It was around four when everyone dragged themselves out of bed in an attempt to regulate their sleeping hours. They agreed that while it sounded cruel, just because Yuna was down and out for awhile, their responsibilities didn't diminish. They could probably argue that they increased a little. Rikku and Gippal could also argue that they didn't keep regular hours anyway, for various reasons, but they did think that if they did have to get up, they would rather spend it in the best company. Baralai and Gippal avoided each other's gazes religiously, but the Praetor eventually set down his pride for the time being and politely withdrew to a corner with the Al-Bhed. He then wrung his hands nervously, his eyes low.

"I'm sorry Gippal. We've been through far too much together to be mad at each other. You know Yuna much better than I do and I know you wouldn't intentionally harm someone that you care about." He raised his eyelevel apologetically. "I have to admit that I was hurting and I needed someone to blame and I guess you kind of volunteered indirectly, but I had no rights whatsoever to do what I did. Forgive me." His cheeks were flaming by then.

Gippal reached out and clapped him good-naturedly on the shoulder. He glanced quickly at Rikku before speaking.

"I would have done the same thing, B."

He sighed and scratched the back of his neck.

"I'm giving up on the whole Machina thing, you know?"

Baralai was stunned. Taking advantage of the silence, Gippal made a vague, contemptuous gesture to his blind eye and tried to laugh.

"I'm gonna let Rikku know now."

He nodded, to reassure himself, and sauntered away.

There was a gentle touch on his elbow. Paine, with her face a mystery but her deep red eyes were filled with pain, fear and all the nasty things Baralai felt.

"Hey" she said, leaning against the wall. "I thought I'd see how you were holding up."

Baralai smiled weakly.

"And you Paine? How are you holding up?"

Paine ran a gloved hand through her hair, a frown on her face.

"I guess I feel that I don't know how to feel. I never expected this at all. It's Yuna here... She's always the one that picks us up off the ground. I never thought I'd see her not landing on her feet..."

Paine sniffed an indelicate sound.

"I'm not sure what to do."

Baralai reached out and hesitantly put an arm around her, in comfort. It was a little strange that he was feeling so odd. Paine was, of course, a best friend; but ever since he had found out that her feelings towards him went way past that of a friend he felt he had the right to be just a little freaked out. But that wasn't the source of his hesitation. At that moment he was also strangely jealous of Paine, Gippal and Rikku for sharing moments in Yuna's life that he wouldn't... couldn't know. He silently continued his observation of the ocean with Paine. After a little while, he sighed.

"Maybe I don't know Yuna that well, but I'm going to make sure that she finds her feet again."

He didn't know why he said it, but he did. Paine turned to face him. Paine was now openly confused and teary, her unasked questions being screamed by her eyes. Her lips parted slightly and she reached out to him with a quivering hand. Baralai took her hand and looked at if for a moment, before squeezing it and placing it by Paine's side. Uncomfortably he shifted his gaze to her eyes, answering her questions firmly. The warrior flinched and stepped back from him, her lips now pursed tightly together. Baralai felt his stomach wrench. He had really become a person he hated over the last few days. His face began to redden once more.

"Paine, I..." His voice crackled.

Paine stood up tall and proud to mask her feelings.

"Save it for someone who gives a damn, Baralai."

Her voice wasn't exactly working right either.

She turned to walk away, but was blocked by the nurse, who bowed awkwardly to the Praetor.

"The Lady Yuna may have visitors now."

Baralai stood to the side of the infirmary and let Yuna's friends enter before him. Paine was first. She stood in the doorway unsure of what to do. Her concern and love for Yuna battled her other emotions that Paine had directed at her that day. As is the case with good friends, her love won out over all else. She stood by the end of the bed, staring in disbelief at all the Machina attached to her friend. When Gippal entered the room he went as pale as Yuna and dry-retched a couple of times. His confidence had deserted him. He took a seat at the bedside and held Yuna's hand, shaking a little. Finally Rikku walked into the room. Her reaction was somewhat similar to Baralai's own, earlier that day. She entered the room, walking stiffly like a zombie. She took in the sight of all the bruises and bandages, the Machina, the worried faces of her companions. Gravely, Rikku surveyed the situation. She sat beside Gippal and smoothed a lock of hair from Yuna's face before tenderly tracing a bruise that had formed on her jaw, her eyes filled with tears.

"Hi Yunie."

She reached into her sleeves and pulled out a comb, which she began to ease through Yuna's hair.

"I always feel better when someone does my hair. I bet you haven't been all prettied up since you got here." She said conversationally to her cousin.

Paine wordlessly sat opposite Rikku, who passed her a nail file and a bottle of pale pink nail polish. She picked up Yuna's hand and began to smoothen out a few rough edges. After a few moments, Gippal got up and began straightening the pillows and the blankets and fluffing them up a bit. He pulled Yuna's boots out from under the bed and began to polish them with a cloth he pulled out of his shirt.

It was Baralai's turn to feel insecure. He didn't feel it was appropriate to just go barging in on their little domestic scene that was unfolding. He wanted to do something though, but he could only think of flowers to brighten up the room. Flowers were pretty hard to come by at sea, so his idea was basically dead before it got off the ground. After a couple of minutes, he couldn't stand it any more, so he left the room. Sitting outside, he tipped his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. It would have been so much easier if he had fallen for Paine, but he knew that wasn't going to happen. There were so many damn old questions, which he kept trying repeatedly to answer, as well as new ones that seemed to surface every time he let his mind wander. What would happen when they reached Bevelle? Would they all just abandon him to his duties? When Yuna woke up, would she love him back? Why did he have so many doubts? He dragged himself into his room and forced himself to do paper work for a few hours, before he collapsed into his bed, with the disheartening feeling that life was starting to repeat itself.

A/N: Thankyou very much for all the great reviews! They make me really happy. Just so you know, I've written the previous chapter, this chapter and the next one in Maths class, so that's why they're appearing so quickly. Maths, got to love it...

Love,
Corrupt.