A large table was set up outside in the back yard of Wakka and Lulu's home. There was plenty of food and drinks for everyone. Wakka and his team of helpers came flooding into the yard just as Lulu was setting down the last dish. A handful of the Aurochs sat down at the table. The Celsius men stopped to say hello to Lulu first, and helped themselves to drinks.

"Hey Sweetheart!" Wakka kissed Lulu's cheek. He was carrying Vidina on his shoulders. He leaned down and kissed Lulu's forehead in an awkward toddler way.

"Ah, my boys!" Lulu smiled up at her son and tapped his nose gently. He giggled and smiled back at her. She reached up and took a hold of him and pulled him into a hug, the two year old sitting on her hip.

"Lu, this all looks great! You've out done yourself again!" Wakka kissed her again, his hand resting on her lower back.

"Look at this happy family over here," Gippal grinned, walking up to the group.

"Hello, Gippal. I didn't realize we were going to be lucky enough to have you with us as well. The girls were just telling me you saved the day with the sound system," Lulu smiled at him.

"Oh yeah, just doing Buddy a favor. Look at this guy! He's shooting right up, huh?" Gippal ruffled his hand through Vidina's bright red hair. The youngster's eye lids were heavy. The long day playing in the sun was wearing on him.

"He's getting awfully sleepy, yah? I'll put him to bed after he eats." Wakka gave Lulu another quick kiss on her cheek. "Gip, I'm gonna get a beer, you want one?"

"Yeah, please," Gippal replied. He couldn't help but smile at the child in Lulu's arms.

"He's growing up quick," Gippal said.

"Seems like a lot of us are," Lulu smiled at Gippal who looked back confused.

"Here you go, Bruddah," Wakka slapped a beer into Gippal's palm.

"Thanks," Gippal opened it and took a swig. The men were all hot and sweaty from working in the woods. The warm, wet Besaid air wasn't helping. "I'm gonna wash up, it's great to see you again, Lu," Gippal said pointing over his shoulder at the house.

"Of course, always a treat," Lulu smiled at him before planting another kiss on the sleepy Vidina's head.

Gippal walked in the back door and peeled off his filthy t-shirt. His bags were around here somewhere. Most of the Aurochs were at the table shirtless anyway. He found his bag by an end table and tossed the work shirt on top and headed for the bathroom. Hanging on the wall in the hallway were about a dozen framed photos. Vidina on the beach, he looked like he might have been taking his first steps. Wakka and Lulu at their wedding. They looked so in love, making their vows. Yuna as a little girl playing in the woods. Wakka and the most recent roster of the Aurochs. The last photo by the bathroom door was of Rikku and Vidina. Rikku was holding his hands while he walked in front of her. By the way she was wearing her hair, Gippal guessed it was about a year old. She was so happy, her mouth was open in laughter. God, she was pretty. He was such an idiot sometimes.

He washed his hands and ran some water over his face. After what a moron he made of himself at breakfast, the last thing he wanted to do was sit down at another public meal with her. And her brother. And her cousin. And her best friends. And the entire Besaid Aurochs Blitzball team.

"You've really done it this time," He sighed to himself as he looked in the mirror. He straightened his eye patch and wiped some water over his hair and headed back for the yard. Forget the shirt. It was too hot here anyway. As he made his way to the back door, Rikku was coming in through it and stopped short.

"Oh," she blurted. Shirtless! Why was he shirtless!

"Sorry," he blushed.

"It's okay," she blushed as well.

"I was just-"

"I'm going to the kitchen-"

"Heading outside to eat-"

"Vidina's juice cup is in there-"

"Sorry, I didn't see you-"

"Lulu forgot it, I was just going to get it-"

"It's okay!" He said over her, stopping the two from babbling on top of one another's words.

"Right," she shifted uneasily. They made eye contact for an instant and both immediately looked away. What he wouldn't give to kiss her.

"His juice," Gippal reminded her.

"Yes!" She held up a finger. "I was getting that," Rikku awkwardly took off for the kitchen.

"Son of a bitch!" Gippal hissed once she as gone, hitting himself in the forehead with his palm. He shook his head and walked back out to the table. There was an empty seat next to Paine. She was always a safe bet around this crowd. He and she were the only two who weren't old pals from Yuna's pilgrimage or earlier. They stuck together at Besaid gatherings.

"Glad to see you dressed for dinner," Paine said sarcastically.

"Shut up, Paine. I don't know how you prance around in that bondage suit. This island is hot as hell," Gippal took a drink from his bottle of beer.

"It breathes?" Paine shrugged.

"Alright everybody! Let's get to eating!" Wakka called form the head of the table. Lulu the ever elegant hostess sat to his right and Vidina sat to his left. Gippal looked around the table as Rikku came out the back door and set Vidina's juice cup down in front of him and made her way to her seat. Oh no. The only empty chair was directly across from him.

"Ur Hu," (Oh No) Rikku whimpered as she sat down. She only spoke loud enough for Tidus beside her to hear it.

"You okay?" he leaned down to her.

"I'm fine," she lied.

"I want to just tell you all how happy I am to have you all at my home," Wakka stood up and held up his drink.

"Oh here he goes," Lulu smiled up at him.

"I know we have a wide mix of beliefs at the table, but you can thank whomever and whatever you want for this night we've got together. For this full table that my lovely wife Lulu has prepared. For the safe arrival of the Gullwings and their crew. For family and friends, and another shut out against the Al Bhed Pscychs, no offense, Rikku," Wakka winked at her and everyone at the table laughed. "But mostly for the women at this table that have made Spira a safe place for my son to grow up," He tipped his drink to Yuna, Rikku and Paine.

"Wakka, stop it," Yuna blushed.

