Scales and Arpeggios

by KathleenDee

One note at a time becomes the tune of life as unforeseen events challenge a young family. Crimson and Clover Sequel. AU. A Raine Fic.

38. Chapter 38

Chapter Thirty Eight

"Daddy?"

Wakka adjusted the covers around his little body. "Yeah bud?" He was pouting. "It's sleepy time."

A small yawn escaped him and he began to wriggle a little "Aweady?"

Wakka set to work with refitting him to the blankets. "Ya."

"W…Well does Momma know?"

Wakka chuckled. "I gots her approval."

"Okay."

Wakka frowned. "What's up?"

"Daddy I wan' go bed wif you and Momma…"

"Tomorrow night, we have to tuck everyone else in, and dats gonna take a while."

Vidina wiped at his face. "Weal long time?"

"Mhm."

"Oh.." His little eyes were closed but he didn't seem ready to let go into sleep just yet. "Daddy Kimnawi stayn'?"

"Till lunch time tomorrow."

"Me and Momma walked him today…" He yawned.

Wakka smiled at the mental image. "Really? Momma didn't tell me that."

"We gon' walked him again t-" Another yawn, this time bigger, so much in fact that the little boy furrowed his brows having forgotten the word he was in the middle of saying.

Wakka saw this and kissed him on the forehead. "We dreamin' tonight?" Vidin turned onto his side as he nodded. "Bout who?"

"Bout Momma and Daddy, and Gwanma and Gwampa, and…"He yawned. "Madwina an…and Padwina…and Aunty Wikk..ku…and and Daddy Aunty…Pai…."

Just like that he was fast asleep. Wakka watched him a moment more, tucked him in for the third time and made sure his little nightlight was on before leaving the door ajar and heading downstairs where everyone was still eating in the dining room.

He's asleep?" Lulu asked as Wakka rejoined them.

"Yup," Wakka picked his fork back up. "What's everyone laughin' about eh?"

Tidus wiped his mouth in the napkin. Everyone was just a little tipsy, everyone but Wakka since he wasn't aloud alcohol this close to a game, and Rikku who was still sticking to her sick story. They all had helped themselves to seconds at this point and were swapping stories about their college days together.

"My graduation party when Yuna and Rikku flooded my bathroom by making a bubble bath and then lost Paine!" He wailed.

Wakka laughed. "Oh no." He turned to his wife. "We had Viddy by then ya? But uh, you weren't so impressed with me."

Lulu, who had also let herself indulge in two more glasses than her usual smiled lovingly at him. "I'm still not impressed with you, darling."

Wakka put his hand to his heart while everyone laughed. "Aye but we foun' Dr. P like ten blocks away from duh house drunk as a sailor eatin' a bag of chips just waitin' for us."

Paine laughed. "In my defense Rikku said don't move."

"The same Rikku who had no pants?" Yuna jabbed.

"Hey!" Rikku sent her cousin a mini glare. "Pants or no pants, clearly I was the only one with the good sense to call her. Nooj and Walker over here had no idea where she went!"

"I was a grown ass woman." Paine defended herself. "I would have made it home…eventually."

Rikku sent her a teasing look. "Yeah oh yeah, like the time you and Gippal drank an entire bottle of bourbon together?"

Wakka laughed. "Aye you should have seen dem two before she met you!"

"That can't be as bad as the one time we had that Yevon awful Lady's night." Paine added as she sopped up some leftover stew with a slice of bread. If they were being historically correct she would have pointed out that the bourbon was only a fifth sample bottle Gippal got from a vendor at Lap…so there.

Lulu laughed a little. "Goodness that was horrible."

"Hey you both said you had fun." Rikku piped up.

"Yeah, smoking Yuna out after you passed out babe."

Yuna blushed heavily. "I had no idea Elma smoked until then."

Tidus grinned. "Where's Braska Shaw when you need him?"

"If you tell my father—"

"Pssh, Uncle B probably lights up when no one is looking."

Yuna shook her head after sipping some water. "Oh never."

"Our parents were once young." Lulu thought aloud. She brought her glass to her lips and then pulled it away. "It would explain our existence."

Rikku rolled her eyes. "At least you didn't have to see Dragon Lady and Pop going at it." Everyone at the table winced as Paine patted her back. "It was like seeing a train derail and then plow over a small village."

Tidus shuddered. "That must have sucked."

"I couldn't eat for the rest of the week!"

They continued joking around before conversation about blitz season started. Not nearly as invested as her wife was, Paine excused herself so she could use the restrooms. She wasn't drunk by any means, and she could most likely operate heavy machinery if she squinted, but Paine was definitely regretting getting up so fast. After using the restroom and washing her hands Paine splashed her face with some cold water and paused when she wiped her face in the mirror. Her wedding band had caught her eye again in the bright bathroom light. It was crazy how yesterday their stories seemed. Had they all really changed?

She hadn't forgotten about having to make their announcement. Was there some code word, or some quiet signal? A brushing of the left ear….had she missed it? Paine suddenly hurried to dry her hands and return to the table. Maybe Rikku told everyone while she was in the bathroom…Initially she thought that would be awesome, but as she rushed to find her seat beside Rikku she realized that she didn't want that. She remembered telling Rikku that she wanted to do this right, and well that encompassed some nerves along the way.

Rikku touched her arm under the table when she sat down and Paine suddenly realized as their fingers laced that this in fact was the signal.

Finding her voice Paine felt brave just then for them. How could she not with so many smiling faces around them and a few glasses of wine in her system. "Rikku and I have an announcement…" The entire table hushed faster than she was planning for she glanced at Rikku quickly as if to say. That's all I got man, your turn.

