I only own my own creativity...

Sorry I took so long to update. The muse escaped for awhile. Here is the chapter.

Gippal woke up to the sound of someone breaking into his room. He reached for his gun but did not get to it before the bedroom door slammed open.

"Stop!" Rikku yelled as she threw her hands up as if to protect herself.

"Rikku!" he said as he sat up in bed. "I could have shot you. You are a thief. Shouldn't you be better at sneaking into someone's rooms without them knowing?" he demanded

"I wasn't sneaking in," Rikku stuck her tongue out at him and then picked up a pair of pants from the floor and threw them at him. "Get dress, we are going on a little excursion." Rikku walked back out the door but then stopped and turned only her head back. "And if you are not on the airship in ten minutes I will come back and drag you out of bed even if you are naked." Gippal glared at her back as she walked back out but got out of bed anyways. He got dressed quickly and met her outside. She was leaning against his hover waiting for him. He reached for the keys that were in his pocket but she held up her hand. He frowned as she dangled them in the air. She jumped in the hover and barely waited for him to join her.

Rikku barged into the house with Gippal trailing behind her wondering what was going on. She had been silent the entire ride but that changed once she found Cid.

"This nonsense stops now." She told her father shaking her finger at him, "You are going to get that silly contract that the two of you made up and it is going to be torn up."

"Now Princess," Cid started trying to calm her down but she shook her head.

"Don't now princess me, that is not going help this time. Even if we were actually interested in each other this is not the way it should be." Gippal shook his head in panic. Cid was now watching him but Rikku kept going. "This is not his fault. You wanted someone to date me and you got it. But this is not what I want. You can not blame him for it because it is really you who is to blame for this. You say you love me for me but this is not me. So the engagement or whatever it was is off."

"Are you telling me that you were putting on a show?"

"That does not matter! I want to be romanced not shoved off onto whatever guy you deem worthy. You are giving love all twisted up. This is nothing like I dreamed of growing up. There should be a man that is truly in love with me. One that swamps my room with flowers just because he is thinking of me. A man that he kisses me makes me melt. There are no feelings beyond friendship between Gippal and me. He is just a good friend that wanted to help me out and I selfishly let him. So you will now rip up that contract in front of me and this be over." Rikku finally ran out of air. Cid went into his office and brought out a few sheets to Rikku. He ripped them up in front of her and then threw them away. Rikku walked out the door with Gippal trailing behind her. He wanted so badly to say something but at the same time he could tell that she did not want him to talk right now. She dropped him off back at the temple.

The next day...

Rikku walked back to her apartment from work. She was considering moving now that she did not have to live near Djose anymore. But where would she go? She shook her head and unlocked her door. She dropped her keys once the door opened. Her apartment had flowers everywhere. Her favorite flower, the moon lily, filled the small living space. She walked further into the room and saw that they were even in her bedroom. She stood with her mouth wide open until she heard a knock. She swung around to find Gippal leaning against the door post.

"Did you do this?" She asked softly as she still could not believe her eyes. He stepped into the apartment and stopped in front of her.

"Yes." He simply replied.

"Why? The show is over." She was starting to feel overwhelmed by his gesture, " You didn't have to do this."

"Yes, I did," he reached out and took a hold of her arms at the elbows. She peered up at him.

"You did not answer my question." He smiled

"No, but it is not the first time. You asked me what I would get out of our arrangement. I joked that maybe it was my plan to make sure I got the girl. I was not joking though. I have been in love with you for quite some time now. I just never hoped that you would return my affection. So I took the chance to be with you when I saw it. I just did not realize how wrong it was to pretend it was all for show until after I talked to your dad. After you called everything off I decided to try the right way and stop being a coward." Rikku smiled up at him.

"To think how easy it would have been if you had just done this in the first place." He shrugged.

"I like a challenge. So, do I get a get a second chance?" She was grinning now. She stood up on her tip toes and put her arms around him. He leaned down and kissed her.

She melted.