He ran out of sight, he wasn't going to be caught in the act.
Lypix stumbled back in the room, putting a slight pressure on the wound.
"Lypix are you okay?" Nonte asked for the second time that evening. He was now dancing with a blonde in a pink dress.
She moved her hand slightly to reveal a trickle of crimson, she then fell.
"Lypix!" Aerrow shouted, he caught her before she even knew he was there.
The blood was starting to gush now, soaking into the cream dress and engulfing the diamonds to make them look more like rubies.
"Aerrow… don't… don't leave me alone" she mumbled before falling into unconsciousness.
00
Lypix opened her eyes to a clean, calming environment.
"Where am I?" she voiced aloud.
Glancing around the room she saw several monitors racing up and down hills, windows open to the possibility of cool air on the hot day, with vegetation as far as the eye could see.
Smaller things included some freshly picked Snowdrops in a cup and 'get well' cards on the shelf.
"Hello?" she called, her voice a little cracked from misuse, "anyone there?"
It was then a mop of red hair stirred, out of place in the serene, pastel colours.
"Hey, you're awake. How do you feel?" a friendly voice asked.
"I fell like I have a gaping hole in my… oh, wait. I do don't I?" she answered as it came back.
"What happened?" Aerrow asked kindly.
Lypix paused, "It was the Dark Ace, I think Cyclonis ordered him to kill me."
"I was so worried when I saw all that blood…" he sighed in relief.
"Weren't you listening Aerrow? He stabbed me!" Lypix said agitated, her monitor flashing dangerously.
"Look Lypix, calm down. Once the others come back we'll get out of here" he reasoned.
Lypix couldn't think of a good enough come back, so started looking out the window, "How come your still here?" she asked turning back.
"Um… well…" he muttered rubbing the back of his head, "someone had to stay."
"Why not any of the others? You could easily order them to"
"Yeah but… I wanted to deal with anyone who wished you harm, personally" he grimaced at the sudden outburst of emotion.
Lypix smiled slightly and parted her hospital nightie which was a horrible shade of brown to reveal several stitches.
"How bad was it?" she asked.
"You just kept bleeding, we got to the hospital ages later and I thought it was too late…" he was cut off by the doors opening.
"Hey you're awake!" Junko grinned and went to pick her up in a bear crushing hug but received a stern look from Piper.
"How are you feeling?" Eci asked quietly.
"Like regurgitated shit. I missed anything?" she answered, ignoring Piper's shock at her swearing.
"Nah, just a moody nurse she was like 'only one visitor outside of normal hours, the patients need their rest'" Finn replied, using a stingy voice for his imitation.
Lypix smiled and looked down at Radarr who was examining her stitches.
00
"For the last time, I'm fine Piper!" Lypix shouted back, her monitor rocketing once again.
"But we need to be safe. This time we could end up anywhere, anytime!!" Piper argued.
Lypix sighed, she knew Piper was right but Lypix was painfully aware of the gap they had left in their own time.
"Piper someone could take the Condor, or it could crash or something while we're gone!"
At this Stork twitched. They had been in opposing groups; Piper, Nonte, Stork and Radarr. Against Lypix, Eci, Finn and Junko, (Aerrow was in neither)
But that point converted Stork completely, nothing and no one was going to hurt his baby.
"Looks like its settled then" Lypix smiled reaching out to touch the crystal.
"Wait!" Piper shouted, grabbing it out of her reach, "Aerrow must have an opinion"
Aerrow shifted his foot nervously as he viewed the expectant looks coming his way.
"Go ahead, I don't want the Condor smashed up" he tried to shrug off casually but failed.
Piper's jaw dropped as Lypix smugly took the crystal and they shifted.
00
Everyone looked around cautiously but everything was as it should be.
However Piper was still staring at Aerrow.
"How could you?" she whispered, "After all you said?"
Finn's ears picked up at the tone of betrayal, "he said what?"
"He…He said" she stopped and composed herself, "We're going out"
Lypix dropped the crystal in the silence that followed, her mouth slightly agape.
Her first instinct was to laugh at the possibility of seeing them together. And then she felt like crying, at seeing them standing there perfectly while Lypix stood awkwardly in muddy brown nightie and her hair a bushy hay bale.
00
"Well that's a pity, I've grabbed the wrong one" The Dark Ace laughed reaching around Lypix's throat and pulling her close.
"You let her go!" Aerrow shouted, taking a step forwards.
"Ah, ah, ah Aerrow" the Dark Ace threatened, pulling out his red sword against her pale neck. "Well this is strange, normally she struggles."
By now everyone had their weapons drawn.
"You stabbed me" Lypix accused, finally finding her voice.
"Oh, so you were just there then. I'm sorry about that, I was meant to kill the younger version. I was only given your name" he replied, more like an anxious friend than an enemy.
"Let him take me Aerrow, you don't need me" she told him, every word cutting into her.
"No! I won't let him!" he fought back desperately.
Lypix just smiled, "Goodbye"
"NO!" He screamed lunging after them but she was already halfway down the corridor towards her room.
Once in she threw on her clothes and ran out of her room with her weapons in hand.
"This way!" the Dark Ace called, hardly believing she was obeying him.
However they got cut off from the Hanger by a barricade of Storm Hawks.
"Your not going anywhere" Eci threatened, unused to Lypix's mood.
"Don't make me hurt you guys" she pleaded but was met by a shaking of heads.
"Fine have it your way" and she stretched out her wings, which took up most of the corridor, and she used them to brush them out of the way.
Once in the hanger she flew towards her skimmer, but something knocked her out of flight and rendered her unconscious on the floor.
00
when she woke up the Dark Ace was gone and only Aerrow sat next to her.
"How could you think I don't need you?" he asked.
"Pretty easily when Piper said that" Lypix replied.
"Piper… Piper is Piper. You have to ignore her now and again" he smiled.
Lypix rubbed her head where it hit the floor, "what knocked me out of the air?"
"I did" he grinned, "there's an old trampoline over there"
She shook her head, "Aerrow, I'm really…" but she never got to finish her sentence because he kissed her full on the lips.
She let him kiss her for a few moments before pulling away.
"Aerrow I'm going away for a while" she decided.
He looked a little crestfallen but slowly agreed.
Lypix stood up and sat on her skimmer, "See you soon" she whispered to the Condor and flew out into the crimson sky.
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Ooooo
Sorry for anyone who really likes Piper, but she can be a bit of a control freak sometimes