Sahrah: I'M SO SORRY! GOMEN! GOMEEEEEEEENNN! ((bows))

Editor: ((sigh)) You've already been forgiven fifteen times, Sahrah-chan! Let it go!

Sahrah: B-but, as it turned out, it was my fault the internet wasn't working! I broke my internet chip! WAAH! And the chapter's shorter than normal! ((runs around apologizing to all the readers))

Editor: ((deep sigh)) Oy… Yuna's point of view…

Chapter 6: Birthday Recollections

"Are you ready to leave yet?" I asked, annoyed, as I shoved the suntan lotion into the beach bag.

It had been Gippal and Wakka's idea to take a day trip down to Kilika, a trip similar to the one we'd taken four years previous, because this particular Saturday was the birthday of Tidus and Shuyin.

"Slow down, Yunie, the beach isn't going anywhere," Tidus grinned, kissing my cheek as we walked through the parking garage where Rikku's oversized van was parked. It was to everyone's surprise that the thing hadn't died years ago, after all the trips we'd taken in it.

"Everyone's already waiting," I complained. He just laughed. The trunk was already open when we got to the car.

Wakka and Lulu were putting a cooler into the trunk, Rikku was sitting with her bare feet on the steering wheel, and Gippal sat next to her complaining about it. Lenne held a sleeping Emma while Shuyin fit a child's seat into the middle row of seats. Paine was listening to music with one side of the headphones, and Baralai (who had driven down the night before) had the other earpiece. Rikku waved at Tidus and me from the driver's seat.

"Ready for the boardwalk, everyone?" she asked with a grin. Half the day would be spent at the actual beach in the water. For lunch, we'd find a place on the boardwalk, and then spend the rest of the day at the amusement park attached to that boardwalk.

"Whee!" giggled Emma, who had woken up.

Soon enough, we were well on our way. Tidus, who had remembered the trip we took four years previous, spent most of the trip pulling on my braid with me attempting to read a book for my art class.

When we arrived, Rikku parked the car with her feet (much to Lenne and Lulu's dismay) and we surprisingly got to the beach unscathed. Gippal scooped up Rikku bridal-style and bolted down to the water, with my cousin flailing and laughing loudly.

Soon, Lulu and Wakka went to look for seashells, Shuyin and Lenne took Emma down to the sea, and Paine and Baralai set up a spot with the umbrellas, chairs, and towels.

Tidus looked over at me and grinned.

"Wanna go swimming?" he asked.

"I'm always afraid I'll get pulled out to sea," I admitted. "I'm not a strong swimmer, like you, you Blitz freak."

"Aw, come on, let's go out! I won't let you get pulled out."

"Promise?"

"Yeah." I smiled softly at him and slipped out of my shorts, then pulling my shirt over my head.

I was wearing a light pink bikini with rhinestones on the top piece, and the ribbon in my braid was the same color as the suit. I caught Tidus running his eyes up and down real fast- as well as a few other guys on the beach.

Of course, then it was my turn, as Tidus pulled off his white tee shirt, revealing his handsome, muscular chest. In the sunlight, he possibly resembled some kind of god. Yevon, he was gorgeous.

"Stop checking me out, Yuna, let's go swimming," he teased me as he grabbed my hand and raced towards the water, laughing. We ran out until we couldn't stand anymore, and treaded water as the waves crashed down on us.

He kept his promise, holding me close to him, not letting go regardless of how strong the wave was.

"So, how much do you remember from our last trip here?" I asked in between waves.

"Some guy was hitting on you at the park, and you completely shut him down… and there was something about taking the trash out…" he trailed off, and I froze.

If he remembered that now, he would very likely grow incredibly angry, and at that point it could be frightening.

"Oh Yevon," he whispered. "You… Dona… ah… that was the night we found out Lenne was pregnant, and Dona had her brother beat the shit out of you!" Tidus hissed through his teeth, clamping down on his anger.

"And then, um… That's all I've got," he provided lamely.

"That's okay, Tidus," I smiled, kissing his cheek, now salty with the ocean's water. "I'm here now, right? And so are you."

He smiled, hugging me tighter. "Yeah."

"Lunchtime, lunchtime, where shall we eat?" Rikku made up her own little melody.

"Wherever it is, we have to have boardwalk French fries, ya?" Wakka said. "Nuthin' beats those things."