Rikku smiled and squeezed her hand under the table. "We um, we're gonna have a medda pypo in seven months…"

Wakka and Lulu looked at one another with surprise and Yuna smiled, Tidus looking as confused as ever looked around the table. "A medda wha?"

Paine and Rikku both grew still at the silence their announcement was met with.

Yuna looked over at him. "Little baby." She translated.

A laugh jumped out of Rikku at how fast Tidus's face changed to mirror everyone else's surprise. "What!? A baby!"

"I knew something was the matter with both of you." Lulu shook her head with a smile and then turned to Yuna. "You knew about this so called cold slash headache?"

"Right well I was sort of damage control."

Rikku chuckled, her cheeks as red as an apple. "Yeah Yunie was my therapist."

"Wow that's so awesome guys…who's gonna carry….it." Paine was giving him a look. "Ah, Rikku then?"

Rikku glanced at her wife. Paine had ran the pad of her thumb along her knuckles under the table, it was the smallest gesture but it made her love the woman just a pinch more. "Yup."

"Aye diss calls for celebration!" Wakka stood abruptly from his seat scraping it back in the process and causing everyone to jump a little.

Lulu looked concerned. "Wakka."

"Champagne!" He ran off.

Lulu looked after him and chuckled lightly and then looked back at the rather bashful looking newlyweds. "Well I must say congratulations to you both. When did you decide to try?"

"Um…" Paine scratched the back of her head. "It was kinda random right Ri…"

Rikku nodded. "We weren't expecting it you could say and you know I wasn't sure if I could have babies Lulu so…"

Lulu nodded and leaned forward. "I didn't know that."

"No one did." Paine added.

Rikku smiled and shrugged slightly, her cheeks still just as red, she could feel how warm they were and wondered if their jellybean was embarrassed too. This was the first time it was being talked about by anyone other than his or her mommies. "So we did some testing just to see…and we um…it was a situation where.." She looked at Paine.

"Where we had to be realistic." Paine nodded.

"Right and it just so happened to work this time around and we don't know if there would be another time around.." She hadn't planned on sharing so much right away but she felt Paine beside her and her friends wanted nothing but the best for them clearly, so why not. "We chose now rather than never.." She glanced at Paine again who nodded. They had hadn't they?

Lulu only smiled truly happy by the news. "You'll make a wonderful mother Rikku." Paine cleared her throat. "And we have time to work on you." She teased.

"Hey."

Rikku smiled between the two sisters. "Paine reminds me to take my vitamins."

"Wakka lost mine." Lulu sat back in her chair with a fond expression on her face.

Tidus reached for his glass of wine. "Man we're all growin up huh? Married with kids. What's next—"

Wakka burst back into the room with an expensive looking bottle of champagne under his arm and a few flutes hooked upside under his bulky fingers in the next. "Was savin' this for duh championship but I tink this is just as good huh? Lu?" He handed the bottle to her.

She smiled up at him. "Of course." Wakka quickly opened the gold wrapped bottle with a loud pop and poured their glasses with surprising precision before turning to Rikku and Paine and lifting his glass gently in their direction. "To my little niece or nephew ya, and duh love dat'll help 'em grow up healthy and and.." He paused.

"And good looking." Yuna nodded with a raise of her glass. Rikku laughed and prematurely clinked her glass with her cousin.

Wakka nodded. "Right right and good lookin' and healthy and happy ya?"

Paine masked how touched she was by raising her glass with everyone else's. "And that's Wakka's last drink." Everyone laughed as they clinked glasses in cheers,

##

Rikku smiled to herself as Paine murmured in her ear about how great the night turned out. They were tucked into the full size bed in the D' Autry second floor guest room and spooning like it was going out of style. Rikku was dressed in a spaghetti strapped night shirt with a kiddie star on it and shorts, and Paine was wearing lady boxers and a tank top and had her arms wrapped warmly around her midsection taking causation not to squeeze her tummy. In the moment everything felt right, everything fit.

Rikku nodded at something else her wife said. "Wakka seemed so happy; did you see him and Lulu holding hands in the kitchen?"

Paine chuckled. "I think he was just tipsy off the little bit of champagne he had."

"Noo." She began to play with Paine's fingers. An unexplainable comfort falling over her like a cool sheet. "Oh Pypo." She sighed.

Paine smiled to herself and snuggled her. "You happy Princess?"

"I am y'know…I am."

"Good." She capped her hand over Rikku's to stop her from playing with her fingers. "Let's stay here, happy."

"At Lulu and Wakka's?" She mused with a lightness that made Paine chuckled into the back of her neck.

"Why not? We'll go home tomorrow and put a sign outside."

"Mm, and we can do dishes to earn our keep."

"And when the baby comes we can just leave Viddy to take care of it."

They laughed quietly. "Paine oh, I really don't think that'd be okay."

Paine nodded. "No probably not, but, Ri y'know we joke but if things got bad we have people and…that's pretty cool." She grew quiet. "If something happens to us, do you think Lulu and Wakka—"

Rikku pulled on her hands. "Paine nooo. I don't want to talk about sad things like that, you always bring up sad things." She whined.

Paine pulled away a little and looked down at her, a tight smile on her lips. "No I don't."

"Yes, yes you do."

"…But you love me."

Rikku sighed but nodded her head. "I'm a fool for you."

