Peace, War, and Angels

Another one-shot. Man, I should really just stop with my stories and go with one-shots…change my name to One-Shot Queen or something. DISCLAIMER: I don't own bakugan. Oh well, I guess I'll spend my time online, writing would-be plots.

This is a prequel to my Song-Fic, Lay Me Down. Read that one too!

He stepped outside. Rubbing his eyes, he walked to the corridor to get some soda or maybe some candy. It was a lame idea, but it was better than sit there and watch his best friend die. Passing by, Dan saw a couple of friends. They waved when they spotted him.

"What's up?"

"We heard just after we got off. Is he alright?"

The brown-haired man sighed. He looked at the window of the room. They didn't need to ask. Felix 'Operation' Griffith ruffled his burnt-red hair, "I can't believe this happened now! The war is over, we won!"

Dan sat down next to Zephyr 'Blackout' White, "I know. We were supposed to head back tonight. Be there by tomorrow, and have a huge party. Runo was planning it the last time we wrote."

The silent man cracked a grin, "How is your fiancé?" He was by nature a silent person, a regular dark clothed gothic type of person. Yet, Runo made him crack up every time.

"She's fine. Last I heard, her fashions were just about going to Germany."

"Does Alice know?" Felix asked quietly. The three knew Dan and Shun's story. Pretty much everyone in the unit had known about them the minute the stepped into the area, thanks to their childhood contributions to mankind. Saving the world did tend to get you some attention.

Dan was silent. His bangs covered his eyes, "No. Shun said not to tell her. He's worried that she'll do something stupid and injure herself and/or the baby."

"That stupid little…," Blake 'Sniper' Feasson walked past him furiously, "Let me see him."

Dan smiled a bit. Felix groaned, "I better go in there. Blake is going to murder him."

"Way to kick a man when he's down," Zephyr said, his face forever etched in his blank stare. But he too followed the three into the white room.

It was a private room, so there was no one there. The white room was obstructed by several tubes and equipment. In-between the tedious beeping and heavy rasped sounds was one single dark-haired male, silent in his sleep.

"There is no way that could be him."

Dan shook his head sadly, "Snipes, it's him. I came with him on the helicopter when he was airlifted here."

"But, come on Dan!" Blake said loudly, causing the three to look at him. "This is Shun we're talking about! He's never put down for long!"

"Well, he has a bullet in his chest. There's not much that'll keep him up."

Felix put a hand on Blake's shoulder, "Come on now. Calm down Blake."

Dan sat down, "Man, this is all my fault. I was so freaking careless!" he yelled, letting his frustrations spill over the hidden dam.

Felix, the peacemaker of the five, sat next to the brown-haired man, "It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself."

"Shun'll kill you if you do anyway," Zephyr smirked.

"Shut up Black."

"Of course I would."

The man in the flesh sat up, groaned as he disturbed his wound. Every movement was crucial, it could cause the bullet to dig deeper. It had hit too close to the heart to remove it. They all knew it. He was going to die.

Shun knew it the moment he woke up in the white room. As if they had traded places, he had joked about it, and was hit upside the head by his best friend. Dan had been sitting in that room ever since.

They four walked over to the black haired man, "How are you?" Felix asked.

Blake scowled, "You idiot! You are a FREAKING ninja! How could you let yourself be hit by a bullet?"

"I felt like it," Shun said sarcastically. "Why are you guys here anyway? Shouldn't you three be on your way home?"

"We can't see if one of our best buddies is alright?"

Shun was silent. Zephyr stood up, "Well, if you don't want us here, we'll leave. Don't want Feasson to get bored and bring the entire hospital down."

Blake pouted, which looked amusing on his twenty-six year old face, "I can't help getting bored easily."

"You don't get bored Blake, you get trigger happy."

Dan chuckled, "Ops is right. You tend to go overboard."

