New cha-a-a-a-a-a-apter!

Raine: -Flinch- You don't have to yell.

Sheena: Ahh. Sensative Elven hearing.

Raine: I don't have "sensative" hearing. But I don't appreciate it when someone screams right next to me.

Stop whining. Okay, so in this chapter, I really get to embarass everyone's favorite pair! (DOWN with Kratos/Raine, Yuan/Raine, Lloyd/Raine, and Zelos/Raine:P)

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"Mm...ahh..." As her eyes opened, they met a soft light, and an out of focus ceiling. It took several moments before she finally was able to clear her vision, and she chanced a look around. "Meltokio?" she asked nothing in particular, wincing as she heard how hoarse and unused her voice sounded. She recognized the Inn's rooms.

"Raine? Yes, we're in Meltokio. Are you alright?" Regal had come over, and was now crouching at her side. He looked much better from the last she remembered of him - his clothing had been changed, and he had, apparently, groomed himself. This thought made her smile slightly, in amusement.

"I'm fine." She sat up, brushing damp hair from her face. "How long have I been asleep?" By the looks of things, it was evening. A lamp was the only lighting in the room, sending a soft glow over everything.

"Several hours. A doctor stopped by, and gave you a sedative. You had a fever, he thought it would be best you stayed asleep."

"I see..." She rubbed her eyes again, the remainer of the sedative leaving her groggy. He raised a hand to feel her forehead, and pronounced her fever gone. When he stood, she noted his attempt at hiding a wince. "What is it?" asked Raine, concerned.

"Nothing, I'm alright," Regal said dismisively.

"I lived with Lloyd for twelve years, Regal, I know a lie when I see one." She gave him a wry smile and stood as well. "Let me see." She stepped toward him, extending a hand slowly, but he recoiled a bit. "Regal," she laughed, with something like a frown. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"I-I know that. But it's nothing."

"Hold still," she commanded, in such a demanding tone that made him stop and stare at her, speechless. "...Good." Raine nodded curtly and approached him again. Turning him gently, she lifted the back of his shirt with a soft touch and examined the nasty bruise her own staff in different hands had caused him.

He winced again as she touched it lightly. "Sorry," she murmerred, not taking her eyes from the injury. "Okay. Sit down."

"What?"

"Sit. I'm going to help you." Raine took his arm and seated him on the bed. Crawling up behind him and sitting Indian-Style, she folded up his shirt in back again. "Just relax, It shouldn't hurt too much," she said softly, as she pressed a hand to the bruise. His body shuddered in pain under her hand as it started to shine with a dull white light. "Now, just hold still," she ordered.

"...Thank you," he said over his shoulder. Her hand was warm against his back, and the touch had caused not only pain, but the resurfacing of the jittery feeling in his stomach. He tried to ignore it, tried to tell himself she was simply healing him.

"Don't mention it." Raine looked up, keeping her hand firmly pressed against the injury. "Did anything interesting happened while I was in the Land-of-the-Dead?" she quipped.

"Not anything particularly exciting," he said, trying not to wince again. "I have been awaiting Zelos and Sheena's arrivals."
"Zelos and Sheena?" repeated the mage, looking back down to her work. Meltokio was Zelos' home, of course. But Sheena was here, as well?

"Yes. I sent the doctor to inform them of our presence. Both of us." He looked over his shoulder again, and she met his gaze with a bit of an amused little smile. Regal was careful to turn his head away before he grimaced in pain.

After a few minutes, the door to the Inn room swung open rather quickly, and they both looked up in unison. Sheena was the first to enter, followed very closely by Zelos, and the two of them each started to say something. At the same time, though, they paused in all motion, stared at Raine and Regal, then exchanged sly smiles. "Are we...interrupting something here?" asked Sheena, smirking at them.

Raine blinked. It took her a moment to figure out what they were finding so amusing, but when she looked at her hand, it became clear. Regal's shirt had unfolded itself and now concealed her hand, which was still pressed against his back completeing the healing process. It would look...interesting to any newcomer, to say the least.

They both flushed scarlet, and she withdrew her hand rather quickly. "She...She was just helping me," attempted Regal, straightening his shirt.

Zelos grinned. "Helping you, eh? Hey, Raine, how about you help me--"

Raine stood, giving him the trademarked glare, and he broke off immediately. There was an awkward silence in which Regal was still blushing, Zelos was edging away from Raine, and Sheena cleared her throat once or twice. "So...Raine," she said, breaking the tension. "Lloyd told us...Well..."

Zelos' expression turned serious for once. "He told us you'd been murdered. What happened? Obviously, you're not dead."

"So observative, Zelos," sighed the Healer. She sat again, but was very careful not to sit by Regal. She didn't want to relate the story again until she could tell it to everyone and be done with it all at once. Otherwise, she'd be forced to tell it several more times to several more people. "Where are Lloyd an others?" she asked, instead.

Sheena glanced at the former Chosen. "We should send for them," she decided, and looked back at Raine and Regal. "We'll leave you two alone," she giggled. "Come on, Zelos." Taking his sleeve, the Summoner started dragging him out.

Both faces reddened.

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Raine: -Facepalm-

Cheer up, m'dear. Everyone loves you...Especially a certain--

Raine: Don't say it. If you value your life at all, don't say it.

O.o Umm... -Cough- Yeah...Stay tuned for next chapter...