Chapter Twenty One

Paine sighed after hanging up with Gippal. "I have to go…"

"Now?" Rikku questioned. She examined Paine's face and saw that she was keeping herself very guarded right now. Rikku waved her hand; dismissing her. "Fine."

Paine began to get up. "I'll be right back."

"You live across town you won't be back for an hour. Then that's only if you don't lose track of time." Rikku shook her head and started opening up the rest of her food. She was so frustrated with her right now she couldn't even bother. "Just bring this stuff downstairs and put it in the fridge." She motioned to Paine's portion.

Paine picked up her few containers. "Do you even want me to come back?" She asked because if she were going to come back to fight then she didn't want that.

Rikku thought about it and sighed heavily. "No, Paine." She still wasn't looking at her.

Paine nodded. "I wanna talk you know…"

"Could have fooled me." She said before eating a spoonful of rice. "You'd rather ask me something that would completely deter us from the conversation on what happened today and that's not right, because under any other given circumstance you know what I would have answered." Rikku picked up her container of rice and an egg roll and left the attic for her room.

##

"Where did they find him?" Paine asked quietly as she debated if she should hug Gippal or not.

Shuyin had been found.

The thick smell of the rain was fresh in the air. Paine could still feel the bit of coldness in her shoes when they slapped against the pavement on her way home. It was a lot darker earlier in the evening, or at least it seemed to get darker the farther she went from the Heights. It seemed fitting though, Paine didn't know how she would feel if it were a clear night.

"Some fucking alley…" Gippal shook his head. "They told his mom today, she called me just now."

Paine was silent. So Dona wasn't just making something up, but had she really been one of the last to see him? "What happened to him?"

Gippal had his dry hands on his face. There was a slight wind coming by that ruffled his un-styled hair. He looked like he hadn't slept all week. "She wouldn't say…"

Paine looked down at her shoes stuffing her hands deeper into her pockets. It had to be bad. "Fuck..."

"Yeah." Gippal sniffled lightly. The two were sitting on the front steps of their building. Paine assumed Gippal had gotten the news on his way home from work, because he had yet to go inside and his work clothes sat in a bag at his sneakered feet.

Paine could see he wanted to hurt. His confliction confused her and for a second she wondered if that's how she looked when Rikku would look at her with those pleading green eyes.

Paine wanted to help him, but she didn't know how. She hesitated before placing her hand on his upper back. Gippal glanced at her a little surprised by the gesture. "What do you want to do?" Paine asked. She knew just by Gippal manner that he thought something wasn't right here. She had known Shu for at least seven years, and out of all of them he was the most careful.

Gippal stared at her for a second before reaching in his pocket for his cell phone. "We get the fucker who did this."

##

"She didn't know what to do. I hope you understand. I only kept it from you because she asked me not to say anything to anyone."

Rikku nodded even though Yuna couldn't see her. "I understand…" She pushed around the beef and broccoli she ordered with her fork.

"How are you? You sound sad."

"Paine and I kinda got into a thing." She wouldn't call it a fight, it wasn't, it would have been though if she stayed, even though Rikku wanted her too.

"What happened?" Yuna lowered the volume of her TV. It was getting late and she was just waiting to feel sleepy before Rikku called.

"I don't know, I never know, just when I think I know, something comes up!"

"What did she say?"

"She didn't say anything. I told her not to come back and she was like oh, okay." Rikku sighed. "I didn't really mean that…"

"Maybe she just didn't want to fight either." Yuna looked to her side at Kimahri sprawled out on the sofa. There almost wasn't enough room for Yuna and her things. She swore he thought he was a puppy still.

"Maybe… Anyway I don't want to talk about it. I want to sit here and eat a bunch of oriental food."

"You two confuse me…"

"Not talking about it." Rikku sang.

Yuna laughed. "Okay, okay, what do you want to talk about?"

"Tell me more about Lulu. I mean, is this why she hasn't been around much?"

"She's looking at apartments."

"She can't stash a baby there."

"This is what I keep telling her, she's putting off telling her parents."

"What happens when she starts to show? What about Walker?"

"Who's Walker?"

"Oh." Rikku shook her head at the slip up. "Paine's roommates call him that to annoy him."

"Kind of like Teedus."

"He likes it when I call him that." Rikku defended.

"Mhm." Yuna stretched her legs out in front of her, her foot gently hit the sketch pad on the floor beside the couch, and she sighed. "I think she is going to do it eventually, she has a lot on her plate."

"We should visit her, and the news won't be pretty, her mom is kind of… Eh."

"I know what you mean." Yuna chuckled. "Her father is nice; he and Dad still play tennis."

"That's very rich of them… How's his new girlfriend?"

Yuna bent down to pick up her sketch pad. "I think I need your help with a design."

"Avoiding the question."