Paine chuckled and leaned down to press a small kiss on her wife's lips. "Likewise Ri." She whispered onto her lips before Rikku pulled her closer to press another kiss against her while gently framing Paine's face with her hands. She shivered as the kiss hadn't separated when she thought it would and Paine's left hand slid up her right arm before gently cupping her jaw as well. Her wife tasted like the red wine she had been drinking all evening and something very primal in the blonde responded to the taste of the red wine as if it were blood. Once she had just the bit she realized she needed more, and when their tongues touched as the kiss escaladed Rikku felt herself become hyper aware of the heat radiating from her wife's slender yet solid body, the press of her thigh beside hers, her breasts without the support of a bra gracefully resting against her own chest with any slight movement. Paine let herself exhale loudly as Rikku's hand sealed the deal by rushing to hide in her soft hair and scratching slightly against her scalp.

"Rikku." She warned in between the wet kisses. If she was going to go cold again Paine was going to check herself into rehab herself before she did something she'd regret. Sometimes that's how it felt, how sensitive her body was to the chemical responses the blonde under her caused, especially with this little dry spell they were having.

"Mmm Pypo?" Rikku responded.

Paine rolled on top of her wife and pressed her hips down with her own, that same sensual ferocity that Rikku loved showing itself fully. "This is what I want…" She a hand down the blondes body, not at all shy about what she squeezed on her way to the area between her thighs. She locked eyes with her wife as she rubbed the area with two fingers teasingly. Rikku went limp against the mattress, she didn't need Paine's hips keeping her there, but she wasn't complaining about them either. "So you tell me now if it's what you want." She stroked her teasingly causing Rikku to giggle and moan all at once. She balled up a fist full of Paine shirt and pulled her closer to share a fuller kiss with her. Paine smirked as she continued to tease her wife. "Is that a yes?"

Rikku wrapped her arms around Paine's shoulders and adjusted her legs so that her wife's hips were between them. "If I say no…?" She proposed jokingly.

"Mm." Paine rested both hands on either side of Rikku's shoulders flat on the mattress to support herself as she rolled her hips gently against her lover's center. "I think I'd go crazy." Paine murmured.

Rikku's eye's darkened at the confession. "I like you a little crazy." She grinned as she wrapped her legs around her wife's hips slowly.

Paine lowered herself chest to chest with the blonde. "All these years make complete sense to me now."

Rikku laughed and pulled her closer. "Crid ib yht gecc sa."

Paine woke the next morning with little smile on her face and her hands behind her head, there was a blonde woman latched onto her body like a lemur to a tree fast asleep and not showing signs of waking any time soon. Last night she and her wife had had sex for the first time in near two months, and though she once again was reminded of what a lover her wife was she also thought a lot about emotionally what that reconnection meant for them, for her. Until Rikku sex was just a thing to feel good, another drug in a way, now it was a means of something else entirely. She felt silly for getting so emotional after Rikku fell asleep, but here they were, about to have a baby together, being that close to the woman she loved again strengthened her resolve to do what was best for them and the little new comer. It reminded her of her purpose.

What a night.

Paine lay there for a while just enjoying the new heat radiating from her wife's body as it melded so close to her own. She could hear Wakka getting up and moving as quietly as possible with size fourteen feet. She dozed in and out for an hour, each time recognizing the sounds of gradual wakefulness in the home. Finally it was the softness of a kiss on her forehead that woke her next, and before she could register being awake fully she was staring up into swirls of green.

"You're on my hair.."

Paine picked her head up quickly and watched with amusement as Rikku cradled the lock before plopping herself back down against her wife's body. "Morning."

She smiled. "Morning Love Muffin." Paine rolled her eyes but still smiled at her in a dreamy sort of way. It made Rikku's smile widen. "How did you sleep?"

"Real good." Paine said quietly. They stared at one another for a beat. "You?"

Rikku cuddled up closer to her. "Conditions were right."

Paine turned slightly to put her left arm around Rikku's body. "I'll bet."

"You'd win." They stared deep into each other's eyes as their smiles faded gracefully. Rikku sighed to herself at how mesmerizingly beautiful her wife was, and how she'd probably never know just how much of her got lost in her eyes. "Jelly says hi." She whispered.

Paine moved her hand to Rikku's stomach and caressed it in a waving motion. "I'm waving." She explained.

Rikku chuckled and grabbed her hand to thread their fingers together. "Everything is super loud for him or her right now Paine. Like a fish tank. That was probably painful." She joked.

"Oh, sorry." She really did look apologetic, Rikku only smiled.

"Will you talk to him or her when it can hear us?"

Paine hadn't thought of that before. "What would I say?"

Rikku shrugged. "Introduce yourself?" Paine nodded. "I don't know Pai something cute."

"I'll have to think about it." It was her first conversation with her kid, preparations needed to be made.

"You overthink things." She dismissed as she closed her eyes. "Plus I already told Jelly about you."

"What'd you say?"

"That it has another Momma out there who's going to be wrapped around his or her little finger."

Paine chuckled softly and closed her eyes again. "Probably the truth."

They were quiet again and just as Paine was convinced she would doze off again Rikku murmured something.

"Hm?"

"I said last night was nice."

"Just nice?"

Rikku popped open an eye to send its mini halfhearted glare at her wife. "Not that part."

"Telling everyone?"

"Telling people who are close to us." Just then a knock came at the door. With a glance at her wife's exposed upper torso to make sure she was wearing her tank top again Rikku cleared her throat and told the person to come in. It was Yuna.

"You two look comfy." She leaned against the door clad in what looked like a black witches robe. Paine had seen Lulu in it before.

"Morning Yuna."

Rikku rested her elbows on Paine's stomach as she leaned her chin in her palms. "Hya Yunie."

