a/n: This was posted a day late. I'm not going to lie and say my computer crashed, I was banned from the internet or my new chapter "mysteriously" deleted itself. ...the sad pathetic truth is ... i've been sulking over my ex-boyfriend for an entire week and haven't been in the mood to write. Sorry for the delay.

Chapter: Eight:

"Heres to Seventeen"

When Khan and I were younger, each others birthdays used to be a source of dread for us.

We would glare out each other with so much jelousy as our parents showered endless loving attention on the opposing child.

It had been many years since I'd felt any sort of coming apprehension waking up on Khans birthday ... but today was different.

As happy as I was to see family, and a certain someone else today, that excitement couldn't help but to be pushed into the back of my mind by the mingling sense of fear of my parents.

Today they the would see each other for the for time in which seemed forever.

At age fifteen there was so much I didn't understand, but I understood that today would bring no peace for either of my parents.

"Neeka are you ready yet?" Mum whined.

It was rather hipocritical of her that she would insinuate I had been getting ready for hours, when it was in fact her who had been up at the crack of dawn, doing her hair and trying on endless outfits.

I really had no idea she had so many clothes stashed away.

I walked into the bathroom where mum was putting on some beautiful dangling earings.

"Mum i've been ready for like an hour ... " I groaned

Mum just ignored me and continued working at her appearance in the bathroom mirror.

"Are those the earrings dad gave you?" I questioned confused

"Yes they are" Mum answered offhandedly

The silence that followed was enough to say that the conversation was over.

We finally left the house a half and hour later.

At least mum looked fantastic.

Khans seventeenth was taking place at some reception center in Luca and mum and I travelled there by airship

Khan had stayed at a friends house the night before, so he would be making his own way to his party.

Before going to the reception center, mum and I had another obligation to deal with.

Mishaai

Regretfully mum did invite him as her date ... the thought of dad getting the better of her had pushed her to do the sickening.

So we met Mishaai at a small coffee shop in Luca, he was fiddling with his bow tie and slicking down his hair in a cafe booth.

Mum knocked the coffee shop window, making Mishaai jump ... he then exited the coffee shop and met us outside.

I looked Mishaai up and down ... he was the perfect pretty boy poster boy you loved to hate.

No brains, all looks and greasy charm.

As far as I knew Mishaai was quite well off, he was some close relative to the Al Bhed entrepreneur Rin ... which was probably how he got his high rank position in the excavation camps.

"You both look absolutely stunning ... lead the way!" Mishaai announced

I doubted I had ever felt so nervous at the moment when, Mum, Mishaai and I walked into the reception center.

Not many people had arrived yet, the room was still being set up ... Khan wasn't there, nor was dad... but Jame was.

Jame hadn't noticed us yet, he standing on a chair and taping some swirled green balloons to the ceiling with his back turned

So I stood behind him, opening my mouth and shutting it ... just trying to find something remotely interesting to say.

Looking back I guess I should of just said Hi, but I was trying for something slightly more witty then that.

Unfortunately he turned around before I had a chance to say anything at all and he got a nice look at me with my mouth open like a goldfish.

Jame, startled by my appearance lost his balance on the chair and fell.

"Are you okay" I shrilled

"Didn't hurt a bit" He gasped, lying on the floor with his face covered by his hands ... probably trying to conceal the pain.

"Really?" I asked hopefully

"Not a bit" He answered brightly trying stand up ... but falling back down again

"Ow theres goes the spine" He muttered

"Jame get up ... we have work to do!" Mum yelled, her voice cracking like a whip.

"Yes miss" He groaned

Some hour and a half later the reception center was looking marvelous, green streamers floated about and swirly green balloons bounced off the roof.

A large banner saying "Happy Seventeenth hunny bunny" decorated the wall

More and more people were beginning to arrive ... but still no sign of dad.

Finally Khan crept nervously into the hall, fearing large blown up baby photos would be plastered all over the wall.

Little did he know mum was saving that for his 21st

"Happy Birthday Hunny Bunny" Mum cried, hugging her oldest offspring tightly

"Thanks mum" Khan said lightly, but his eyes looked sad as he gazed around the room, looking for the missing person.

I don't know if it was a coincidence, or if Khan had any psychic abilities that he wasn't telling us about ... but either way dad walked in at exact moment with Aera trailing boredly at his heals.

Mum kind of looked gob smacked for a second, even though she had been expecting it ... and then she just looked so heartbreakingly sad ... not angry, just sad ... and then it was gone.

Mum blinked and composed herself quickly, flashing a fake smile at Mishaai and making her way across the room to talk to him, ignoring dad completely.

