I looked around more and found some crackers. I tried to keep everything very bland and once the soup was done I gave it a final stir before I turned the stove off and poured some of the soup into a bowl, set it on a plate, and then put the crackers on to add the finishing touch. I looked at the guado, "That is how ya make soup." The guado looked at me and just nodded.

"Would your companions be wanting some?"

"I'm sure they'd be appreciative." The guado nodded and I left and returned to Auron's side. He was still laying on the bathroom floor and it was apparent his stomach had emptied what the remaining contents into the toilet. I set the soup aside and kneeled by him and wiped his face again.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"Of course," I said and then kissed his forehead, "I brought you some soup and crackers." He nodded and I set the plate on his lap and little by little the soup was held down and filled his stomach. He left the crackers for later, sticking to the liquid food for now. "Feeling better?"

"A bit more," he said pushing himself up slightly, "I'm going to take a shower and clean up." I nodded and hugged him gently before I left to give him privacy. I heard the shower turn on as I cleaned up around the room and sent our clothing to the wash with a note atached to the dress thanking the guado who had lent it to me and the address to return it to after being washed. I pulled Auron's clean clothing from his pack and knocked on the door.

"It's me," I said before I entered and laid his clothing on the sink counter before I left. I laid on the bed and closed my eyes and sighed softly. After a while I felt his arms around me and smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better," he whispered before we both fell asleep until the next morning.

We all awoke the next morning, our heads no longer pounding and feeling refreshed and ready to go. We thanked the guado before we departed into the Thunder Plains once more. No longer did I fear the lightning, I had a big strong man to keep me safe.