"Lulu and I want to head out early so we don't get into any traffic. Do you still want to come?"

"Do I still want to come!? Duh, they are going to have shoe designers there and everything. I didn't realize we were late."

"We're not; we have just enough time if we leave now. I'll meet you downstairs?" Rikku nodded quickly. "Paine, you aren't coming?" Yuna teased knowing full well Paine wasn't.

Paine shook her head with her eyes closed. "You, Lulu, and Rikks at an outlet shoe store? Hell no. I'll pass."

Rikku giggled as she sat up in bed. "Oh Paine, when will you ever learn the way to my heart?" She turned to her cousin. "I'll take the quickest shower ever and be down in fifteen?"

"I'll see you." Yuna left.

Paine blindly reached for Rikku's wrist as the blonde got up from the bed and pulled her back onto it. Rikku giggled. "I know you're completely lost without me dear but the shoes are calling." She laughed at the small struggle between them before Paine finally let go and lay limp on the bed with her eyes still closed. Rikku smiled at her antics and for her efforts planted a little kiss on her wife's cheek before jumping off the bed to get ready for her shower. When she came back Paine was sitting at the edge of the bed seemingly staring off into nothing.

"Yna oui famm?" She asked as she rested her pajamas on the messy bed.

Paine looked up and smiled softly. "Just thinking." Rikku came over and touched her shoulder and asked if she were sure with her eyes. "I'm good."

"Okay." She had chosen a pair of skinny jeans with a simple silky materialed light blue shirt and was now in the process of looking through her purse for her small makeup bag. "We have dinner tonight with everyone don't forget." She reminded once she found the small leopard print bag and positioned herself near the full length mirror.

"How can I forget quality time with Cidney Bayla?" She stood from the bed and stretched before looking for her cellphone.

"I know we have our differences right now—" Rikku spoke as she applied a bit of blush to her cheeks. "—but tonight is about togetherness." She stopped and looked over her shoulder when she got no response to that. "I was also thinking about…telling him and Pop tonight too, y'know…about Jelly?"

Paine looked up from a text message from Baralai. "What?"

They stared at each other a moment before Rikku went back to adding her blush, when she was finished and capped the small container and daintily brushed the application brush off on her wrist before putting it back in the bag and looking at her wife who was still staring at her. "Well last night went better than I thought—"

"It's Wakka and Lulu that's why; they already did the surprise baby thing."

Rikku sighed. "Well Paine I have to tell Dragon Lady and Pop and my brother sooner or later. E's kaddehk lrihgo!"

Paine shook her head. "Tonight though? Tonight?"

"Well when else are we going to do it?"

Paine shrugged and sat on the bed. "Do you understand how your father is going to react?" Rikku sighed. She was well aware, and honestly it hurt a little but Yevon be damned she was a grown married woman! It shouldn't matter what her father would say. Seeing that maybe she wasn't helping Paine sighed. "I just don't want you getting upset over his bullshit." She tried to explain. There was a tense moment between the two before the bedroom door knocked. "Come in?"

Pushing heavily on the door to open it was a sleep stained four year old in blue footy pajamas with aeons on it in cartoon form. His wild red hair was sticking up in different directions and he was still rubbing his face with his free hand. "Mornin'. Aunty Pai." Rikku had already run into the little bugger on her way from the shower. He had been lying on his mother's bosom having just woken up.

Paine smiled. "Hey Viddy." She watched as the little boy tried to climb up onto the bed. She finally reached an arm out to grab him. "What's up?" She asked as he laid down with his head on her leg.

"We gon wead da box Aunty Pai?

Rikku smiled. He had come all the way upstairs to ask her out of all the adults in the house to read the cereal box with him.

"Ah that's right you got a new cereal right?" Paine asked as if she had been thinking about it all morning instead of having a disagreement with her wife about the baby.

"Vidina picked up his head. "Momma said she, she said dat she was gon' go for shoes and she said dat I can't go." He looked really sad about it.

Paine chuckled and ruffled his hair a little. "You don't want to go with them, trust me."

"Well okay." He began to look optimistic. "Momma said dat I gotta come ask you about duh box." He looked over at his other Aunt. "Aunty Wikku goin' too?" His anxiety came back.

"I'm not going." Paine tried to calm him down. "C'mon, we'll go eat breakfast together then watch Chocobo Knights." He agreed albeit a bit reluctantly Paine figured it was as good a time as any to get out bed. Plus Rikku never bought the cool cereal with the marshmallows in it for her. She stood and watched as Vidina wobbled sleepily out of the room. Paine turned to her wife who was now just grabbing her wallet and cell phone before heading out the door behind her. "I wanna talk about this."

"I'll be home in a few hours." Rikku sighed at the concerned look on her wife's face. "Paine."

"You're not getting chunky."

The blonde smiled softly. "You have to say that." Paine shrugged. "Move." She laughed as she pushed her out of the way.

##

"I'd imagine you are quite anxious." Lulu nodded as she put a knee length boot down. They didn't have it in black which was a shame.

Yuna was schmoozing with a shoe designer at the emporium and had yet to be found leaving Lulu and Rikku to look at a warehouse space full of high end designer footwear. Lulu and Yuna had been invited as an industry curtesy and since Rikku loved shoes as much as the next girl they invited her along. Today's goal was to simply admire the new collection, Alex Shaw would need a few primary's for their showing if they were really going to be a serious force to be reckoned with and that meant getting exposed to the product.

"We are.. I can't tell you an hour since finding out that I haven't worried but having you guys take it so well…It helps."