Yuna sighed. "Alright." She looked around to make sure no one was around, which now that she thought about it was ridiculous, no one was home. "She's been over a few more times…"

"Ha! I knew it."

"What does this all mean though, Rikku? I mean… I'm so used to her being there not here."

"Well what do they talk about?"

Yuna only shrugged. "Beats me."

##

It was early.

It was early, and she hadn't slept yet.

She spent the whole night, in some of Shuyin's favorite places; searching. All but Bart's house of course. It really brought Paine back in the oddest way. It made her realize how little she actually knew about him, and even herself back then. They would walk by a building and Gippal would ask if she remembered the time she did this or that...

She couldn't.

That still didn't explain why she was here though.

"Black?"

Paine nodded.

Baralai nodded too and went back to his spot in line at some random doughnut shop in little Djose.

She ran a hand through her hair and looked outside at the bright morning through the clear glass windows. Time must have passed without her knowledge because before she knew it she turned her head and found Baralai's soft eyes staring back at her.

Paine looked away.

Baralai smiled to himself. He had almost forgotten who this was. He sat back and took a sip of his hot coffee. "My father saw your picture in The Times, he asked about you."

Paine turned back to look at him. He was wearing a plain white shirt that made him look stronger than he probably was, and regular blue jeans. He had taken off his green zip up jacket when they got into the shop. Something about not wanting to get coffee stains on the fragile material.

Sissy

Paine carefully took the lid off of her paper coffee cup. "What did you tell him?" She blew gently on it then brought it to her lips.

"I told him I hadn't run into you lately, and that I couldn't be sure."

"Hm." Just the aroma alone of the dark roast was already calming Paine. She watched as Baralai messed with the sticky danish he had bought. "How is he?"

"Well, but you know how things are. I never see him."

"And the time you do you talk about me, how lucky am I?"

Baralai gave her a look before reaching for a couple of napkins to grip the danish as he dunked it into his coffee. "How has your summer been so far?"

Paine glanced out the window again as if she saw someone she might know among the crowds of people bustling past. "Well, I failed my first college class, beat the hell out of my professor, and almost went to jail for a girl who I'm pretty sure doesn't want to see me right now."

"Trouble in paradise?"

"You would have to get there first right?" Paine shook her head lightly. For crying out loud they weren't even together together, and still she felt like she had walked in the house with her shoes on, or hadn't taken out the trash, and finally Rikku had just had it with her. Would she even be responsible for taking the trash out? Paine sighed and took a sip of her coffee. Probably. "Trouble at the airport."

Baralai laughed and Paine couldn't help but smile lightly. She was too tired to fight it. "Rikku?"

Paine nodded.

Baralai shook his head wondering why he even bothered to ask. "So is that the reason you look like pulled an all nighter at a morgue or something?"

Paine raised an eyebrow "No."

"Okay…" Baralai knew she wasn't going to answer that question, so he asked another. "Why me?"

"Well originally, it was because you owed me a drink and you didn't ask questions." Baralai chuckled. "But I can see that you've changed quite a bit."

##

Cid checked his watch again. He was meeting Braska for lunch and didn't want to be late. They seriously needed to go over things. Sometimes they disagreed, it was only normal, but on something like this? It could be detrimental to the firm, and to his future plans.

It was 1:35 in the afternoon when he went downstairs to leave. He could hear the small lull of the TV from the den and decided to say goodbye to Rikku. She had been moping around for most of the morning which confused him. What happened to the huge smile she was wearing only a day ago? "Milan I'm leaving and I—"

"Pops shh." Rikku whispered as she gave her father a stern look. "She's sleeping."

Cid wasn't even aware that Paine had come over.

Yet there she was, lying on the couch with her head on a pillow in Rikku's lap. His daughter was mindlessly running her hand through the other girl's hair while watching TV on a very low setting.

Cid fought the questions from coming out. He was still waiting for Rikku to come to him, and if he stayed he would be late which wouldn't be good. "I'm leaving now, are you going to be alright?" He whispered.

Rikku nodded. "Paine's here."

Cid had to smile at that. He was glad that she could feel safe around someone. Yevon knows he had been worried about her. "Okay. Bye."

"Bye Pops." Rikku waved. Once she heard the front door close she sighed and looked down at Paine.

She was worried.

Paine hadn't called or anything, which was very unlike her.. About an hour and a half earlier she just showed up, said she was sorry and wanted to talk if Rikku was ready, and then fell asleep while Rikku was getting a glass of water for her.

Rikku had fought her to actually get her to lie down but once she did she automatically rested her head on the couch pillow Rikku had on her lap, curled up slightly, and went back to sleep. It was cute, and having Paine close again felt good, but she was still worried.

