Title: To Protect and Save
Author: Seylin
Summary: Cain wants to do the protecting and saving.
Rating: PG
Warnings: Beginning slash of Cain/Glitch.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Imagiquest Entertainment. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Note: This is a continuation of storylandqueen's drabble "Talk".
Talk: http:// storylandqueen. livejournal. com/ 3608. html# cutid1 (remove spaces)
Words: 720 (not counting anything before the actual story)

To Protect and Save

Sooner or later he would find out how he felt, and then he would be able to say it.

"How do they wear these things?" Glitch demanded as he went around in circles trying to catch the other arm of the stolen long coat. Cain finished buttoning up his coat and looked up at Glitch; he quickly reached out and grabbed the loose arm stopping Glitch's spinning.

"Whoa there sweetheart you're making me dizzy," Cain stated and helped Glitch into the free arm of the coat. Cain quickly did the buttons up the front of the coat not noticing the owlish look Glitch was staring at him with. When Cain hooked the last button he looked at Glitch's face. "What?"

There was a reply on Glitch's lips; Cain could tell that much, but the synapses rebooted and when Glitch blinked and looked around there was a faint fear in his eyes. Cain wondered what could have caused that fear. Now was not the time to find out though, they had to find DG.

"Cain…" Glitch whispered. Cain nodded and gave him a smile. With that reassurance the fear disappeared.

"Let's go find DG," Cain stated.

---

Left, left, left, right, left. Their steps matched perfectly as they walked through the lower levels of the palace. Cain knew he should be keeping an eye out for any trouble since he was pretty sure Glitch was distracted by the clicking of their boots but he couldn't concentrate on that. In his mind he was making a list of things to say to Glitch. He had to work himself up to tell Glitch he wanted to be the one doing the protecting and the saving.

'I'll start with calling head case, in an affectionate tone, that makes him smile.'

'I need to tell him to come on and take his hand, even if it's only for a few seconds.'

'Finally I'll tell him that I want to be the one doing the protecting and saving.'

Cain nodded to himself with a smile just as there was a dull 'thunk' and Glitch went to the floor. Cain cursed himself for not noticing an enemy, his hand going to his gun. Well, so much for the actual act of protecting Glitch.

"Ow! That could bust a zipper ya know?!" Glitch exclaimed rubbing the ruff metal at the top of his head as he got to his feet.

"Glitch…" Raw murmured. Cain let his hand drop from his gun and a smile came to his lips.

"Hey there princess."

"Cain! You're alive!" DG took a couple of quick steps and hugged him tightly. Cain was shocked, not because it had been so long since he had felt a woman's touch but because this felt so different from having Glitch in his arms.

---

Raw laid his hand on the top of Glitch's head. Glitch's eyes widened and he gasped at the feeling of another presence inside his head. Raw then reached for the mirror and laid his hand on the frame. Glitch gasped and his body tensed as he gasped in what sounded like to Cain… pain and shock. Cain could see the fear in Glitch's eyes and he took a step forward. DG held out her hand and stopped him before he could say anything. Cain stopped and watched the scenes unfolding in the mirror.

"Remove brain slowly."

"No… please… don't do this, please don't do this, it won't work."

"Count back from one hundred."

"No, please."

"Ninety-nine."

"Don't do it."

"Ninety-eight." Now Cain had to force a low growl back.

'I want to protect him from this.' Raw pulled away and Glitch jerked taking in a few deep breaths.

"Oh… ha… my… the name's Glitch… have we…" His question trailed off and he looked around for a moment before looking at DG. "Are you okay?"

"Yes Glitch, I'm fine," she answered, her voice thick with tears. Glitch stared at her for a moment and then looked at all their faces again.

"What?" He asked in a broken voice. "Was my machine so bad?" Cain actually winced at the broken voice, the despair in it cutting him right into his cold heart.

'No matter what happens to me I'm going to make sure he doesn't go through pain like this again,' Cain vowed to himself.