A/N: To the readers who have asked me questions about the story, I hope my subtle answers have helped feed your curiosity for the time being. That said, I'd also like to stress the importance of how I like to keep quiet about the plot until the next chapter. Usually there are elements in a newer chapter that is furthered in the next one. I anticipate that there will be questions when instances like this occur, so the best I can do is update the story as quickly as possible. =)

=To MYSTIC BLUE=

Again, I'd like to thank you for the constructive criticism you've provided me with. I know we've discussed it in an email, and I actually believe we've become friends through it. =p My thanks that we've gotten along like we have so far. =)

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As always, thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story. Your comments are always valuable to me.

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{{ Chapter 15: Desperation}}

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Serru slowly sat down in the familiar leather chair, letting out a long sigh. It had served him well throughout the years, the once-stiff leather worn in, softer to the touch. Earlier, he had been pacing around the room endlessly, his mind unconsciously going over the images of his past.

He groaned to himself this time, leaning back in the chair and shutting his eyes. He had not left the room in hours, and no sound came from Sasuno or Rikku's room either. Presently, he could not bring himself to clear his mind. Turning his body so that his feet could rest on the table, Serru sighed again. After a moment of steady breathing, he opened his eyes, finally noticing the eerie silence and the sense of loneliness his room held.

A helpless chuckle escaped his lips as he stood, moving towards the window once more. He had built the extension behind the temple on an impulse, hoping that he could escape the seemingly chaotic outside world of Spira. His childhood, or lack thereof, had somehow stolen from him what he knew he could have had. Deep down, he had assumed that using this secluded home could somehow bring that all back to him, to give him what the outside world had not. Seeing the photograph of him and his family was almost painful, a tragic reminder of what could have been.

And his misery was imminent throughout everything he had ever accomplished. The satisfaction of finally tracking down Gippal again was soon extinguished by the bitter realization that he didn't know what he could achieve out of it.

Vengeance? There was a time when Serru had used this as the answer for everything. Yet there was something more that he wanted. An intangible sentiment that he knew had never been said to him.

"I love you, son."

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"I want to know why you've decided to help me, here...now."

He hesitated as he heard her approach him, moving his body further into the closet in hopes of averting her gaze.

Rikku stopped a few feet behind Sasuno's hunched form.

"We don't have much time, Rikku. Soon it'll be morning and we'll lose this chance to get you out of here..." he trailed off, pausing to stand to face them both.

They stood silent for a moment. Gippal raised his gaze from the ground to look up at Sasuno.

"I was a fool to listen to Serru," he finally began again, slowly this time, looking away in spite of himself. "I guess I somehow thought that by listening to him, it would make me feel less guilty for what happened that day. But...my brother only grew more bitter. He forgot about me and the time we had together. The only thing he cared about was revenge."

Gippal sat listening, the memories he had worked so hard to forget slowly returning. When he had left the island, he made a promise to himself to simply forget about what happened that day, and look to nothing else except the future. Apparently it had worked, since he never recognized Serru when the other Al Bhed had joined Gippal's faction years later.

Deep down, a part of him was actually glad that he was able to push the memory out of his mind. As Gippal listened to Sasuno's confession, he realized how difficult it must have been for him, to constantly live with the blame that Serru placed on him.

As a young boy, he knew that his emotions were able to control him like a slave to a master. Yet, somehow all of that had made him stronger. He realized that life would continue on whether he was ready to go along with it or not. It was about acceptance, and no matter how painful it may have been, he knew that nothing would change if he continued to linger in that single moment.

Gippal looked up at Sasuno once more, seeing the sense of emptiness in the other man's face. He had failed to forget like Gippal had done, and it still continued to haunt him.

"Sasuno..." Gippal started, sympathy filling his heart. He saw him look up. "I...I'm sorry..."

He smiled gently, shaking his head. "For what, Gippal?"

"How I forgot everything that happened while you continued to live on with the guilt..."

Sasuno didn't reply for a moment, Gippal's words cutting through him like a dagger. He suddenly smiled. "Thank you, Gippal. I should have accepted it earlier, but...no one is to blame. I wish I had realized that sooner..." he grew silent.

Rikku stood motionless, simply listening to the conversation between the two men. She had never dreamed that Gippal had a history as startling as this, and her heart also ached when she thought of how many years Sasuno must have suffered.

