A/N: Chapter 25, written on my new and fancy Windows XP. YAY. And it's the last chapter. Tiddlywinks. We couldn't wait ONE MORE WEEK, eh? Sob, this has been a GREAT story, and I'd LOVE to thank all of my fancy and lovely reviewers, rather you post or lurk, I love ya all! Hope you enjoyed the story!

Bandit's Hideout

Saleed's eyes turned to slits as Rikku ran at him, weaponless hands itching to get at his throat. She lunged at him, but he dodged quickly to the right. Rikku was smart enough to slap her arm to the floor as she rolled, catching herself as Saleed sent a blast of some sort of dark substance her way. With a little yelp she jumped up, the hot power grazing her shins. She gritted her teeth. This man was agile, as burned and black as he was.

"You'll never win, Desert Scum!" he hissed, eyes flashing. Rikku clenched and unclenched her hands. That was going a little too far, but she forced herself to keep her cool. This was a life or death situation, and Gippal was still trying to figure out where he was in the corner, his head lolling on the side of his shoulder.

"Of course I'll win," Rikku retorted. "Someone like you can't stop me."

"Rik…No…" The raspy voice of Gippal caused Rikku to snap her head in his direction – bad move. Saleed muttered some words and sent more black magic her way. But she hadn't been looking, and caught the whole blow right in the abdomen. With an Oof she slammed against the metallic wall, the grated sides scraping at her back as she slid to the floor. Her head was dizzy, and her vision was fainting…

She bit the insides of her cheeks suddenly, almost as a reaction. The light-headedness left her as she stood up shakily, clutching her own thigh for support. She risked a glance at Gippal, who was slowly shaking his head. "Saleed….My…Job…"

Rikku had no idea what he meant, but she didn't have time to figure it out. Saleed appeared from her left mysteriously, charging at her with his arm upraised – he held something that looked almost like a mini glaive in his grasp! Rikku nearly screamed as she dodged his swipe. "You're using a weapon! That's not – fair!" she cried, jumping and skipping to avoid his swings and thrusts. "Give me my blades!"

"You'll have to find them first!" hissed Saleed, eyes gleaming crazily. Rikku's eyes scanned the area, not too surprised to see Athilda and Karren sneaking up on Sunny, Liam, and Bilak from behind. Athilda's hands had a blue fire tickling the tips, and Rikku had a feeling she knew what she was going to do. But her blades were no where to be seen.

"They better be in this room!" she screamed, just as his glaive did a crescent moon swing to her side. Rikku ducked, feeling the blade chop at her golden locks. She held in a gasp.

"Oh, they're somewhere, all right," he said, cackling. "Somewhere, somewhere, somewhere…"

It was official. The man had lost his mind, and Rikku had no idea what he was going on about. All she knew was that his plan had failed, so he was suddenly blood-thirsty. It was sort of hard to find her blades when he was chopping at her. Even if she just had a flash bomb, grenade, anything!

………

"Athilda!" Athilda ignored her sisters hissing whispers and advanced on the lazy Al Bhed, who were just standing there watching Rikku and Saleed fight. And Rikku wasn't doing too well. Already blood was dripping down her head, and her eyes seemed sort of bleary. And Gippal was useless, just kind of coming back to life in the corner. Athilda snapped around suddenly as her sister poked her.

"What?"

"Go fast! Rikku can't keep Saleed's back to us much longer!"

Athilda looked, and it was true. Slowly Saleed's face was coming into the girls' view. With a strangled gasp Athilda tried to get nervous – she really did. Suddenly seeing Rikku being sliced in two with the mini glaive was enough to cause her magic to flare from her hands.

"Rope," she whispered, hoping her lame commands would somehow control her wild magic. She focused all the attention she could on the blue magic, which was trying to spin itself into a rope but failing miserably and instead launching towards the walls. But she couldn't let the three Al Bhed know she was there. With gritted teeth she hissed the word again, this time focusing all of her soul into the word. "Rope."

The magic spun itself into a rope from her hands like nothing. She was amazed, until she saw Saleed's eyes glinting dangerously at Rikku. With a flick of her hand the rope went spinning for Sunny, Liam, and Bilak, tying the three together from ankle to neck in about ten seconds. They didn't even know what hit them, but now they were lying on the floor useless.

