Chapter VII:

Ghosts Revealed

Once I got back, Lulu handed Jordan back to me and looked at me expectantly. "Was he there?"

I nodded. "I caught the end of their conversation actually. Baralai's going to be leaving in the morning."

Her thin eyebrows rose slightly. "Well, then he's going to have to find out the truth before he leaves. Let me know how it goes."

I chuckled. "I will. I'm gonna get back over there and see what Gippal's going to do. Thanks for letting me take a shower."

She shook her head, causing her beads to clack together continuously. "It was no trouble."

I smiled at Lulu and Wakka before walking out. I tested the back door, finding it unlocked once again. I walked in and Gippal immediately ran up to me. "Okay, Paine, come sit down," he said, roughly grabbing my arm and tugging me toward the couch.

"I'll take it that you have a plan," I said, setting Jordan on the floor so he could play with Rylee.

"We're gonna have to tell Baralai tonight. So go ahead and change into some different clothes."

I nodded and walked into the guest room. I dropped my bag down onto the bed and sorted through a few items of clothing I had brought with me. I happened upon my Warrior dressphere and turned the idea of wearing that around in my head. After a few minutes of heavy thought I sighed and decided to wear it.

I wrapped my hand lightly around the sphere and held it out in front of me. I closed my eyes and concentrated as the sphere began to glow. A column of light enveloped my body and I was adorned once again in my leather Warrior outfit. I glanced down at the sphere, staring into its dull gray depths before tossing it back into my bag.

I met Gippal and Rikku in the living room. "Should I bring Jordan with me?" I asked, adjusting one of my gloves.

Gippal shook his head. "No, Rikku's gonna stay here. She'll take care of Jordan and Rylee while we go talk to Baralai. Now here's the plan. Try to stay in step with me so Baralai thinks there's only one person coming. When I go into the tent wait outside and when it's time for you to walk in I'll give you the cue. Sound good?"

"Sure. Let's just get this over with," I said, walking out of the hut.

Gippal walked out and pulled the door shut then I fell in step beside him, making sure I kept my steps in time with his. We reached the lodge and I stood off to the side as Gippal walked in. I slinked around to the back window as quietly as I could, intent on hearing their entire conversation.

"Hey, Baralai," Gippal whispered. I concluded that he must have fallen asleep.

After a few seconds of Gippal's prodding Baralai finally woke up. "Huh, what is it, Gippal?" Baralai asked groggily.

"How ya doin', buddy?" He asked, sitting down on the bed next to Baralai.

"Well, for a guy that just lost his wife and son, terrible," he replied, his voice weak.

"Everything's going to turn out okay," Gippal said, squeezing his friend's shoulder.

Baralai shot him a sideways glance, a skeptical gleam in his eyes. "How do you know that?" He whispered, his eyes glistening with fresh tears.

"You know," Gippal began, biting his lip. "there's someone who wants to see you."

Baralai was silent for many moments, his dark eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Who?"

"Well…"

I took that as my cue. I left the window and made my way around to the tent opening. I took a deep breath and walked in. My footsteps alerted him to my presence and he turned around with a disinterested look on his face. As soon as he saw me though, his jaw dropped and his face became placid; for a second I thought he would faint.

"Gippal…" He said, looking at the blonde Al Bhed with wide, wary eyes.

"It's okay, Lai," Gippal reassured, getting up and walking towards me.

"Is she…you mean…she isn't…?" Baralai stuttered as he unsteadily rose from the bed, his knees shaking uncontrollably.

Gippal stopped next to me and rested his hand on my shoulder. "No, man, she's not dead." He threw a smile in my direction. "I'll be outside." I lifted the right side of my mouth up as a way of saying thanks before he turned and walked out of the lodge. Once Gippal was gone, I turned my eyes toward Baralai.

Tears were streaming down his face as he took short, hesitant steps towards me. He raised a shaking hand and reached out for me. "Paine?" I raised my own hand and gently grasped onto his fingers. He jumped, almost like I had shocked him, before he clenched my hand in both of his. He got right in front of me and placed one of his hands gingerly on my cheek. He stared into my eyes for many long moments before he took a deep breath. "Why?" He croaked.

I placed my hand over his. "I didn't know what else to do. It wasn't my idea to trick you like this, but nothing I tried seemed to work." Baralai bowed his head and he continued to cry. My eyes started to sting and I bit down on my tongue to keep the tears from coming. "Baralai, I'm sorry," I stuttered, my voice beginning to crack. "You weren't acting like you loved me anymore. It seemed like with every passing day we were growing farther and farther apart. Leaving was the only alternative I had left."

Baralai continued to cry for many minutes after I finished speaking. I couldn't hold my tears back any longer. I stopped biting my tongue and let the crystalline drops fall from my eyes. I grabbed Baralai's chin and forced him to look up at me before placing my lips over his. He immediately latched onto me and pressed his lips harder against mine before pulling back and cupping my face with his hands.

"Paine, I'm so sorry." He stopped to sniff and take a deep breath. "I'll never ever get drunk again. When Gippal and Rikku told me you were dead my world literally fell in around my feet. I was so confused; I didn't know what to do. It was like I was living one of my worst nightmares. Paine, you and Jordan are the most important things in my life. Being the Praetor can't even compare with how important you are to me and the ironic thing is, it took your staged death for me to realize that."

I nodded, still unable to regain my composure. I sniffed and coughed a little. "No more drinking?"

He shook his head violently. "No, we'll have champagne on our anniversary but that's it." I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck. We held each other for what seemed like days until he pulled back and gently cupped my face in his hands. "Things are going to change. I promise."

"I know they are," I replied, one corner of my mouth pulled up in a half smile. "I love you, Baralai."

"I love you too, Paine. More than you can ever imagine."

We stood in each other's arms for a few more moments before he took my hand and walked with me out of the Crusader's Lodge. Gippal slapped Baralai on the shoulder as we emerged from the large tent.

"Sorry about lying to you, Lai."

The Praetor shook his head. "It's alright. I should have realized sooner what I was doing to Paine."

"Well, at least you realize it now." Gippal smiled at me. I returned the smile gratefully.

Gippal pulled his door open and allowed Baralai and I to enter in front of him. Rikku ran down the hall with an overly excited Jordan in her arms. She streaked towards Baralai. "Look who's here, Jordan! It's daddy!" Rikku had taken the time to clean all the make-up off of Jordan while we were gone

Jordan squealed as Rikku came to a screeching halt in front of him. Baralai reached out with shaking hands and accepted his son from the blonde Al Bhed. Pure joy filled Baralai's soft chocolate eyes as he hugged the small infant to his chest. Rikku went to Gippal's side and gave him a victorious squeeze, delighted that our little family was back together again.

Baralai reached out with a trembling hand and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me towards him. I kissed Jordan on the top of his snowy white head and smiled as he laid his head against Baralai's shoulder. I kissed Baralai softly on the lips as tears started to blur my vision once more.

The love I had found was genuine and I could definitely keep it.