Rikku ran her right hand through Paine's hair as she studied her face. She laid still and quiet as usual. Rikku only knew she was breathing because she could feel it; the graceful movement coming from her chest calmed Rikku's overactive imagination.

She had been mad at first and now, well now she couldn't stop looking down at her. She knew she overreacted sometimes; Paine made her just so irrational and so out of touch with what she wanted to say. Rikku ran her fingers across Paine's cheek and smiled as the other woman curled her body up a little more in her sleep. When she was staying at Paine's place and found, on the rare occasion that she was awake and Paine wasn't, Rikku would run her fingertips across her cheeks and Paine would snuggle closer, or curl her body up if she didn't have her arm around Rikku. Rikku wondered if everyone did that or if it was just Paine. She went back to watching TV with a sigh. Why couldn't she just be with her? Why did all of this stuff have to get in the way? She knew she could make Paine happy like she made her, why couldn't they just… Be?

##

"You're late." Cid smiled anyway at Braska as the other man sat across from and motioned to the waiter to come over.

"Scotch." Braska ordered.

Cid raised an eyebrow. "You are aware it's two in the afternoon aren't you?"

Braska sighed heavily and ran a hand through his short brown hair. "Shuyin Grant is dead." He watched the color drain from Cid's face and motioned for the waiter again. "Make that two."

##

"You awake, hm?" Rikku asked quietly once she felt Paine move around a little. She rubbed her arm and Paine nodded but stayed put. "Buun drehk." Rikku cooed rubbing Paine's back now.

Paine closed her eyes at her touch and voice. "Rikks…" she let out a relaxed sigh.

Rikku smiled. "That feel good?" Paine only nodded again. "Good." Rikku used both hands to massage up and down Paine's left arm then to her side, her back and finally to her neck. Paine made a little noise as Rikku's fingers firmly worked on a knot there. Rikku worked on it till she could feel no tension there and then ran her hand along Paine's jaw. Touching her like this made Rikku feel funny, in a good way. Paine eventually turned on her back and their eyes finally met. Rikku smiled lightly down at her. "You can go back to sleep in my room if you're still sleepy."

Paine shook her head no and sat up with her legs still on the length of the couch. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and tossed it across the room.

"Hey!"

"I don't care." Paine said shushing Rikku, her voice was slightly raspy from sleep. "Someone died… They found him and… And I was one of the last people to see him alive because I was going to buy oxycodone from him."

"Oh god, Pai—"

"I'm not going back, Rikku." Paine said seriously She needed Rikku to believer her. "I- I almost did, that night before the trial. It was scary, I was scared, I was weak, but I swear it on my life I won't. I want to… I want to be with you, and that's more than enough. I should have never used that to try and not talk about things. They are important and, you are important." She sighed and took Rikku's hand. "Please." She looked up and they stared directly at each other.

For a few moments neither said anything.

Rikku used her free hand to brush some of Paine's hair behind her ear. Paine had an earnest look on her face and that warmth in her eyes that always made looking anywhere else seem colder and uninspired to the blonde.

"Yes?"

"Go out with me? Be my girlfriend, no one's ever made me feel this way and I don't want anyone else."

Rikku began to fight the smile on her face which made Paine smile.

"But I didn't get to take you on a date yet." Rikku giggled at Paine's face when she said that. "Yes, of course Paine, I'll be your girl. "

Rikku had honestly never Paine smile so wide. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." Rikku laughed. She tugged on their joined hands. "Kiss me."

Paine leaned forward and squeezed her hand affectionately before kissing her. Rikku melted forward against her as their mouths glided against the others softly. Paine's stomach was full of butterflies, she had never been so happy in her life, so relived, so anxious in a good way; a new high. They kissed for a few more seconds. Rikku was the first to pull away, she grinned up at Paine. "Yay." She cheered quietly causing Paine to laugh. "What do we do now?"

"We can kiss some more," Paine nodded thoughtfully as she leaned closer again. Rikku's lips were soft and very responsive, she wasn't just kissing to kiss, she was kissing because she wanted just as much Paine did, knowing that made her feel good.

"Or." Rikku smiled as she stopped her gently. Although she was definitely up for more sweet kisses from her girlfriend she wanted to make sure Paine was okay first. "I can ask you if you're okay." Paine sighed. "Don't make the same mistake twice." Rikku warned playfully.

Paine nodded and straightened herself out and leaned her back against the back of the couch. Rikku pulled both her knees up and hugged them as she faced Paine by leaning her back on the armrest.

"You never met him, maybe you saw him at Taboo, Shuyin. He was skinny, wore a gray beanie."

"Looked like Tidus?"

"Yeah him, he's dead."

Paine had said it so casually as if people died on her every day. "Were you two friends?"

"Kind of, not really. We were situational friends. He was really the brains behind Bart's muscle." Paine shook her head. "A part of me is just like whatever, because I distanced myself from them in the last year and it shouldn't matter."

