The next morning, Rikku woke up before Lulu and Yuna and decided to take a quick shower then go talk to Tidus. A few minutes later Rikku is dried off and fully dressed, wearing her usual shirt and a pair of black pants. Rikku quietly walks out the door so she wouldn't wake the others and heads up the hall the guy's room. Rikku knocks on their door. No response. She tries a little harder and the door slowly swings open. From what she could see, no one was there.

'Guess they left and forgot to close their door all the way,' Rikku says as she walks in, 'I guess I can wait here until they get back.' Rikku walks over to the window to see if she could see them.

As she stares off into the distance, Rikku hears a door open behind her. 'There back?,' Rikku asks herself as she turns around, 'but I didn't see them.' As she finishes her turn, she sees Tidus walk out of the bathroom, dripping wet and wearing nothing but a towel. Tidus also notices Rikku.

"Ahhh!" they both scream as Rikku whips around and Tidus tightens his grip on his towel. "I am so sorry Tidus." Rikku says.

"What you doing in here?" Tidus asks Rikku after recovering from his shock. "I didn't know you were still here. I thought you were out with Wakka and Auron." Rikku says, her face was bright red from embarrassment.

"How did you get in here?" Tidus asked, confused.

"The door was open." Rikku said as she pointed to the door, tears building up in her eyes. Tidus scratched his head as it sunk in. "Did you need...." was all Tidus got to say before Rikku interrupts him.

"I have to go." Rikku says as her tears silently roll down her cheeks. She brushes past him and is out the door, once again leaving Tidus speechless.

"What's wrong with her?" Tidus asks himself as he gets dressed.

Rikku heads down the stairs, sobbing softly and thinking, 'I can't believe that just happened. Arg, I'm such a jackass. Why didn't I call out first, just to be sure." Then an image of Tidus standing there in his towel appeared in her mind, causing her to speed up and exit the inn. As she turns around a corner, she ends up walking into Wakka and falls backwards and hit the ground.

"Oh sorry Rikku, didn't see ya comin'," Wakka says with a big grin on his face, but when he saw Rikku's tears, it fades instantly, "hey are ya okay?" Rikku gets up and brushes off her pants.

"I'm fine," Rikku says as she wipes her tears away, "I just need some time alone." Wakka's grin comes back as he places a hand on her shoulder.

"No problem Rikku, come back when you're ready." Rikku slightly smiles as she begins to walk again but stops dead in her tracks at the sound of her name.

"Rikku, wait!" Tidus yells from his room. Rikku looks up at Tidus with a look that she could have if she was looking in the face of Death, turns around, and breaks into a run. "RIKKU!" Tidus yells as she disappears. Tidus then leaps over the edge of the window, hits the ground, and runs after Rikku. Meanwhile Wakka is just standing there, confused.

"What just happened?" Wakka asks himself, "Rikku never ran from Tidus before. Something must be wrong with those two." Wakka then heads for Yuna's and Lulu's room.

As Rikku runs across the sand, she glances over her shoulder and sees Tidus running after her, but finds out that it was a bad idea. Rikku trips over a rock hidden within the sand and before she could get up, Tidus pins her down.

"Let me go." Rikku says as she tries to get free but fails utterly.

"No," Tidus says with a look of deep concern on his face, "not until you tell me the hells the matter."

With a sigh of defeat, Rikku nods her head and Tidus helps her up but keeps his hands on her so she can't run off again.

"You really want to know?" Rikku asks and Tidus nods his head, smiling. Rikku feels her heart race at the sight of his smile. 'Okay Rikku, it's just me and him. This is perfect, we're alone and on the beach. I'm going to tell him that I love him,' Rikku thinks as she mentally prepares herself, 'okay, here I go." Rikku begins to open her mouth to tell him but is interrupted by a call from above.

"Tidus, Rikku, up here!" Yuna yells as Valefor begins to land. Tidus yells back up and waves then looks at Rikku, who looked rather disappointed. Behind them Lulu and Wakka finally catch up with Yuna.

"Rikku, are you okay?," Lulu asks as she catches her breath, "you've been acting weird since yesterday."

"Yesterday?" Tidus asks as he looks at Rikku.

"I'm going back to the inn." Rikku says then starts running back.