Dear Readers:
This is the last remake for this story so far. I would like to know how the new story is. I will update with new chapters soon!

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy, nor will I ever.

Realizations and Found

As she laid there, the pain seemed to be going away slowly, but she didn't like the fact that she was tied to the bed. Looking to her left she noticed a bedside table with a lighted lamp on it. Just underneath the lamp was some medicine and a bowl with water in it. Wait! If I was back where I was before, I probably be dead. And why would that person before help heal me? She decided that those shoes had to be on a good person, but if they weren't she was in trouble. She was bound so there would be no getting away. How could I be so stupid to go into that hole?

Some light footsteps sounded in the hall. Each step froze another part of her heart and body. Hoping for the best, she closed her eyes to listen. The person was right outside her door. The door handle slowly squeaked with it's turn. Her heart was racing. A squeak of the door being opened had her opening her eyes and looking up. The light that was filtering is was much brighter than what was in this room. There was the outline of the person and she couldn't make out who it was until the person stepped forward. She gasped!

Baralai woke up slowly. His head was pounding. The light from the outside told him that he had slept to late and needed to get a move on if he was going to find Paine soon. Pushing the covers down, he realized he had worn his clothing to bed. I must have been so tired I forgot to take off my clothes. She must be all I think about. He couldn't remember a day where he thought of anything else besides her. She had become his whole life, his whole being. "I guess this is what true love feels like!"

The smell of food floated up to where he was. His stomach growled loudly. "I guess I need to eat something." Slowly sitting up, he rubbed his cheeks and realized for the first time since Paine disappeared he had grown a beard and from the feel of it, a long beard. He stood up and stretched his arms over his head. Before I eat something, I should head to the bathroom and see how bad I look. Maybe even get a shower. He opened the door to the bathroom and walked in. He shut the door and flipped on the switch. For a couple of seconds he was afraid to look at himself in the mirror, afraid to see what he had turned into. He looked up from the sink.

The person that was staring back at him was pale and hairy. There was black circles underneath his eyes and his eyes had a look in them that showed heartache and pain. Deciding to clean up, he started with a shower. It was like every sense had just woke up. He realized he smelt like rotten meat and his hair was so full of grease it was sticking to his head. The scent of it was making his stomach turn. "Oh my gosh! I bet everyone else has noticed." Suddenly he was ashamed that he let himself go for so long. "Just because Paine is gone doesn't mean I can't stay healthy. I need to keep my strength up so I can find her."

He reached over a pulled the shower curtain back and turned the water faucet on in between warm and hot. Deciding to let it warm up before he got into it, he reached for a razor and soap. "It's time for you to say goodbye to the beard." He wet his face and lathered his beard with the soap he pulled out of the cabinet. Pulling the razor across his face made a straight clean line of skin show. With each pull, he felt better and better.

Five minutes later, he looked more like the Baralai he knew. The bathroom had filled up with steam. He pulled off his clothing one piece at a time. Yanking the shower curtain back a little, he stepped in one foot at a time. As he shut the curtain, the water streamed down his right leg. He jumped at the heat and then slid the rest of his body underneath the outpouring of water. Making his body get use to the hot water helped to make him relax more than he would otherwise.

He just allowed the water to run over his body for about five minutes. As he reached for the soap, he thought about Paine and how he wished she was safe and well. He took the soap and brushed it down his right arm and then his left. Each stroke left white suds in it's wake. The water flowed right after it washing it away. When he finished his body, he soaped up his hair and washed it out. This he did twice since his hair was really greases. His hair and body felt so much better without the feeling of dirt.

He stood in the water for a few more minutes before he reached down and turned the faucet off. The shower curtain was pushed back and he stepped out. He took one look down at his clothes and said, "I am not wearing those again. I will throw them away." Just as he picked them up and put them in the wastebasket he remembered, "I didn't bring any clothes in here with me." Wrapping a towel across his body had gotten most of water off. When he finished, he wrapped the towel around his body and opened the door. He hoped no one was out there and he could make it to his dresser without anyone seeing him. He just about made it when Rikku said, "Oh Baralai is almost naked!" Laughing at herself, she turned and walked down the steps leaving him alone, and also leaving him red in the face.