"Let's go, you two. The past is done, and what's important is now," Sasuno spoke up, his voice steady. He was whispering quietly to the two as Rikku's eyes followed his form. They watched as he pulled out a sheet of paper from his pocket and began folding it out on the nearby table. He motioned for them to come.

Gippal studied Sasuno's face for an extra moment before nodding finally, glad to see that Sasuno's spirits had seemed to lift.

"What is that, Sasuno?" Rikku asked, standing beside Gippal.

"This is a map of the temple," he began. "We're currently in this room right now," Sasuno pointed.

"Damn, it was easy for me to take out those guards and sneak through the temple until I got here, but reinforcements are bound to show up once they find the men unconscious down there..." Gippal whispered hesitantly, leaning forward to study the map. "Hey Sasuno, what's this path here?"

"Hm? Ah, we could use that to escape..." Sasuno answered quietly, more to himself than to them. His eyes quickly scanned the map, nodding all the while.

"How?" Rikku asked. She was growing restless and her eyes kept flickering up to look at the door, waiting for Serru's guards to come in at any moment.

"This path begins in the dungeon on floor level B1. From there, it leads out of the temple away from the eye of the communication room," Sasuno explained. He seemed to pause before picking up again. "Now that you mention it, this is our safest option."

Gippal studied the map for another moment longer before nodding decisively. "Alright, we'll need to get to B1 first, right? How do we do that?" he asked, walking over to the bed and picking up his guns.

Sasuno didn't look up as he replied. "You'll need to go down the main staircase and into the entrance hall of the temple...but..." he trailed off.

"But what?" Rikku asked, worried.

"The main hall is heavily guarded. It'll be difficult to fight through them all to get to the back and—"

They all froze as they heard a loud hissing sound, before Gippal quickly picked up the communicator hanging on his hip.

"Damn it! Are you alright, kid? Where's Rikku? Where the hell are you two?!" a voice hissed on the other end as Gippal held the device in front of him. Rikku scrambled over to his side, their eyes locked on the glowing blue screen of the communicator.

"Cid! Cid! Can you hear me?" Gippal spoke frantically into the speaker, while still trying to keep his voice low.

Silence on the other end as they waited. Suddenly the sound of gunshots could be heard from the other side of the line. Rikku's eyes flew to the window. Or were the gunshots from out there?

"Argh! They've...spotted us!" Cid exclaimed from the other end again. More gunshots could be heard in the background before a loud static sound began to blend in with Cid's voice. "Get her over here in one piece, kid! We'll try to...hold off...from—" and the screen grew dark, the sound cut off completely.

"Damn..." Gippal cursed under his breath, clicking the button again in hopes of getting in contact with Cid.

Rikku stared at the blank screen, stunned at what she had just heard. Her eyes slowly rose to meet Gippal's before flying to Sasuno in desperation. "How do we get to B1?" she asked in a shaky whisper.

With a stern face Sasuno walked over to them, attaching two handguns at his hip. "I'll lead the guards away from the main hall. That'll give you enough time to slip into the door leading into B1. From there, you need to make your way across the icy path and climb the steps up to Lake Macalania," he explained quickly, bending down to secure his boots.

Gippal reached down and found Rikku's hand, holding it firmly in his. The warmth seemed to calm her down as she followed close behind him. "Lead the way, Sasuno," he simply said. Rikku could sense the hesitance in his voice, but he still held onto her hand nonetheless.

The other Al Bhed nodded before sending them both a cocky grin. He held open the door leading out into the hall, his expression unwavering. They watched as Sasuno took out a communicator of his own from inside his pocket and switched on the screen.

"Attack on Lake Macalania. All guards in the main foyer report to the Lake immediately. I repeat, attack on Lake Macalania...all guards..."

Rikku froze, realizing what was happening. She rushed to Sasuno's side in desperation as he completed the order.

"B-But that's where my dad is! There's no way his men can stand up against yours..."

"We have no other choice, Rikku. That will give you just enough time to get into B1 and make your away across the lower path." He looked down, as if regretting what he had just done. "Please understand..."