Lulu nodded as she picked up another shoe. "Wakka is over the moon." She chuckled softly to herself. "Uncle Wakka rather."

Rikku smiled. "He's such a good guy, I think he'd be a good man-ish role model for him or her."

Lulu put the shoe down and looked at her now sister in law. "Well I'm a bit more…calibrated than my husband, but that doesn't mean I'm any less excited for you two."

Rikku smiled. She had known Lulu since high school, and even back then she had been the same old Lulu. She was glad her old friend approved but knew that just like her wife, Lulu's mind seldom stopped running. "You have that Lulu look on your face." She turned away to look at a price. Four hundred bucks! Paine would kill her….but they were so cute. Sometimes she wished she still had her father's credit card. In a mid-twenties rage of independence she had fed it through a shredder.

"Don't I always have that look on my face?"

Rikku studied the buckling on the shoe and sighed before putting it down. There was no way she could justify the purchase with a little baby on the way. Was this what growing up felt like? If it was she'd rather just stay home and eat cereal with Vidina and Paine. Bringing her attention back to the raven haired woman she nodded. "What are you thinking is what I mean."

Lulu was quiet a moment. "Has she told Keira yet?"

They moved along the long aisle as if grazing on each display. "No." Rikku finally said. "In fact Paine doesn't want to say much to anyone else."

"I don't blame her particularly."

Rikku proceeded to tell Lulu about the gun and their fight, about the trial and all the misinformation and tabling of things, about Braska wanting her to plead guilty all of it. It felt good to share her opinion on the whole thing with someone else. Lulu always had a good way of pointing things out, a fresh set of eyes, and she had never said to either sister but they thought very much alike, Lulu was a lot more eloquent with expressing herself though and the insight helped.

"Do you suppose they'll truly make Paine for this crime though?" Lulu asked as she picked up a ballet flat. It was the only thing that stood out to her as one of the largest variables to the young couple. They'd make due with everything else. Lulu had seen them on their wedding day, how much love they occupied the room with for one another. That was never the issue, the rest of the world was, and if law enforcement arrested Paine on a crime as bad as this she knew there would hardly be a chance for her younger sister to come back from all the trouble that had haunted her past.

"—and I don't know I guess she's worried about being a good Momma too. I know she had been thinking about your dad."

"I planned on telling her he was out of the hospital last night but you both sprung this news on us, I completely forgot."

"Goodness I don't even know what she's thinking."

"Paine will only give as much as she can. I suppose I'll wait a day or two more."

"We have a doctor's appointment Monday, she wants to just send out an email with photo attachments." They both chuckled. "I don't even know what the subject line would be."

"It's an intimate thing having a child, then there was the way in which thing went about, it's proof of love after all that you decided to remain pregnant, and showing that love to everyone else frightens her I imagine."

Rikku suddenly missed her wife. "Poor thing."

"Mmm, on the other hand I suppose having Cid involved may be a bit touchy right now. With the gun." She shook her head at Paine. "There is tension there no doubt."

"I don't think they'll ever see eye to eye."

"What was the reason for your visit? Surely he must have felt like he needs to distract you from something." She picked up a thin shoe with feathers strapped to the back.

Rikku paused. She had gone to see him to talk about the trial. Ask him what he knew, well demand rather, she had gone in there demanding to know what was up. An eerie feeling of guilt coupled with anger nestled itself at the base of her neck. Paine should have told her about the gun, should have been honest, and she wasn't, and for that she had slept on the couch, but Cid knew how she felt about weapons, about her wife, and about the two together. "He played me!"

Lulu raised an eyebrow. "I beg your pardon?"

"Pop!" In frustration se slammed the show in her hand down on its tiny display and watched in slow motion as the heel snapped off and went rolling onto the ground near Lulu's foot. The two friends looked at one another, and then the heel, and then the security guard who had just cleared his throat.

##

"Hey Ri." Paine greeted as Rikku walked into their living room not thirty minutes later.

Rikku took a breath and slowly took off her purse. "Um, Hi."

Paine went back to what she was doing, which just so happened to be reading. "Seven Habits to Adopt Before Adopting." They weren't adopting, but all the other parenting books were twenty dollars or more, and Paine figured in a way it was like she was adopting. There wasn't going to be a baby one day, and then there was going to be one the next. That was pretty similar right? And besides it meant she could skip the whole first chapter. She folded the book on her lap face down. She wasn't sure why, but she had felt she had been caught.

"Whatcha reading?" Rikku asked as she hovered at the doorway.

"Nothing." Paine squinted. "You gotta pee or something?"

Rikku stopped shifting back and forth and took in a big breath. "I did something….well on accident." Paine sat up in her seat. "Well—I mean I really thought it was his head but uh….anyway I took care of it so don't worry, but we need to…" She paused and waited for Paine to respond. Her wife just continued staring. "It was an accident." She reiterated.

Paine nodded once. "What was an accident?" Rikku said nothing. "Did you hit my car again?" Rikku never cared for parallel parking. The blonde shook her head no. "Well…what the fuck? Why do you look so nervous?" She stood suddenly. "Is it the baby?"

Feeling guiltier Rikku quickly shook her head no. "No Pypo no." She visibly calmed. "I broke a shoe."

"A shoe?"

"A really expensive shoe."

Paine nodded slowly as she crossed her arms. "How expensive?"

Rikku walked into the kitchen. "Did you get an outfit together for tonight?"

Paine followed after her. "How expensive Ri?"

Rikku wondered if jumping Paine or grabbing her boob would distract her enough. "Uhmmmy'knownottooexpensive." She hurried out as she looked over her shoulder.

