Disclaimer: I haven't done one of these for a good couple of chapters. As always I own nothing.
A/N: This chapter is going to be very sad and the fight scene isn't very good, so I apologize before hand. I also want to say thank you again to all the authors at SF that have helped me through writing this chapter. it was difficult for me. I hope you enjoy.
Two Worlds Apart
Chapter 9: Life From Death
Crystal raindrops hit the roof in loud thumps. The silver haired woman sighed as she stared out her kitchen window watching the smoke colored clouds swirl about through Bevelle's unusually stormy skies. She hated it when it rained. It reminded her of that day so many years ago that she wished she could forget. People said she had an unpleasant attitude but when it rained it only made her worse especially at this stage of her pregnancy. Moving away from the counter in front of the window she began to pace the kitchen floor as she waited for the timer to sound. Stopping in front of the stove on the island in the center of the kitchen, she picked up the small machina chocobo timer. Smiling she remembered how Rikku had presented her with the contraption as a house warming present when she and Baralai moved into their new home. Thinking of the young Al Bhed woman brought tears to crimson eyes. In the years that Paine had enjoyed the privilege of being Rikku's friend, the younger woman had become like a little sister. So much so that as soon as she found out that she was pregnant she rushed off to the Bevelle Temple to have a word with the Guardian of Records. Silent tears rolled down her porcelain face as the image of Rikku laying in a hospital bed hooked up to a zillion tubes what the Den of Woe, Sin, and Vegnagun combined could not make her do. Cry.
Recollecting herself Paine moved towards the oven door on the other side of the kitchen's island stove. Upon opening it a gust of mouthwatering aromas burst forward and enveloped her nose. Sliding on some oven mitts she pulled the glass dish from the oven and shut the door.
An eerie feeling crept up her spine. Intuition told her there was another person in close proximity of where she was standing. It couldn't be Baralai or anyone else from the group. They wouldn't sneak up on her even if she wasn't pregnant and especially now with someone trying to kill them all. She turned around and looked frantically for her dresspheres before she remembered that they'd be useless to her because of hoe pregnant she was. So instead she searched for a weapon that she could defend herself with.
She found a knife lying next to the stove on the countertop. She suddenly faltered when she felt herself begin to cramp; instinctively she knew she was having contractions. Every muscle stiffened in her body when she could no longer smell the sweetness of the Chocobo la Mango but instead it was replaced with the vile smell that was so rancid it brought a bile taste to her mouth. She knew this smell. Yes, she knew it well. Someone had snuck up on her and used a smoke bomb. Not a moment later she became surrounded in darkness. She would now have to rely on her samurai senses to make up for her lack of sight. A rough calloused hand went around her mouth from behind and she started to scream and struggle against her attacker. From in front of her she heard a loud noise and felt tiny pieces of something that felt like glass pierce her skin. She kicked hard and swung wildly with the butcher knife that she still clutched in her right hand. When she felt warm liquid on her hand she knew she had wounded one of them. The man that had covered her mouth now twisted her wrist causing her to drop the bloodied knife. He then threw her across the room. She hit something sharp and hot and assumed it to be the other side of the stove. All she could think of was protecting her baby. She didn't care if she died as long as her baby lived. She would fight until her last breath to protect her child. Burning her hands she picked up the glass dish and hurled it in the direction of the man who had just shoved the across the room into the darkness. She knew it had hit one of them when she heard the startled cry of being burned. She felt her legs losing strength, they became like jell-o and she collapsed. Hitting the floor she felt herself being dragged through the glass and water on the sandblaster tile floor as a wave of liquid pain washed over her body. She cried out in pain as contractions seized her body and she began to convulse. She heard laughter, as the footsteps of her assailants grew inaudible. They were leaving her for dead. Hot tears slid down her cheeks for the second time that night. Slipping into unconscious she called out for her husband. "Baralai..."
Baralai climbed the front steps to his house. In his hands he held a bouquet of orchids. They were Paine's favorite. Back in their Crimson Squad days she used to pick them all the time. They seemed to give her comfort. Upon entering the house he caught a whiff of something that smelled like it was burning. He figured Paine had accidentally burned dinner. Oh well, we can order in, he thought. He walked down the hallway and as he approached the kitchen door he saw a puddle of fresh blood seeping out from under the door and into the walkway. Cautiously he pushed open the door; he scanned the room looking for signs of danger. That's when he saw Paine lying on the floor in a pool of blood. He rushed to her side and lifted her up into his arms as he cast a spell to try to revive her.
She inhaled deeply and opened her eyes. She gazed into his deep brown eyes and smiled as he tried to cast a full cure on her but she stopped him by placing her hands over his. "The baby," she whispered.
He looked down to see the baby's head crowning slightly beneath her pale yellow sundress that was now soaked in blood. "Save our child Baralai," she said frantically.
"Ok... ok. Stay with me Paine. I can't do this without you. I've never delivered a baby before. I never made even a full year in med school."
Silently she nodded as he bended her knees and propped them up. A look of resolve washed over her face. He could tell that she was gathering every ounce of strength that she had left in an effort to save their child. He knew she would give her life before she let her child die. "Baby, I need you to start pushing for me now," he urged her gently.
Sighing, she started to push as hard as she could. Baralai screamed when all of a sudden the baby's head popped all the way out. It scared the living hell out of him. He didn't expect the baby to just come out like that. He could hear Paine softly laughing at his reaction; somehow the sound of her laugh encouraged him to be brave and continue. Kneeling between her legs he coaxed Paine to keep pushing. With one last forceful push the baby's shoulders slid out and Baralai gently pulled it the rest of the way out. When he had it securely in his arms he cut the umbilical cord. Removing his cloak he wrapped the child in it and placed the cooing baby in his wife's arms.
"It's a girl,"h e said as he wrapped his arms around them.
Paine looked up at him and smiled weakly before looking down at the beautiful little girl in her arms that resembled her. Placing a kiss on her forehead she whispered "Meja" as she took he last breath and exhaled. Her lifeless body slumped against Baralai and he began to sob.
A/N: Ok I know that was a bit sad but it was very necessary for later chapters. I hope some of you won't be mad at me. Chapter 10 is next. It's a happier chapter even though it is a filler.