"A loss is a loss, Pai."

"I know but that's the thing. It's like I put them on pause the moment I woke up in the hospital last January. These people that I thought I knew, they don't seem real. They're not the real things, and if they're not the real things then Shu isn't dead…" Paine looked to Rikku's face for some kind of indication that she was making sense.

"But he is."

"I can't feel it though…"

"Feel what?"

Paine shrugged. "Whatever you're supposed to feel when you lose someone you know. I mean I've known him for years, and I was one of the last people to see him alive…." Paine quieted down. She had been replaying over that night over and over. It all came out the same though. Everything was the same it had been the last time she thought about it."No one knows how it happened. Gippal is freaking out, although he and Shu were never really close anyway."

"You'll feel it."

Paine shook her head. "I don't know." What made Shuyin so different? If she couldn't feel the loss of so many other important things, why was now different?

"When my mom died everyone was sad right away, I couldn't understand it. I thought maybe I was broken, or maybe just so angry at her for leaving like that."

"Like what?" Paine asked curiously. Like her parents, Rikku never talked about her mother.

"She left me Paine…" Rikku got a faraway look on her face for a second before prompting her attention back on Paine.

"She couldn't have possibly known that something bad would have happened." Paine tried to console her.

"She left me to figure all this stuff out by myself. You know what it was like when I got my period?"

Paine shook her head at Rikku. "I'm trying to be serious."

Rikku smiled a little. "I know, it's cute." The Al bhed sighed and rested her chin in between her knees. "But I felt it, I felt eventually, Pai, and all this stuff that you were turned off to feeling for so long is gonna come back, and you're gonna feel it too."

Paine shook her head. "I have a feeling you're right."

"Of course I'm right, you know why?"

"Why?"

"Cause I'm your girlfriend, I'm always right."

Paine sent her a small smile. "So what does that make me, since I'm yours?"

"You can be right when I'm wrong." She reasoned.

"But if you're always right…"

Rikku grinned. "Funny how that works, huh?"

Paine only smiled. "You said yes though…" She said after letting it all sink in. Rikku was her girlfriend now.

Rikku Bayla was her girlfriend!

Paine knew she was way out of her league, but damn was she happy.

"Should we tell everyone?"

The question broke Paine out of her little daydream. "What like your dad?"

"Yevon no, like Yunie and Teedus… Gippal?"

Paine shrugged. "Rikku, can we just, be happy for a little?"

Rikku tilted her head. "I am happy, Paine."

"I just wanna… Keep it between us two for a little while." Paine shook her head. "I don't know how it usually works, but with all this stuff going on I don't want to go on double dates or anything. I just want to spend time with you so we can get used to…" What was she even trying to say? Paine put her hand to her face and Rikku laughed. "Stop laughing I'm stressed." Paine peaked at Rikku through her fingers.

"What you just realized what you did didn't you?" Paine nodded and Rikku laughed more. "Too late Paine, you can't be an asker taker backer."

"What have I done? Now I can't go to the twenty four hour strip club or anything!"

"I'd kill you." Rikku nodded seriously. Paine laughed but then her face changed quickly and Rikku noticed what she had just done. "I'm sorry, Paine…"

"It's okay…" She focused somewhere else in the room.

"So when is the service? Do you want me to come with you?"

Paine shook her head no. "His mom can't afford one." Rikku frowned. "It's not uncommon." Paine reassured once she saw Rikku's face.

"Yeah, but it's still not right."

"Well." Paine shrugged lightly. There was nothing they could do about it. There would probably be a party that she most likely wasn't going to be invited to. Paine still didn't know if it bothered her or not, Bart had made it very clear where she stood.

"Do you really think something happened to him? I mean like someone may have hurt him?" Paine nodded. "You should tell the police or something…"

"They're not going to care if one less drug dealer is off the streets, Rikku."

"Yeah well…" Rikku didn't know what to say. She had a point, it wasn't that she thought that this Shu guy deserved what happened to him, but maybe if he tried to make a better life for himself it wouldn't have. Paine had a small look of uncertainty on her face. "What's wrong?" She pressed lightly.

"It just doesn't add up to me… I don't know." She shook her head again brining her fingertips to her lips and prodding them there in thought.

"So what did you stay up doing?" Paine wasn't fooling anyone. Rikku knew she was tired, it took a lot for Paine to just fall asleep like that.

Paine hesitated. Rikku was her girlfriend now; they had turned that page together and were now in a new place, she didn't want to start off on a bad foot by lying to her. "I don't want you to worry…"

"Oui mega dnuipma." Rikku shook her head. "Just understand now that it's different, okay? You and I are together so… That means certain things."