Rikku looked up at Gippal, her worry intensifying by the second. He was watching Sasuno seriously, a hint of unease in his only good eye. She let her gaze drift away from his before a gentle squeeze on her hand caused her eyes to lock with his. He smiled, a reassuring one that made her feel as if everything was going to be alright. Yes, everything was going to be alright.

Rikku secured the handgun at her hip, finally nodding to both men. "Okay, let's go."

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Serru stood looking out the large window, wondering what the order Sasuno had called for was all about. Through the darkness, he could make out the figures of his own guards moving quickly across the solitary ice pathway leading away from the temple and into Lake Macalania.

The only guards that were on call were the men watching the main hallway, which meant that it was unguarded and...

He cursed under his breath, realizing what was going on.

"You can't escape that easily, my dear..." he whispered, reaching into the desk drawer. He felt the familiar weight in his hands, and hastily shoved the weapon into his coat pocket, making his way out the door.

Serru threw another quick glance out the large window and headed in the direction he knew his brother had taken them.

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"What the hell...do you hear that...?" Tidus asked, slowing his steps. The group looked at him through the darkness, silencing their footsteps as well.

"It sounds like...gunshots..." Yuna commented in a whisper, tugging at the bandage wrapped around her arm. Tidus moved his gaze from Yuna to Isaaru, blue eyes catching the moonlight. The other man wore a worried expression, lines running through his forehead.

The group had finally made it out of the Macalania Woods in one piece. Because of the waning life of the forest, there were no enemies to threaten them. No Chimeras to battle with. The darkness had forced them to move especially slow, and the only light that illuminated their pathway was the gentle glow of the moon.

"But why here? What's going—"

A loud cry pierced the night air, halting Yuna's sentence. The ex-summoner paused, realizing with a strangled horror that the voice had sounded too much like her Uncle Cid's voice. Her green and blue eyes flew to Tidus.

"That sounded like Cid!"

Tidus looked back and forth between the women for a moment before pulling out his own weapon, nodding decisively.

"Let's go! Whatever it is, he might need our help!" Paine exclaimed wildly, her boots kicking up snow as she raced towards the lake, the rest of the group trailing closely behind.

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Rikku held onto Gippal's hand tightly. The darkness seemed to swallow them up, no sign of light anywhere.

"Are you alright, Rikku?" Gippal whispered, his voice comforting. He continued to lead them forward. After reaching the main hall, Sasuno had opened up a door in the back hallway, instructing them to simply travel north until they reached the end of the tunnel. He had also warned them about the darkness, but assured them that they would eventually reach the doorway leading out of the temple.

"I'm fine," Rikku responded, her voice sounding small in the dark. She quickened her pace to catch up with Gippal's long strides, feeling his strong hold around her hand.

Despite it all, she couldn't have been more relieved that it was him that was here to save her. It was him that she was escaping with, and Rikku only hoped that everything would turn out okay. She wanted nothing more than to see Yuna and Paine and everyone once again.

But deep down, her heart ached. Her whole kidnapping had more than likely pained her family, and did Yuna and Paine know about what had happened to her? She heard Gippal's breaths ahead, and she could feel her eyes beginning to water for everything he had done for her; everything he was now doing for her.

She blinked, forcing back the tears.

"We're finally here...!" Gippal whispered suddenly. Rikku snapped out of her own thoughts and heard metal clinking and scraping loudly against each other.

"Gippal...what's happening?" she asked shakily, still feeling his comforting hold on her. No sooner had she uttered the last word that light suddenly flooded her vision, causing her to shield her face with one hand. Cold wind hit her bare legs as Gippal held the heavy metal door open for her.

Rikku stepped out into the snow, immediately seeing the solitary ice pathway Sasuno had shown them on the map. With a look of dread, she raised her eyes to meet Gippal's gaze.

"This is our only chance..." he seemed to know what she had been thinking. "I'm here, Rikku," Gippal smiled.

She nodded once, before he began to walk again, the ice crunching underneath his weight. The wind whipped her hair wildly about as they trudged through the snow, and she could feel the cold rising from her boots.

"Rikku...! Whatever you do, don't look down, alright?" Gippal spoke loudly through the wind. She shakily tore her gaze away from the water below them and focused her attention instead on Gippal's back, her heart pounding as they continued to tread carefully on the snow-covered pathway.

