Warning(s): some suicidal thoughts, though nothing really direct, and a little blood. There might be some purpleness in there; I'm used to writing high sci-fi/fantasy so it's to be expected.

Pairing(s): nothing romantic except some alluded past ZeroXIris. Some fluffy X and Iris- he's her "uncle", so to speak, in my headcanon.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my own words and ideas.

AN: I'm posting something for the first time in months. Wow. Uh, I had a hectic, un-fun, stressful year. My maternal grandmother was diagnosed with a terminal illness and passed away three months later. I jumped right into writing again for cathartic purposes, but then fall semester started and I live 50 minutes away from college so my Tuesdays and Thursdays were… are, booked with driving, class, driving, and sleeping. I also got a new computer and ended up losing some of my documents, like Icarus's second chapter. No more excuses- I'm back with an angsty fic!

I'm posting this just before I head off to North Carolina for a weekend vacation. The second chapter is mostly written, but not typed up, so it'll be posted sometime next week. Also, I can turn this into a multichaptered fic and not leave it as a two-shot. But that depends on my muses, and feedback. So tell me: Should I extend this two-shot?

Unlaced

~ I ~

Regrets

Iris ran a finger along her scalp, searching for any tangible flaw in the tender synth-skin. Her head hurt- whether from Zero's blows or from assimilating Colonel's militant programming she wasn't sure. She wouldn't complain, though, as her head should have been split open. She was only alive through Zero's expert control over his sabre- and by X's grace.

The Hunters' current- temporary –Commander had wanted her stripped down to the most basic of programming: breathing, stunted motor and cognitive functions. X had, politely, argued against it.

She wasn't sure why. She had attempted murder, worse than that she had attempted to murder Zero, someone X considered family. Zero had known X, her "uncle", before she was even schematics on her father's desk. Zero had remained unaffected during the argument- the entire trial, even. But, when asked for his opinion he had shrugged his wide shoulders and agreed with X. She'd been somewhat hopeful when she heard him speak, but it quickly became obvious that Zero was speaking in defense of X and not Iris.

"I trust X's judgment- he's known her longer than I have and if anyone can tell if her behavior is Maverick, it's X. Maybe you're skeptical because X doesn't wish death on anyone, even his own enemies, but he would never deny the existence of a Maverick unless he truly believes they aren't infected. He says she's not Maverick, so I don't think she's Maverick."

"She isn't," X picked up with an appreciative glance at Zero, "though her actions warrant punishment I cannot, in good conscience, allow you to execute her- or humiliate her. She isn't violent anymore."

No one argued with X, though the Commander looked reluctant to let Iris go, so she was placed in this tiny, dim room. It was in the infirmary, she thought, judging by the important-looking equipment by the bed, but the room was more sparsely furnished than usual. As soon as she was released from the guards' custody and placed here, a reploid from the med bay's staff had cleaned her up and disengaged Colonel's combat programming, though it hadn't been removed. Even now it was calculating ways for her to escape. It kept insistently turning her thoughts to the room's lone window. It was unlocked and large enough for her to fit through; she glanced at it once before turning her gaze to her hands again.

Iris couldn't bring herself to be healthily interested in escape. Her father and one- though surely it was two now- of her brothers were dead. Signas was at an undisclosed location, X and Zero were angry with her, and Repliforce was in tatters- completely beyond repair. She felt the same, really, thinking on how her life had gone up in flames in just a few hours. And truthfully, Iris had no real ambitions of her own; she had always been content with simply furthering Colonel's goals.

She had no purpose now.

The door sliding open jolted her out of her into alertness. Had the MH Commander gone back on his word and decided to kill the last of the Repliforce-allied Cainbots? With X away, there wouldn't be any real opposition to her execution. Iris might not want to live, but she didn't want to executed either

But it wasn't the Commander, or one of the medical staff, or even Zero. X's armor was scorched and rent; fluid beaded along a gash in his left shoulder, and there were flecks of a caramelized substance spattered about his hands, boots, and neck: That, she was sure, did not come from his own body.

The Hunter looked worn and sad, but less tense than he had before leaving with Zero for the Final Weapon. There was a towel wrapped bundle under his right arm, drizzled with fresh, scarlet fluid; from there, she noticed a laceration in her uncle's forearm. Ah, not just a laceration, the internal underside of his left wrist had a nasty, gaping hole in the tender flesh. His fingers, as he placed the bundle on the bedside table, twitched erratically, and she guessed some synth-ligaments had been severed; the bone might even have been chipped. Regardless, his buster was probably not operable.

As X straightened, slowly- was his back injured too? –his eyes met hers, and she couldn't stop herself from asking: "He's dead isn't he?"

Her voice was quiet, and calmer than she felt. She knew the answer to her own question. General had sworn to her that, no matter the outcome of the final battle, he probably would not be alive at the end of it. And she couldn't ignore the PA announcement, almost two hours ago, that had gleefully informed the Hunters of her brother's downfall.

X's green eyes soften as he nodded; he knew he wouldn't be breaking the bad news, merely cementing it, "He redeemed himself in the end. Your father would be proud."

"And heartbroken," she added, with the first shred of bitterness she'd felt since her incarceration; "Let us not forget that."

The android didn't even blink at her words, and, if anything, his voice became softer, more tender. "I'm not forgetting that your brothers died, not any time soon. I imagine it will keep me awake for many more nights."

"And Zero?" Iris queried tentatively. Zero was treacherous territory for both of them. "Does he feel any remorse for what he did?"