"I know." Paine nodded. "I'm not going to do anything to jeopardize that, I promise." She meant what she said a hundred percent. It was half the reason why she came over here after coffee and a walk with Baralai. She couldn't be around Gippal and his paranoia. She wanted to be with Rikku, and now, she was. Paine couldn't help a little smile from forming. Rikku shook her head at her slowly smiling herself, she knew what Paine had just thought. "Besides that, and the fact that I get to do this." Paine leaned forward and surprised Rikku by stealing a short kiss. "What else will be different?"

"Instead of calling me Princess, you have to call me My Dearest Princess."

Paine laughed. "You're my only one though."

"Good answer."

"I'm a little in over my head, I just y'know, I wanna be good to you." Paine blushed at her words. "You know how I feel… Fuck." She looked up at the ceiling making Rikku laugh. "I sound ridiculous."

"Maybe." Rikku scooted closer to her and put her arm around Paine's back. She did, she knew how she felt too, and it seemed scary at how close the two had become. How crazy the pull between them was. They couldn't stay away from one another if they tried. From the moment Rikku met her she knew that she would be important, she knew that if she just let her walk off with her coffee instead of inviting her to sit, that her life would be completely different. Rikku shook her head lightly at how fast time had gone by. "I wanna warn you that I can be a little…"

"Crazy?" Paine asked. "I know, that's what I like about you."

"You did not just call your girlfriend crazy."

"I did." Paine smirked. Their faces had gotten closer with each syllable and finally Paine just leaned the rest of the way and kissed her.

She could really get used to doing this.

"Mm." Rikku purred lightly when Paine touched her jaw line; her fingertips were cool as the peppered across her cheek. Paine was a really good kisser. She had this sensual way of doing it that would become a problem for the blonde in the very near future if she kept it up. Paine had always been good about that; showing instead of telling. "I love this." Rikku mumbled in between kisses without even noticing her thoughts had been out loud. Rikku didn't think it possible to kiss like this with someone and have it mean so much. She felt home, she felt safe, and warm, and happy, and for a long time she wasn't sure those feelings were even obtainable anymore. Paine responded to her mumbled words by leaning into her and wrapping her left hand around her lower back. Rikku's heart rate increased and a shot of energy raced down her spinal cord as Paine applied a more pressure to the kiss, and her hand gripped her side.

There weren't enough words to describe what kissing Rikku felt like. She had thought about it for a while now, wondering how it would feel if she ever got the chance. It couldn't be healthy, she concluded. Her chest hurt, and she felt so vulnerable yet so empowered. She never wanted it to stop. Paine felt Rikku's knees move from in front of her to the side giving Paine room to scoot closer.

When she did they could hear the front door being opened and Paine felt Rikku flinch involuntarily. She pulled away gently and stared into deep seas of green.

"Milan!"

Paine smiled lightly as if to say "See?"

It was just her father.

"They're in here Cid." Braska smiled at the looks on Paine and Rikku's face when they looked up and noticed he was in the doorway and they were still close. Paine quickly pulled her hands to herself and Rikku cleared her throat, both stared at the TV making sure to put a good distance between them before Cid showered up.

"Their? She's still here? Thank Yevon." Cid shook his head as he appeared at Braska's side. "We need to speak to you, Paine."

"What's wrong?" Rikku asked noticing the look on her father's face. He didn't say anything.

Paine stood and followed them after glancing at Rikku.

"Do you know this man?" Braska asked gently when they made it into Cid's small house office. It was a little room that Paine had never really paid any attention to on the first floor. There was a desk, a potted plant a few bookshelves, a bulky fax machine that took up a good chunk of space, and a rickety chair that Paine stood beside. Something told her that she wouldn't want to sit down.

"What's this about?" She asked before being handed a picture from a morgue. The body was a pasty blue and lifeless, but Paine knew who it was. His blonde hair was pushed aside and she could make out the hole near his eyebrow for his piercing. They all got piercings that day. "Shuyin… How did you guys even kno—"

"The morning of your trial a case came in, this was why I was a little late getting ready which of course made Rikku Milan and I late." Cid explained. He was sitting at the desk; a solemn look on his face. Paine pushed the picture away from her, she suddenly felt sick.

"What in the hell?" She asked seriously. "I saw him the night before the trial."

Braska and Cid exchanged looks. "The trial was the city of New Luca against one of the most well known drug traffickers in your area of the city. Shuyin Grant was one of the few witnesses we had who actually wasn't afraid of testifying against him in court, In exchange for a completely expunged record, of course." Braska glanced at Cid again.

Cid cleared his throat. "It appears that somehow the names were leaked…"

Paine said nothing; her mouth felt dry like she had swallowed sand and her head began to spin. "Who else?" She barely got out.

The second Gippal's picture fell on the desk Paine was out the door.

