Paine soon snapped out of the sleep spell seeing as she had a high immunity to sleep. She jumped to her feet and looked around. She ran to Brother and Buddy and tried to wake them but was unsuccessful.

'Shit.' She thought. 'Wait where's Rikku?'

Paine looked around but couldn't find Rikku anywhere then she remembered the tentacle that had lifted her up and pulled her through the bushes. Paine looked to where she last saw Rikku and saw her shoe lying on the ground.

"Rikku!" She yelled as she ran to the shoe. As soon as she got to the shoe she heard Rikku give a frightened scream from far away.

Without hesitating Paine ran into the bushes and ran as fast as she could ignoring the pain of the branches of the bushes as they scrapped her legs and arms.

"Rikku." She yelled again but there was no answer.

Paine picked up speed and soon was standing in a field with blood running off her arms and legs from the multiple cuts she received. She was half necked because her pants and most of her shirt had been ripped away as she stood but that didn't matter to her. All that she was concerned about was Rikku. Standing in the middle of the field was Ochu with Rikku lying at its feet.

"Rikku!" Paine yelled as she drew her sword and rushed the beast.

Rikku was half dead when she heard Paine yell her name. She turned her head and saw the most heroic thing she had ever seen. Paine was rushing Ochu half necked and bleeding from her arms and legs and the last thing she saw before she passed out were the tears in Paine's eyes.

Celsius 3 days later

Rikku opened her eyes and fought against the sickness she felt in her stomach or the pain in her head. She sat up and looked around the room for the one that saved her but all she saw was empty beds.

'I'm in sick bay.' She thought. 'Paine must have saved me.'

Rikku felt her stomach tighten but not from feeling sick but because she remembered how she treated Paine and even though they had such a heated fight Paine still came to her rescue.

'I'm such a fool.' She thought. 'All she wanted to do was tell me she loved me and I treated her like a slut.'

Rikku slowly got to her feet and walked even slower to the bridge. Brother and Buddy were in there usual spots when Rikku walked in.

"I see you're awake." Buddy said.

"You're lucky to be alive." Brother added.

"Where's Paine?" Rikku asked.

"We dropped her off near Zanarkand." Brother said. "She said you wanted her off the team."  

"I was mad at her." Rikku said. "We need to go find her I need to thank her for saving my life."

Brother smiled and swung the ship around and headed straight for Zanarkand at top speed.

Zanarkand

Paine walked through the ruins of the once great city in new clothes with her sword at her side. Unknown to everyone she was looking for a monster strong enough to end her life but wasn't able to find one.

'There all so weak.' She thought. 'God I can't even die.'

 Paine stood on the edge of a ruined building and looked down at the rocks below.

'I should lust jump.' She thought. 'But I cant I need to die like a warrior.'

She drew her sword from its sheath and looked at it.

"You have been the only one that hasn't shut me out yet.' She thought as she gripped the hilt.

She swung the sword to her side and swung it with all the might she could gather and let it fly out of her hands and spin into the blackness below. She watched as her sword disappeared from sight then sat on the edge of the building and waited for the next passing monster to finish her off.

'I can't live with the pain I caused Rikku.' She thought as she heard something approaching. 'This is it.'

She closed her eyes and waited for the death blow from whatever was behind her. She heard whatever it was stop behind her and she started to tremble with fear. Next thing she knew a hand was on her shoulder and she turned to look at who it belonged to.

"Rikku?!" She said in surprise.  

"Paine listen." Rikku said.

"I'm sorry for slapping you.' Paine said standing up.

"No I'm sorry for hurting your feelings because I was acting like a child." Rikku said. "I freaked when I found out you liked me."

"I'm sorry I scared you." Paine said.

"Umm it's ok." Rikku said drawing a circle with her foot. "To tell you the truth I was also intrigued."

"You.. You were?" Pain asked.

"Well a little." Rikku said. "But I was afraid of it. I never thought I'd have thought's about another girl like that. But when you came to my rescue I realized how foolish I was being."

"You weren't being foolish at all." Paine said. "You acted the way you should have being approached by another woman."

"Well I haven't changed the fact that I like guys but I'm willing to let you back in the Gullwings if you want back." Rikku said.

Paine cracked a smile and gave Rikku a hug.

"I'd like that." Paine said. "But there's only one problem."

"What's that?" Rikku asked.

"I just threw my sword away." Paine said with a small laugh.

"We can get you another if you want." Rikku said.

"Yea we'll have too it's probably smashed." Paine said.

Paine and Rikku walked back to the ship and boarded. They walked into the bridge and were met by Brother and Buddy.

"What's up?" Rikku asked.
"We just got a call from Kimahri on Mt. Gagazet he's found something and thinks we should see it." Buddy said.

"Well Gagazet's not far so let's get going." Paine said as she took a seat.

Mt. Gagazet

Kimahri was standing at the gates to the mountain when Rikku and Paine showed up.

"Hi Kimahri." Rikku said waving.

"Hello Rikku." Kimahri said.

"What's up?" Rikku asked.

"Kimahri was on top of Mountain and found sphere." Kimahri said.

Kimahri handed Rikku a sphere and looked up at the clouds.

"Kimahri thinks it him." He said.

Rikku looked at the Ronso leader with questioning eyes then turned her attention to the sphere. The sphere showed a jell cell and a man that looked like Yuna's love Tidus he was banging on the cell and yelling at the guards. Rikku lowered the sphere and went pale.

"It's him." She said in barely over a whisper. "Brother we're coming back get ready to go to Besaid as soon as we get onboard."

"Got it." Brother said.

Rikku was in a full sprint and Paine was falling behind as they were running. Soon they were boarding the ship and headed to Besaid with the sphere in hand.

Bridge

"So who was in the sphere?" Paine asked.

"His name is Tidus." Rikku said. "He was with us when we defeated Sin."

"So what happened to him?" Paine asked.

"He was a dream of the faith and disappeared." Rikku said. "But that cell was in Bevelle."

"So then he's alive?" Paine asked.

"He's got to be." Rikku said jumping with joy. 

"Rikku we'll be in Besaid in a minute." Brother said.

"Paine wait here I'll be back with High Summoner Yuna soon." Rikku said.

"Ok hurry back." Paine called after her.

Rikku ran as fast as her feet would carry her along the path to Besaid. As she was running she came across Yuna talking with Wakka.

"Hey Yunii." Rikku yelled.

"Rikku?!" Yuna yelled in shock.

"We found something." Rikku yelled.

She handed Yuna the sphere and waited as she watched it.

"The Gull wings need another team member." Rikku said.

"Wakka." Yuna said. "I got to go."

"Oh geese." Wakka said. "Let me go get Lu." 

Wakka ran down the path to get his now wife Lulu but Yuna and Rikku didn't wait they ran back to the Celsius and lifted off before anyone could stop her.

 (And thus began her story to find her love. But this story is about Rikku and Paine. More to come.)