Author's Notes: The end is coming closer...two chapters left. I hate to say this, but I'll be glad when this fic is complete. It's been nothing but a pain in the ass to write, but don't get me wrong, I DO enjoy writing it. It's just hard to write from the perspective of characters that I didn't create.

Disclamer: I do not own FFX-2 or any of it's characters. I do however, own this story. DO NOT distribute without my permission.

Hullabaloo

Ch.8: Wedding Preparations

Rikku, Paine, Leblanc and Yuna sat round a table onboard the Celsius, deciding flower arrangements, napkins and other such things for Yuna's wedding. Why Yuna had to make it all so complicated, Rikku couldn't understand. For all she cared Yuna could wear a toga to her wedding. But Yuna just had to drag herself and Paine to help her figure this stuff out. It was her wedding, she should do it herself! And besides, this was what Yuna had Tidus for. They were supposed to figure this out together.

Rikku stopped her train of thought and scratched her chin. On the other hand, Tidus would probably care less what his wedding looked like as long as Yuna was happy. Rikku supposed they were floating in the same boat. But even still, he should at least be here. The little rat had skipped out on something that would forever decide the rest of his life.

Rikku scowled inwardly. It wasn't fair.

The blonde Al Bhed tilted her head and reconsidered her thoughts. She was a bridesmaid, Yuna's best friend and cousin. She had her duties...

"Well Rikku what do you think?"

Rikku turned her head to look at the samples of napkins that Yuna had carefully laid out in front of her cousin. She carefully studied each of them, not really giving much thought to which one she liked more.

"Which one do you like, Yunie?" she asked.

Yuna immediately picked a pale blue napkin with yellow trimming. "I like this one, it'll match the bridesmaid dresses!" she responded.

"Well then that's the one I like!"

Yuna nodded, a smile spread across her face. She picked up her pen and made some notes in a notebook, placing the napkin inside.

Paine looked from the napkins, rolled her eyes and looked to the bride-to-be. "Have you already decided on the dresses?" she asked.

Yuna nodded gleefully and pulled out a catalogue from under her notebook. She flipped to a dog-eared page, and showed it her friends. Paine's face dropped when she saw the bridesmaid dresses Yuna had picked out. They were baby-blue and yellow. Two colours that looked absolutely horrible on the warrior.

"Wow they're so pretty Yunie!" commented Rikku, leaning over the table carefully to look over at the dresses.

"Yes, for once you have good taste, love," noted Leblanc carefully, eyeing Yuna. After much arguing, Yuna had let Leblanc in on the wedding decisions. Yuna wasn't too pleased herself, but she figured that Leblanc had some talents that would help out. The woman called herself the 'goddess of love' for crying out loud.

"Yunie?" Rikku asked.

"Yes, what is it Rikku?"

Rikku hesitated before letting her question spill, "Who's going to be the Maid of Honour?"

Yuna smiled and leaned forward, taking Rikku's hand in hers. "You of course Rikku!" she replied with a giggle.

"Really? You mean that Yunie?" said Rikku, a grin spreading across her face with excitement.

"Of course! I wouldn't have it any other way!"

"Oh thank you so much!" Rikku let go of her cousin's hand and jumped up to give her a large hug. The two girls jumped around with excitement, their grips on one another tightening. Yuna was getting married! And Rikku was chosen to be her Maid of Honour! To Rikku, it truly was an honour; so had being her guardian.

Once the two girls had settled down and returned to their seats, Paine rolled her eyes and leaned towards Rikku. "Will you even be able to fit in the bridesmaid dress?" she said with a snicker.

The Maid of Honour turned abruptly, shock written across her face. No longer had she turned to the stoic warrior, who had meant the comment as a joke, tears started to swell up in her swirled eyes.

"I don't believe you'd say something like that Paine!" she cried, brushing away the tears that had started to fall. "You have no idea what it's like!" Rikku jumped up, her chair falling to the ground, startling the three other women in the room.

Just as she opened her mouth to apologize, Rikku ran from the room. Paine sat uncomfortably in her seat, finding nothing to say. It was supposed to be a joke! Why didn't Rikku understand that? She looked away from the door where Rikku had fled and shrunk in her seat under the glares that Leblanc and Yuna had thrown her way. "What?"

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Rikku ran down the corridor from the cabin, tears streaming down her cheeks. Paine had no idea how difficult this was for her. How dare she even say something like that! She thought Paine was her friend. Rikku definitely had no respect points left for the warrior. The stress was piling upon Rikku, and there was nothing she could do to help it. Was she really ready to have this baby? She knew she wasn't, but there was nothing else she could do. Abortion was definitely out of the idea. So was giving it up for adoption.

Rikku stopped abruptly in the hallway and leaned against the wall, the cold steel soothing her slightly.

Wiping the tears from her face, she slid down the wall until she sat on the floor with her knees to her chest. This wasn't fair. Why'd this have to happen to her? Rikku slapped herself mentally. In a matter of speaking, this was her fault. She had been the one to drag off Gippal at the party. She had taken her clothes off first.

Rikku groaned into her hands. There was nothing she could do to stop this now. She only hoped Gippal would accept it, just like she was beginning to.

"Speak of the devil..." she muttered quietly as Gippal came into view from around the corner.

Gippal immediately noticed Rikku sitting in a slump on the floor, her face streaked with tears. He ran over to her, and wrapped his arms around her in concern. "Are you alright, babe? What's wrong?"

Rikku sniffled and buried her face in Gippal's chest. It was now or never. She had to tell him eventually. However, she couldn't bring herself to spill the beans. It was just too hard.

When Gippal didn't get an answer from Rikku, but instead a muffled whimper, he seriously started to worry. 'There's something she's not telling me...'

"Gippal..." she started after a few moments. She was so comfortable in Gippal's arms, something she would've rejected disgustingly a month ago. "I..." Rikku choked back a sob, trying to keep herself from crying again.

Gippal brushed a hand through her long hair, not saying a word to prevent discouraging her. Letting her take her time would be best, whatever it was she was trying to say.

"I'm pregnant."

Gippal froze. 'She's pregnant...ohgodohgodohgod'

"Gippal?"

She was pregnant! What was he going to do now? He was going to be a father for crying out loud! The two simple words that had poured from Rikku's mouth had left him in shock. He didn't know what to do, or what to say. He simply sat there, staring at her.

"Gippal?! Please say something!" Rikku had long pulled away from him, and was looking up into eyes that matched her own. She saw many thoughts and feeling pass through them. Disbelief, shock...regret?

Rikku whimpered, "Gippal...? Can you hear me? Please! I need you!"

Gippal broke from his state of shock, looking at Rikku with clear vision. He immediately scooped her up into his arms, resting his head on top of hers. He held her tight, barely giving her enough room to breathe. "I'm so sorry Rikku...I didn't know what to say...by the gods I'm so sorry," he whispered quietly in her ear.

Rikku let out a deep sigh. Well that was a lot of her chest. Maybe now, she would be able to sleep a little easier at night, knowing that Gippal would be there for her.

Uhm, sorry for the shortness. I'm on a tight schedule.