A/N and Disclaimers:
I do not own any of the characters or related stuff from the series. This is my first MGLN fic, so be nice. And feel free to leave a review to let me know how I'm doing.
Just for the sake of setting the scene, this happens 3 years after Force, so Fate, Nanoha and Hayate are 28. Vivio is now 15.
01:
This wasn't going according to plan.
None of this was going according to plan.
This was meant to be a simple mission. Go in, secure the premises. Wait for further instruction. None of them could have known that the place was swarming with hostiles. None of them could have predicted that even with the full deployment of the hastily re-established Riot Force 6, the TSAB forces were pinned down behind some scraps of twisted metal. None of them could have anticipated the protracted 8 hour long standoff that was now stretching into its ninth hour. And none of them was prepared for it. In this battle of endurance, it seemed that the enemy had gone for sheer numbers to overwhelm the intruding forces. More cyborgs poured into the hallway, armed to the teeth and apparently ridiculously trigger happy, firing off shots in every imaginable direction.
"StarS team, do you copy? What's your status?"
Hayate's voice crackled to life over the communication channel as one of the shots ricocheted particularly close to where Nanoha crouched.
"Hayate? Yes. But we're pinned down here." Nanoha reported, casting worried glances over at her two forwards hunkered down a fair distance from her. Her two team members shot her a look of determination, making quick weapons checks while waiting out the enemies' suppressing fire. The air was punctuated by the sound of mages from other teams being taken down, their numbers dwindling rapidly. The situation was quickly becoming dire. They needed more backup.
"We will need more firepower here. And more cartridges."
"Sorry Nanoha, but we're stretched to our limits at this point. We've sent for backup from the main fleet but it'll take them 15 minutes."
"Lightning team is en route."
The auburn haired girl felt her breath catch slightly at Fate's even tone coming through the communication channel. It had been too long since she had heard the blonde's soft but commanding voice, but this was not the place she wanted them to be reunited.
"No, don't come here. The area is way too unstable."
"Nanoha's right, Fate. Do not enter zone H-7 now. We have to wait for a lull in their attack before attempting to punch through their offence."
Nanoha grimaced as another shot rang dangerously close to her. She cast a sidewards look at Subaru who signalled her use of her final cartridge. They were running out of time. They had to find a way to retaliate before-
There was a deafening boom as a massive shell smashed into the upturned bit of metal flooring Nanoha was kneeling behind, sending the white mage flying several feet across the ground. Several cyborgs took the opportunity to begin concentrating their fire on the exposed Nanoha as the already battered Raising Heart quickly put up a shield.
The flight instructor's eyes widened as she saw the large cracks arc across her barrier. The blows were coming to strong, too fast, and the thin barrier she had hastily put up was very quickly beginning to fail under the pressure. She could hear Hayate yelling something over the communication channel. She could see Subaru and Teana running towards her.
There simply wasn't enough time to put up another barrier. Her voice left her lips in a near inaudible whisper. "Fate…"
There was a final loud resounding crack and Nanoha braced herself for the impact.
"NANOHA!"
"Sonic Drive."
An impossibly brilliant golden glow exploded in front of the auburn haired girl accompanied by the sickening smell of burning flesh. Cobalt eyes shot open to see the last person she had expected standing above her, shielding her, just like she had so many years ago. When she battled Vita for the first time. She had called out her name, and she had come to her. But this time was different.
Nanoha's eyes widened as she saw the blonde thrown forcibly backwards from a direct headshot, the poor defence she had traded for massively increased speed shattering completely, allowing an arc of bright red to strike her, sending the enforcer crumpling to the ground.
An anguished scream she could hardly recognise as her own filled the air as pink light flooded her vision.
"Harlaown-san?"
Nanoha looked up at the short haired doctor now hovering above her. The TSAB medical facility corridor was no stranger to her, but this time, it felt completely foreign, isolating, stifling, and a familiar face was sorely needed. It had been a while since she had seen Dr Ishida Sachie. Hayate had called for her personally to take on Fate's case, insisting that the enforcer have nothing but the best neurologist available.
Nanoha gave the other woman a weak smile. "It's Takamachi now. For the last couple of years."
"Oh… Takamachi-san," Dr Ishida smiled sadly. "It has been a while. I wish we had met again under different circumstances."
"Me too." replied Nanoha, halfheartedly returning the smile. "Is Fate alright?"
"She's lucky to be alive." answered the doctor honestly. "I'm not familiar with magical injuries, but taking a direct hit to the head like that would have surely killed her. By some miracle, it didn't."
"When will she wake up?" The ponytailed mage was not sure if she wanted to hear the answer to that.
"That's difficult to say, Takamachi-san. Her body needs time to heal, but we won't know the true extent of her head injury until she wakes up."
"I see…"
"You can go in and see her now if you'd like."
Nanoha had been putting off going into the room for the last 2 hours, mostly worried about how she would react to seeing the blonde again. Or how Fate would react, for that matter. After all that happened. After all that was said, and not said. But the sight that greeted her was nothing like what she had expected. It was unnerving. Seeing Fate hooked up to dozens of monitors, bags of blood being fed into her system through massive cannulas in both arms. Most of her head was swathed in bandages lightly soaked with blood from the surgery. She looked deathly pale, all of her usual radiance muted. Nanoha almost didn't recognise the blonde, the chart with her name on it the only identifier. Her breaths came to her in measured puffs from the ventilator which buzzed noisily in the corner of the room, breaking through the otherwise sterile silence.
