Disclaimer: I do not own FFX-2!

"…" character's speech

'…' character's thoughts

(…) my rambling

Thanks to...

rikku-fan: Thank you for being the first one to review! I'm flattered with your review! Hope you enjoy this chapter :)

Amethyst stargirl: Thank you for your review! Here is the next chapter! Hope you enjoy!

CrYstalBLUe91: Here is the update! Hope you find this chapter intresting as well. Thank you for reviewing!

Master Thief: Your question about Gippal's reaction is answered in this chapter! Thank you for your lovely review :)

Cute-Kitty: Thank you for reviewing! You'll find out Gippal's reaction pretty soon in this chapter!

Black-Eyed Mistress: Thank you and hope you enjoy this chapter!

shadows-of-flame: Lol! Thank you for your review! Don't worry, here is the next chapter! Hope you enjoy it :)

Mistress Dizzy: Thank you for such a lovely review! Lol. Yes Cid is Rikku's father. Hope you enjoy this chapter :)

Kingleby: I'm really glad that you liked this fic! Thank you for reviewing and hope you enjoy this chapter!

On with the story :)

Chapter 2

The airship arrived that late afternoon as it nosily landed onto the sand right in front of the new constructed Home at Bikanel desert. The ramp was slowly lowered down toward the ground, as the entrance of the airship opened. Out came a few people who were greeted by Cid that was waiting for them by the entrance.

"Good to see you all here." Cid spoke brightly.

All of them smiled and greeted back the old man. 3 ladies and 2 guys, all of them part of Rikku's childhood times, and all of them able to come and assist their friend. Some of Rikku's old friends were already living in Bikanel desert, but some weren't able to come because of their business in life.

Cid then invited them to enter, as he watched each one of them walk in the house chatting about old days, for they haven't meet each other for such a long time. When everyone was inside, Cid sighed. He was disappointed but at the same time relieved that a certain person hadn't come. The problem was that he was a key part of Rikku's life, and it was hard for Cid to invite himover to his home.

With a last gaze at the sky, Cid was about to enter the house when he heard footstep coming from the ramp. He turned around and grinned to see who the devil it was.

There stood a tall young man with a smirk upon his pretty face as usual. His blond spiky hair stood out in all directions, matching his emerald swirly eye, while the other eye was hidden away in a black eye patch. Swinging his bag over his broad shoulder, the young man made his way down the ramp.

Cid grinned. "Can't say I'm happy to see you."

Gippal chuckled. "Hello to you too."

With that both were in understanding, and both entered the house.

..........................................o...........................................

Rikku woke up that morning to the smell of bacons being cooked. With a bright smile upon her face, she jumped out of bed and quickly ran toward the bathroom where she got herself ready. With everything set, Rikku ran down stairs into the kitchen, but stop dead in her tracks when she saw who it was that was cooking.

Brother flipped the bacons before putting them onto the plate. Cid, who was reading the morning paper gazed up to smile at his daughter.

"Good morning there kid'do! Had a great night sleep?" He questioned.

"Rikku, how old are you now?" Brother suddenly asked out of the blue.

Cid scolded his son before he went back in baking the rest of the breakfast for the family.

Rikku who still stood by the doorway, wouldn't gaze away from the stove. Cid quickly noticed her behavior and wondered what was wrong.

"Rikku, you alright?" He asked.

Rikku looked at her father and questioned. "Why isn't mom cooking?"

Brother dropped the cooking pan nosily onto the floor as he quickly gazed at his sister then back at his father. Oh they were in big trouble! Cid was surprised himself. What would he say now? Rikku was very much attached to her mother, and when she died young, Rikku got much depressed. He couldn't see his daughter break down again, not now.

"Your mother is away at a friend's house." Lied Cid uneasily, as he gazed around, not daring to stare directly into his daughter's eyes.

