Rikku woke to the sun shining in her eyes. She had fallen asleep on the beach as tears were running into her hair. She had whispered to herself chidingly in a breaking voice to no avail. She couldn't stop the stinging feeling in her cheek every time she thought of Gippal. Something was seriously wrong with him. Maybe it was her, Rikku thought. Maybe it's me. What she'd meant to say that night on the beach was: "Don't say it…unless you mean it", not "don't say it".

She realized, as the sun soaked into her skin, that that was exactly what she wanted him to say. Not that she'd ever admit it.

"So tired," she whined into the sand, kind of stupidly. "Why can't he just go away…he's stressing me out…" Rikku rubbed the dark circles beneath her eyes and yawned, stretching.

Hearing music coming from the pavilion, Rikku stood shakily, legs stiff. She wandered to the pavilion, wondering if the raven haired boy was still around.

"Pretty woman…walking down the street, pretty woman…" Rikku froze. It was Gippal. It had to be. She watched from behind a pillar in the pavilion.

"Pretty woman, won't you pardon me, pretty woman, I couldn't help but see, pretty woman…" he strummed a guitar and girls around him laughed as he sang. Rikku felt heat rise in her face. He had a very good voice. NO! HE SLAPPED ME, I SHALL HATE HIM!

"Pretty woman, stop a while, pretty woman, and talk a while, pretty woman…" Rikku was waging an inner battle with herself as Gippal serenaded the girls who

were around him, seriously pissing Rikku off.

"Cuz I'll treat you right, pretty woman…"

"Oh, screw it…he's so cute…"

"NO…MUST HATE HIM."

"Pretty woman, don't walk on by, pretty woman, don't make me cry.."

She looked up. Gippal had caught sight of her, she knew he had. She mentally kicked herself for allowing it and pretended to ignore him.

"Is she walking back to me? Yeah, she's walking back to me. Oh, oh, pretty woman…" Gippal smiled at Rikku, put down the guitar, and walked over to her.

"Hey, pretty woman," he whispered in her ear, and took her hands in his own.

"Can you forgive me, pretty woman?"

"Oh, Gippal…" Rikku threw her arms around his neck and smiled. "Thank you."
He smiled into her hair.

"Anything for Cid's girl," he said. He really wanted to say anything for my girl, but he resisted. Though he desperately wanted to act on his emotions, he thought it would be best to put them aside right now. Rikku obviously wasn't ready to accept his feeling for her yet, and after the rejection on the beach, he was sort of worried what would happen if he tried again.

"Were you singing for me?" Rikku asked, smiling up at Gippal.

"Maybe," Gippal said, mock-evasively. Rikku socked him in the stomach. He laughed at her. Rikku watched the amazing blue waves splash onto the sand. On impulse, she kicked off her new beaded sandals and ran into the icy water. Gippal blinked, then followed her.

"I'll get you!" Soon they were joined by the island children.

"Let's play Marco Polo," Rikku said, jumping up and down in the water and bashing Gippal on the nose with her palm, "You're it!"

"Ow," Gippal complained, rubbing his nose, "I think I should be offered sympathy for all this abuse I'm getting." He closed his eyes, ducked under water, and held up his fingers. One to ten. He rose.

"Marco!"

"Polo!" Rikku and all the little kids screamed happily, the familiar thrill of a childhood game shooting through Rikku as she slithered silently through the water. Gippal paused, cupped his hands to his ears.

"Marco!"

"Polo," Rikku and the others teased.

"I hear Rikku!" Gippal lunged for Rikku, and his long fingers brushed her stomach, "I got you!"

"You did not!"

Later, Rikku was laying spread eagled on the sand; bored, watching little black ants crawl by her nose.

"The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah," she murmured to them. Suddenly, the sunlight vanished.

"What?" Rikku looked up and around. "Oh." Gippal was standing in her sunlight.

"Frydcy syddan, Neggi?" Gippal ruffled her hair and Rikku rose to her knees. Gippal bent on one leg to be level with her.

"Oh, nothing…" She drew a sharp breath and Gippal grew dangerously close to her. "I'm just bored of this place, I...guess…" Gippal came close to her face. Rikku could feel his breath on her cheek. She froze.

"Did you call?" A roaring overhead caused the two to look up. The Celsius flew above them. Yuna waved from the deck, Tidus at her side. Paine rested against the computer, looking smug.

Gippal smiled and shook his head.

"Classic timing," he muttered, then to Rikku, who sighed with relief, "shall we?"

"Yes," Rikku said with a smile and took the hand offered to her, "we shall."

On the Celsius…

"You danced with him?" Yuna's mouth was agape.

"Isn't he the imperial leader of that island?" Paine drawled.

"Well, yes, I suppose," Rikku said, thoughtful, "But the island isn't on the map."

"Nope!" Yuna smiled.

"Then how'd you find us?"

"I found you." Tidus leapt into the bridge. "It was no picnic, let me tell you."

"Show off," Gippal said shortly.

"Where to?" Tidus ignored him. "How about those weird caves? I heard there was supposed to be some pretty amazing things there."

"Oh yes," Yuna said, "Let's!"