Dads eyes didn't leave mums back once ... his expression was hard to read, but then again it always had been.

The most chilling part was Khan and dad.

Everyone in the room seem to become dark insignificant shadows while Khan and Dad stood some feet apart staring transfixed at each other ... waiting for one to make a move.

The dark insignicant shadows in my mind become people once again as Jame welcomed everyone.

"Thanks everyone for coming to my best mates birthday ... heres to Khan ... and heres to seventeen!" Jame yelled over the crowd

Khan shot Jame a half hearted grin, but he was still too distracted by dads presence to do much.

Dad walked over to Khan and kind of ruffled his hair.

They begun talking, Khan was looking at the ground and shrugging while Dad looked up at the ceiling

I wish I could hear what they were saying but the music was too loud.

So I watched them like an animal watching it's prey until sometime tapped me on the back.

"Like my speech Gippals girl?" Jame asked

"You forgot to give me a personal thank you" I said playfully sticking my tongue out

"What for, helping with the decorations or nearly crippling me?"

My "I'm really really really really sorry about that" was drowned out by one of Khans favorite songs being turned up ridiculously loud

Jame tapped his ear as to say ... what did you say?

"I cant hear you!" I mimed

Jame shook his head, smiling and grabbed my hand and begun leading me somewhere

It had to be the most thrilling moment of my short life ... I sincerely hoped he wasn't leading me to the punch table.

Apparently he wasn't because he shoved me into a door the led me outside of the reception center ... it was a deserted little courtyard.

Being outside was like taking a breathe of fresh air after hiding under your blankets for some time.

"I can hear the voices in my head" Jame cried dramatically

"and what can you hear" I questioned shyly

Jame just smiled playfully

"What?" I asked with confusion, praying my make up didn't look too horrible in natural sun light.

... and then he kissed me.

Now that had to be the most thrilling moment of my life.

It was really my first real, real kiss ... those stupid spin the bottle games or a small peck on the lips never really counted for me.

This was the real deal, and I couldn't of been happier at that moment.

All my parents problems were blown to the back of my mind by that one fantastic kiss.

So I kissed him back ... with pretty much everything I had

"Wow Gippals girl" Jame said pleased as he pulled away

I think I probably resembled an extremely bruised tomato at that point.

So I laughed, because it was the only thing I could think to do ... Jame also begun to laugh histerically.

We must of looked strange to hidden prying eyes ... we were two people who went from kissing passionately to laughing insanely.

Life worked in very strange ways.

For the first time in months I considered that fact that not matter how bad the situation ... it wasn't the end of everything.

When Jame and I walked back into the reception center, at different times of course to divert suspicion ... the party still raged on as if I had never left

Only I walked back in as a slightly happier person.

I decided to talk to dad, who was sitting outcasted in a corner with Aera.

"Hi Dad" I bided

"Hey princess, having fun?" Dad asked, still staring at mum who was chatting enthusiastically with Mishaai.

"Yeah" I answered

"Neeka ... princess ... favorite daughter, can you do me a favor?" Dad asked quickly, cutting straight to the chase.

"What?" I asked curiously

"See these papers here?" Dad asked, unfolding some official papers that were hidden in his pocket.

"What are they?" I asked, not liking the look of them.

They had that kind of negative feel about them, like an envelop containing bills.

"Just stuff regarding the ... uh"

"Divorce?" I offered

"Make sure you mother gets them please" Dad pleaded

What I really wanted to do was tear up the papers, or tell dad to do his own dirty work ... but I didn't.

I accepted the papers and walked across the room, doing as dad asked.

"Where did you disappear to before?" Mum questioned with a suggestive smile

How was it that mums seemed to know almost everything?

"Getting fresh air" I replied, it wasn't exactly a lie anyway I thought, trying to rid myself of the blush working it's way up to my cheeks.

"If you say so kiddo ... what are those?" Mum asked warily, staring at the official looking papers.

"Ah dad asked me to give them to you" I answered

An annoyed expression came over her face.

"This is childish ... why couldn't he walk half way across the room and give them to me himself" Mum said coldly, shaking her head

I just shrugged in reply

Mum rolled her eyes and did the unexpected ... she walked straight across the room and shoved the papers in dads face.

"What are these?" Mum asked Dad sharply

Dad seemed to sink back into the wall slightly ... he also looked rather shocked.

"A draft for the settlement" Dad answered, composing himself.

"Did Mr. Matherson not contact you and tell you I wished to wait until after my sons birthday ... not half way through it to receive this draft" Mum questioned quite calmly

So that was her divorce lawyers name. I had often wondered who would help make my parents separation official.

