There is some abuse in this, so don't read if that triggers you. Also, I think there is just one swear word, but there might be a few. Enjoy!
Marina had been on edge ever since Eight died. She was mad, at the Mogs, at Five, at Nine, even at John for some reason.
She didn't let anyone come near her, not even Six. She always said she just wanted to be alone, but Nine saw the evil glares she threw at him.
Adam made a comment to Sam one day about how mad Marina always was, but Sam told Adam she wasn't always like that. She used to be the kindest, gentlest, and most forgiving Garde. Now she only wanted to do two things.
Kill and train.
When they had their first training session after Eight had passed, they decided to split into two teams and fight. Marina, John, Sarah, and BK were on one team. Nine, Six, Sam and Adam were on the other.
When Malcolm said go, Marina went straight for Nine. She threw him on the floor with her telekinesis, pinning him down.
Even though Nine was the strongest Garde, he couldn't move. Marina straddled him and started throwing punches. She wasn't going to show him any mercy, in her mind, he got Eight killed.
Nine's face was bleeding and had already started to bruise. John ran over to Marina and grabbed her by her arms, hoisting her off of Nine.
Marina didn't have control of her arms anymore, but she could control her feet.
She kicked Nine right in the balls.
She hissed, "That's for getting Eight killed."
Marina stopped fighting John and allowed him to take her outside to 'cool down.'
"Marina, I know you are hurt, but taking out your anger on Nine isn't going to make anything better," John says.
"If Nine had just his damn mouth, Eight would be here! It is his fault Eight is dead! I can't just get over it!"
"I hear you, if something were to happen to Sarah, I would lose it. I'm sorry, I truly am, but Eight isn't coming back. Don't focus your energy on revenge on Nine, focus it on the Mogs. You can do some real damage now, Marina, and you are one of our most valuable assets, we need you to focus, we need you in this war."
Marina nodded, but she wasn't listening. She didn't care about the war anymore. There was now no life to live after the war, so what was the point in winning? They were down Eight, Five, and Ella, they were screwed.
Everyone still saw in her eyes, she was pissed. She wasn't the Marina they first knew, all she could think about was killing Mogs.
One night, Nine saw Marina sneak out of her window. He followed her to a pond. She wasn't crying, she was just staring at the water.
Nine wasn't there when Marina and Eight first met, so he didn't know that she was thinking about the time Eight kissed her in the water when she found his chest. Nine didn't know she was thinking about how she used to think Eight was interested in Six and not her.
Nine slowly approached Marina. He wanted to say he was sorry that he got Eight killed, but he knew it wouldn't help her. He stood in front of Marina searching her face for any emotion besides anger.
Instead, he got a slap in the face. He felt himself being hoisted into the air. He looked down at Marina who was just looking him right in the eye.
Marina used her telekinesis to throw Nine into the water. By the time Nine surfaced, she was already gone.
Because of the training incident, John kept a close eye on Marina. He tried to always be watching her, but the one guy could only do so much.
Marina hid her anger from John. She stepped on Nine's foot. She shut doors in his face. She elbowed him in the sides. Basically, she hurt him anytime John wasn't looking.
Until, Marina realized what she was doing. She was just like Five with her intentions to hurt Nine.
Now, every time Marina simply moved her arm by Nine, he flinched. Marina was horrified with herself. She had become the monster that they were fighting against.
Marina stayed away from Nine after that. She couldn't stand the thought of someone being scared of her.
One day, Nine was reaching in a high cupboard to get a bowl for cereal. His shirt slipped up, and Marina noticed his bruises. She didn't realize he hadn't healed yet.
Marina was waiting outside of Nine's bedroom door, everyone else had gone to bed hours ago. She wondered what Nine did all the time, but she figured she wasn't in the spot to be asking questions.
When Nine finally did come to his door, Marina quickly stood up. She put one hand on his shoulder and the other on his stomach. She was disgusted with herself when he flinched. Marina healed him, even though it wasn't that bad.
Marina didn't want to wake anyone so she said quietly, "I'm sorry that I hurt you, Nine, I didn't even realize what I was doing. I know it's no excuse, but I was blind with anger."
Nine said, "It's okay, it is my fault that Eight's dead, and I deserved everything you threw at me."
Marina shook her head and said, "I know I made you think that, but trust me, it's not."
Nine shrugs his shoulders and says, "You say that now, but if I would have known when to quit, Eight would still be here."
Marina surprises both of them when she shouts, "No!"
Nine hears John wake up and rolls his eyes. Marina asks, "What?"
Nine says, "Johnny's up, let's go to the living room."
They walk to the living room, knowing John won't be happy with them for waking him up, they don't want to also wake up Six.
Nine and Marina sit down on the couch, ready to be scolded like children. John walks down the stairs with a disappointed look on his face.
Marina giggles.
Nine's face breaks into a smile.
John throws his hands up in the air and says, "I didn't even get to start."
Marina tries to keep a straight face as she says, "I'm sorry, it's just-"
Marina doesn't finish her thought as she starts to laugh again. John asks, "It's just what?"
Nine smiles as he says, "It's like you are a dad scolding his children."
John joins in laughing. Marina figures they must look insane, laughing at practically nothing at two in the morning, but she can't stop laughing. Nine lets himself relax, he knows this is where he wants to be, he wants to be with these people, forever. John realizes that they might not get a lot of more days like this, so he wants to enjoy them while he can.
When they are finally all settled down John asks, "So is everything okay between you two now?"
Marina looks at Nine and says, "No it's not, I hurt Nine, and I don't think I can trust myself around him. I don't want to hurt him again."
Nine shakes his head and says, "Marina, I know what it is like to lose someone, you do things you thought you would never have done before. You changed, that's okay."
Marina stands up and says, "It's not okay, Nine! What I did is unforgivable and yo-"
"I forgive you," Nine says, standing up and looking into Marina's eyes. "You healed me, and I think it would be best for all of us if we could put what happened between us in the past. We just need to move forward."
"I agree," John says, "How about we fight this war?"
Nine and John both look at Marina, waiting for her reaction.
She says, "Let's win this war."