Rikku not convinced, asked again. "Why isn't mom cooking?" For Rikku knew that her mother would always make them breakfast, for she loved to cook for her family.

"Come eat my bacon! It is good!" Brother suddenly spoke as he quickly picked up the plate and showed it to his sister.

She ignored him and crossed her arm before her chest. She frowned. "What are you all hiding from me?"

"Hiding! Don't be silly girl, we aren't hiding anything from you!" Cid replied.

"So tell me Pop, where is mom." Rikku demanded as she stared at him with seriousness.

Cid sighed. There was no choice, he would have to tell her, but how? The last time he did explain, Rikku wouldn't believe him, but he had to do it. Getting up from his seat, Cid walked toward his daughter and slowly picked her hand into his.

"Come Rikku, we must talk." He spoke.

Rikku seeing the sadness in his eyes saw the seriousness of the matter. She silently let herself be led by her father into the living room, where they both sat onto the coach, facing each other.

He looked into his daughter's innocent eyes, and really knew that this would be painful.

............................................................o....................................................

Rikku quickly ran away from her house, as tears erupted from her emerald eyes. This couldn't be true! This wasn't right! Her mother dead? But how? But why? Didn't she promise that she would be here for her whenever she could, so why wasn't she here now?

Bumping onto the people along her way, Rikku did not stop to apologize or even answer some of the calls that asked her if she was alright. She continued on running, searching for the familiar face. Her dear mother had to be somewhere around, but the tears in Rikku's eyes wouldn't cease from falling even if she told herself that her mother was still alive.

Rikku kept running, her mother had to be alive, all she had to do was to look for her. She was here, right? She had to be here, right!?! Rikku gazed franticly around the place in search of that familiar and loving face. Why couldn't she find her? Why was her surrounding so different from before? Why was she feeling so lost all of a sudden.

Her vision began to blur as more tears emerged. Rikku felt helpless and lost. Cid was lying. He had to be lying. She did not want to believe her father. Rikku knew that her mother was a strong woman, she would not give up that easily in life. Besides she was only 12 years old and she needed her mother to be there for her. She had to be here!

Rikku continued running, not caring if she was getting tired or even if her legs protested to run. She needed her mother's comfort, she wanted to see her smile once again.

"Where are you mom? You promised to be here!" She whispered in pain to herself.

Suddenly crashing onto someone's chest, Rikku tried to push away, but the person had already circled his strong arms around her waist, not allowing her to run away. Rikku looked up with tears in her eyes to see who the person was. There he stood gazing down with a smirk.

"Hey there Cid's girl." Gippal greeted.

Not wanting to chat, Rikku desperately tried to push away, but his hold was too strong to break. She then decided to punch his chest, but that did not work as well. When did Gippal become so strong?

"Let me go you big bully!" Rikku spoke, as she still tried to free herself.

"Back to being a bully, am I? How old are we again?" Gippal questioned with intrest to know where in the memory lane Rikku had stopped into.

"Just because you're 13, doesn't mean you can force me to stay, ya know!" Rikku replied as she continued struggling out. "Now let me go!"

"Would you stop moving for a second so we can talk?" Gippal spoke a bit annoyed at her persistence.

"I don't want to talk you bully! All I need to do now is find my mother." Rikku suddenly begged as more tears emerged into her eyes.

Seeing that the case was serious, Gippal dropped his smirk and looked down at her truly worried. "But Rikku your mother is..."

"NO!!!" She suddenly cried still trying to struggle away from his grip. "No." Her voice broken and her struggles getting weak. "Don't tell me that she...is...gone." Rikku finally gave in, as her heart pained further.

She buried her face onto Gippal's chest and began to cry again.

Gippal looked surprised and felt his heart squeeze to see Rikku in such pain, so this was what Cid meant when he spoke that things would be hard to handle. His grip around Rikku then slowly began to tighten as he hugged the girl dearly, wanting to comfort her as much as possible. Now he knew that this wouldn't be easy.

