A/N: Okay, frickin' FINALLY, I know! I'm so sorry it took me so long to get this up -- my life has been chaos . . . I have been sick, work has been nuts -- grrrr! But here is the next chappie, I hope you guys like it! Remember to R&R, pretty please! There is plenty of good old fashioned angsty-ness in this chappie, because everyone loves a little angst. Let me know what you guys think, and I promise to be more on my toes with these from NOW ON!

Chapter Three
Here Is Gone

Rikku was amazed by the man sitting across from her in the police department cafeteria. He had so many stories to tell, and there was so much pain behind his seemingly composed façade. She knew that to him, losing his partners was like her losing her family.

They had been sitting and talking in the cafeteria for so long that Rikku had lost track of the time. It wasn't until the pretty brunette lady from Auron's office approached them that Rikku realized they had been talking for nearly two-and-a-half hours.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Lulu said tersely. "But there are still some reports to write up. The chief wants them by four."

Auron checked his watch and his good eye widened. "It's already nearly three? Damnit." He turned to his blonde companion.
"I'm sorry, Rikku," he told her.

Rikku shrugged. "It's totally fine. I'll just go back to Yunie's and watch some TV or something. I understand that you have work to do." She eyed Lulu surreptitiously. Lulu didn't seem to like her very much – she didn't know what she had done wrong.

"Here. I'll walk you out," Auron offered.

Lulu held up a perfectly manicured hand. "Allow me," she told Auron. "You need to get to work. I'll see that the girl gets a cab."

Auron looked like he wanted to protest, but Lulu's arched eyebrow silenced him. "Fine," he said. He turned to Rikku, offered the girl a slight smile. "Thank you for having lunch with me," he said.

Rikku nodded and smiled back shyly. "No problem. I'll talk to you – later?" she said questioningly.

"I'll be by tonight," Auron told her.

Lulu ushered Rikku out of the cafeteria and to her office. "I'll call you a cab," Lulu said. "Have a seat." She gestured with her hand to the few chairs in front of her desk.

Rikku was sitting in the chair, eyes darting around the room, looking at Lulu's pictures. Her attention was drawn to a picture of Lulu, with Auron, at what looked like a party. Lulu had her arms around his neck, and they were both smiling warmly. Rikku bit her lip and forced herself to look elsewhere.

Were Auron and Lulu ever together? She was afraid to ask Lulu, so she just kept her mouth shut.

Lulu saw the girl eyeing her picture and had to hide a smirk. "We're friends, is all," Lulu said, as if reading Rikku's thoughts.

"Huh?" Rikku asked, snapping out of her reverie.

"Auron and I. We're just friends." Lulu sighed and sat down on the edge of her desk, across from Rikku. "We had a – thing – a couple of months after I started working here, but it just wasn't meant to be." She shrugged. "He's not the most committal man you'll ever meet."

"What do you mean?" Rikku asked.

"You know. Ever since Braska and Jecht, Auron's avoided the whole emotional commitment thing. Instant gratification has become more his style," Lulu explained. She noted the disappointed look on the younger girl's face. "Look, it's not personal. And I'm not trying to make you feel bad. It's just that, ninety-eight percent of the time, Auron's just looking for comfort. Nothing more." Lulu stood up and crossed the room.

"You seem like a nice girl, Rikku. I used to be just like you. Until him." She looked at Rikku. "I admit, I thought I was in love. He fascinated me. And he'd been through so much. I thought that maybe I could be the one to make it all better. But I ended up getting used and pushed aside. Just like all the others. He's a great guy, don't get me wrong. A wonderful man. But he's completely empty inside." She smiled at Rikku – a genuine smile, the first one Rikku had seen from the woman. "I just don't want to see another nice girl get burned."

Rikku nodded. "I see," she said. She stood up. "Well, thanks for the heads up. But, I just lost my family, and he was someone I could relate to. I'm not – after him or anything."

Lulu smiled knowingly. "Of course not," she said. "Come on, I'll walk you out."

Rikku looked at Lulu as they walked down the hallway of the department. She seemed so pulled together, so calm and collected. Not like a woman who had been in love and rejected. "How'd you – get over it?" she finally asked.

Lulu looked at Rikku and laughed. "I met my partner," she told the girl.

"Oh, so you're in love again?" Rikku asked.

"Well, he doesn't know it yet. I'm a little wary of getting involved again."

Rikku nodded. "What's he like?"

At that moment, a tall, well-built man with flame red hair walked out of an office. "Yo, Lu, who's your friend?" he asked.

Lulu smiled. "This is Rikku. Rikku, this is Wakka Capitan. My partner."

Rikku nodded knowingly. "Nice to meet you," she said brightly, extending her hand.

Wakka shook her hand. "Oh, you're Yuna's cousin, ya?" Rikku nodded. "Yeah. Auron told us 'bout you. Sorry 'bout your family."

"Thanks," Rikku said quietly. "Um, it was nice meeting you, Mr. Capitan."

Wakka laughed jovially. "Wakka. Just Wakka, ya?"