Karren suddenly popped up beside her sister to face the three men. "Where're Lady Rikku's blades?" she asked in a menacing voice. They didn't answer, only gaped at Athilda. They probably hadn't gotten over the initial shock that she escaped.

"But – how –"

Karren cut Sunny, her abuser, off with a swift slap which he greatly deserved. "Tell me, or my sister will burn you to a crisp."

Now Athilda knew that was impossible, but the other three didn't. Finally Liam's voice squeaked up. "In Sunny's room. In his closet –"

Karren was already gone, speeding down the hall. In less then a minute she was back with the crimson blades with the handles. "LADY RIKKU!" she cried, getting Rikku's attention for a millisecond. That's when she threw the blades into the air.

………

Rikku smiled gratefully as she leaped into the air, grasping her familiar friends in her hands. She owed Karren and Athilda so much. She had her tools back. She looked back at Saleed, who was glaring furiously at her. "Didn't think I had friends, eh Saleed?" she asked, taunting him. "Thought you had me nice and safe for some killing sprees, eh? Though I would do your bidding? Nice try, buddy. Ain't gonna happen."

She ran up to him, slicing her blades anywhere she could. Up high, at his ribs, down at his calves and thighs, anywhere that was vulnerable. But Saleed knew what she was trying to do, and suddenly turned into the defensive mode, where he blocked all of her hits with the wooden handle of his glaive. Rikku considered chopping it up, but that would just waste time. Instead, she decided to keep tiring him out by hitting down where she could. But he didn't seem to tire. The gleam in his eye only seemed to grow brighter, his blocks stronger and tougher, faster and more efficient. Sweat streamed into Rikku's eyes, but she didn't have time to shake it off. Her arms were starting to get sore, her legs wobbly…And the blood was starting to dry on her face, making the skin tight and uncomfortable. Rikku went in to his left rib with her right blade, but faked him out and sliced the left one into his lower right thigh. With a shocked cry he stumbled black, blood pouring from his leg.

Rikku, having seen many battles, had seen much blood. But all that blood had been red and normal. This blood, Saleed's blood, was black. Black as his eyes and skin. Rikku could only gasp and stare, until she remembered her situation. For some gruesome reason, Saleed smiled.

"So you see I am not all around ordinary."

"You weren't ordinary the minute you lived through Gippal's bomb!" she snapped. Saleed nodded.

"True. In fact, it was your lovely boyfriend's ill thought of deed that made me stronger, more immune. I am stronger than you, Al Bhed. Face it. I can go on for a very long time. I haven't even broken a sweat."

Rikku gritted her teeth, finally shaking the sweat out of her eyes. She hated this man; she hated him so much she wanted to stab him until he blew up, if that were possible…

"Rikku." Rasped a voice. Rikku looked out of the corner of her eye to see Gippal, standing up shakily. It seemed the effects of falling fifty feet on his back with Rikku on top were slowly starting to wear off, though his leg was at an unnatural angle. "Rikku, don't."

Rikku grunted suddenly as the force of Saleed and the butt of his mini glaive shoved into Rikku's rib cage. She went flying through the air once more, but managed to catch her balance when she rolled in the air and landed on all fours. The shock went through her wrists and ankles though, and now those throbbed. But it was better than a cracked open skull. She grinned shakily at Saleed, momentarily forgetting Gippal's protests. "Look at that," she said, "I'm a cat."

………

Gippal glared at Rikku with his one good eye. Didn't she understand? Gippal needed to fight Saleed. It was Gippal's parents Saleed had murdered, Gippal's life Saleed had stalked Gippal's life he had ruined. Sure, Rikku's had been pushed in there along the way, but Gippal deserved to fight. Gippal deserved to kill Saleed.

She's doing it for you though, chided a voice from the back of his mind. She just wants to help you. She has her own reasons for hating Saleed as much as you do, and besides, you're in no condition to fight!

