Lie In The Sound
Chapter 3: Waiting


We entered the hospital ten minutes after I'd stepped off the hover. Yuna guided me, in my absolute daze, to the hover, and pushed the button for the third floor.

As soon as we stepped off the hover, we heard her screaming. My daze was stabbed away by a terrible pain in my heart, as both Yuna and I ran toward the sound.

Yuna entered the room ahead of me, and ran straight to the figure in the bed. This was the first time I'd seen her in months, and my heart broke in knowing that this torture was partly my doing. Her swollen belly looked awkward, her normally bright eyes were dull… her beautiful golden hair was dark with sweat, and her knuckles were white as she squeezed Tidus' hand.

"Rikku…" I whispered, stopped in my tracks not two feet into the doorway.

She winced and glanced up at me, her gaze almost transparent, before she turned to Yuna. "So you weren't just lying…" Rikku gritted her teeth and squeezed Tidus' hand once more. He winced as well.

Lulu, whom I'd only met a few times, walked toward me from the corner and pulled me from the room. I protested, but she took me down the hall toward the nurse's station.

"Gippal… I know you must be feeling overwhelmed right now. I'll make this as simple as I can." She flicked her long hair over her shoulder and looked worriedly toward the little room down the hall. "For the past two days, the doctors here have been able to put a halt to Rikku's early labor. Rikku's body isn't responding to the medications anymore, and there is no way to stop the baby from coming. She's exhausted already, the poor thing… the doctors are going to move her into a delivery room as soon as her contractions are steady. Right now, she's still fluctuating, and this could be a long haul."

I shook my head and ran a hand nervously through my hair. "I can't stand seeing her like this… I can't believe this is happening."

"I understand how you feel, I truly do. But we need you to be here with her, to help her, not to add to her stress. Can you do that?" I nodded and she smiled softly.

"How can I help? You went through this, you know… I have no idea what to do."

She pointed. "Go and be with her. Hold her hand, and be supportive."

I sighed heavily, my hands shaking slightly. "I can try."

"Trying is good enough. Go back to Rikku… I'll clear everyone out so that you can have some time alone."


He entered the room behind Lulu, and I watched him warily. He didn't look angry, but he did look shaken. Lulu told Tidus that he could have his hand back, and he smiled widely. "No offense, Rik, but… I never, ever want to do that again." I felt bad as I looked at his slightly bruised fingers. He gave me that big 'It's-really-okay' grin, and he followed Wakka and Lulu from the room. Paine had gone to the inn to rest that morning. I doubted she knew what was going on.

Yuna held my hand tightly, her wide eyes frightened. "Are you going to be okay without one of us in here?"

I shook my head. "No, but… Gippal will be with me, so I won't be alone." I looked around at Gippal, who had approached the chair next to my bed. Yuna stood and offered it to him. "We'll be right outside if you need anything."

She left the room, and for once, the room was quiet. I was alright for the moment, but I was prepared for the pain to return. The silence was awkward, and finally he sat down, looking at me with a strange emotion in his eyes. He'd taken his eye patch off when he'd come in. He knew I hated the thing… it was comforting to look into the bright green depths.

"I'm sorry, Gippal, I couldn't tell you. I know you understand why." My voice was hoarse, weak… most unlike its normal state.

He shook his head. "Don't apologize. I understand, I just… I wish you would have told me. You shouldn't have had to go through this alone." I stared at the opposite wall.

"You should have known that you were a father."

He paled a bit. "Way to make me even more nervous than I already am, Cid's girl." He smiled a bit, though tightly.

I grinned tiredly at the mention of my nickname. Yevon, I missed you, Gippal…

For a few moments the two of us were silent, and neither one of us made a move toward the other. I felt another contraction coming and I tried to contain myself. As the pain ripped through me, I bit my lip and grabbed the railing on the bed, closing my eyes. This was by far the most severe contraction I'd suffered through thus far, and though I tried to keep myself from screaming, I couldn't do it.

His hand was shaking when he grabbed mine, as he told me as calmly as he could that it was okay, that it would be over soon, and that I could hurt him as much as I wanted to. I couldn't help but be grateful for his presence as we sat there, holding hands for the first time in months, both of us scared and shaking.


I walked out into the hall where Yuna and the others sat, flexing my hands. Tidus looked up and grinned at me. "Girl's got a grip."

"Yeah, you got that right…" I couldn't help but grin back. Yuna jumped out of her seat and walked hastily toward the door, but I held out a hand to stop her. "They're giving her something so that she can sleep."

Yuna's eyes were clouded, troubled. "It's been five hours! Shouldn't she be delivering by now?" She whirled around and looked at Lulu. "Shouldn't she?"

Lulu shrugged. "These things take time, and if there are complications, they take longer. Relax, Yuna, you won't do Rikku any good like this." Yuna pouted a very familiar pout, and I glanced back toward the room.

"She wanted me to tell you all to get some rest." I sat in one of the chairs lining the walkway and put my head in my hands. "I can let you all know if anything happens."

Wakka shrugged. "Gippal, you been in there all day. Maybe you should get some rest before we leave."

I shook my head. When he'd spoken those words… it had made me feel even more obligated to stay, somehow. "I…" I flushed visibly, a rarity. "I missed out on everything so far. I want to be here when the baby comes."

