Disclaimer: No, these characters do not belong to me, no matter how much I wish they would. They belong to Square-Enix. The story however belongs to me. If you steal my story, you're no better than a rotten scoundrel. That said, I can't prevent anyone from stealing it if they should wish to. I'm sharing this with everyone because I really think that Baralai and Rikku makes such a cute pair. Hopefully, you think so too. . Enjoy it. This is for those that reviewed it and wanted it to continue.

Chapter 2

Rikku props her elbows on top of the machina as she peeps down at him. She grinned at him in excitement as she says, "Well? Well? What do you think? Isn't it such a swell thing? Its quite useful right?" Each of the eight hands on the machina held a watering can as they started to water the flowers in the greenhouse. "Machina ain't bad, you just need to know how to use it and find the right person to show you how to! " Rikku declares cheerily as she leaps down from the machine towards him.

He catches her easily in his arms. Baralai smiled slightly down to her as he kissed her tenderly on her forehead first before kissing her lightly on her lips. Pulling away, he tapped her nose with his finger, "And you're the expert that I have to find to teach me, aren't you?" He replied softly as he traces the blush on her cheeks with the tip of his finger before pausing to rub at the streak of oil on her face, "And you're dirty again..." He said gently.

Rikku wrinkles her nose up towards him and laughed, "I don't know where did that come from!" Rikku smiled up towards him and tiptoes up to kiss him as her arms wound around his neck. This time it was Baralai's turn to blush as he hastily cast a glance around the area. Finding it devoid of any lifeforms other than the two of them, a tiny smile curves the corner of his lips. "You know...there's nobody here." He murmurs softly against her lips before pulling her closer to him. Rikku giggled as the machine clatters around, splashing the water onto the flowers.

Baralai woke up slowly from the dream. His head was throbbing as though there were a thousand Al-Bheds within dancing up a storm. The first thing that comes into his sight was the green swirly eyes of an Al-Bhed child. The child was simply staring at him intently and seriously. Looking slightly older than a toddler, the child was wearing one of those flappy dog-earred type of hat that covered his entire head and had flaps at the sides. The boy also wore a pair of child-sized goggles above his head as he continued staring at the Baralai. Once the Praetor's eyes were fully open, the child solemnly climbed down the bed where he had perched upon and trotted out of the tent.

Shrugging his shoulders lightly, Baralai tried to sit up, but found that he could not. His hands and legs were bound tightly by rope and he could not move. The hangover that he was having also did not help to lighten his mood. He cursed to himself. "My...my... looks like someone has developed an extensive vocabulary. You never used to use those words." The familiar arrogant voice rang out as Gippal strolled into the room. The little boy had both his small hands on Gippal's hand and had apparently lead him in. Looking down on the boy, Gippal grinned fondly as he pressed his hand lightly down on the little boy's head, "Allright, you did a good job. Now run along and go play with he other kids. Nothing much to see here." The boy peers up towards Gippal passively before releasing his hand to scamper off.

"What do you want, Gippal? Why have you taken me? New Yevon would have your head for this." Baralai responded with his usual calmness, "Or the Youth League."

He moved faster than Baralai expected. Gippal slammed an arm against Baralai's throat, an arrogant smirk crossing his lips, "I'm not sure what you're trying to say. In case you've forgotten, you're a Prisoner of War and you're here with us now." He watched as Baralai's face turned slightly blue from the lack of air before he releases the man. With the rush of the breath through his airway, Baralai coughed repeatedly. He barely had time to recover before Gippal's fist crashed into his jaw. "That's for Cid's girl... for hurting her so badly... "

"My name... is Rikku. How many times do I have to tell you that?" Rikku's voice came weakly from the entrance. She was leaning against a staff, incidentally Baralai's staff. "And Gippal, I'm so proud of you, hitting a man who can't hit back. That's really very brave and tough of you." Rikku continues. Baralai turned his head to look at her, the blood oozing from his cut lip where Gippal's fist had found. Her face was pale as the white bandage across her forehead. There was something different about her. A small and sad droop to her lips and the weariness in her eyes that he had not noticed before.

"Cid's girl! Didn't Yuna say that you should not be out of your bed for a couple of days?" Gippal asked as he moved towards her, his arm moving to go around her shoulder as he brought her close to him so that she may use his body for support. Rikku leaned gratefully against him as her hand releases the staff, allowing it to fall to the ground. Gippal leaned down to kiss her on the forehead, "You're still not fully recovered yet."

Pain. Baralai felt a sharp pain laced through his chest at the sight of that affectionate gesture. Unconsciously, his lips curved into a sneer as the words spill out from him, "Please... go get a tent or is she such a slut that she likes to perform in public in front of other people. Ah! I remember that last time, she did enjoyed it tremendously out in the open. She probably wanted everyone to see... "

'Why you... ?" Gippal stepped forward, his fist rushing forward towards Baralai only to meet with a Rikku-resistance.

"Gippal! NO!" Rikku says faintly, while she clung to him as tightly as she can.

"Rikku, why do you keep stopping me from hitting him! He deserves it! He's an asshole!" Gippal turns to look at her with exasperation as he turned to look at Baralai, scowling fiercely at him.

"No... Gippal, there's no point in capturing him to broker for peace if you're going to hit him." Rikku says softly as she abruptly collapses against him.

"Rikku! Rikku!" Gippal called out anxiously as he held her close to him to prevent her from dropping to the floor. He looked around anxiously as he gently props her against a pole. Running to the bed, he shoved Baralai to the floor before moving to pick Rikku and place her on the bed. "Hang tight, Rikku. I'll get Yuna to come in and look at you." Gippal says softly, swiftly brushing her forehead with his hand as he takes off. Baralai was ignored as he lay on the floor, trussed up like a celebratory turkey.

Baralai pulls his knees close to him as he pushes against the bed, thrusting upwards with his legs as he manages to use the momentum to sit upright. Quietly, he turned to study her. She was so pale. Her lips were chalk white. The blood had seeped through the bandage. Why hadn't she been healed? Why was she still losing blood? These questions ran through his head as he gazed at her. Up close, he could see some subtle changes in her. She was still so petite. Her hands were so small. He remembered holding them and how they fit right into his palm. Her hair had grown longer and had darkened to a honey blonde colour. He remembered running his fingers through her hair as he held her in his arms. With those thoughts came the frustration. No! Baralai did not want to remember these things. She left him. She hurt him. She deserved to die like every single one of her people. The pain increased in its intensity as the unbidden memories flew into his mind.

"Guess who?" Baralai whispered into her ear as his hands covered her eyes.

Rikku laughed as she pretends to guess, "It's... Gippal!"

"I sure hope not, I don't think I would like it if he was in the same bed as you." Baralai replies with amusement.

"No no! Then its Paine." Rikku continues, giggling to herself.

"Do I really sound like a woman?" He asks dryly.

"Well then, it'll be the Praetor from New Yevon!" Rikku declares cheerfully, "Mister Baralai!"

"Smart girl." Baralai murmurs softly as he bends to kiss her ear and then her cheek before turning her to face him. Smiling down at her, he ran a hand lightly along her braid.

"So what do I get then?" Rikku asks impetuously.

"Me." Baralai replies quietly.

"Aw...I can get you...anytime...Mmm..." Her words were silence by his lips as his arms go around her body to hold her.