Sometimes Gippal hated that internal voice. But it was true. His back throbbed with an unknown pain, and his legs were as weak as noodles. His mind was still dizzy, but he wasn't going to sit around like a lump. Digging in his pouch he found a potion, which momentarily made him feel better. His eye focused to see Rikku getting up from the ground, shaking her hands and feet. He saw that Saleed's back was to him, and was about to lunge at him, when he remembered – Gippal couldn't touch Saleed. Because he had tried to murder him, he was forbidden to touch what was left of that fire. The flames from the horrific memory flicked in front of his eyes, but he tried to brush them off. But they wouldn't leave. He didn't know what to do…For once in his life, Gippal was lost in a battle. His pistol? He highly doubted it would do anything. Still, it was worth a try.

Loading it up quickly, he cocked the barrel, aiming for the back of Saleed's skull. He had to wait until just the right moment – Saleed was prone to run at the last second with a burst of unknown speed. He watched with gritted teeth as Rikku dodged his sudden attacks at her body. She got a few cuts and scratches that looked like they hurt, but Gippal knew the feeling of numbing pain. There were worse things then a couple of scratches. Finally Saleed stopped as Rikku shook the sweat out of her eyes and lunged at him; doing so many speedy strikes Gippal couldn't see what went where. Finally one must have struck its target, because Saleed screamed as he stumbled back once more. That was it. Gippal pulled on the trigger, and the bullet zoomed out at amazing speed, dead on its target.

But Gippal wasn't expecting him to twitch. He wasn't expecting him to stand up from where he had been and move to the right a bit to get a better angle on Rikku. The bullet was never, never supposed to hit anyone but Saleed. Ever.

But it did.

It hit Rikku.

………

Everything suddenly went black. A searing pain in her thigh caused Rikku to fall to her knees. She felt something streaming from her leg. With bleary eyes she saw it was red. Juice? No…No, it was blood. Something had caused Rikku to bleed. She didn't remember Saleed hitting her so hard. She looked up to see Saleed with something like momentary shock on his face, and a fuzzy Gippal with a look of pure horror on his face. Why, though? Gippal didn't do anything, did he?

But she saw the pistol in his hands. She saw the bullet hole in her leg.

And then she collapsed.

………

Gippal lost it. He completely lost it. Rikku couldn't be taken to a doctor until Saleed was murdered, gone off of the face of Spira. Gippal didn't care about the pain he felt as he jumped on the back of Saleed, his mangled leg twisting even more. He didn't care when his hands nearly burned off, and blisters popped all over his skin as he strangled Saleed to his death. He had caused Gippal to shoot Rikku. Gippal had shot the girl he loved; the girl he loved was going to die because of him.

"I…HATE…YOU!" he managed to cry, eyes getting blurry with tears from physical and emotional pain. Saleed was trying desperately to pull Gippal off of him, but he had locked his legs tightly around the old man's waist as he continued to strangle him. "YOU RUINED MY LIFE, YOU RUINED MY LOVE, AND YOU RUINED MY FAMILY! YOU'RE SCUM! YOU DESERVE TO DIE!"

And only seconds later, Saleed fell limp, clattering to the floor. Gippal stood up in a split second, shaking nervously. He had just killed Saleed with his two bare hands. He didn't know how it had been so easy, and seconds later he realized it hadn't been. His leg seared with white-hot pain, and his hands were raw and bleeding from strangle Saleed, as well as his legs were burning. But he ignored it and Saleed's limp body as he ran for Rikku.

"Rikku?" he asked, voice quivering. His voice never quivered. "Rikku, oh Rikku…" He lifted her head gently to see her skin was ghostly pale and her eyes were closed, mouth hanging open. He checked her wrist for a pulse. There was a light one, but just barely.

"Oh Rikku…" he muttered, laying his head on her forehead. "I'm so sorry…I would never mean to hurt you in any way…" he was silent for a few moments, and then broke into angry sobs, slamming his fist on the floor. But it hurt too much. It all hurt too much. Everything was spinning around him.

"Rikku…Don't leave me Rikku, please. I'm not ready to live without you. Don't die on me, Rikku. Don't die…" And then he collapsed on top of Rikku, leaving a shocked Athilda and a crying Karren in his wake.