Paine exhaled. "I honestly don't know if I want to know…"

"It's Pops fault!"

"Was he there with you? Did he tell you to break it? How much was it Rikku?" Rikku mumbled something. "What!?"

"I said eight hundred!"

"WHAT?" Paine head began to spin

Rikku finally turned around. "Don't yell at me I'm pregnant."

"Yell at you? I could strangle you! Eight hundred fucking dollars?"

"Hey hey! Is that what you want our babies to hear you saying?"

"What the hell were you thinking!?"

Frustration ran to her fingers as she tried to aimlessly organize the mail sitting on the kitchen counter. "Pops played me! I had a mission for this family and I was so clouded by your stupidity that I didn't even realize what he had done until Lulu said it and y'know Paine I slammed that shoe, I slammed it hard. But what I really want to slam was his shiny head!"

The awkward feeling of her anger mixing with confusion sloshed about in Paine as she ran a hand through her hair. Was she aware that she wasn't making any sense? "You couldn't have picked a twenty dollar shoe or something? Or fuck one of the trillion shoes you have in the damn basement?"

"What in the basement that isn't even clean yet?" She said under her breath.

"What?"

"Listen I know I messed up, I just came home in hopes that my wife is the understanding and loving woman I married but apparently not, apparently you're just a…just a wet blanket with bad manners toward loved ones!" She slammed the stack of mail down hard causing them to slide off the counter and onto the ground with about as much malice as Rikku's attempt at name calling. Then she started to cry.

Paine blinked. "…Ri? Hey don't…" She exhaled and stepped closer to the shorter woman. For a second she thought that she'd be slapped for it, but as soon as she put her arms around her Rikku fell into her arms completely. She stuttered out that she was sorry in Al Bhed, that she knew how tight things were going to be, but that she really for a second felt like she couldn't control herself… of course that's what Paine could make out anyway. There was more but the muffled sobs did a number on recognizing the blonde's native language. "Shh okay, alright, it's okay." Paine patted her on the back. "C'mon, lay down." She moved her into the living room and waited with the blonde until she fell asleep before grabbing her leather jacket and her car keys.

##

He had already alerted security on the two suspicious persons before they made it past the first display.

"Hey are you in charge here?" The woman in the jacket asked.

He shifted his weight evenly. She was smaller than him by a lot, but the blonde man leaning against the display with the crystal lined heels was making him nervous. "Yes, Norrie Meretti. How did you get in here—"

Paine held up Rikku's pass on its lanyard. "I'm a model for one of the companies…listen I need you to help me with something. My friend was in here earlier. Short, blonde…. She uh, broke something."

Norrie huffed. "That little thief? She just got caught and got nervous is all. We got the footage to prove it. And anyway it doesn't matter. She paid for the damages and is no longer allowed back in here, and before you say anything I've already called security so you might as well leave."

Rikku cursed maybe four times a year, there was no way. Gippal rested a hand on her shoulder sensing Paine had already tensed. "Listen Norry, you're gonna give us back that money." Gippal nodded. "Alright? We don't want problems. Legal problems…Physical problems…."

##

Rikku opened her eyes when she heard Gippal's trade mark laugh and the front door near her head begin opened. "The look on his fucking face Dr. P! Ah fuck I'm dying here!"

"Well fucking die already, you're gonna wake Rikku."

"Wha and the baby?"

"I said shut up!"

Gippal continued snickering but stopped when the other blonde from the room sat up from the couch. "Ah shit, my bad Cid's girl."

Paine sighed heavily and went into the kitchen. Gippal plopped himself down on the couch beside his best friend's wife. "Listen, you still got a live one on your hands." He nudged Rikku playfully. "I don't think any amount of marital monogamous hanky panky or diaper changing is gonna change that one." He nodded.

Rikku shook her head. Yevon Gippal was too much having just woken up. "What are you talking about?" She wiped her eyes.

"Let's just say that she didn't need my help."

"Don't listen to him." Paine said as she came back into the room with three glasses of water. She handed Rikku one and then Gippal before sitting on the arm rest of the small couch with her own. "You okay?"

Rikku nodded. "Thank you." She took a sip of water.

"I got the money back."

Rikku stopped her second sip prematurely. "What? How?"

"I just explained that you were y'know.. having a moment and that you were sorry." She cut a look at Gippal who had just coughed bullshit. "Yeah so they understood and now it's here, I put it in your purse in the kitchen." She moved to sip some water before pausing. "I'm not in trouble or anything so ignore this dick." She motioned to Gippal who was bursting at the seams trying to hold back his laughter.

Rikku gave her wife a look. "Be honest with me."

Paine nodded. "I am being honest. No one fucks around with my wife, and since Jelly was there well I figured that they were fucking with him or her too so…yeah, don't worry about the shoe it's taken care of."

"Paine."

Paine stood from the armrest and took a sip of her water before putting it on the coffee table. "I'm driving Gip back home, then I'll be here in time to shower." Gippal stood from the couch and went to the door. "Rest."

"Paine Kerrigan." Paine stopped and looked at her. "Don't be late."

"After actually seeing this shoe? I won't be." Rikku watched the two leave and shook her head. After a moment of amusement truth sunk in deeper than she liked. Eight hundred dollars aside, her father had misguided her, she knew she had to get to the bottom of this before that anger came back, she didn't like how it tasted at all. The blonde picked herself up and located her cellphone.

##

"So then let's you me ad Monty get drinks tonight then." Gippal kicked back in his seat. "Obviously that's some shit you don't want to get involved with."

Paine shifted gears as they got onto the highway. "I wish, but I can't just fucking not be there."