"Let's go." Gippal suddenly spoke.

Rikku looked up confused. "What?" She questioned.

"Let's go find your mother." He answered with a smirk.

Rikku stared at him for a minute before a small smile formed upon her face as she looked up at Gippal with gratefulness. "You will help me? You, who have been such a annoying brat?"

"I know I was a brat to you back then, but that doesn't mean I didn't care about you Cid's girl." Gippal explained truthfully.

"Back then? You still are a brat." Rikku spoke and laughed softly, which made Gippal glad that he had lighten up the situation.

"Now come on, Cid's girl. Lets go find your mother." Gippal replied as he slowly wiped her tears away from her soft checks.

Rikku gazed at him with utter surprise. Why was he being such a great guy? Wasn't he suppose to be bullying her instead of wanting to help her out. Maybe he was being a mature guy. In Rikku's vision, Gippal was still a 13 years old boy, but in truth he was 18, very much changed.

"Thank you." Rikku spoke truthfully.

"Anytime Cid's girl. Anytime."

...........................................o.........................................

"I don't know how to thank you kid." Spoke Cid tiredly as he softly closed Rikku's bedroom door and joined the young man in the living room.

"You don't have to Cid." Gippal answered as he took a seat on the coach. "So tell me, what happened?"

Cid looked uneasy, but knew that he had to explain, since Gippal was the one who had comforted his daughter and brought her back safely. Now that Rikku was fast asleep in her bedroom and there wasn't anyone in the room to hear their conversation, Cid decided to open up the facts.

"Ya know, Rikku lost her mother when she was only 12 years old. The news shocked her profoundly and, like today, she ran out of the house crying. On her way to the oasis, she found Cimmen, one of the girls that came in the airship. Cimmen a close friend to Rikku brought her back home. I never was a sentimental man, and I did my best to comfort her, but I think I might have failed in the process." Cid explained and then paused for a brief sigh.

"Not wanting to repeat my error again, I left Rikku to run out of the house crying, and as quickly as she went out I called for Cimmen to go after Rikku, but this time Cimmen knew that she had to comfort her instead of me. Well, the rest ya know. Rikku bumped into you, and you brought her back." Cid finished.

Silence fell upon the room as Cid sat there masaging his temples, while Gippal watched him.

"Ya never thought you had to thank me, am I right Cid. Is that why you're so distressed?" Gippal suddenly asked, while he gazed attentively at the old man.

Cid looked up surprised. "Yes I'm distressed, but the reason is different."

Gippal looked at him confused. "What's bothering you then?"

He looked at him with seriousness. "I'm worried that you will repeat the same stupid error as before kid!"

Gippal choked! He was worried about that! Laughter began to pour out of his mouth, as Cid looked at him with anger. Seeing that his laughter was distressing the old man even further, Gippal slowly came to a stop.

"Sorry old man, but I thought you had something serious in mind!" Gippal confessed.

Cid still frowned. "But this is serious! You might not know it kid, but my daughter cares about you!"

Gippal smirked. "And same goes here."

Cid's frown eased for a second but then it suddenly deepened. "I don't want her hurt like today."

Gippal got up from his seat and walked toward the exit. He opened up the door and lingered in the doorway to gaze back at Cid.

"I came here with the intention of helping, and I won't screw up in the process like you think I am. Now if you will excuse me I'm heading back to have my dinner."

With that spoken, Gippal turned around and walked away. Cid stared at the closed door and sighed. A small smile crept on his face and he shock his head disbelievingly. This wasn't the same Gippal he knew from years before.

"This boy has definitely changed." Cid suddenly acknowledged.

Thank you for the wonderful reviews you have left me!!! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!!! PLZ LEAVE ME A REVIEW!!! Next update may take a while since my exams are coming up, so I'll be really busy!!! But be patient with me, and I'll try to write the fic asap!!!! Thank you once again and cya in the next chapter!!!