##

"He's not answering." Paine stated hanging up and trying again. She stood. "I gotta go."

"Wait, Paine, just calm down a minute." Rikku grabbed her forearm and tried her best to seem calm because one of them had to be, Paine was getting more agitated as the seconds passed.

"How the fuck am I supposed to calm down right now, Rikku?" Paine said taking her forearm back.

"Paine." Cid warned. He was a little surprised when he got a look from Rikku. It seemed the two had forgotten that he and Braska were there, still, he didn't like how she was talking.

"I'm going. He isn't picking up; he doesn't work tonight so I know something is wrong." Paine shook her head as she hung up her phone, and reached for her leather jacket that had been sitting on the reclining chair since she arrived.

"I'm going too."

"No." Cid, Braska, and Paine said at the same time right after Rikku spoke.

"It's not safe." Braska elaborated.

Rikku crossed her arms. "So it's safe for Paine then?"

Cid gave Rikku a fatherly look that said "Paine isn't my daughter." Rikku huffed.

"She makes a point, Paine." Braska said walking after her. Rikku and Cid weren't so far behind. "We don't know if this person saw you that night, we don't know if they think you saw them. We don't know anything."

"I know something; whoever killed my friend is going to kill Gippal if I don't do something. So all of this talking is great but excuse me, none of you can really know how it is over there. They don't care where you are, who you're with. He's not safe. You do your jobs, and I'll do mine." Paine looked over to Rikku. "I'm sorry; I'll call you later I promise."

"Stop promising me things Paine Kerrigan."

##

"He isn't home?" Paine asked as she hopped off the number five bus and started walking quickly toward Crenshaw Street. The day had aged into a breezy late evening and Paine was really starting to feel the effects of having only three hours of sleep. She had to be alert though. All around her people were busy rushing home to start dinner and catch up with their families. Crenshaw Street was off the larger more main road where all the shops and businesses were. Paine was finding that every time she was reminded of where she was, she wanted to leave. There was an old comfort in these streets that was beginning to fade.

"Sorry Dr. P, no one else is here but me." Nooj said carefully. "Is everything okay?"

Paine shook her head. "I'm just a little tired. Listen did he say anything when he left earlier?"

"Said he would be back soon."

"When was that?"

"Over an hour ago, but you know with Gippal, he probably saw something shiny and got distracted."

"Yeah." Paine sighed. She heard a faint beep and looked at her phone to see that Rikku was calling. "Alright I'm coming home for a second." They said their goodbyes and Paine switched the line over. "Rikku."

"Paine, I think you should come back."

Paine paused where she was on the corner of her street and the main road. "What's wrong?" She heard it in her voice.

"I dunno, just… Where are you?"

"I'm two minutes away from my house." She continued walking again.

"Will you come back over when you're done talking to Gippal?"

"Yeah… Hey, what you said before I left…"

"People start getting used to promising things, they don't hold as much weight as they once meant."

"I shouldn't promise you things then?" Rikku didn't say anything. Paine stopped again. "What's wrong, Princess?"

"Nothing nothing, so will you come over? Bring Gippal too, Pops says it's okay and probably for the best."

"Are you mad at me for leaving?"

"No, he's your family, I would have done the same thing if Brother was in trouble, just be careful. "

Paine nodded to herself. "I kinda have to now don't I?"

Rikku smiled. "That's right missy."

Just then Paine breathed a sigh of relief. "This asshole."

"What?"

"It's Gippal." Paine explained as she saw her blonde friend strolling down the same sidewalk in the opposite direction as Paine, he was carrying a large brown paper bag in his arms; the tops of turnip greens and a French baguette peaked out from the top. He waved at Paine. "I'll call you back." She hung up with Rikku and shook her head at him from a distance. "You're an ass!" She had actually been really worried about him.

"What!" Gippal yelled back with a little laugh.

"I said—"

"Is ass a bad word?"

Paine looked to her left to find Jade and Mackenzie. Jade was holding a jump rope and what looked like her shoe strings tied to the ends. Paine stopped. "Uh, yeah it's a grown up word. It's bad for little kids to say it."

"I'm not little!" Mackenzie put her hands on her hips.

"It's bad for kids to say it." Paine laughed. She scratched the back of her head as she stepped over to them. "What are you guys doing out here so late?"

"Mackenzie forgot her keys." Jade explained while Mackenzie looked down at the floor in an embarrassed manner.

"Moma is coming home soon…" She explained to the ground.

Paine sighed. People were getting killed just a few blocks away and they were outside playing. "C'mon." She pulled out her house keys. It was then that a quiet car rounded the corner and crept up the street without notice.

Gippal chuckled as Jade ran forward ahead of Paine and Big Mack and asked him if he needed help with his bag. "It looks heavy." She nodded up at him. Everyone knew she had a little crush on him.