"Cid's girl would understand."

"We're havin' a baby, if I don't stand up for this shit now who knows what's going to happen."

He rubbed his stubble and nodded. "Yeah, you're kind of the odd man out with the no blood relation thing…"

Paine didn't like to think of it that way but that was an insecurity of hers, she knew it was pointless to worry about it, but still. "I can't be a good mom if I'm locked up Gip, blood or no blood." She knew deep down that she'd love this little person no matter what was said or not said, no matter who looked similar and who didn't, It had to be that simple right? She had to make sure she reminded herself of that.

"You know I was just pointing shit out right?"

I know."

"So what's the plan then? What are you gonna do about the trial?"

"I can't do shit about it." She paused as she paid attention to the road. "They want me for it, and I'm beginning to believe it's easier for me to plead guilty than to expose whatever half assed shit Cid Bayla did."

"You think he did something?"

"I'm convinced."

"I was talking to Juliann…"

Paine gave him a look. "Why?"

He grinned. "She calls to check on me sometimes."

"Still?" Julliann was Gippal's social worker way back in the day.

"I'm charming." Paine rolled her eyes. "Anyway I think you should talk to her, she knows everything."

"Yeah, everything except Ri being pregnant."

"Well, yeah… I mean who knows." He pulled a cigarette out of his shirt front pocket and rolled down the window. "Maybe she already knows."

##

"You'd think he'd actually do it? Pay someone off?"

Rikku shrugged as she stared at the stack of mail Paine had tidied. "No…right?"

"He's a real moron, this we know….but….I don't think he would either."

Rikku adjusted her cellphone to her ear. "Whatever happened he doesn't want Paine or I to know. He threw the information about the gun knowing Brother, knowing that I would forget why I came there in the first place. It's driving me crazy."

"Sure it's not something else?"

Rikku froze. Did he know? "What do you mean?"

"You and Paine…everything okay there?"

"No, in the span of less than five months we got married, went to a funeral and now…well." She sighed. "It's why I wanted to see you tonight. To tell you something." She bit her lip. "About me."

Kirill chuckled. "I went to the wedding. I know Lii B."

"Not that!"

"What then? Are you alright?"

"Yes I'm fine…but maybe tonight isn't a good time to tell everyone, what with me busting Pops head open and all." She had told him about the shoe to; a story that left her silent on the phone for four whole minutes as he laughed.

"Well that's if he makes it back."

"Makes it back from where?"

"North Luca…he's gone to see Juliann's family."

"What!?"

"He said he'd be back in time for it, if not well I wouldn't be surprised… Hey you guys should just all come over here and we'll order in and relax like I initially wanted, no suit required."

"But…wait I thought dinner was your idea?"

"No way. I've been training for days now. I can barely move, then tomorrow I go the ceremony and all…I'll tell Pop." They talked a little longer before finally agreeing that dinner in it was. Kirill would order and everyone would just show up seeing as how their father would most likely be late anyway. Before hanging up Kirill paused. "So you're okay? You're not sick or anything right?" She could hear the worry in his voice. It made her think of their grandmother, and how Kirill had finally started to act like his old self.

"I'm okay."

"Paine too?"

"She's good, we're okay."

"Alright I'm going to call Yuna and confirm the shoe allegations."

"If you talk to Pop don't tell him I called…I mean well tell him I called but only to move dinner to the house…I mean but don't tell him—"

"You should talk to Juliann, she knows everything."

Rikku nodded to herself. Something told her she would be doing just that tonight.

##

Rikku was making herself a snack when Paine finally made it back home. Her wife rushed into the kitchen to let her know that there was traffic and that she'd shower quickly if she really had to. The blonde just waved her off as she licked the peanut butter off a small spoon.

"We have time."

"I thought the reservation was for six?" She pulled a beanie off her head.

Rikku capped the peanut butter back and put it in the fridge before grabbing an apple and resting in on her small cutting board. "Change of plans. We don't need to be at Pops' until nine."

Paine walked into the kitchen. "What happened?"

"I called my brother and it turns out dinner wasn't his idea of fun, especially when we'd just be waiting on Pops." She began to cut small wedges out of the apple. "He's in North Luca with Dragon Lady, we don't know when they'll be back."

"Oh…shit well, I guess I'll try and clean some of the basement and then shower and get ready. You're eating a snack?"

"I didn't eat breakfast and the vitamin have been messing with my emotions, so I figured I'd eat something to not go crazy tonight, as much as I'd want too."

Paine chuckled and stole a slice of fruit. "Yeah think that's a good idea…"

"Are you going to tell me what you said to get the money back?"

"No."

"Do you want some tea then?"

Paine grabbed another slice of apple and then shrugged. "If you'll have some."

Rikku looked at her and nodded. "Mhm. I wanted to talk to you too."

"About?"

"Well start the water and when I'm done with this we can talk." Rikku gathered all her apple slices and the small bowl of peanut butter before heading toward the living room. A few minutes later Paine brought out tea cups and saucers, the ones with the suns on them, they were Rikku's favorite. Then she left to bring the hot pot of tea over and placed it on the cleared off coffee table.

Rikku patted the area beside her on the couch. "Sit sit." Her wife sat beside her and waited a moment before reaching forward and pouring Rikku tea first before pouring herself some. A nice rooibos tea rich in antioxidants and an appealing ruby red in hue gracefully filled their cups. "I got this at the market you know." Rikku commented as she leaned forward. "It's caffeine free."

"We outta go back to the one hookah place with the tea shop downstairs, do you remember?""