X tilted his head and regarded her, and suddenly the equipment by her bed was extremely interesting.

"He feels that their deaths were unnecessary… and that Colonel's reckless nature was foolishness on the part of his family."

That hurt, and stoked her anger, until she recalled the memory of the two Reploids fighting, both of them unyielding, powerful males.

"They're both stupidly proud at times," X remarked sadly, then noticed her expression and continued. "I don't think he meant it cruelly; Zero knows his own vices."

"Yes, he was very proud," it stung to agree with what was almost an insult against her dead twin, but it was an indisputable truth that had given the Cain family grief for years. Still, Iris had never expected it to be a fatal flaw.

"I'm sure he does know his own vices," she smiled, "After all you do constantly remind him of them."

X's lips twitched in a quick grin, "Of course I do: Someone has to keep his head from getting too big."

The brief normalcy between them made her throat painfully tight. Iris swallowed and turned her gaze to the medical machinery again. X didn't speak, letting her compose herself until she could ask: "Why am I still alive, X? Your Commander wanted me dead; Zero wouldn't have stopped him, I don't think, but you did."

X shifted his weight to his right leg, then winced and leaned back, "Zero's a bit of an extremist when it comes to fighting. Maybe it's because his entire life has been centered on it, very few Reploids' lives aren't. He knows that once someone has suffered a loss like you have it's best to deal with them and forget. Depression, among other mental disorders, makes a reploid more susceptible to infection by the Virus, and recovery from depression is long in coming: In this way Reploids and humans aren't so different."

Her lip curled at the comparison but she was sure X still saw it, but if he did he made no mention of it as he continued, "So, yes, it would be safer to execute you- but it would also be far less rewarding."

Iris brought her hands up to her aching eyes, unable to argue through the pressure in her throat. She heard X move then, and felt a firm grip on her left bicep, pulling her to her feet. Iris, choking and hardly able to see, collapsed against his torso, hiding her face against his neck. The embrace was somewhat awkward due to the pair being the exact same size.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed, her voice distorted by her tearless weeping. She was sorry for attacking Zero; for the loss of her brothers that she could have prevented; for hating her father's race; for spitting on X's values. For having ever been activated. It hurts!

And, just as it had been when she was a newbuilt, X was immediately there, old, and gentle, and soothing.

"I know it does," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her, the thick metal of his gauntlets resting gently against the small of her back. "Stop saying such morbid things," across their renewed link, she felt bitter amusement that, when coming from X, usually meant hypocrisy or irony.

"What am I going to do then, X? My family is dead, and Zero- no, all of the Hunters wish the same of me."

A hand reached up to shakily stroke her hair- the right hand, then, "I'm not dead, Signas is out there somewhere, still alive, and most of the Hunters do not want you dead," X pointed out calmly. "As for Zero…I'll speak with him, smooth things over."

It wouldn't help. X couldn't help with this and Iris knew it. It would have been less painful to kill him: Zero would never speak to her again after- The arms holding her so snugly shifted, sliding slowly upward. His body was poised, synthetic muscles tense, shivering with stress. X was cupping her elbows now, his upper body leaning toward- past her, and he put his mouth next to her left ear. His breathing was soft and controlled. Iris wasn't sure what exactly had changed in the past few seconds but her uncle was no longer the android she'd known for her entire existence. She was terrified.

"Iris," he told her softly, his voice like steel wrapped in fleece, "If you ever try to finish what you started today with Zero, I will kill you."

She could scarcely breathe, she was so shocked- and X was threatening to take her life himself. X, her self-sacrificing, kind uncle.

Said uncle squeezed her shoulder, not unkindly, and finished, "Do you understand?"

Her voice seemed to have shorted out from the surprise of it all- she wanted to believe the MH Commander had charged him with her execution should she disobey, but somehow she knew better –but she managed to nod in reply to the stranger in familiar armor. There is no room for mistakes or recklessness in my life anymore, she realized, feeling him pick up on her words.

"Good girl," he praised her in a tone that was infinitely warmer than before; he seemed relieved almost.

The Hunter was thankfully replaced with the X she knew and loved, holding her and looking at her with the knowingness of his thirty-some decades. Still her body wouldn't stop trembling. X squeezed her in silent reassurance, something like a smile radiating from his side of their link. He believed she could walk away from this, that she could live through this loss- that she wouldn't be hated for the rest of her life for her foolishness. He was willing to- he would help her, he'd already made that clear.

For some reason that was unbearably painful.

"X, I don't know if I want your grace. I-I… I don't deserve this second chance!" She cried, trying to pull away, but he had her forearms caught in his worn hands.

She stopped struggling- it was futile, injured or not, X could easily overpower her -and hung her. He wasn't angered by her refusal, that much she could sense, and his green eyes (when she finally dared to look at him again) were as soft and inscrutable as ever, "You do deserve this, Iris, no one should be condemned for rash behavior, not after they've admitted they were wrong. You wouldn't do it again, would you?"

She imagined Zero, chest caved in by her mech's fist, sapphire eyes wide in shock and pain, and then imagined X's wrath. She felt equally sick and terrified, and quickly shook her head.

He smiled at her conviction, but it disappeared almost immediately as he said: "But, Iris, if you don't want this second chance..."

His grip on her hands became fragile, his fingers merely cupping hers. His expression was intense and wary as he searched her eyes.

"I… It's you decision, Iris. I won't stop you."