"A little eh?" He leaned back shifting the weight against his body better as he reached his hand in to pull out a juicy grapefruit. "Here, hold this."

Seeing this Mackenzie dashed forward from her spot at Paine's side. "I want one too!"

Paine laughed a little as she continued her pace. She looked up the street when she heard a car horn. It was coming from an old beaten up jalopy riding right behind a black sedan with tinted windows. The car horn sounded again and the black car sped up a little. "No…" Paine shook her head to herself, she quickened her pace a little. "Gip!"

"More?" Gippal chuckled handing Jade a lime next. Mackenzie was still running clumsily toward them.

The car window slowly crept down and Paine started running. "Gippal!"

Gippal looked up to see Paine and then looked to the street directly beside him. He immediately dropped the paper bag of groceries and grabbed Jade.

Several loud popping noises could be heard over the loud car horn as the black car picked up speed. Mackenzie was frozen in fear, standing directly in line with the oncoming crossfire. Paine began running faster and finally picked her up and turned her back to the street to protect the little girl in her arms as she leapt for the ground.

The sound of the jalopy car horn stopped and was replaced with the sound of a rubber tires revving up and screeching away.

"What the fuck!" Gippal yelled form his spot on the ground. He looked to Jade who was sniffling in his arms. "Are you okay?" She nodded weakly.

"Uncle Gippal Uncle Gippal!" Mackenzie cried.

"Dr. P, you okay!" Gippal pulled himself off the ground.

Paine blinked harshly a couple of times. She could taste salt in her mouth and could smell the mineral in the sidewalk distinctly. Her chin was sore and her eyes were having trouble focusing on Mackenzie's arm. "Yeah." She managed weakly. She let Mackenzie crawl from underneath her and winced when the little girl began to cry.

Why were kids so loud?

"Go inside," Gippal pushed Jade up the stairs and ran over to where Paine was still lying. "You oka… You got hit!" His eyes grew wide at the ruby red peaking from under her leather jacket.

"No?" Paine furrowed her brows when Gippal began fussing over her. She could feel his hands pull her jacket aside and then ripping the back of her shirt. "Wha, Gip I'm fine…" She slurred.

##

"Sit her up!" One of the paramedics yelled to the other when she stared coughing up small amounts of blood, and saliva, her body was shaking.

Gippal stared on with his hands in his hair. He couldn't lose her. This wasn't happening. "She's losing a bit here; we need to stabilize her on the way over." The other ordered as they helped Paine lay back on her stomach.

Paine's eyes were wide as her body went into shock. She was looking straight at Gippal for help. "I'm coming with you!" He pushed past Nooj who had come out dressed when he heard people yelling.

"Sir we can't—"

"Move the fuck outta my way." Gippal pushed the paramedic who didn't understand that she was all he had.

"Let him come." The other hollered from inside the truck.

##

It was around eight at night when Cid got a phone call from Gippal. "I've been trying to get in contact with you all day, Trent" Cid stood from his home office desk. "Slow down… Which one? We'll be right there." Hung up the phone and called Braska.

"Hello?"

"Juliann?"

"Cid..."

##

She was scared

For the first time in her life she was truly afraid that she may not make it out of this one.

All Paine could feel was cold air like there was an awful draft somewhere, and tugging, people were tugging at her body. She was no longer on her stomach but now on her back. All she could see was the beginnings of an oxygen mask on her nose and blurry Gumby looking men with white masks hiding their noses and mouths.

"We've got eyes!" Someone above her announced.

Someone with soft hazel eyes came into view. Paine flinched at how close they seemed. "Paine, it's okay, you're in the Mercy Grace Hospital—" She tried to focus on them as a sickening pain shot up her side. She groaned loudly. She glared up at the person looking down at her and was about to try and speak until she felt something being yanked out of her body.

Paine's eyes fluttered close.

"What did you do!"

"I-"

"Hang more blood!"

##

"Milan! Yuna!" Cid knocked hard on his daughter's door.

"Yevon, Pops." Rikku opened the door. Behind her he could see Yuna lounging on Rikku's bed reading a fashion magazine.

"Paine's in the hospital."

Yuna picked up her head and Rikku seemed stunned into action. She turned and grabbed her boots from off of the ground. "I'm driving." She was already heading down the stairs.

Yuna and Cid exchanged looks.

Rikku was always a fast and somewhat reckless driver. Cid had no idea where she had got it from, but this was why he refused to get her a manual transmission on her car, Though that didn't even seem to matter as he found himself sitting in the backseat clutching onto Mo the stuffed alligator when she took the turns. "Just because I'm a lawyer doesn't mean I can get you out of tickets, Milan." He reminded her. He said it just to say it. He could only imagine what was going through the youngest Bayla's head.