"Now let's eat!" He clinked his bottle against Lulu's wine glass. "Cheers, everyone!"

Dinner came and went with only a few awkward eye locks and accidentally kicked feet under the table. Rikku excused herself as soon as possible to help with cleaning up and getting Vidina to bed. She helped the tired toddler into his pajamas.

"Rikku! You've already got him dressed for bed?" Lulu dried her hands on a dish rag. Rikku had Vidina by the hand and led him into the kitchen.

"He wanted to come say good night!" Rikku grinned. She loved kids. Especially this one. She loved being Auntie Rikku.

"Sweetheart, don't! This is your day off!" Lulu urged.

"Oh come on, Lu. I LOVE this little guy! Isn't that right?" Rikku scooped Vidina up and sat him on her hip, rubbing noses with him. He laughed, and his childish giggles turned into a big yawn. "Look at him, he's pooped! I'll put him to bed," Rikku assured Lulu.

"Alright, thank you, that's a big help, actually," Lulu smiled. "Daddy! Come in here! Aunt Rikku is going to put Vidina to bed! Come say goodnight!" Lulu called out the window to the back yard.

"Sorry, Babe." Wakka kissed Lulu quickly on the lips. "Just tossing the ball around. Where's my little monster!" Wakka pretended to growl at Vidina. He giggled and curled up into a ball against Rikku. "Come here, Big guy!" Wakka picked up his son and kissed the top of his head, wrapping him into a big hug. "Are you going to let Auntie Rikku read to you tonight?"

"Yup," Vidina nodded.

"Are you going to go to sleep for her? Be good for you Aunt Rikku?" Wakka asked him quietly.

"Mm hm." He rubbed his eyes with his fists.

"Alright, Rik. He's all yours," Wakka handed his son back to Rikku.

"I'll be out in a bit, guys. If not, I'll meet you down at the beach," Rikku called over her shoulder as she headed into the baby's room. He was falling asleep in her arms. She laid him down in his crib and started poking through his book shelf. His crib was low to the ground and he could look up at her walking around. He watched her with smiling dark eyes. "Okay, Little Buddy. Do you have a favorite?"

"Nope," he yawned again.

"Well! You're not making this very easy, Mister!" She joked, a hand on her hip as she pulled out a book of traditional children's stories and sat down in the rocker beside his bed. He whined a little and reached up at her. "You want to sit with me?" She leaned over him and grinned. He nodded. She pulled him out of the crib and cuddled him in her lap and propped the book up for the both of them and began to read.

Wakka sent Gippal into the house to get another case of beer from the kitchen. He struggled to find it and finally spotted it under the kitchen sink and hoisted it over his shoulder and headed for the back door again. He paused when he heard someone talking in Vidina's room off the living room. It sounded like Rikku.

He stood quietly outside the baby's room and peeked in. She was sitting in a rocking chair with Vidina all curled up with his blankie in her lap. His head was leaned against her chest and he was sound asleep. She was reading from an ancient looking kids' book, doing different voices for different characters. One hand held the book on her knees and the other gently stroked the back of his head while he slept.

Her hair was down and brushed out. She always looked older with it down. She was back to her usual clothes, nothing much. She looked so perfect in the chair, her long legs crossed, Vidina perfectly fit against her. She was reading to him even though he had long since fallen asleep. Her eyes darted to his angelic little face now and again to make sure he was still in dreamland, and her hands rubbed his head and back. She was soft and gentle. Gippal leaned on the doorframe, the bottles in the box on his shoulder rattled and she looked up, startled.

"Gippal!" she gasped.

"Sorry! I was getting beer, and I heard you talking, I just, sorry," he fumbled. He was still in just his work pants and shoes. Stupid shirtless Gippal getting her all in a tizzy like the old days. He was leaning one elbow on the door frame, the other arm held his beer securely on his shoulder. The position he was in made him look more toned than ever. The blush in his cheeks was too cute for words.

"It's okay, I just don't want to wake him," Rikku whispered.

"He's awfully cute," Gippal smiled and looked down.

"Here, can you hold this?" she held the book out with one hand.

"Um, ah, sure," Gippal awkwardly set his case down and stepped into the room. He took the book from Rikku and set it on the book shelf.

"Look at how sweet he is," she whispered, turning him in her arms a bit.

"He's getting big so fast," Gippal whispered as well, carefully brushing some bright red hair out of the child's eyes.

"It's hard to believe," Rikku agreed. She was so wrapped up in Vidina's little hands and long eye lashes she didn't notice Gippal's face right beside hers.

"What is?" he asked, still smiling over Vidina's tiny nose and small feet.

"How quickly things can change," she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. He stiffened.

"It is," he agreed.

"Do you want to put him to bed?" Rikku asked after a long lull between them.

"Naw," Gippal sighed, taking a step away from her. She hated admitting she was disappointed. "I'm not very good at it."

"Oh come, on, it's not hard, he's almost two, you won't break him," Rikku joked.

"I don't know," Gippal scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Here, come here," Rikku, nodded her head. "Just hold him like this," she put the sleeping Vidina in Gippal's arms. "Now just lay him in bed and tuck him in! Easy peasy!" Rikku smiled, still talking in a whisper. Gippal followed her instructions and pulled Vidina's blanket up to his chest, picking up a stuffed fish animal and cuddling it next him.

"Wow, look at him," Gippal smiled, looking over the edge of the crib.

"Not so hard?" Rikku shrugged and smiled up at Gippal. Oh no, the smile, he couldn't handle the smile, not after an evening of casual drinking and good food.

"Yeah," Gippal said nervously. "I gotta get this beer outside, Wakka's waiting for me," Gippal scooped up his case of beer nervously and backed out of the room. "See you on the beach!" He called softly and ducked out the back door.