Rikku and Yuna nodded and the three girls got off the airship in Besaide. Yuna ran to the village and hugged her friends and old guardians. Paine looked at Rikku and raised an eyebrow. "I hope I'm not on the receiving end of one of those for a while."
Rikku smirked. "Yea you and me both. Though you more now then me."
Paine raised an eyebrow and looked at Rikku. "Yea I guess." Paine smirked and then walked towards Wakka and Lulu. Paine did her usual stand behind everyone and watch what was going on routine. She sighed and closed her eyes and hung her head.
Lulu had been watching Paine the whole time they were there. She smiled softly at Yuna. "Would you like to hold him Yuna?" Yuna smiled and nodded as Lulu handed Vidina to her. "I'll be right back." Lulu walked over and stood in front of Paine. "I have something that will help your ribs heal faster if you're interested."
Paine slowly opened her red eyes and looked at Lulu. "Tell Yuna to stop worrying about me I'm fine." Paine sighed in pain and closed her eyes again furrowing her brow slightly.
Lulu smiled. "Yuna didn't tell me a thing about your ribs. You can't hide your pain from a master black mage."
Paine opened her red eyes again and looked into the red eyes of the black mage. "Well then you stop worrying about me I'm fine."
Lulu smiled softly. "You definitely have what it takes to be a guardian you know. But put your pride aside please, and follow me to the hut and I'll give you that potion. When you wake up in the morning you'll be completely healed."
Paine looked at Lulu and nodded. "If it'll make you happy fine let's go." The two walked to Lulu and Wakka's hut.
After a little while Lulu returned to the group outside the temple and Yuna happily handed her Vidina back. "Where's Paine?" Yuna looked around with a worried look on her face.
Lulu smiled. "Calm down Yuna she's resting at the old crusaders tent. I gave her something for her ribs. She'll need to stay in bed the rest of today though. When she wakes up in the morning she'll be fully healed. I've made arrangements for you two to stay with her so if you like it's up to you." Lulu smiled at her two friends softly.
Rikku smiled. "I'll go check on her Yunie you stay here and visit with Wakka and Lulu." Rikku smiled and dashed off before Yuna could protest what was said. Rikku walked into the tent and saw Paine lying on her back on the very last bed in the back of the tent. "Paine…" the young Al-Bhed thief whispered as she saw Paine sprawled out on the bed.
Paine moaned softly and looked over at Rikku and smiled softly. "Rikku…" Paine's lips were dry as she spoke.
Rikku smiled and sat down next to her. "Don't talk, you need to rest." A soft moan escaped Paine's lips again and Rikku frowned. "You're in a lot of pain huh."
Yuna and Lulu walked into the tent and Paine smiled weakly at Yuna. "Yuna…"
"Don't talk just rest." Yuna smiled at Paine softly. "Rikku we should go and let Paine get some sleep."
Rikku nodded. "Ok Yunie." Rikku followed Yuna and Lulu out of the tent casting one last worried glance upon her friend. Bmayca pa ug Paine. A single tear ran down Rikku's cheek as she tore her gaze away from Paine.
Lulu smiled softly at Rikku. "Don't cry Rikku she'll be ok. She'll wake up tomorrow and be back at 100 trust me."
Rikku looked at Lulu and nodded. "I trust you Lulu it's just hard ya know. Seeing her like that in all that pain. It's just not the Paine we're used to. We're used to her wanting to do the hurting not the one hurting." Yuna cracked a small smile and tried to muffle her giggling with her hand. "What's so funny Yunie?"
Yuna giggled again and then composed herself. "Kinda puts a whole new spin on her name huh?" Yuna giggled again slightly.
Lulu placed her finger's to her forehead causing a few long black braids to fall over her shoulder and shook her head slightly. "Yuna, why am I not surprised you said something like that."
Yuna giggled again. "Come on Lulu, Rikku you can't tell me that you don't see the joke in that? You of people should know I'm not the same person I was 2 years ago. That little quiet naïve innocent girl is no longer present. Granted I'm a 'goodie, goodie' as Rikku says it but I've changed a lot."