Rikku smiled at the man's effervescence. "Okay, then. I'm sure I'll see you around." She followed Lulu to the door and smiled at her. "He's nice, Lulu," she said with a smile.

Lulu nodded and looked down, almost as if she were embarrassed. "I know," she said softly.

Just then, the taxi pulled up. "Well, thanks, Lulu. Talk to you later?"

Lulu nodded. "I'm sure," she said warmly. "Be safe, okay?"

Rikku smiled as she got into the cab. "I will. You too."

Yuna got home, as promised, around eight o'clock that night. As soon as she walked in the door, Rikku hopped up and cornered her. "What do you know about Detective LaGuard?"

Yuna laughed a little. "Well," she said. "What exactly do you want to know?"

Rikku exhaled loudly. "Oh, I don't know. I went down to the police station today, and we ended up having lunch together. It was – nice." She shrugged.

Yuna's uniquely colored eyes widened. "How nice?" she asked cautiously.

"Nice nice," Rikku responded, a little confused. "We ate, we talked, and it was – nice."

Yuna nodded. "I see. Rikku ... Okay, don't get me wrong or anything. Auron's great. But he's – not really into relationships."

Rikku looked down. "So what Lulu said was right?"

"You met Lulu?" Yuna asked, eyes sparkling. "Isn't she fabulous? I'd love to be as put together as she is!" Sensing Rikku's frustration, she stopped. "Lulu would probably know better than anyone as to his relationship style," Yuna said slowly.

"So if he's nice to me, it's because he wants to fuck me?" Rikku asked bluntly.

"Not necessarily. He's nice to me, and I know he doesn't want anything like that." Yuna looked at her cousin sympathetically. "He could just be feeling and sharing in your pain."

Rikku nodded. "I see," she said. Then she shrugged. "Well, it's not like I care or anything. I just thought he was a nice guy. It's not like I like him or anything. I was just curious, is all. Since you say he spends a lot of time here and all ..."

Yuna nodded. "He does. But, really, he's terrific. I'm so glad he's here."

Rikku forced a smile. She felt pretty low right now. Here, she had thought that things were good. That Auron was someone she could spend more time with, easily. But everyone had told her that he was a cad. That she shouldn't take his extension of friendship too seriously. She didn't know Lulu very well, but she seemed trustworthy. And Rikku knew Yuna would never lie to her.

The knock at the door caused Rikku to snap out of her daydream. Yuna answered the door to Auron and Tidus, who were holding bags of takeout food. Rikku watched Yuna and Tidus smile at each other shyly, and she found herself rolling her eyes. Those two were so obvious.

Auron handed her a bag of food, and she carried it to the table without a word. Auron was puzzled by her behavior. At lunch, she had been so bubbly and chatty, and now, she wouldn't even look at him.

What did Lulu tell her? It was true, he didn't have the best reputation with his relationships since the deaths of Jecht and Braska. But he wasn't proud of any of it. And maybe he had treated Lulu poorly. He felt bad about it every single day. But he couldn't change it now. And he couldn't magically make himself feel something for her.

But with this girl, with Rikku, it seemed different. She had lost the two most important people in her life in one instant, much as he had. She understood things about him, and she understood them even though he never put his thoughts into words. There was something on a higher level with her, a deeper connection. It wasn't just about sex with her; it was about filling that emotional void that had been left when Braska and Jecht had died.

He had a feeling that she might be the only one who could. But if she was scared of him ... "Rikku," he said quietly when they were in the kitchen. Yuna and Tidus were still in the living room making eyes at each other.

Rikku turned to him. "Hmm?" she asked nonchalantly.

"Did Lulu say something to you this afternoon?"

Rikku shrugged. "Lulu said lots of things to me today. She's really great. Maybe someday I can be like her," she said coolly.

"But did she say something – about me?"

"Why would she?" Rikku asked, cocking her head to one side. "I mean, she told me you guys were – close – for a while, but you know, it really didn't concern me too much."

Auron felt deflated. Of course. To her, he was just an older guy who had suffered the same losses she had, someone she could talk to. But it didn't mean she had any deep-set attachments to him.

"Oh, she did tell me I should watch out for you, though," Rikku said as she began setting the food out on the table.

Auron walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. "What happened with me and Lulu – it was a mistake," he said quietly. "But it doesn't mean ..."

Rikku turned and faced him, and gently pushed him back. "You know what? It doesn't really matter. I'm emotionally drained right now. The last thing I need is some kind of stupid thing with a guy I barely know, and who I don't even think I want to get to know any better."

Auron looked hurt. "Rikku ..."

Rikku shook her head. "Just don't, okay? You know, you were really nice to me today, and I appreciate not having to spend the entire day alone. But when everyone that you consider a friend is telling me the same thing, that's when the warning signals start to go off." She turned away from him again. "I thought that maybe you were – special. But I don't even want to know now. I don't need any more drama in my life right now."

Yuna and Tidus entered the kitchen then, and the four commenced eating.

Auron kept stealing glances at the younger blonde, wondering what it would take for her to believe that he was worthy of her affection. He didn't care what he had to do. Somehow, he was going to make her believe that he could be a good person.

But first, he had to make himself believe it.