Lost Promise

By Okapiangel

A/N: Takes place about three years after the end of FFX2. This is just the first chapter – I've actually decided to write an epic! Here's hoping that it gets done  As always, feel free to comment (actually, I love them – they inspire me to keep writing) and if you have any questions go ahead and ask, I usually manage to reply 

Disclaimer: Don't own them.

"Mmmm… Just a little more sunscreen – I really don't want to get burned…" It was shameless, really, and I knew it. But how often was I able to get a nice, strong, handsome, tanned man willing to meet my every demand. Not that I ever have many demands. And as far as demands go, mine are hardly demanding. Just a little sunscreen, some harmless flirting, lose the shirt and dote upon me. Not too much to ask really. After all, this was my vacation – and Lord knows I deserved one after three years of helping Pops rebuild Home. We were making progress – there was beginning to be a skeleton of the city we had lost. And with all the sandstorms, and the endless meetings with the Machine Faction (I promise I'll explain all of it later) I was definitely way overdue for the rest and relaxation I was getting this week. This vacation was unquestionably making it onto my top ten vacations of all time.

"Just a little lower, that's where I always manage to burn." I grinned as he moved his hands lower on my back. He really had such nice hands – large and calloused – but definitely gentle. You could tell he worked with his hands often. They had such raw power but you could feel how he constantly kept it under control. I absolutely loved this man – he positively was my type: strong, confident, and skilled. I could tell that this wasn't the first time he'd done this. His hand grazed the top of my butt and it sent tingles straight up my spine. Had I been my cousin, I would have been shocked – appalled even – but I wasn't her. Instead, I was exhilarated. When we finally got Home rebuilt, I was seeing to it personally that this guy got hired. I never put much stock in being the "leader of the Al Bhed's daughter," but if it got me a personal cabana boy then I was definitely going to pull rank.

"I think you're nearly there…" Ok, it was bad. It was actually beyond bad. Pops would KILL me. Brother would KILL him (The cabana boy – not Pops. Though come to think of it, I wouldn't put it past him to kill Pops either. They haven't been on good terms lately.) But let's get back to me. Honestly, how many vacation flings does a girl have anyhow? Not many when Cid's her dad, I'll tell you that. Someone always knows who I am and it gets back to him, and then it becomes a HUGE useless lecture about how I can't be viewed as a slut when I'm going to be leader someday. Then I argue that Brother is older than I am and that he should be leader and Pops usually tells me, "Over my dead body!" And it's really no use arguing that when its time to pick a new leader that he'll probably be dead anyhow. So yeah. No flings for Rikku when she gets her vacation. But this time I'm having one. No one is going to spoil this fling for me. I want the kind that you look back on and remember when you're old and grey and saggy – not that I EVER am becoming old and grey and saggy; especially because saggy is just beyond gross.

But this guy was earning definite brownie points. Besides giving the world's best massage, he was whispering something in my ear. I must have looked confused, because he whispered it again, his voice low and sexy. First thing on my "To Do List": find out this guy's name and reserve him for the rest of the week.

"I think the front of you might need some sunscreen…" In one smooth motion I was lying on my back and staring at his gorgeous face.

…That was coming closer to mine…

…Just like in the movies, my eyes closed automatically…

…Oh Lord…I've died and gone to the farplane…

And as his lips met mine, I couldn't help but think how … grainy he was. And come to think of it, when did it start to rain?

I opened an eye warily, and didn't find myself staring at the man of my dreams, but rather at a sopping wet toddler. Who was sprinkling sand on me – and some of it got into my eye.

"Ugh!" I sat up, wishing I could go back to sleep and back to my dream man as I hunted half blindly for any kind of water to wash the sand out of my eye. "It would have to be a dream…" I muttered as my eye began to water. I wondered at whoever decided to bring a toddler to the beach anyhow. Certainly wasn't my idea! As I finally found water and proceeded to dump it on my face, I couldn't believe my ears – the little rat was laughing at me!

"What's so funny Runt? Don't think I won't beat you to a pulp." But somehow the vision of an angry blonde woman who was cleaning out her eye in desperate hopes of regaining vision didn't strike the proper fear into a three-and-a-half year old. Instead, he began to laugh harder and jump in the sand, "Funny Auntie! Auntie Rikku dancing!"

I blinked, the sand finally done tormenting me. Who could really get mad at the kid? He was adorable, still baby chubby, with dimples in both cheeks and knees. And such a shock of red hair – he really did look like his father. But he had his mother's complexion. Lulu, who I'm sure had heard the commotion earlier but felt it was more entertaining to watch as a three-year-old single handedly brought a famed guardian and Gullwing to her knees (remind me to thank her later), finally chose this time to swoop down on her son. "Vidina, leave your Aunt Rikku alone. You know better than to throw sand on people," though her voice was soft, Lulu was firm, and her son had already learned not to mess with Mama. Daddy was fine, but Mama meant business.