"Yes Mr. Matherson did inform me of your wishes to wait until after our sons birthday but now seemed like a good opportunity"

Hearing mum and dad speak so formally to each other was so indescribably weird.

"Very well, but I'd like to save all ... this ... till our meeting on the 13th" said mum, handing him back the menacing papers, her hands shook slightly.

And as dad accepted the papers again ... I could of sworn I saw his hands shaking to.

Mishaai the moron sailed across the room to my parents and I, probably seeing an opportunity to mess things up even more.

"Hello Mr. Machine Faction Leader" Mishaai bided, bowing slightly "I love the work your team has been doing on the Ospirius Sactors" he added

"The Osirius Factors" Dad corrected, pleased to make an idiot of mums new 'friend'

"Yes that was what I meant Mr. Machine Faction Leader" Mishaai replied sheepishly

"Please, your dating my ex-wife ... call me Gippal" Dad nodded with a twisted smile

Mum then led Mishaai away from my manical looking father, with a slightly distressed look on her face.

"I like her dress" said Aera, who had been previously silent through out the whole thing.

I could really think of no reply to that ... so I just bided them goodbye and wondered if I could smuggle some Al Bhed beer without anyone noticing.

When I arrived home I collapsed exhaustedly on my bed and played a game with my moogle, the game consisted of throwing it against my ceiling as hard as I could

Not a particularly constructive thing to do, but I seemed to do it a lot lately, especially when I was in one of my thinking moods.

Today hadn't been a sad day, in fact it had been kind of comical in a ironic twisted way ... when it came to my parents anyway

I came to the realisation that things had to get better, no matter how bad things were ... they could always be worse and today could of been a lot worse, believe me.

With the hope that maybe, just maybe things could improve.

I felt some sort of peace that night, and I stopped throwing my moogle doll.

a/n: That was chapter 8, and it was the hardest freakin' chapter I ever had to write. Ugh, so many dead ends and all I wanted to do was inflict some serious misery and depression on my characters. Fortunately I have some sort of will power ... I just had to repeat to myself "angry feelings over ex boyfriend must not get in way of story" ... so it didn't and I finally completed the chapter. Hope you liked it, I know it wasn't one of my best ... Review please? they cheer me up and I need some serious cheering up.


Review Replies: (hehe, i'm getting more and more reviews each chapter )


crazy j.d:
haha, sorry about the confusion ... I was high on coffee and I no clue what I was typing, lol

Jezzi
I know what you mean by 'slaying demons' this fic is helping me a lot as well. That had to be one of the most touching reviews i've recieved.

randomcat23
Chapter seven was rather depressing wasn't it. I'm trying hard for individual reactions, I found it important Khan and Neeka should have two completely different reactions, but Rikku is the hardest to write, i'm trying to bring on the feeling that she is very strong on the outside, but deeply hurt and sad on the inside.

Jen
I, myself was nearly in tears by the last scene of chapter seven. I felt terrific after reading your review, especially about Khans anger, lol, not that I want you to be angry. I'm just proud I made you angry, if that makes sense?

K-Jaye
Yay i've made another favourites list hugs thankyou! ... hugs

- (no identity)
lol, writing the luggage scene made me laugh. Brother and Fshea were meant to be some sortof comic relief ... HEAVE!

madmaz
yay my darling Madmaz!

Thanks for another great review, they are so detailed and helpful, I love em 2 bits. The Khan/Neeka chat with originally supposed to be a Rikku/Neeka chat so feel responsible for the great turn out!

I'm glad you picked up on Khan being torn, because trust me he is. The person he's moulding himself to be has been tarnished, I guess he's suffering some sort of identity crisis or something. Yeah, the point of this chapter was to show things slightly looking up, but I guess it had it sad moments about it as well. So ... what do you think of the Neeka/Jame development. I was trying not to make their kiss corny or cliche. I hope I succeeded. Thanks for the concern about my mum and I. Things are certainly better now and this fic is actually helping my deal with a lot of problems in my own life ... I should of started writing sooner.

Antimusicman:

R1: i'll take the realism as a compliment, it's been my ultimate aim!

R2: lol, yeah it's sad they must hate each other, it was really wierd for me to write them as 39/40 yr's but I didn't want to make them too young.

R3: Yeah, the story was originally going to be called "Family Portrait" but I liked "Broken Dolls" better

R4: Lol, yes he certainly does

R5: Yes it is a sad story, but thats what I like about it. I put a warning abour the underage drinking at the start of the chapter, I dunno, I guess I just needed a reason why Khan didn't go home that night.

Thanks for all the reviews!

Hope you'll read future chapters