………

Fluorescent lights shone through Rikku's closed eyelids. She mumbled, waving a finger feebly in the air. She rolled on her side, ready for more sleep. But the sheets around her were feather light, and the seemed to almost crinkle with cleanliness. She opened one eye blearily. Where was she? And why did her leg hurt like a herd of chocobo's had bitten it off?

Rikku moaned and sat up carefully, feeling every bone in her body creak and every muscle tense up. Where was she? How…

"Hello, Lady Rikku." Rikku looked to the right to see Athilda sitting in the far corner of a rectangular, white washed room. Only Rikku's bed and small machine which beeped every so often were in there, as well as a line of chairs on the wall.

"A-Athilda?" she croaked, feeling the dryness of her throat. Athilda immediately grabbed a glass of water off of the side table and passed it to her. Rikku mumbled her thanks and took three big gulps. "Where am I? What happened?" She finally managed, feeling a dull ache pound across her forehead.

"You're in the Luca City Public Hospital, and you got shot in the thigh right before Sir Gippal went on a murderous rampage and strangled Saleed with his own two hands." Athilda said the events almost boredly, though Rikku could tell she was hiding something like fear in her eyes.

"Gippal – murdered Saleed? Who shot me? How?"

Athilda's lips tightened. "Yes, Sir Gippal murdered Saleed. He's buried very nicely in the ocean right now. And – um – about who shot you –"

"RIKKU!" The voice of Gippal boomed through the room like an earthquake. Rikku managed to bend her neck to see Gippal running to her in the bed. He grabbed her in a hug and tightened his grip on her, his face buried on her shoulder. Rikku was taken by shock.

"Uh – Gippal? What're you doing?" She swore she felt tears on her shoulder. Gippal was silent for a few minutes, but finally stood back, his hands resting on her shoulders as he inspected her.

"You've got a few bruises," he muttered absently, pushing back a lock of hair to feel the bruise on her cheek. She winced, and he immediately drew back his hand.

"What're you doing?" she repeated, forcing him to answer. Gippal looked suddenly uncomfortable.

"I'm just…just saying hello. You've been asleep for nearly a week. Thankfully the healers here fixed me in less then three days, but they had more trouble with you."

"With me? Why?"

"Because you had been – er – been shot."

Rikku eyes him warily. "And…"

"And…we're here now!" he said, grinning. Rikku shook her head slowly.

"Gippal, seriously. Who shot me?"

Gippal fell silent, and then mumbled something.

"What?" Rikku asked, leaning in closer, which was clearly an effort.

Gippal sighed exasperatedly. "I did, okay? I was going to shoot Saleed, I swear to Yevon I had it aimed perfectly, right for the back of his head, but then he moved an inch, just an INCH, and it went through your leg." Gippal's eye was watery, but he didn't start crying, which kind of bothered Rikku.

"You mean – YOU shot me?" she asked coldly. Gippal stepped back from her.

"I did, I did, but I didn't mean it, I swear to you Rikku, I swear, please don't think I would ever –"

Rikku placed a finger to his lips. "Shut up, Gippal. It's all right."

He blinked. "What?"

"It's all right."

"You mean you're not going to yell and throw things at me?"

Rikku smirked and lay back on her pillow. The drugs must be desensitizing her or something. "No. I'm too tired to do anything much but talk and move a finger or so. And my leg hurts like hell," she moaned, glaring at him. "But you know what? That's okay."

Gippal was still looking at her like she was crazy. Then he smiled. "This is a nice surprise," he finally commented. "I lived through it all."

Rikku motioned for him to come closer. One look in the corner told her Athilda had slipped quietly from the room. "No Gippal," she said as she rested her hands on both of his cheeks.

"We lived through it all."

EPILOGUE

Djose Temple, Two Months Later

"Rise and shine, Sunshine!" called Gippal's voice from the doorway. Rikku moaned and rolled over to hide her face from the overly cheerful one in the entrance.

"Bugger off Gippal," she moaned into her pillow. Gippal only tutted her and ripped the blanket off of her back, causing her to shrink herself up into a ball to keep warm. "GIPPAL!" she screeched, not looking at him. "YOU'RE EVIL!"