What can I say? I took pity on the kid. "Don't worry about it Lulu. I'll just feed him to the whales." I picked up the sandy, red-headed mess and headed towards the ocean. This of course had the desired effect and the kid began to shriek in my arms, though whether it was terror or fun I haven't decided. Yuna told me she thought it was terror, but I maintain the kid knew I was teasing. But even if he didn't, next time I'll be able to get a nap at the beach.

That's how I was spending my vacation. Not on some secluded island with the man of my dreams, but on Besaid with my extended family. Wakka and Lulu were busy welcoming their second child into the world – a little girl, this time with her mother's hair and her father's complexion. She was barely a week old, which was the cause of the vacation in the first place. Yuna was there too, she moved back to Besaid with Tidus shortly after their wedding last year. It was such a huge affair, and since Yuna's really been a such a private person her whole life, we all knew that it was just a matter of time before she went home. They've been like lovebirds since he came back (don't get me started on HOW he came back, it's really too long of a story, and I've told it too many times before.) But now they were worse – though it really became comical after awhile. Paine and I actually created a drinking game based off them – everyone takes a shot every time they do something puketastic. And believe me; they do it often enough, though they really are trying to be better about it. But now they're expecting their first child! Yuna's about three months along. I can hardly believe that I'm going to be an actual aunt! Paine was supposed to come to Besaid with me, but Baralai called her last minute, saying he needed her to be there for something or another; I wasn't really paying attention when Yuna told me. Who would have believed that Paine and Baralai would hook up? Ok… we all did…

So in a nutshell, that's where we're all at in the world. Everyone is hooking up and settling down. Well, everyone but me anyhow. But don't go feeling sorry for me – I don't want to hook up. Contrary to my recent dream, I am happy being single. I'm not tied down to anyone, I'm free to throw myself one hundred percent into what I'm doing and I don't have anyone to watch out for. And with all the work I'm doing trying to get Home rebuilt, there's really no time to feel lonely. My life is nearly perfect, and I'm happy. And that's really all you can ask for in life.

So, now that I've bored you with my rambling, lets continue where we left off. I was standing knee deep in the ocean and had a sopping wet, shrieking toddler in my arms. I know what you're thinking – life doesn't get much better than this. On the contrary – you don't know what good friends I am with fate.

Those of you who can sense the sarcasm – ten respect points to you.

Yes – I stole Paine's respect points. I had to! Too many people were loosing them. So she takes them away, and I give them out, and every time she catches me, I loose about ten points. But I'm so far in the negative that it doesn't matter anymore.

Anyhow, where was I? Oh yeah! Fate was about to give me a giant bite on the bum.

So to interrupt this wonderful bonding moment Vidina and I were having, out comes Tidus waving his arms like an idiot. Though he really is a charming idiot whom my cousin is happily married to – and consequently I'm related to. But that's ok, because Brother is my, well, brother, so I'm used to being related to an idiot. Anyways, Tidus comes out, calling to us (at least I thought it was for all of us, since he and Wakka were grilling chocobo for dinner). But in actuality, he was waving at me.

"Rikku! You've got a call on the CommSphere!" If I looked confused, its because I couldn't hear him over the runt.

"Ssh kid… Come on, lets go back to Mama. You can tell her how Auntie Rikku tried to kill you this time." I waded back in and handed off Vidina.

"What's up Tidus?"

"Cid's on the CommSphere for you." Tidus didn't look to happy, and I'm sure I didn't either. I had specifically told Pops NOT to call me, because I was on VACATION. I groaned, "Tell him I died." Tidus laughed, "I already tried that. He won't listen. Says its something important about Home." Well, that did it. I had to go talk to Pops now.

My mind raced as I ran to Tidus and Yuna's home. What in Spira could have happened? I'd only been gone for three days! There was no way that anything terrible could have happened in just THREE days. Brother was still out with Buddy doing repairs on the Celsius. They told me that they had planned to be out for a week remodeling. And with Brother out of the way things usually ran a heck of a lot smoother. Upon entering the house I saw the blue glow of the sphere, and kneeled down beside it.

"What's up Pops? I told you I'm on vacation!"

I really should have known that something was wrong. Pops looked worried. And worried is different from his usual angry look – trust me, you learn to read Pops' moods when you're his daughter. Actually, sitting there looking at him, I realized just how old he was beginning to look. He wasn't really all that old either -- it must have been the stress of trying to lead a group of people and rebuild their city at the same time. Not too many people could have handled it. Pops was the rarity.

His voice was strained as he answered, "Rikku, you need to come here right away. Home's been destroyed."