"Agreed," said Shuyin.

"So what, then?" asked Paine. "Maybe burgers, fries, and soda or whatever."

"Works for me," shrugged Gippal.

So, that's what we had for lunch. Followed, of course, by ice cream, popcorn, and cotton candy as we walked down towards the boardwalk amusement park. Shuyin and Lenne and their daughter went off towards the tamer, child-friendly rides, and Rikku and Paine bolted for the roller coasters. Their boyfriends followed, although Baralai looked slightly queasy.

Lulu and Wakka stayed with us, though, and we hung out together for a while. We traveled around, went on the swing ride that lifts the swings high into the air, and went to play some games.

"Aww, Lulu, look at that chocobo plushie!" I squealed. "I want it so bad!" It was a plushie that was fairly large, with bright blue eyes and soft yellow fabric.

"I'll win it for you, Yuna!" Tidus grinned. The game was simple; knock over the bottles with baseballs. Of course, Tidus lost the first time, but he paid again and won the bird.

"Whee! Thanks, Tidus! You're the best!" I kissed his cheek.

"And that all I get to show for it? A kiss on the cheek?" he snorted.

"You're arrogant! But you're right, of course." I stood on my toes and kissed his lips softly, and he kissed back, his lips hungry from deprivation. Wakka glanced at Lulu.

"If I win one of those for ya—"

"Not until later," the black mage replied without looking back at her boyfriend, a playful smirk gracing her lips.

I wrapped my arms around Tidus's neck as he slipped his tongue into my mouth and hugged me tighter. Lulu made a sort of grunting noise, but after being ignored, she and Wakka left to ride the Scrambler.

I moved my lips next to Tidus's ear.

"I love you," I breathed softly.

"Right back at ya."

It was about six thirty, and the sun had almost completely set behind the long boardwalk apartments. We had all met back up about half an hour previous, and Rikku wanted to ride the Ferris wheel before we left.

Which is why we waited in line as all the neon lights in the park for twenty minutes, eventually watching Rikku and Gippal get into a yellow cart lit up with orange lights, then Lulu and Wakka get into a blue cart with white lights, then Paine and Baralai into a green cart with red lights, and Lenne, Shuyin, and Emma into another blue cart with white lights. Finally, Tidus helped me into a red cart with blue lights and the ride ascended up the long 165-foot trip into the night sky.

"We're so high up!" I exclaimed, leaning over just enough to see the glittering ocean spread out below us, along with the fabulous view of the rest of the park.

"Beautiful," Tidus breathed.

"It really is," I agreed."

"Well, sure the view's nice, but I was talking about you."

I turned to look at him, but he, being faster than I, was already on my side of the cart. He pressed a tender hand to my cheek.

"So beautiful," he murmured. I blushed, leaning against his hand, enjoying his warmth. "I can't believe I forgot four year's worth of this face."

"I forgive you," I whispered.

"It's not a matter of forgiveness, Yuna… It's a matter of making up for lost time." He leaned forward and his lips met mine, kissing hungrily, his hands on my back holding me close, fingers itching for my bare skin. I shivered, not from cold, but with excitement as I responded, kissing greedily, my hands lost in his golden hair.

The cart gave a small lurch that detached the two of us as we stopped at the very top of the wheel. The moon was full, and someone on the beach was setting off fireworks.

"Oh, that's right!" I exclaimed. "The reason we took this trip! Happy Birthday, Tidus!" I hugged him tightly and he kissed me again, as the fireworks exploded distantly.

Everything was perfect. Almost too perfect. It was just as well, of course, because the next day, everything would go horribly wrong.

I won't get into the gruesome, bloody, awful details until next time, but I will tell you this; more people would die before it was finally the month of May.

Sahrah: Whew, it's all written, and YES there will be another update at the end of the month! I already know what I'm doing for it, and the school play will be done in two weeks, my sister's Bat Mitzvah is done this weekend, and then I will not miss another update probably until next September. So, thank you for your patience!

Editor: Oh yeah, your random fact, Sahrah-chan!

Sahrah: Right! I wanted the Ferris wheel to be tall, but not too tall, so I researched it. And in my studies, I discovered that the world's tallest Ferris wheel is 531 feet tall, and it's in Nanchang, China. The wheel, appropriately, is named 'The Star of Nanchang.'

Editor: If you haven't already done so, please review!