"Tend to Kuso? Where have you been?" Zephyr interrupted, "Do you not remember the time Feasson went down to the bar and just began to-"

"Okay, I get it," Blake said, putting his hands up in a please-stop-now gesture.

"Dan, what's up with the nicknames? The war is over," Shun stated.

Dan patted his best friend's head purposely, "Oh, hot-shot, you know me better than that."

"Don't call me that."

"I'll call you what I want."

"You realize that I'll murder you when I get out of bed."

"That's why I'm getting my insults in now."

Blake, Felix, and Zephyr watched as they went back and forth. Deep down, all five knew that the two were only trying to delay the inevitable truth that Shun just wasn't going to make it. If the three hadn't been war buddies with them, they wouldn't have known how sad the best friends truly were. Shun and Dan had learned to put up masks of happiness years ago.

Felix stood next to Shun's bed. "Dan? Can I speak to Shun real quick?"

"Uh, sure. 'Course."

The room was silent as the three walked out. "Shun, what do you plan on doing now?"

"I plan on dying," Shun answered shortly.

Felix rolled his eyes, "Shun."

"Sorry Felix. I don't know. I just have to accept that I'm going to die."

Felix looked curiously at Shun, "You're a really interesting person Shun. I don't think I'll ever meet someone like you again."

"I hope not."

"I can't believe this is it," Felix said, giving a watery chuckle, "I didn't think you and Dan would be going out like this."

"Well, we like to keep people on their toes. Hey, Felix, what do you plan on doing now?"

"I'm not sure. I expected this war to end me. But, since I made it, it might be time to go make my dream come true. Ashley has been waiting long enough."

"Good luck with that."

"Goodbye Shun."

"Bye Felix." And with that final dismissal, the British man left the room. He shook his head, thinking about the raven haired hero. He truly was something. Without saying anything, Felix pushed Blake into the empty room. Blake was hesitant to walk up to the man he had argued with so many times, and had come to revere.

Shun grinned, "What is this? An anime where everyone needs to let out their feelings for the dying hero?" he asked.

"Why is it that death is what makes you joke around a lot? Do you get some weird morbid fascination from sad things?" Blake shot back. In many ways, he was like Dan.

Shun didn't answer, but instead studied the American features, "What's wrong Blake?"

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"You could have easily saved yourself and Dan! So, why take that shot?" Blake asked, staring at the piercing topaz eyes.

"It was a split second decision Blake."

"Still…" the stubborn man carried on his fading words.

"Hey, we all make decisions that we regret. This is one I don't. You made one you do. You have a chance to fix it Blake."

"What are you telling me to do? Go back to my parents after three years?"

"Yeah."

Blake gave a snort, though the tears pricked his eyes, "You're a real piece of work Shun. Even on your deathbed, you're giving me advice."

"Well, I've had practice with Dan. I'm used to it," Shun paused, "Blake, then, I guess this is it."

"Yeah, this is it."

"Don't make me come back from the dead."

"See you Shun. Bye."

"Bye." The man wasn't yet ready to step into the world of forgiveness and loss, but he made his way out to the others. Shun watched as the last of the three made his way in.

"Zephyr."

"Kazami."

There was utter silence for about a minute. The Polish man spoke at last, "I never thought I would see this. Shun Kazami, a hero since the age of thirteen, ninja, in a hospital bed."

"I never thought I'd see Zephyr White, the shadow, speak more than one sentence."

"It was nice knowing you Shun." The hero realized that Zephyr had just broken his promise from months ago. When the first all met, the man was determined not to make friends. This was proven by his calling people by last name.

"Did you just say my first name?"

"I don't know what you're talking about Kazami." But Zephyr smiled at Shun, letting him know that they were, indeed, good friends.

"It was nice knowing you too Zephyr." A secret to the grave.

Zephyr too, left the same way and let Dan in. The three, he saw, were sitting on the hard red chairs he sat on so many years ago in anticipation of his mother.