She nearly didn't feel the tears beginning to prick the corners of her eyes. It should have been her lying there. After everything she put Fate through, this last sacrifice seemed completely unfair. She reached out to grasp the blonde's hand, but stopped herself, letting her hand fall limply to her side. It was simply too much. She resigned to simply sitting by the bedside, refusing to take her eyes away from Fate, yet refusing to touch her, almost afraid she would wake.
"Sensei…" Nanoha began in a shaky voice she barely recognised as her own. "I know this is a lot to ask, and I know the hospital's policy on only family being allowed here…"
Dr Ishida paused in the doorway, turning to give Nanoha a small smile. "Takamachi-san, as far as I'm concerned, the only people I see in this room right now are her family."
3 years ago...
"The progress you've made is simply astounding, Hayate-chan. If I didn't know any better, I would be questioning these old medical records."
Hayate grinned at her neurologist, setting her tea cup down on the coffee table. "It's all thanks to Dr Ishida, really. If you had given up on me like all the other doctors, I simply would not be standing here today. Literally."
Dr Ishida smiled fondly at her patient. Today would be the last official visit before she officially discharged Hayate from her care. Needless to day, she had become very fond of her young patient who had undoubtedly grown into a poised and vibrant young woman. She often related Hayate's determination during rehabilitation to her other patients as a form of inspiration, though she was almost sure that nothing short of magic would have caused such a drastic turnaround of her condition.
A chime went off somewhere in the house and Hayate rose to get the door, leaving Dr Ishida in the living room. Bright golden eyes took the small opportunity to survey her surroundings. The house had not changed much since Hayate was a child. Pictures of her… Relatives… adorned the walls, along with snapshots of her friends. Though they all seemed to be frozen in time, over 19 years ago. Almost as if Hayate had not lived here in years…
"Dr Ishida," smiled Hayate as she returned, ushering her two guests into the apartment. Familiar faces from the photographs on the walls. "Allow me to introduce my good friends, Fate and Nanoha Harlaown."
"Yes, I do remember these two." the doctor said, rising from her seat to warmly shake the two by the hand. "You visited Hayate when she was in the hospital."
"Sensei has a very good memory." Nanoha beamed.
"Though I do remember one of you being a Takamachi back then."
The white mage flushed beet red, increasing her grip on Fate's hand. Her wife only gave a light chuckle and a reassuring squeeze back. Despite being married for the last 6 months, the flight instructor was still terribly shy about disclosing their highly publicised mid-childian wedding to people back on her home planet. Something about how people on earth simply would not understand.
"No need to be so embarrassed Harlaown-san." assured the doctor, laughing quietly. "I think it is a gift - finding someone you love who can love you back so wholeheartedly. Congratulations to you both."
Fate gave the doctor a quiet smile and an appreciative nod. "Dr Ishida, would you be requiring a ride to town?"
"It's quite alright, Harlaown-san." the purple haired woman said, hoisting her briefcase up from the floor. "You ladies enjoy your afternoon. Hayate, I will be seeing you around. Don't get into any trouble, you hear?"
Hayate shot her a cheeky grin. "Can't promise you that, sensei!"
The doctor cast a final backwards glance at the 3 young women in the doorway, letting out a forlorn sigh about her youth long gone and young love. Her eyes paused briefly at the young couple, Fate's arm placed reassuringly around Nanoha's waist.
"If only love could be so simple…"
It was a month now. A month of sitting by the bedside of the unconscious blonde. Nanoha slipped into the room silently, as she always did, as if afraid to wake the blonde. She set the new bouquet of lilies in the vase the nurses had set out for her. It was almost routine now. She would come in after work, sit by Fate's bedside for hours, sometimes talking about her day. Sometimes reading her a book. The blonde never answered. And Nanoha was glad for the most part. She wouldn't know what to say if the blonde did wake up to see her there. If Fate hated her for everything. Or worse, forgave her for everything. Yet there she found herself everyday at 5.30pm, standing in front of Fate's room at the hospital.
One by one, the life support machines were weaned off and taken away. Until all that was left was a simple bag of fluids that was meant to have all the nutrients her body needed to stay alive. But still Fate slumbered.
Nanoha settled herself down on the less-than-comfortable plastic seat next to the bed as she always did, venturing a lingering gaze on the blonde. It was so much easier looking at her like this. So peaceful. So different from the last time she had seen the enforcer, the agony and heartbreak clouding those crimson eyes she used to love so much.
Still loved.
"I wonder what you're dreaming about, Fate-chan…" Nanoha sighed quietly, staring at the lidded eyes. This was how most of her evenings went, really. Wondering when the enforcer would open her eyes and-
Movement.
Burgundy eyes fluttered open slowly, squinting weakly from the bright light that flooded her eyes. It was almost as if she had not used her eyes in years. Her voice caught in her parched throat as she let out an uncomfortable groan, attempting to blink some colour into her blurred vision. Finally, the haze began to lift and crimson eyes slowly registered information, taking in her surroundings.
"Fate…" an unfamiliar voice choked out. Fate turned to look at the girl who was staring at her with an unreadable expression in her eyes. This girl was close. Too close. She began to register a hand grasping hers tightly.
"Who… Are you?"