"A right up here." Yuna pointed from the passenger's seat. She had her cell phone out with directions to the hospital in Paine's neighborhood that she was rushed to.

Rikku nodded, she hadn't said anything yet. She didn't know if she could.

"Paine Kerrigan?" Cid asked once they rushed into the hospital.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Kerrigan is in surgery right now, and unless you are the immediate family we cannot allow anyone to see her."

"Surgery?" It was the first word Rikku had said in the half hour since hearing the news. Her eyes welled and she felt Yuna put an arm around her.

"Rikku?" Elma walked up to the front desk after nodding at the person she was walking with before they parted. Rikku almost didn't recognize her in her scrubs and her white coat; she had her dark hair pulled back and was wearing glasses. "What's going on here?" She asked the woman at the front desk.

"They won't let us see Paine."

"Paine?" Elma made a face. "She's here? For what?"

"Renal surgery, came in as a trauma not long ago, Elma." The woman at the front desk informed.

"And no one told me!"

"I'm sorry I didn—"

Elma shook her head. "Move." She practically pushed the woman out of her seat and typed in Paine's information. Her eyes widened a little but then tried to calm them for the people waiting in front of the desk. "Do they know she's O negative?" Elma asked the nurse at the front desk.

"I… I don't know ma'am."

Elma picked up a phone and dialed a few numbers. "Type specific blood request for Paine A. Kerrigan, OR five… Yes. O negative Sally…. How much? Shit, okay go with that. Thank you." She hung up and looked up at Rikku and everyone else. "Come with me."

Gippal was pacing the OR waiting room when Elma walked in. "Em!"

"Why didn't you call me?" She demanded.

"I didn't have time I… She's a fucking idiot, I swear she just jumped in front of Mackenzie and… Fuck, they aren't telling me anything, why was she coughing up blood? Is she going to be okay?"

Elma had planned on tearing him a new one, but when she saw how scared he looked she put both hands on his shoulders. "I'm going to check. Okay?" Gippal nodded. "Rikku is here." Elma informed him. She had taken the employee elevator which naturally was faster than the normal one. "Please get that look off your face you'll scare her more than the moron at the front desk did." Gippal nodded again.

Gippal shook his head back forth quickly. "I'm sorry Em, I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Elma nodded and turned when she heard Rikku call out Gippal's name. "I'll be right back."

"Cid's girl." Gippal opened his arms and Rikku fell into them without a second thought. It was only then, when she was so close to an important part of Paine did she begin to cry. Gippal sighed and hugged her tighter. "Ed'c kuehk du pa ugyo," He mumbled making Rikku cry a little harder.

Cid looked on as his daughter embraced him. Gippal Trent was hardly the person he expected Rikku to befriend. Had she felt safe with everyone but him? Had she known Gippal's record? Surely she would feel differently if she did. Right? It was then that Cid realized none of that mattered to Rikku. In a career where your past mistakes stayed with you always, it was hard to think any other way. Cid hardly was able to get passed this, but he was beginning to learn that sometimes it was more than just a case file. Maybe that's why he was so good at prosecution; you rarely had to tap into what made the person a person. It was more of what they did. "Trent."

Gippal looked up from hugging Rikku, he glanced at Yuna who nodded and came to comfort her. "Sir." Gippal began. "… She jumped in front of a little girl." Cid nodded. "I wanna get these bastards so fucking bad."

"Are you still in?" Cid needed to know to tell Braska who was on his way over to the office then over here.

Gippal nodded. "They got too close."

"I agree."

"Whatever I need to do. I'll do it…" The two continued talking as Yuna tried to comfort Rikku.

"I hate her." Rikku mumbled. "I hate her for making me feel like this, Yunie." Rikku wiped her face in her already damp sleeve.

"Don't say that."

"She asked me to be her girlfriend today."

Yuna raised her eyebrows. "Really?" This was supposed to be happy news.

"You can't have a relationship if the other person is dead."

"She's not going to die."

Rikku sniffled and Yuna looked around for a tissue box. She found one next to a stack of old magazines and handed one to Rikku. "She just wanted to be happy with me for a little while, that's what she said. Like she knew something was going to happen." Rikku wiped her eyes. She felt angry all of a sudden. Angry at herself for crying, angry at Paine for having to be a damn hero, angry at Gippal, angry at her father, angry at Auron, hell even angry at Yuna. Her boyfriend was fine, and would be fine. He wasn't lying cut open on a table somewhere in this grade C hospital with grade D insurance. Rikku pushed herself out of her chair. She needed a minute to be alone.

Sensing that, Yuna let her leave.

AN: Valentine's Day isn't for lovers. It's for all those who love—and that's all of us. So go on and love. Happy Valentine's Day everyone :)

Review! Tell me what you think, what you don't think, what you want to think lol Just tell me something!

KathleenDee