After he pulled on some boxers underneath his towel, he pulled on some pants as he sat on his bed. He stopped mid-pull-on of his shirt to think about Paine and if she was warm. He hoped she was alright. The last tug of his shirt over his head sent whiffs of food into his nostrils. Rikku was probably coming to get me for dinner. I did sleep long! Slipping on his shoes he made his way down the steps and to one of the tables that lined the lower area of the cabin. Yuna and Tidus were sitting there and were the only table that didn't look like they were in deep discussion. He didn't want to intrude so he asked before he pulled out the chair, "Is it alright if I sit here?"

"Sure Baralai! Don't take this the wrong way man, but you smell better." Tidus said with a smile. Baralai knew that he didn't mean any hurt, so just smiled back.

"Are you feeling better?" Leave it to Yuna to worry about everyone else but herself. She had so many other things on her mind and didn't need to worry about him.

"Yes I am. I need a good nights rest and a shower. Why didn't you tell me I stunk and looked like I had been run over by Machina?" Baralai directed it to Tidus, but all he did was shrug his shoulders.

Yuna looked over at Tidus expecting him to answer, so when he didn't she answered for him. "He didn't want to hurt your feelings Baralai. You are so worried about Paine that we felt as if you had enough on your mind. I am glad that you realized it yourself." She sent him a smile that would warm anyone. Baralai didn't know what to say so he just began eating from the plate Barkeep had placed in front of him.

From the moment that first bite touched his lips, his stomach started to growl really loud. He was afraid that everyone would hear it, so he looked around, but noticed that everyone was still eating. Yuna and Tidus were carrying a conversation about there wedding that happened quite some time ago, so he just continued to eat. When he finished eating what was on his plate, he realized he was still hungry. "Barkeep?" Everyone stopped talking and looked at Baralai as if it were the first time he spoke. "I would like another plate of food." He looked around at everyone and then shrugged his shoulders, "What? I am very hungry!" He smiled as everyone giggled at him. It felt good to smile.

Thirty minutes later everyone gathered in the bridge to talk. After Yuna made sure everyone was there she started to talk. "Last night I told Baralai that Rikku, Tidus and I are going to start searching the ground. It might take some time, but we can barely make out anything worthwhile up here. I have invited him and I am not sure if he wants to come, but Baralai you are more than welcome to join us. Lulu and Wakka are going to stay up here and help Buddy and Brother." She waited to see if Baralai gave her a straight answer but he didn't. "I say we start in the Thunder Plains seeing as not very many people venture there. It has many places to hid. So come on guys lets get going! Buddy...take us to the Thunder Plains." She walked towards Baralai, who was standing off to the side. "You have until we get there to decide. Just let us know."

Baralai didn't know what was going through his head. He wanted to be the one to find her and the one to save her, but what if they spotted something from the air. He couldn't be both places at once. Deciding to go with Yuna, he walked over to where she was sitting and told her. Then he went to his dresser and got the weapons and gear he would need. He was sure they would come in contact with fiends everywhere they went. Just as he picked up his last weapon, Brother's voice announced they were in the Thunder Plains. He made his way to the bridge and got off with the three people he would be sharing this quest with. As he stepped on the ground, he remembered the times he and his other companions came through the Thunder Plains.

Their journey started out as all did, searching for something, but this one was searching for someone. Every person they had met on the way through the Thunder Plains had joined their cause and now there was ten other people, making their party fourteen people. Each little nook and cranny was checked, but no Paine was found. For that matter, not any trace of her was found. That boosted Baralai's spirit a little, but after about ten minutes of rest his spirit began to descend again. He knew there were many other places to keep someone kidnapped. He was determined to find her. Nothing would stop him!

Each day they added new people to finding her and with the new additions they covered an area in a day or so. That brought them to the Calm Lands. It seemed as if this was the last place someone would take a person they kidnapped, because there was so many tourists here. They came from all over Spira to play the games. Spreading out, they began their search.