Rikku finished her sip. "I don't think I'd like al that smelly smoke. I can't even smell coffee without feeling sick."

Maybe a hookah shop wasn't the best place for a pregnant woman. "Yeah, maybe not."

Rikku took another sip of her tea. "Pypo I don't think we should tell Pops tonight." She suddenly admitted.

"Where is this coming from?"

"I just…I don't think it's a good idea."

"Just this morning—"

"I know what I said, but after thinking on it, and talking to my brother I just don't want to bring Jelly in the middle of all this…confusion."

"Confusion?"

She put her cup down. "Well aren't you confused? First Pops just runs off to do who knows what, then you are arrested for being the last one to see Auron which makes no sense because you said only some kid saw you, so how would they put together that you were there in the first place? Then the P.I that you and Gippal hired gets in a car accident and all of a sudden Uncle B wants you to plead guilty? Then when I go talk to Pop he chooses to throw me off course by telling me about you being a doofus. None of this confuses you?"

"It—"

"You can't get arrested again Paine."

"I know."

"We're having a baby!"

"I know!"

Rikku took a breath to calm herself. "Sorry…Just thinking about it and you not with me or worse…"

Paine grabbed her hand. "Don't think like that alright? We're doing great, we have a roof over our heads, expensive smelly herbal tea in our cups, and we're both working now."

Rikku smiled a little but squeezed her wife's hand for the support anyway. "I just need to be able to plan cute things with you like…birthing classes and picking colors for the room…we need to take care of this trial. I don't like it over our heads like this. I know it's just another thing for you to stress over. I mean…you went to a meeting the other day right? That means you were stressed."

Paine looked away for a moment. "Yeah, but it's good that I went."

"I know, I like when you go, when you admit to needing the help…it means your human Pypo."

Paine nodded. "I never told you how sick I got in there. I was just so happy to be out, to see you…I mean after you told me you were pregnant I had no idea what to think, and it just added to everything that was already going on."

"How sick?"

Paine brushed it off. "Pretty bad, but that's in the past alright. I get what you're saying and I agree, I wanna know what the fuck is going on with this so we can move on."

"Leblanc would know."

Paine huffed. "Gip said as much."

"Gippal?"

"Well yeah, she calls to check in on him, ever since he got clean again I guess. She used to be his counselor remember?"

Rikku nodded. "Oh right right.. wow so that's three people now who says she's the answer."

"Who's the third?"

"Yunie." Rikku took a sip of her tea. "I'm just gonna ask him straight up though."

Paine shook her head. "You shouldn't get yourself so excited."

"I won't if he doesn't tell me something else you've neglected to tell me." She leaned her shoulder against her wife's as Paine welcomed the contact by putting one arm around her shoulder.

"nothing I can think of."

"That's real reassuring."

Your uncle will be there too right? We'll just corner them."

"Oh and I want to spend time with Brother too. I'm going to miss him."

Paine nodded. "Maybe you're right about not saying anything about Jelly." They were quiet a moment. "You really think it's gonna be a girl?"

Rikku shrugged. "Jelly can be a masculine name…somewhere. It's way better than Cletus anyhow."

"You gotta give the poor kid a chance, if we name him Jelly he's screwed."

"Well if we name him Cletus he'll end up joining the crusaders or something equally pointless."

Paine thought about it. "What about something Al Bhed?"

Rikku began to grin. "Yeah?" She looked up at Paine. "Like?"

Paine shrugged. "How the fuck am I supposed to know, you're the Al Bhed one."

The blonde sighed dramatically before cozying herself up closer to her wife on the couch. She was tired again, something she wasn't used to. "I have to carry it." She yawned again. "The least you could do Pypo is come up with a name."

Paine chuckled at her pouting face. "Nah I'll leave that to you too."

"Well what are you going to do then?"

"I'm gonna teach 'em to roll a perfect spiff." Paine said proudly.

She closed her eyes. "I can't deal with you."

"What's wrong with that?"

"I know you're just trying to mess with me."

"Nope, I'm serious."

"Well then you can do that… on your visitation days…"

Paine laughed. "Damn it's like that?" She waited. "Ri?"

She rustled softly and groaned. "Shhh."

Paine put her other arm around her; fully enveloping her in the embrace. "You falling asleep?"

"Mhm."

Paine nodded and sat back some. Just as Rikku wasn't used to the fatigue, Paine wasn't used to seeing her wife like this either. Her simple examination of the woman against her was short lived however when Rikku's phone jumped with life and began to repeated a cute wind chime melody over and over and over again.

"Nooooo." Rikku wanted to cry, she had just closed her eyes.

Paine leaned forward passed the tea cups and looked at the device. "It's Lucil."

Rikku took the phone from her hands and rubbed at her face as she answered. "Hey….wait slow down… who is in my office?...Wh….Alright…Thanks." Rikku hung up and looked at her wife. "The police are searching my office at work…."

Paine shook her head. "What the hell? Why?"

"I don't know but they had a warrant to do it." She looked at her phone in her hands. "I have to call Uncle B."

"They can't think you had anything to do with this…"

Rikku already had the phone to her ear again. "Uncle B!"

"Rikku Milan, I was just going to call you."

"What's going on?"

"Did you call the prison for Auron's medical files?"

Well…Yes..I mean…"

"They traced that suspicious inquiry back to your office phone." He sighed heavy. "I need you and Paine to come over to my office right now…Or I'll come to you…"

Rikku was already on her feet. "We're on our way."

AN: I know I suck at updating when I want to. Are you all still out there? Did you like this one? What do you think is going to go down? Review!

KathleenDee