Shun felt a bit tired. He knew that was to be likely of someone that was dying, but he felt as if everything was beginning to collapse within himself. The doctor said that he wasn't expected to live past twenty four hours. He was at twenty two hours and forty-seven minutes. That meant just over an hour to talk to Dan.

His letter for Alice was on the stand next to him. It was a bit short, but it hoped it would explain his feelings and his reasons. He needed her to move on. There was already a letter sent to her before, just after he got shot, but this last one was special.

"Shun." He snapped out of his thoughts to focus on the figure of his best friend.

"Dan."

Just like with Zephyr, there was silence as they stared at each other. "Dan, I'm-"

"Why did you do it?"

"Dan," Shun began.

"Why did you take the hit instead!"

"Dan!" Shun said, surprised.

"It would have hit my side! Why would you take the shot! Why would you be so stupid?"

"Dan!" Shun shouted, stopping his best friend in his rant, "I decided to save your life. Just deal with it."

Dan dropped into the seat next the bed, "It's not fair. Why do you have to pay for my carelessness?"

"Dan, let it go. Neither of us could help it."

There was a pause of silence as both sorted through their thoughts. "Who's going to make fun of my stupidity? Who's going to laugh when Runo tries to kill me?"

"Who's going to smirk at me when I fail at doing something?" Dan continued.

"Shun, who's going to be there for me?"

Shun looked at his friend's eyes deeply. He smirked, "Are you crying?"

Dan sighed, "Yeah." Somehow, it didn't seem right to pretend he wasn't. Not to Shun, not to his best friend.

He gave a bit of a laugh, "Hard to believe that it's you in bed and not me. Who would have ever thought that I was more life-preserved than you?"

"Dan, you have got to be the weirdest person I've ever met."

"Hm. Maybe."

Shun looked at his hands, "Dan?"

"Tell Alice I'm sorry, will you?"

"She'll forgive you."

"I hope so." There was a pause, "Runo is going to murder me."

Dan snorted, "Yep, she will. Good luck with that."

Shun rolled his eyes, "Thank you so much Dan."

That was how the hour passed by, as they sat and talked, as if one wouldn't die and the other wouldn't be taking home a letter rather than a best friend. The clock ticked forward.

Fifteen minutes.

Shun began to cough a bit. The bullet jolted just the tiniest bit forward, the tip quivering just above the heart.

Five minutes.

"Dan, I'm glad I met you."

"We had a fun time, didn't we?"

Miles away, Julie felt the oddest feeling and paused during her newscast. "What's wrong Jules?" Billy asked. She brushed it away, "It's nothing."

"Make sure Alice doesn't do anything crazy, okay?" Shun repeated.

"I'll take care of her. Promise."

Marucho stopped typing. He had felt something brush against his fingers. Like something was changing, but he chose to ignore it, instead focusing on the task at hand. There was a lot to get done if the welcome home party was going to be amazing.

Shun could see the ceiling as he lay down again. He stared at the white, "Guess this is it Dan. Someway to go out, right?"

Dan stared at the ceiling too, "Yeah, it is."

Runo pricked her finger with the needle suddenly, eliciting a small wince. She looked out the window, waiting for the car that would signal a return.

"Give Alice the letter on the table Dan."

"I got it. You can bet on it."

One.

Alice froze mid hum. She looked up at the gray clouds from her spot next to her garden outside their house. She felt the very air change. Her heart prickled in a scared anticipation, her thoughts roving over the last letter from her husband.

"Make every moment count Dan." Shun's eyes drooped, his elegance still carved into his fading features.

Dan's tears were about to spill over, but he looked straight at his best friend's dying image, "Bye Shun."

Zero.

"Goodbye Dan."

Jazzzzzzzzzzzz…Well? How goes it? What did you all think? I know, I know, it wasn't that great, but I couldn't help myself. I think I might even do a sequel to Lay Me Down. I don't know, it'll depend on reader responses X)

Happy Holidays everyone!