Gasping she exclaimed loudly, "Thank you!" She couldn't believe her eyes. She was going to be safe. "Why do you have me tied down?" She asked him hoping that he would untie her.

"I tied you down so you could get some sleep and so I could clean and dress your wounds. What happened to you Paine?" The person said as he started to remove the ropes that had her bound. "Are you feeling better than what you were?"

"Oh yes, much better." She looked up at him, "Thank you so much for helping me." She hesitated on what she was going to say and decided not to ask just yet.

"What were you going to ask?"

"Are you sure I can ask you?"

"Yes! You can ask me anything."

"Ok, have you seen any weird behavior lately around here? And I am in the Calm Land right?" She asked timidly.
He laughed a little. "Yes you are in the Calm Lands, but I haven't noticed any strange behavior. I hardly go out. I have been really busy." He went about cleaning wounds that she didn't know she had and that made her nervous.

"When do you think I can go home?" She hoped he would say now if she wanted.

"I am not sure! I mean you could probably go home as soon as you wanted to, but some of your wounds are really bad. Some of them..." There was a voice that sounded calling out his name, "I will be right back. You might not want to try to get up just yet." With that he left the room and against his advise she tried to get up. She got so dizzy she couldn't see and fell back on the bed.

She strained to hear the voices outside. They were coming closer to her door. Fearing for her life, she made herself get up and flee to the closet. The pain shot through her body like she had just got hit by a train. The door shut right in time, because she heard the door open once again. She heard him say, "She was just right here. Paine? Where are you at? You have a visitor." His footsteps headed towards her hiding place and just as she thought he had given up his search the door opened and light flooded in.

She was gripping her ribs as he reached towards her. As his hands wrapped around the top parts of her arms, she struggled until the pain was unbearable. "Who is it?" She had whispered it hoping the visitor didn't hear.

"Come on." Just as she stepped out of the closet a person came towards her so quickly and wrapped his arms around her body. Oh no, she thought, they have come to take me away and Clasko let them.

"Oh thank you! I am so glad you are ok! She is ok right?" Baralai looked over at Clasko and suddenly got angry. How could someone so nice kidnap someone? "Why did you take her?" He grabbed Clasko by his shirt and pushed him against the wall.

"No! I didn't take her."

Paine suddenly realized who had put his arms around her and he body relaxed for the first time in a long time. "Baralai!" He turned to face her, but still held him off the ground. "Baralai, he didn't kidnap me. I am still not sure who it was, but I know it wasn't Clasko. Clasko has been helping me heal. I don't know how long I have been here because I slept quite awhile it felt like. Whoever it was had a reason to kidnap me and I want to know why."

Baralai stood in shock. She was so beautiful and his heart was so relieved to find her. Someone hurt her and he wanted to kill who did it. He stood there thinking for about five minutes when he heard her beautiful voice saying, "Baralai, are you going to put Clasko down or do you not believe me?"

"Huh!" He turned and looked at Clasko and put him down promptly. "Oh I am sorry Clasko." He reached out his hand and waited for Clasko to take it. "I would like to thank you for taking care of her, but there is a few things I would like to ask you. Why didn't you send us a message saying that Paine was here and how long have you had her here?" He waited for him to answer and was a little apprehensive about the answers that he would get.

"She has been here for three days. I found her laying on the floor in a Chocobo stall, unconscious. I brought her in here and cleaned her wounds and then tied her down."

"What? WHY DID YOU TIE HER DOWN?" Baralai could barely think. Clasko had hurt her. He had to be helping the person who kidnapped her.

Walking closer to him, Clasko began, "I did it to help her, so she didn't hurt herself. Please don't hurt me!" He bent down and curled into a ball. He shivered with fear.

"BARALAI!" That stopped him in his tracks. She had a sound in her voice that made him quiver. "I TOLD YOU HE DIDN"T DO IT! QUIT TRYING TO BE MY KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOUR! I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF!" She stormed out of the room even though her body was physically curling over with pain. For some reason she couldn't think. Why does he feel he has to watch over me? He says he is in love with me, but I just don't understand. She stopped dead halfway through the door. Just as she was about to hit the floor, Baralai caught her carefully and placed her in his arms gently. Not being able to think straight and being in Baralai's strong arms was a deadly combination. "Where are we going?" She barely got out the question before she was passed out.

