Author's note: I own nothing except this plot. Thank you and goodnight.

Okay everyone here is chapter four. I was very pleased to see so many people responded in the past few days. So here you go, chapter four, a little tardy, but I'm graduating in two weeks, so things are hectic. As awlways, R&R and enjoy!

Don't know why

"Chocolate chip and we have a deal.", Gippal said.

He looked extremely pleased with himself - as if he thought he'd just said the absolute cutest thing in the world.

Chocolate chip?, I thought, He just pretended like he was going to… and I wanted… no, I didn't want – I thought… I thought… he… HE TRICKED ME!

I stood there, mouth agape, and decided that it was, as Paine put it, "hurt time."

I pushed him hard – so hard he fell backwards onto the sand.

"What the hell –", he started, getting very angry.

Stupid jerk.

"Stupid jerk." I was smoldering.

"What?" he asked.

"You know exactly 'what'!" I screamed, pushing him once again as he got up.

"Actually, no I don't" he replied, growing louder with every word. I saw this as a challenge and welcomed it with open arms.

"Bullshit! You know and I know and everyone knows! They all talk about it all the time!"

"What the fu– What are you talking about?"

"Everyone! My own Brother says no one wants me and everyone else feels sorry for me… And you – you're – I…"

"Calm down and stop screaming", he replied through gritted teeth.

I was too worked up to calm down.

"You calm down!" I threw back at him, although it was quite possibly the dumbest comeback I'd ever used.

"What is your problem today?"

"SHUT UP!", I screamed.

I could feel my heartbeat inside my brain and I was having a hard time catching my breath.

"Rikku?"

I looked up and saw that Gippal's appearance had suddenly changed from anger to an expression of surprise and worry.

He reached out and gently touched my cheek with one gloved finger, to pull it back the next second and examine a drop of moisture on it.

I became aware that I was crying: not the loud, red-faced bawling, but those silent tears that seem to have been wrung from your heart.

"Rikku, what's the problem?" He seemed baffled. He reached out to grab one of my hands, eyebrows raised in a worried fashion.

"I'm… tired, I guess", I replied as he took one of my hands.

Honestly, I didn't know what the problem was. I'm not even sure I wanted to know what the problem was. Did I even have a problem?

"Well… umm, okay then. You want company?"

I looked up at him and shook my head. "I'm going to go to bed, I think."

"You want me to walk you back?"

I wondered why Gippal was being so nice to me all of a sudden. He was always…

That's when it hit me. He was always playing around with me. It was always good-natured of course, but he was never this… docile. What was I thinking?

It was just Gippal, and that's how Gippal is - Nothing out of the ordinary, right?

Wrong, a voice in my head answered.

Wrong?

Wrong, Rikku. Something was different. You know it and I know it.

What was different?

You know.

No, I don't.

Yes, you do.

I have no idea.

Yes, you do… Just think about it.

Isn't that what you're here for, you stupid voice? What was different?

Well, for starters, you got goose bumps. What does that tell you?

I was cold…?

Rikku…

What?

You know.

No… I was cold.

Rikku. Come on. You know what it meant.

"COLD!" I screamed aloud, stamping my feet.

Gippal appeared to think that I had lost my mind. "…What are you talking about?"

I ha no idea what to say.

"Oh I was talking to the voice in my head about you and my goose bumps. Nothing unusual."

Not a chance.

I struggled for a way to get out of this somewhat gracefully. "It's too cold out here and I need a jacket…" I trailed off lamely.

He looked at me with a strange expression on his face.

I shifted around, trying not to look into his… eyes. I noticed then that he wasn't wearing that dumb eye patch. It almost made me giggle. That thing was so stupid looking – he just thinks it makes him look cool!

He's very attractive either way…

Shut-up, you dumb voice! I don't care!

"Well," he said, interrupting my internal conflict, "I don't want to have anything to do with your discomfort princess. I'll leave you to yourself." His voice had a slight sting to it, as if he felt that his rare display of kindness had been wasted. However, I started past him anyway. Maybe now that ridiculous voice will leave me alone. Listen to me… Voices. I'm going nuts.

"Wait."

I thought about ignoring him, but I stopped reluctantly to see what he wanted.

"Didn't you say you were trying to get away from Buddy?"

"Yeah… how come?" I asked.

"Well, he's bound to be in there, you know that right?"

I laughed out loud. "No, he's bound to be busy for quite awhile."

Gippal looked at me suspiciously. "And why is that?"

I fought back a fit of laughter. "Let's just say that he's keeping Brother entertained."

"You told Brother Buddy was hiding something from him, didn't you?" he asked, comprehension showing on his face.

I nodded vigorously, flashing him a conspiratorial smile.

"So…?" he asked.

" 'So' what?"

"I thought you were freezing and wanted me to leave you alone?"

My smile faded. I wasn't sure what I was doing anymore. Damn voice. Why did I get so mad at Gippal? What did I think was going to happen? What did I want to happen…?

… Most importantly, why was he looking at me like he was?

… Goose Bumps? the voice in my head asked.

Yup.

So… What are you going to do now?

Like you have to ask?

"What'd I do NOW!" I could hear Gippal calling after me as I ran off into the desert night.

Okay, there it is. Chapter five ahould be up shortly. I hit a wall with this, but I've got some new direction now. And, yes, Gippal will be in almost all, if not every chapter form now on.

Thanks to MorbidityEmbodied, Cabana Boy, and Simply Elena for chapter three reviews.

Hope you liked it!

brittany