A/N: Hey all! Okay, pretty much everyone of you that reviewed to my last chapter asked how the gangs above Luca. Since I'm not gonna bother explaining it in he chapter, I'll tell ya now. You now how they turned onto the shortcut, right? Well, if they had stayed on the main road, they would have went straught through Luca as planned. But becaise they turned off, they went up and around. Therefore, because they up and around they can see Luca. Haven't you ever gone the wrong way and nded up above your destination. Believe it or not, I have! Thanks to my Mom. Heh. Well, I hope that explains it. Here's chapter eight!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 8: Backtracking

0000

After the gang finished their venting on Tidus, they all got back into the Navigator, backtracked down the 'shortcut', and finally got back on the right path.

"I can't believe you," Lulu muttered for the umteenth time.

"I said I was sorry," Tidus sighed. "I've apologized a hundred times."

"What made you think that was a shortcut?" Wakka asked, leaning back in the seat. He was over being mad at Tidus, he just wanted to annoy him.

"I just did," Tidus replied curtly. He understood that he had gotten them lost...Okay he had gotten them lost twice, but he had still apologized over a hundered times and they had been on his case ever since they'd gotten back into the truck.

"He'll follow the map now, won't you Tidus?" Yuna turned to face the young man.

"Yeah, I will. Promise."

"You'd better," Lulu muttered.

"Ah, lighten up Lu." Wakka swung his arm around Lulu's shoulder and the mage couldn't help but smile slightly.

"Let's just put this whole ordeal behind us," Yuna said. "Tidus will follow the map and eveything will go smoothly."

"I agree," Rikku said.

The truck fell into a comfortable silence as they entered the busy city.

"We should make it through Luca quickly," Tidus said, breaking the silence. Everyone drove like a mad man in Luca. They should make it out of there in less than two hours.

"Then we should make it be able to make it to Mi'lhen Highroad by nightfall," Auron added.

"Ya, as long as we don't stop."

"That's fine with me," Yuna said. "How about everyone else?"

"We can rest when we get to Mi'lhen," Lulu stated simply.

"You know, I really need to wear my seatbelt," Rikku joked. "I don't want to end up on the loor again."

Tidus laughed. "It wasn't that bad. You know you liked it." He looked up into the rear-view mirror to see that Rikku had turned a light shade of pink. "Rikku, are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah, of course I am. I just couldn't think of a comeback." Riku ran a sweaty hand through her haid. If only Tidus knew how much she had liked it.

"I don't think it required a comeback," Yuna told her. She turned in her seat to stare at her cousin, and when she saw the flush in her cheeks, she started laughing.

"Yunie," Rikku hissed, which only caused her the young woman to laugh harder.

"Is she all right?" Auron asked, his gaze traveling from a laughing Yuna to an embarrassed Rikku, whose face was buried in her hands.

"Maybe she hit her head when you almost killed us, Tidus," Wakka joked.

"Maybe," Tidus laughed. "Are you okay, Yuna?"

"Yes," she replied, catching her breath. She hated to embarrass Rikku, but the look on her face...Yuna once again burst into a fit of giggles.

Rikku looked up at her cousin, groaned, and then shoved her face back into her hands. What does Yuna think she's doing? I wish I could just drop dead. Auron's sitting right beside me. He'll figure out soon enough why Yunie's laughing like mad woman. Is that really such a bad thing? These were a few of the thoughts running through her mind.

"Rikku?"

She didn't look up, but Rikku felt a hand gently touch her shoulder.

"Are you all right?" Auron continued.

Sighing, Rikku lifted her and tried her best to smile. "Yeah. I'm just tired." And I want to kill Yuna, she thought.

"Ah," Auron nodded, resting his hand on her shoulder a second longer before he pulled it away.

Rikku, feeling slightly better now, surveyed the people around her. Lulu was asleeping with her head rested on Wakka's shoulder, and Wakka had on headphones and was watching t.v. Yuna, now over her fit of giggles, was reading the map and Tidus was asking which was the best route to take.

"He must have really learned his lesson," Auron said, referring to Tidus' topic of conversation.

"Really." Rikku smiled and leaned back into her seat. "I'm glad, too. I don't want to waste half the day going down another 'shortcut'." She closed her eyes tried to get comfortable. She really was tired.

"Comfortable?" Auron smirked after watching her flop about in her seat.

"Not really," Rikku sighed. She turned and hit the back of her seat a couple of time in an attempt to 'fluff' it up. Giving up, Rikku sighed again.

As Auron watched Rikku try her best to get comfortable and fail miserably, he noticed a smile tugging at his lips. He also couldn't help but realize how incredibly cute she was when she was frustrated. Well, he might as well admit that he thought she was cute all of the time. You can't hide the truh from yourself...

"Are you all right?" Rikku asked, looking over at Auron who had a far away look on his face. When he didn't answer her right away, she placed a hand on his forearm.

At Rikku's touch, Auron jerked his gaze in her direction. "What?"

"Are you all right?"

"Yes. Just thinking."

Rikku smiled and moved back to her side of the seat. "I wish I could think. I'm to tired."

Acting on a quick impulse, Auron grabbed Rikku and pulled her close to his side. "Feel free to rest against me," he muttered, barely above a whisper. He ran a hand through his slightly graying hair, feeling embarrased over the foolish thing he had done. What if she pulled away? Then he'd feel like a complete idiot.

"Thanks," Rikku mumbled into Auron's shoulder, though wasn't sure if he could hear her over the pounding of her heart.

Instead of saying anything, Auron gave her a quick squeeze and turned to look out the window, praying that Rikku couldn't hear the pounding of his own heart.

0000

Time to reply to my reviewers...

Shadows-of-Flame: I'm not a real mushy person. Heh. But I can be sometimes! Gald you like!

Cloudude: Did I answer your question? I never really hought it through...you guys made me! He!

Shaunamitchell: Glad you like it! I thought it was pronounced Tee-dus, but I wasn't sure.

Ashito/Rikku: You screamed anyways...Lol!

Madae Lulu: They didn't die! That would suck! Heh! Did you ever figure out what was wrong with your Mom? My Mom does that sometimes...but I'm usually with her. Ha! But, I must disagree with you on one thing: I am the video game QUEEN! And, I've not reviewed to your fic ye, but I will!

Xmaster: Atleast you can review now! I'll go back and fix my mistakes...someday. Hehe! I'm to lazy...Anyways, glad you like it!

Tetre-Assassin: They get down with gravity. Wings would be nice, but they don't have any. Heh...I could make them...naw. That's just kinda weird.

A/N: Chapter eight is done! Took me a little longer to up-date this one. I've been goofing off, and I have another fic in the Tales of Symphonia section...(hint hint) Well, did I clear things up about the whole 'above Luca' thing? Hmm, well, not much else to say except to review! You know I love to hear from you guys! Oh, did anyone watch that one Fear Factor about a month ago? They had a special couples episode for about 7 episodes, and one of the guys looked like Tidus! They made it to th end, but they didn't win. I laughed everytime I saw him. He had the hair, the eyes, everything...It was kinda freaky. Well, guess that's it. Remember to review! Nine will be up soon!