He only smiled and shoved her over closer to the wall. "Move over," he commanded, and Rikku did so to make room for him. Gippal sighed as lay down on her bed beside her, face looking up at the ceiling. The two were silent for a moment, Rikku still trying to stay warm in her morning grumpiness and Gippal smiling softly to himself.

"Gimme the blanket," Rikku finally said, voice muffled by the pillow. Gippal clutched it closer to him.

"No way, Jose. You need to get up, Secretary-O-Mine."

"ASSISTANT!" Rikku screamed, whipping around and punching him swiftly in the arm. Gippal winced, but chuckled.

"I knew that would wake you up."

Rikku glared daggers at him. "Shut up, Gippal." She turned around to face the wall again. Gippal looked at her back for a few moments, but then crept his head over and on top of her turned shoulder so he could see the side of her face, brow furrowed in concentration.

'Riiikkkuuu…." He whispered his voice breathing into her ear. She shivered.

"Stop it," she commanded.

"Riiiikkkuuuuuuuu," he continued, smirking. She didn't answer. He kissed her lightly on the cheek.

""Fyga ib, so tayn,

Dra cih ec y creheh',

Desa du cmeb uh ouin cruac.

Desa du byo ouin tiac,

Desa du kad uidceta.

Fyga ib, so ruhao,

Dra cih ec y dymgeh'.

Ra seccac oui mega E secc oui,

Fyga ib so ruhao,

Fyga ib so tayn..."

((Wake up, my dear,

The sun is a shinin',

Time to slip on your shoes.

Time to pay your dues,

Time to get outside.

Wake up, my honey,

The sun is a talkin'.

He misses you like I miss you,

Wake up my honey,

Wake up my dear...))

Rikku smiled warmly at the old song Al Bhed mothers used to sing to wake up their children. She moaned and turned around, wrapping her arms around him and opening her eyes slowly. "You like to wheedle me out of bed with cute things like that, don't you?" she asked mockingly. Gippal smiled.

"You know me too well."

"Sadly, I have that burden."

Gippal lifted her up out of bed, spinning around the room while singing some old Al Bhed songs. She giggled and clung tight as she spun faster and faster until they were both dizzy. He set her on the ground to let her shake off the dizziness. He looked down at her.

"The Faction's been much more enjoyable with you here working with me. I'm not stuck with paperwork anymore, and I have my little lovely," he said, tickling her chin. Rikku bit at his fingers while planting her hands on her hips.

"Well, I had to hire someone else to do the paperwork. I don't want your life being twenty years shorter than it has to be." Gippal chuckled and ruffled her hair.

"You're still the same Cid's girl."

"HEY!" Rikku cried indignantly.

"But that's the way I love ya," he finished, grabbing her in a hug. Rikku grinned slowly.

"You know just how to woo a girl, don't you Gippy?"

He chuckled. "Got that right, Cid's Girl."

The two parted and looked into each others eyes, both happier than they'd ever been in their lives. Things were perfect between them.

"OI!" cried a sudden voice. The two looked in the doorway to see Suttin standing there, grinning. "We've got three buffoons at the door askin' to see your Lordship," he said mockinglys, bowing in Gippal's direction.

Gippal and Rikku both eyed each other.

"What're their names?" Rikku asked curiously. Suttin fought very hard to hide the smirk on his face at catching the two in one of their lovey-dovey moments.

"They say their names are Sunny, Liam, and Bilak. They're tryin' to find work or something."

Gippal and Rikku both looked at each other, a look of horror clearly written on Rikku's face.

And then the two did the unexpected. Rather then shriek and send the three to the police, they laughed.

They laughed, and laughed, and laughed, clutching onto each other for support.

Nothing could ruin their perfect mood. Nothing could ruin their perfect life…Together.

THE END

A/N: SOB. It's all so BEAUTIFUL. I suck at endings. So shoot me. It's always gotta be some corny one liner. But whatever. I'm tired, I need my sleep. I hope you liked me story, because I had TONS of fun writing it! Big grin on my face right now. Love ya all, please review for last time comments! Hugs and stuff,

Kristen