Lulu smiled. "You're right you have changed a lot in these last 2 years. But still she's your friend and she's actually in worse shape then she let on. You could at least wait till she's back to 100 before you start making jokes about her name. Though it does make one wonder how she got it."
Rikku chuckled. "That's easy. Spend a day with her and you'll see. 'Can I hurt him', 'Your so hurt' major anger management problems."
"Now that's not nice ya. Poor girl is in there hurt and you're out here makin fun of her." Wakka folded his arms and looked at the three girls. "I think you owe her an apology ya."
Lulu smiled. "You heard him."
"Hey, hey, hey that went for you too Lu."
Lulu blushed and nodded. She then elbowed Yuna softly. "Still getting me in trouble."
Yuna shrugged. "Some things never change. Wakka always goes big brother on me and well I guess he went husband on you." Yuna smiled widely at her friend. Rikku smirked and jumped on her cousin's back. "So Lulu Paine will be fully healed by morning?"
Yuna staggered slightly from the sudden force of Rikku jumping on her back. Lulu nodded. "Yes Rikku she'll be completely healed by morning."
Wakka looked at the three girls annoyed. "Go, go now ya."
Lulu blushed and nudged Yuna and Rikku towards the tent. "We're going Wakka." The three girls walked into the tent and saw Paine wasn't lying in the bed any more.
Yuna looked at Lulu and then at Rikku a look of worry on her face. "Wh-where did she go? And how did she leave with out us seeing her? We have to go find her."
Rikku made a pouty face. "Damn she is so stubborn. You don't think she heard us do you?" Rikku looked at the others with a worried look.
Lulu shook her head. "Not likely that potion should have knocked her out." Lulu placed a few fingers on her chin as she thought. "You two go see if you can find her I'll look around the village and temple. You take the beach and surrounding areas."
"Right!" Yuna and Rikku spoke in unison as they ran from the tent and began to search for Paine.
Lulu noticed that the back flap of the tent was open and smiled softly. "So that's how you got away without being noticed." Lulu walked out the back of the tent and saw Paine leaning on a tree. "Sorry I forgot to tell you about that side effect."
Paine used the pillow case she brought out with her and wiped her mouth before turning around and looking at Lulu. "Don't worry about it. I've been trying to lose weight anyways." Paine chuckled softly and when she neared Lulu the black mage put a hand around Paine's toned but slender waist and helped her back to bed. "Where did everyone go?"
"They went looking for you. Unlike them I knew where you might be because I know what effects that potion has. And again I am sorry I forgot to tell you about them."
Paine nodded and sat back down on the edge of the bed she was laying on. "It's ok actually please don't tell them you found me." Paine hung her head. "I don't want them to see me like this. They are so used to me wanting to do the hurting not the one hurting." Paine looked up at Lulu and saw a smile playing at her lips. "I can tell from the look on your face Rikku or Yuna told you that already. Kinda gives my name a whole new meaning." Paine sighed. "I haven't been in this much pain since I was shot by Nooj."
Lulu nodded. "Yes Rikku told me all that and as for the whole new spin on your name Yuna already made that joke. But seriously you need to rest if you expect that potion to work properly." Lulu laid Paine down on the bed and nodded slightly. "You do realize that you've made friends for life with those two and they would be lost if they lost you. Especially Yuna, well Rikku may have a small crush on you but Yuna looks at you as more then a friend. She told me that she kissed you and she's indebted to you for saving her life."
Paine blushed ever so softly and sighed before speaking softly. "Yea well Yuna kissed me because she was caught up in her emotions. We all know who her heart belongs to. As for Rikku," Paine chuckled. "It's pretty obvious she has a crush, but I don't want to think about this right now."
Lulu smiled softly. "Rest now we'll talk more in the morning." Lulu flipped a few lose braids back behind her shoulder and walked out of the tent.
Rikku: Please be ok Paine ------------------------------------