Yuna and Lulu smiled softly at that. I grinned back before standing and stretching. "Rikku said you're staying at the hotel?"

Tidus nodded. "It's pricey, but… we're going to stay until Rikku can come home with us." Some strange emotion gripped my heart, and I frowned. I brushed it off quickly, and fished around in my pocket.

"The Faction owns a townhouse for Faction members who are on vacation or business trips or whatnot. No one is using it now, so…" I grinned and handed Yuna the key. "There's the key… there should be food, the housekeeper restocks once a week." We walked down the hall to the nurse's station, and I took a scribbled the address on a bit of paper, handing it to Yuna as well. "There's a CommSphere there, so I'll call and let you know if anything happens."

Yuna smiled and gave me a quick hug. "Thanks… we'll see you in the morning, if not sooner." I nodded and watched as they entered the lift.

"Sir? Your wife asked for you." An old nurse set a stack of papers down on the counter. "She's a strong one, she is. Three days of labor now… my goodness." I almost told the woman that Rikku definitely was not my wife, but… instead, I grinned to myself and walked slowly back down the hallway to her room.


"It might take a while to kick in, but you'll have a good night's rest." The doctor stuck the needle into my arm as I stared at the wall in exhaustion.

"Will I be needing a good night's rest?" I didn't even flinch as I felt the fluid enter my veins. I was much too tired to care.

"Hopefully tomorrow will be the day." The doctor sat in Gippal's vacated chair.

"And if it isn't?" I brushed my hair out of my face. Damn, I need a shower…

"I need your permission to help your child come into the world. Your labor isn't progressing, Rikku. Your body is realizing too late that things are progressing too early. We can't allow your body to try and halt the process now, though, otherwise your child will be at far more of a risk than he or she is at even now." That opened my eyes, and my hand wandered out of habit to my stomach.

"How bad is that risk right now? I know the baby is early, and I know that's my fault, but… babies can survive when they are early, can't they?"

The doctor smiled at me kindly. "Of course they can, and it's very common. Because you are young, small, and a first time mother, you're having a hard time. Most don't realize that the baby is going through a lot as well." He grinned and stood. "Don't worry too much. I'm sure you'll be fine. With your permission, if you don't go into a steady labor by tomorrow night, I can speed things up."

I considered it for a moment, and then nodded. "Okay… as long as it won't hurt the baby."

He shook his head. "It won't hurt the baby."

I nodded again, and the doctor smiled. As he left the room, a little old nurse entered to check my pulse, as she had been doing hourly since I'd arrived.

"Could I ask a favor?" She looked at me and smiled.

"Yes, dearie?"

"A blond man was outside with my friends… he's the baby's father. Could you ask him to come back?" I grinned tiredly as the woman fluffed my pillows and settled me in for the night.

"Of course, sweetie. You rest up, you hear? Tomorrow's going to be a big day." I nodded as she left the room, and stared at the ceiling until Gippal entered.


I sat next to her and she looked at me with a smile. She looked so tired… every time I looked at her my heart hurt. "How're you holding up, Cid's girl?" I took my seat next to her once again, taking her outstretched hand.

"… well, I'm holding up." For the first time since I'd arrived, she actually looked somewhat comfortable. She looked up at the ceiling. "I… I want to apologize."

I leaned back in my chair, following her gaze to the ceiling. "I already told you that I don't need an apology."

"I know. But I can't help feeling like a horrible person, toward you, toward the baby… I was talking to Yuna this morning, when she told me that she was going to have you come here. She told me not to feel the way I feel, but… I can't help it." A single tear rolled down her cheek.

"Rikku." I pushed myself out of the chair and I sat next to her on the bed. It was rather awkward, being so close to her after so long. "Why are you so upset?"

"I'm not ready for this." She shook her head. "What kind of a mother hides her baby? What kind of a person runs away from everything they've ever wanted and hides on some backwater island and makes herself miserable for months?" She shook her head, upset, but too drugged to be angry. "I can't take care of myself, let alone a baby."

"You can take care of yourself. You did what you thought was right. I'll admit that I was angry this morning when Yuna told me, but right now, I'm just glad to be sharing this moment with you." She looked up at me, her eyes a bit cloudy, her grip on my hand getting a bit weaker as the medication began to take effect.

"I'm scared, Gippal. I'm really, really scared. Pain I can deal with, but… what happens if something goes wrong?"

I smiled at her and gave her a small hug. "Then we deal with things as they come. I'm here now, and you don't have to go through it alone anymore."

She nodded, and I could see the question resonating in her eyes: Will you always be here? She squeezed my hand lightly and with much effort she scooted to the side of the bed. "Stay with me tonight, okay?"

I smiled softly and pushed her matted hair out of her face. She was dosing already, before I could even answer. I watched her for a few moments as she slept. Then, in a rare moment of sentimentality, I kissed her cheek and tentatively touched her stomach. "I love you… both of you." I was content, holding her once again. That feeling of her in my arms was no longer just a transient memory; it was real. It was everything I'd ever wanted.


This chapter was kind of a set-up for the events of the next one. Kind of boring, I know, but necessary. Thank you all so much for the reviews! Please continue to review, and don't be afraid to give constructive criticism!