Disclaimer – I don't own anything from XS!

AN – ok this is the last chapter! It has to be XD I cant write any more!... well at the moment I can't :P Anyway! I am so terribly sorry its taken me this long to finish! I started reading it again and OMG whats wrong with me! I just hope I still have the ability to do this story justice. That said, I really hope yall have enjoyed reading this story! Its been a blast writing it out! Thanks again for reading!

The Protectors

by Tippy

They found him in the small clearing, still knelt in the center of the YinYang symbol. Every few moments a shiver would run across his shoulders as he hunched over, face to the ground.

"Rai?" Kimiko's voice hitched as she watched another shudder run through the fallen boy.

She stepped forward, unaware of the two other monks that followed behind her. She was more focused on the harsh breathing, the gasps between tears, and the small puddle of crimson that gathered in front of him. Another droplet fell from his lips, sending a ripple through the pool below.

Her hand gently landed on his shoulder as she knelt down beside him. "Rai... what happened?"

Another shudder and he was trying to move, trying to lift his head, but after a moment he gave in and let his head fall forward again. For a second, she thought he'd decided to ignore her, but she blinked as a strained voice broke through his gasps.

"She's gone..." He shook again, the tear streams mixing with the crusting blood at the corner of his mouth. "She's gone and I cou- I couldn't do anything..." His sobs were growing with each word that escaped him.

Kimiko felt his trembling intensify. Thisisbad,she thought as she listened to his ragged breaths. "Rai, you need to calm down." He wasn't listening to her any more.

"Raimundo, my friend," Omi pleaded, standing on the opposite side. "You must calm yourself, or you are going to-"

The little monk's words broke off as their leader's cries quieted. For a moment, they sat silently listening to his uneven breaths.

"Grab him!" Clay shouted, but there was no need. Kimiko and Omi had already grabbed his arms as he started to fall forward.

Gently, the three monks helped the unconscious boy lay down. Kim finally took that moment to look at his face, noticing the dark purples and blues of his swollen cheek. What frightened her the most was the still flowing trail of red that escaped his mouth.

"He needs the temple healers!" Her declaration wasn't sent to either of the two monks specifically, but it was obvious she wasn't going to leave Raimundo any time soon.

"I will go." Omi stood quickly and took off towards the temple.

Using her thumb, she wiped a stream of tears off his cheek. Inhaling sharply, she fought back the tears that warred at the edge of her lower lids. "Hang on, Rai." She whispered softly, let her other hand slip into his. "Every thing's going to be ok..."

oOoOoOo

Four days. Four days, he'd been laying in the healing temple, lost in hopelessness. The healers had released him on day five, hoping that would lift his spirits. To everyones dismay, however, he had taken to sitting alone on a hillside at the border of the temple. When he'd started eating again, after much persistence from Kimiko, their hopes of a happier Raimundo were yet again crushed. From sun-up to sundown, he would sit quietly on the hill starring out over the vast forest. Evenings were much the same, except he had chosen his room for refuge.

Omi sighed dramatically, dropping his head into his hands, "Agh, I am finding it very hard to be happy when Raimundo is so upset!"

"We know the feelin' little guy," Clay acknowledge, aiming a sympathetic look to Kimiko who sat across from him at the dinner table. "Nothin' sadder in the world, I don't reckon."

"It's just going to take a lot of time, thats all." Kimiko tried to sound reassuring. The truth was it hurt to see Rai so torn apart. Even more than when she'd first found him in the woods. She feared the only thing that could get him back had been destroyed to save them all.

oOoOoOo

It was going on two weeks and it seemed Raimundo's routine was being accepted by most of the temple inhabitants. His wounds had been healing slowly, but were now less restrictive for him. Gingerly, he lay down atop the grassy hill, starring up at the midday sky. He'd been in this spot a month earlier, thinking back to his childhood and the event that had changed his family's life. Only, for him, it hadn't been completely shattered. He'd still had her. Granted, she was stuck in a medallion, but he'd had someone to talk to who understood all his fears and doubts. She would laugh at his dumbest jokes. She'd even stayed by him when he'd made his decision to join Wuya. He could still recall how upset she was when he'd refused to listen to reason. Then, as a last resort, she'd stopped talking to him all together. It had been one of the worst days of his life, and inevitably the day he'd decided to set things right. She really was persistent.

He wiped a stray tear from his cheek. It was going to be difficult getting used to the silence. He'd never been truly alone before, at least not since he was ten.

The soft pad of foot steps sounded behind him. He sighed, pushing himself up to sit with his knees pulled into his chest. Sore muscles protested, but he ignored them. The foot steps continued and he sighed. He'd have to come down some day, he just wasn't sure when he'd have the strength to go on again.

When the foot steps came to a stop, he expected Kimiko to tell him lunch was ready and he needed to come eat. For some reason though, she was being silent.

"What is it?" Rai finally asked, wanting her to just leave so he wouldn't have to make any difficult decisions.

The foot steps came closer until they stopped just behind him. He was about to turn and see who had come to bother him, when a circular object fell into his vision.

Dumbfounded, he accepted it, the string falling over his fingers and he moved the yo-yo in his hands. "This is..." was all he could get out before he turned to see his visitor.

She stood, smiling down at him. She still wore the same white robes and gold pendent.

In that instant, he was on his feet enveloping her in an embrace he swore to never release.

"Rai-" He smiled at hearing her voice. "Rai, I need- to breath."

He loosened some, but wouldn't let go. Laughing lightly, she returned the embrace, delighting in the sudden change of mood that emanated from her brother.

"I thought- I mean- you were gone and-" He blinked away the tears that were catching his words.

"I know," she spoke calmly, "but its all going to be okay now."

He smiled, squeezing her tighter. "You're here. Thats all that matters. I promise, I'm never going to lose you again."

She was silent at this, her form tensing slightly.

Finally pulling away, Rai's brows knit in confusion. "What? Whats wrong?"

She couldn't meet his gaze and he could see tears starting to well up.

"No, no, no, don't-" his voice hitched. "Tell me."

She took a deep breath, letting it out shakily. "I can't stay, Rai."

He felt his heart wrench for the hundredth time and his mouth hung open, unable to form the words his mind was screaming.

"Not like this." She clarified, gesturing to her current form. "Everything is being set back to the way it was. Which means-"

"You go back into the medallion."

She nodded and tried to smile, "I'll still be with you."

He was quiet for a moment as his mind slowly processed what this all meant. Finally, he smiled and pulled her into another hug. "I've missed you... so much."

She squeezed back with a sniffle, "Rai?"

"Hmm?"

"Can we still go visit mom?"

"Yeah..."

Between sobs, "Tell her 'love you' for me, k?"

"I will."

A moment passed where the twins stood silently in their embrace. And then that moment ended.

Raimundo stood alone, holding the gold necklace in his hands. Without hesitating, he placed it around his neck and took his seat back on the hill.

"Whatareyouthinking?" Her soft voice broke over the silence of the day.

"Tomorrow," he declared, "We'llgohometomorrow."

The End

I'm not crying... its just raining on my face. I really hope yall liked this story. Its one of my favorites and I really enjoyed writing it.

Thanks so much for reading, and super special thanks to anyone who started reading this since I first posted it!

Love you all!