Up ahead, she could make out the unmistakable shape of the stairway that Sasuno had spoken about. Its looming form led up into Lake Macalania, where her father and the crew were no doubt waiting. She felt a rush of energy flow through her veins as she lifted her feet with a newfound purpose.

Gippal turned around and flashed her a smile, snow clinging to his blonde spikes as he felt Rikku tug on his arm. "You alright? Suddenly you look really happy...!" he joked, stopping for a moment.

She laughed softly, pulling him forward. "We're almost there, Gippal! C'mon!" Rikku urged, tugging him forward. Gippal simply smiled, letting her grab hold of his hand. With their hands safely clasped together again, he walked ahead of her as she allowed him to lead the way once more.

The chilly wind continued to blow fiercely, not faltering to allow for even a moment of relief. Rikku squinted through the snow, suddenly scanning the cliffs above them. She turned her head to look behind them, Macalania Temple looming high.

A shadow of movement caught her eye up above. Rikku slowed her steps, her eyes fixed upon that single spot on the cliff directly above them. Gippal felt her drag slightly, and he turned around to look at Rikku.

"What happened...?" he asked, squinting his good eye from the snow. When she didn't respond, he moved his gaze to where her vision was fixed and he saw it as well. Four dark figures spaced next to each other on the cliff above them. But there was no mistaking their movement. Gippal grabbed Rikku's hand again, his heart pounding loudly in his chest. "Damn! They're going to see us!" he exclaimed frantically, moving quickly across the snow.

Rikku moved rapidly behind Gippal, but her eyes were still focused on the men at the top. They were without a doubt the Al Bhed that Sasuno had ordered out. The cold wind was almost painful on her legs now, and she tried desperately to watch where she was going. Yet something continued to draw her vision to the men on the cliff. Had they been spotted?

A sickening feeling began to rise in her stomach, and she felt her chest tightening in dread. Those guards were standing awfully still despite the weather and—

Her eyes widened and she gasped, quickly throwing herself onto Gippal and knocking him down. Rikku heard the startled cry in his voice as she fell on top of him. They heard the blast from the gun before seeing the bullet graze the snow, the powdery dust shining in the early morning sunlight.

Beneath her, Gippal groaned again and Rikku caught his eye, seeing the look of horror in his shining orbs.

"Rikku...we were almost..." his voice faltered.

She shook her head, scrambling quickly off of him and pulling him to his feet. The cold no longer bothered her and she reached for his gloved hand.

"They were aiming for you, Gippal...!" she replied, struggling to keep her voice steady. Her pace began to increase and she felt Gippal close behind her, trailing at her heels.

Gippal felt the blood drain from his face as he realized how close to death he had been once again. He looked up at the cliff, seeing the men scurrying this way and that. "Rikku!" he called, catching his breath. "Keep moving! They'll need to have damn good aim if they want me!" Gippal exclaimed, feeling his blood pumping.

Another gunshot fired, and Gippal could hear it graze the snow behind him, just inches from where his boots had been. They were moving more quickly than before now.

Rikku threw a glance at him and squeezed his hand, a soothing, yet reassuring gesture. Gippal could see the end of the path clearly this time, the stairway leading up the Lake finally visible. His eyes slowly trailed up the stairway as the wind whipped about them wildly.

And he froze.

Rikku had stopped running as well, her green eyes large with fear as they both stared at the man who stood at the end of the pathway. He took long, steady strides down the stairs before stopping at the bottom, a gun resting securely in his palm. Even through the snow, a smile was playing about his lips.

"That's right, Gippal. Bring her back to me..." Serru laughed.

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A/N: So I lied. There will be only two more chapters left before the story is complete. =/ ::hides from fans::

I really hope you all visualized this scene where Rikku and Gippal are escaping. If you couldn't, then try loading up your FFX game (not FFX-2) and control Tidus so that you're right outside Macalania Temple (the building with the two people standing in front). If you look carefully on the field map, you'll see a small path that branches out starting from the entrance of the temple, but it really runs below where you'll be standing.

If you control Tidus more and run the full length of the main ice path, you'll see a semi-hidden pathway that I mentioned was visible on the game field map. This is the pathway that Rikku and Gippal are now escaping on.

Hope that helps! See you in Chapter 16!