Compared to the adventure they'd lived through that morning, the trip back to Djose was dull and uneventful. Rikku stood at the rail of the ferry the entire trip to Luca, with Gippal standing protectively behind her, shielding her with his much larger body. He surrounded her on all sides. It was the safest she'd felt all day. When the ferry finally docked in Luca, it was a short hover ride back to Djose.

After telling Rikku to make herself comfortable, he spent twenty minutes reeducating his crew on proper safety procedures and letting them know that someone had a personal vendetta against Rikku and to be watchful for him.

Assured that he would be the first to know should any suspicious people be spotted or anything go amiss, he went upstairs to check on Rikku. It worried him that she seemed so jumpy and frightened. He didn't know if it was a reflection on her opinion of his ability to protect her, but he couldn't imagine her actually being afraid of anything. For crying out loud, the girl had gone on two journeys that would've killed most men, much less a teenage girl. If she hadn't been afraid of Sin and she hadn't been afraid of Vegnagun, why the hell was she afraid of a vain, stupid man with a gun?

She was pacing around his room when he found her. She didn't sit or stay in one place, and she noticeably avoided the window. She wrung her hands. He thought maybe the shock of the morning's events was finally hitting her. But when she turned to face him, she looked perfectly calm. Frightened, but not in shock.

"Where am I staying?" she asked softly.

"Here," he said.

"This is your room." She looked confused.

"Yeah. It's also the safest place for you to be, until that man is caught." He tossed her a towel. "Go take a bath, unwind, relax a little if you can. I'm headed back to Kilika to pick up some of your things. I'll also be stopping by the police station to see what I can find out about your stalker. And the hospital," he added, "to see about Keran. Anything you want?"

She shook her head, wondering if he'd be going to the hospital or the morgue. "If…if he's alive, tell him I'm sorry."

"I will not." He scowled. "You've got nothing to be sorry for. I'll tell him you wish him a fast recovery and that you'll visit as soon as you're able."

"Okay." She turned again, making as if to resume her pacing. "Tell him that, then. If he's alive." Gippal turned her around and pointed her in the direction of the bathroom.

"He's alive," he said. "He's made of tougher stuff than that. Besides, he probably only caught a chest wound, since – " he cut off abruptly, but it was too late.

"Since he wasn't the target," she finished. "He caught a bullet because I dropped my purse. He took a bullet that was meant for me. If he's dead, it's my fault."

"Stop saying that!" He crossed the room, took hold of her shoulders, and shook her. "It's not your fault some idiot can't handle rejection. You're not responsible for the actions of an unbalanced man." He was frustrated with her, and it showed. "Look, you can do whatever you want so long as you stay in the temple. I don't want you answering the door, and I don't want you answering the commsphere. Don't call anyone, don't look out the windows. Until I found out what's going on, you're off the map, got it?" He waited until she nodded, then headed for the door.

"I'll probably be late," he said. "Don't wait up for me."

---

When he did return, lugging a bag filled with her clothes, he found her curled up in the center of his bed. She looked so fragile and vulnerable lying there that he suddenly realized how easily her life could have been snuffed out today – all it would've taken was that one bullet, and the brilliant spark of her life would've been extinguished forever.

Maybe that was what had frightened her so much – perhaps living through so many adventures had helped her understand how precious life was.

He dropped the bag, and slid into the bed beside her, wrapping his arms around her midsection. He winced when she made a strangled gasp, and then tensed in his arms as if to fight.

"It's me. It's just me." Probably he should've turned on a light or something, so she could see his face. He pulled her closer, pressing her face against his shoulder. Her fingers – which had been curved into claws only seconds before – hooked into his shirt like she never intended to let him go.

"I don't want to die," she whispered. "Not like that. Not because I broke someone's nose. I didn't live through so much to die so meaninglessly. I would've died for Yuna. I would've died for Spira. I won't die for this. I won't." She said it fiercely, and then hesitated, drawing a shaky breath. "I'm ashamed of being so afraid. I don't understand it. I wasn't afraid to die before."

"You're not going to die." He squeezed her until she squeaked. "I'm not going to let you, okay? You said you trusted me to keep you safe."

"I do." Her fingers tightened, and she tucked her head under his chin. "I do trust you."

It was probably the most wonderful thing she could've said to him just then. He smoothed her hair, brushing the tangled mass over her shoulders.

"I saw Keran tonight," he said. "In the hospital," he added when she tensed.

"And?" She was holding her breath, he could feel it.

"He says you damn well better do what I say, because if you're dead when he gets out of the hospital, he's going to kill you again."

Her held breath escaped with a little sound that was half sob, half laughter.

"He's going to be fine, honey," he clarified. "He's in a lot of pain. He's got a punctured lung, and he'll have to stay in the hospital for a while so they can make sure he doesn't get pneumonia, but he's going to make a complete recovery. He doesn't blame you. He's just glad you're okay."

He thought she might be crying – a strange, seeping wetness touched his collar, slowly spreading down the neckline of his shirt.

"I'm glad." She curled into him a little more, and her body relaxed for what was surely the first time that day. "I'm so glad, Gippal."

