Sophie

It was getting worse. The muffled sobs were rising in a crescendo. Soon, it would morph into piercing screams, tearing its way through the house. How Lok managed to sleep through this noise amazed me. I tossed and turned on the sofa in Dante's living room, but sleep eluded my grasp. Silently pulling a blanket over Lok's snoring shoulders, I gave him one last glance before slipping out onto the roof, shutting the window behind me.

The chilly autumn air breezed through the night, reducing the tension and lending clarity to my thoughts. Stars blanketed the night sky, shining their blinking faces down on earth. Sighing inwardly, my thoughts turned to Dante. Everything was easier when he was around. Now, we were left with an incomplete team, with Zhalia broken and missing a member. Lingering to catch the remnants of the refreshing night air, I stayed on the roof for a couple of hours, till I felt fairly relaxed to sleep.

The screams had started a while back. Settling down on the couch, on the verge of sleep, I was roused once again by the knock at the main door. Who could it be at that time of the night? Shaking Lok awake, we moved cautiously to the door. Tentatively unlatching the door, wefound ourselves with a familiar face (edit)

Dante

It was nice seeing my home again, knowing that all the people I loved and cared for were there. I was very lucky to emerge alive. In thejungle, I had sent Solwing out for a reconnaissance mission, with orders to scout for offensives and to report back to me. Solwing didn't appear to help me in battle. It was all part of the backup plan. Playing with what information i knew about the Organisation, I had concocted a simple plan. They didn't keep dead hostages. Faking dead was all part of the backup plan, to escape if I was spotted. When the suits were gone, Solwing swooped in and carried my limp unconscious body away to a sheltered cave, hunting and caring for me when I was weak from battle. It took a full five days for me to rest enough to stand. After contacting the nearest foundation safehouse to let them know I was alive, I immediately arranged transport home. My team needed me.

As the taxi dropped me in front of my house, nostalgia overwhelmed me as I remembered the past memories my team and I had shared together. Thinking back, what had first started off as a hired job had turned into something more. We had grown emotionally dependent on one another, and had learnt to protect and cover each other's backs in missions, something I had hardly experienced before our fortunateevent of meeting. It certainly felt more complete, working together like a well oiled machine, a far cry from the solo quests I did before we met. My team, together, we were like a family. I missed them so much.

I knocked on the front door, and came face to face with a tightly wound Sophie and bleary-eyed Lok. Immediately they perked up and their eyes swirled with relief and happiness, making me feel humbled and bowled over all at once. Looking around my living room, I saw it had turned into a mess, but right now it didn't matter. No words need be spoken. I engulfed them in a warm hug. I was back home, and that was all that mattered.

Sophie was on the verge of pouring out questions, but Lok, sensing the imminent outbreak, laid a placating hand on her shoulder.

"Don't, Soph. Zhalia needs him more now. The questions can come later." Lok said, tugging her furiously away from me, tension evident in his movements.

"What's wrong with Zhalia?" I asked, puzzled.

A sharp scream pierced the night silence. Lok's explanation went unheeded, as I threw my exhausted body forward, bent on reaching the source of the screams. What was wrong with Zhalia? Pain lanced through my newly healed broken ribs, but I didn't stop. Throwing open her bedroom door, I was met with the worst thing I ever saw. Its image imprinted itself in my mind, a horrible memory I would never forget for the rest of my life. Zhalia was writhing around on the bed like she had some kind of epileptic attack, curled fingers digging into her palm, leaving half moon imprints in her skin. Her eyes were clenched tightly shut, as if she was trying to hide from some kind of inner pain. My heart immediately splintered to pieces. Lunging towards Zhalia, I pinned her arms to the bed, but she still struggled futilely against my grip.

"I don't want to eat those sleeping pills, go away! Just let me die I want to be with Dante LET ME GO!" Zhalia yelled at me.

"Shhh, I'm back with you, everything's going to be alright." I soothed, trying to calm her down despite the complete pandemonium in my heart.

Upon hearing my voice, Zhalia opened her eyes, staring at me. "So it finally happened... I can see and hear you, I've gone insane." she said, with a faint air of wonder.

"No you're not crazy. I'm really here and I'm not dead." I assured her, lifting a finger, tilting her head up so that her downcast eyes met mine. Her eyes were like sunken brown orbs, tinged with tiredness, the result of many sleepless nights. As she gazed into my amber eyes, I could see the remnants of her pain and suffering slowly melting away as she finally accepted what I told her for the truth, her gaze softening.

Settling myself on her bed, I pulled her into a warm embrace, putting all my emotions into that simple gesture alone.

I had never seen or heard Zhalia cry so much before. Burying her face in my chest, the tears streamed down from her cheeks, leaving silvery trails spun from moonbeams. Holding her to me, I enveloped her in my arms, murmuring comforting words in her ear. Running my fingers slowly through her hair, I stroked her head with slow rhythmic movements. Gradually, her tears stopped, heartbeats slowing down, and our hearts pulsed in unison, beating as one entity. With my back to the wall for support, I rocked her back and forth gently, lulling her to sleep.

My love reached out to her, soothing and caressing, healing and mending the broken rifts in her heart, taking away the pain. Hers flowed back, melding with mine till we were both warm and happy, all pain forgotten in the joy and comfort of reunion. Our souls were intertwined, basking in the fact that we were not alone. The world narrowed down to just Zhalia and I, everything else ceased to exist.

I felt her warm soft skin beneath my hands. She suddenly seemed so fragile, her skinny frame a far cry from how I last saw her, toned and slim. I wondered when was the last time she had actually eaten and slept properly. I had never thought that she would have such an adverse reaction to my death... It made me feel guilty for not lookingafter myself better...

Putting all thoughts aside for now, I concentrated on nothing but Zhalia. She was my first priority. With a quiet sigh, her breathing slipped into a steady rhythm as her exhausted body lay limp in the soft pillow of a healing sleep. Her face was soft in unconsciousness,the hard mask that she put on for the world, vanished. I kissed her gently on the forehead, her lips curving into a faint smile in her sleep in response.

I promised myself i would never let her experience such pain ever again. Holding her in my arms, I slowly drifted off to sleep, where we would meet in our dreams.

Goodnight Zhalia. My Zhalia.