Without saying a word, he walked away from Clasko and out the front. "Yuna! Call Brother and have him land the Celsius." He held her close to his chest and although many people offered he would not put her down or allow anyone else to hold her. She is mine and that's how it's going to be from now on, whether she likes it or not. There is no way I am giving up on her finding out for herself that I love her.

"Clasko kidnapped her?" Yuna said it in a quiet unbelieving look. "He couldn't have, not Clasko!"

"You are right Lady Yuna!" She knew he couldn't. "She fell through my roof and I have been caring for her for the last three days. She is in pretty bad shape. Who did that to her?"

"Let's talk about it later. Right now we need to get Paine on the ship and somewhere safe. If her captor is here, they are going to know about her." Baralai would have called Brother himself, but his arms were full of the beautiful woman he was in love with. There was a huge gash across her forehead and her face was swollen. There were bruises all over her visible skin. Even with all her injuries, she still looked as beautiful as ever.

The Celsius landed about twenty feet away from them. It seemed like everyone who was in the Calm Lands were watching them. Baralai was almost sure that her captor was somewhere out there watching them and planning an attack. Baralai would rather die than allow her to kidnapped again. At least he would know she was alright if he was always with her. He made his way across the space between the Celsius and where he had stood in a short amount of time. Just as they stepped on the ship a commotion got there attention. Baralai turned around to see two large men running through the crowd towards them. "SHUT THE DOOR YUNA!" The door was slowly shutting but it just barely made it off the ground before those men made it through the crowd.
"Brother, GO!" Yuna yelled through the intercom.

Baralai had already started walking quickly towards the cabin. He took her to his bed and gently put her down. "Yuna, please..."

"I already have!" Yuna had changed into her White Mage dress sphere and had made it to his bed in record time. She began healing Paine's wounds. It took her more than thirty minutes to get all but the swelling healed. She placed her hand on Baralai's shoulder, who had been sitting on the edge of his bed, and said, "The rest will have to heal on it's own. In the mean time we will find out who done this to her."

He didn't hear her leaving his room. He just sat there staring at her, watching her breath. "I am so thankful she is alive!" Quietly he placed the blanket over her body and took off the clothes he had on. He then slid into a chair next to the bed. Catching a nap wouldn't hurt seeing as he hadn't slept in three days.

Paine stood above him, looking down at the gorgeous tanned body that peeked out from the blanket he had covered himself with. It had fallen down to his hips and his muscle covered chest. "Baralai...Baralai?"

He felt shaking and his name being called. Jumping awake he said, "Is she alright?" When he looked up he was looking at the most gorgeous creature alive. "You look better. How long have I been asleep?" He couldn't help but pull her into his lap. Seeing her surprised reaction made him lean in for a kiss.

Just as he about made it, she pulled away and said, "You have been asleep for two days." It felt rather good to sit in his lap laying against his chest, but she would never say it to his face. "Baralai, I would like to thank you for searching for me. You have been very brave from what everyone has been telling me." She bent and kissed his lips softly. Just as she was about to pull back, his hands pulled her closer to him and into a deeper kiss. Why she didn't pull away she would never know, but it felt good, to good.

He pulled back just enough to talk to her. "Two days? Why didn't you guys wake me up, besides the fact that I needed sleep? I am suppose to be taking care of you!" He nipped at her bottom lip and she tried to kiss him. "Oh...and you are very welcome, but can't you thank me in a more personal way?" His hands made their way up her legs where they had been resting.

She shivered, but she didn't know what from. "We can't do this!" She got up from his lap even though her body told her not to. Knowing where it would go, put her back where she was before, staying away from love and everything that had to do with it. "I came to get you for dinner."

She walked away from him and out the door that had been standing wide open. Baralai sat there dazed by what happened. She got up and left, but she was enjoying it. Her body told me that. What did I do wrong? He just sat there for another two minutes. "I will just have to try harder."