Probably it was the first good news she'd heard all day. He stroked her back and kissed the top of her head.

"Rikku," he said slowly, "they haven't caught him yet. You're going to have to stay here for a while."

She shivered, and he tucked the blanket tighter around her even though he knew that it wasn't cold that had prompted the little involuntary shudder.

"Don't be afraid," he said. "He's already all over the news. They're printing up Wanted posters as we speak, and they're not asking for him to be brought in alive." He shifted next to her, drawing her fully into his arms. "You'll be safe here until he's brought in. You don't just shoot at a former guardian and get a slap on the wrist, huh?"

A surprised laugh gurgled out of her throat – she was shocked to hear him echoing her frantic thoughts from earlier in the day.

He was going his best to keep her both informed and relaxed, and she appreciated his efforts. He was weaving a subtle web of tranquility around her, and, with her head pillowed on his shoulder, she felt comfortable and secure.

"You should get some sleep," he said at her ear, his voice low and warm, soothing in its even, unruffled tone.

"Don't go." She clutched at his shirt, convinced he'd leave her if she let him. And she really didn't want to be alone. She wanted him to keep talking to her, to keep reassuring her.

"I'm not going anywhere." He hadn't moved an inch. "You're in my bed, remember? I'm just being nice and sharing it with you."

He was being nice, she had to admit. He didn't have to take care of her. He didn't have to protect her, to keep her with him, to comfort her when she was feeling miserable and useless. But he did it anyway. She didn't really understand it.

"I can leave," she said. "If you want. I mean, I'm probably more trouble than I'm worth at this point, right? You run a business, and it'll probably be hard to do with me here, huh? And maybe dangerous. God, what if he comes here?" Her breath hitched at the thought – it was bad enough that her folly had put Keran in the hospital.

"Honey, Djose is all but impenetrable," he replied. "And I've already given my staff the summarized version of events. If he does show up, we'll go into immediate lockdown mode. He'll never set foot inside, I promise."

He sounded sincere, he sounded like he believed it completely and totally, and she had no reason to doubt him, but…

"You're sure?" She hoped her voice hadn't sounded as whiny and petulant as she thought it had.

"I'm sure." He ruffled her hair affectionately, settling back against the pillows. "Go to sleep, okay? It's been a long day."

---

Some odd noise woke her in the middle of the night. She shot up in bed, gasping, still half in the clutches of a terrifying nightmare. Her back was coated in sweat and her muscles were tense and aching.

"It's just the heater," Gippal said groggily, his voice muffled by the mound of pillows he'd buried his face in. "Don't worry about it. Go back to sleep, honey."

"It…it sounded scary," she said. "I'm a little wound up. Can I use your commsphere?" She needed to call Yuna, to make sure that her dream had been just that – an awful dream.

"Sure," he mumbled. "But if you're not back in fifteen minutes, I'm coming to find you."

She carefully climbed over Gippal – who was sleeping on the outside edge for her safety – and stumbled over her bag. She lugged it with her to the bathroom to change into a new set of night clothes, and then headed for Gippal's office. She didn't know why she was being so quiet about it – there were no workers in the temple for her to disturb.

She slipped into Gippal's office and turned on the commsphere and fidgeted while she waited for it to connect.

A few moments later, Yuna's face appeared in the sphere, sleepy but concerned.

"I heard about what happened in Kilika," she said by way of greeting. "Are you doing okay?"

"I'm fine." Rikku sighed, relieved to see Yuna looking healthy and alive. So maybe that nightmare really had been just a horrible dream. Still, she couldn't help feeling a little jittery and nervous. "I was worried about you. I had a nightmare."

"A dream is just a dream." Yuna smiled. "You should go back to sleep. Don't worry so much; we're fine. You're the one who's been through hell today. You should be taking care of yourself right now. I bet Gippal would say the same thing."

"He sure would."

Rikku jumped at the sound of Gippal's voice, surprised. He was standing in the doorway without a shirt, leaning against the doorframe.

"Hi, Gippal. Take care of my cousin, okay? Don't let her get out of bed again." Yuna stifled a yawn with one hand.

"I won't. Her fifteen minutes are up; I'm taking her back to bed now. That okay with you?" He shouldered away from the door frame.

She nodded her assent. "I've got to get back to bed, myself. Rikku, you can always call me if you need me. But if it's not urgent, d'you think you could wait until sunrise at least?"

"Sorry," Rikku said sheepishly. "I was just worried. Have a good night."

"You, too. Be safe." The sphere went dark.

"Come on, honey." He held out a hand, helped her up, then wrapped an arm around her waist. "Less worried now?"

"I don't know." She shrugged, letting him lead her through the dark halls back towards his bedroom. She plunked down on the bed with a sigh. "I really don't know. Gippal, if he can't get to me, what if he goes after Yuna? What if he goes after the people I love, to get to me?"

"He's not that smart," Gippal concluded, dropping down beside her. "He'd be recognized. He'd have to be an idiot to go anywhere near a city." He threw an arm over her, pulling her back against his chest. "Get some sleep, okay? There's no way he'll be going after your family."

He felt her relax against him, soothed by his firm denial. He just hoped it was the truth.