Disclaimer: I still own none of these characters

This chapter was fun to write, I have been wanting to get to this point for a while now.

Enjoy and let me know what you think.

Thanks to all who reviewed and decided to follow me in only one day.

Chapter 4: I Won't Run

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Signum and Shamal quickly grabbed the medical bag on the bench.

"What's wrong with Testarossa?" The pinkette looked over at the nurse, an unfamiliar hint of worry on her features. It wasn't often that Signum would be nervous, or any emotion other than stoic and confident.

"I think she pulled her hamstring. Hopefully it's not completely torn, that would take quite a bit longer to heal." The athlete nodded absentmindedly, not knowing much when it came to injuries. When they returned they were stunned to see Fate sitting between a certain brunette legs. Nanoha's hands still stroked the girl's hair carefully, not knowing what else to do in a moment like this. Signum was the first to break out of her astonishment, quickly pulling Shamal after her. As they knelt next to the duo, they couldn't help but notice how Fate didn't even seem to realize they were there.

"Testarossa, snap out of it." The commanding voice of Signum washed over the seemingly broken girl. Her blurry eyes looked up slightly before once more fixating on the ground in front of her. "Nanoha, what happened?" The brunette in question jumped at the sudden attention, not knowing what to say.

"I… I don't know what to say." Dark blue eyes narrowed in frustration. A gentle hand was placed on the thrower's shoulder, a calming aura falling over her. Her eyes met the deep purple of her secret crush and Signum couldn't help but stare. Shamal really did have beautiful eyes. The pink haired girl was shaken out of her musings when the nurse's helper kneeled down next to the two friends.

"Let me know if this hurts." Burgundy eyes slowly looked up into the kind face of Shamal. Thin fingers began feeling around the runner's leg, focusing on her back thigh area. Fate's leg jerked slightly at the pressure being applied, but the girl herself didn't make a sound. How could she remain so out of it when this leg had to be causing her great pain? Ruby eyes focused back on the ground in front of her. The girl you cling to is merely a murderer, and I have always hated her for it. Surely her mother couldn't actually think that, could she? No, Precia was just angry about the race. That had to be it, she couldn't hate Fate… But what if she did? The blonde's eyes closed at that thought. She would have to prove to her mother that she wasn't a complete waste of space. But how? She already tried so hard to act like Alicia at home. The details didn't matter, all that mattered was that Fate would do anything to make her mother smile.

"Fate-chan, are you okay?" The soft voice of Nanoha spoke again, the arms wrapped around her stomach tightening slightly. The runner looked down at her leg, surprised to see it wrapped tightly in a bandage with ice on top of it. "Shamal-san said you tore your hamstring, only slightly though. It'll be healed in a few weeks as long as you don't run. Walking might be a little tricky so let me know if you need any help, okay?" Fate didn't respond, how could she? Nanoha was still her overly nice self despite what Precia had said. Silence spread between the two, much to the brunette's disdain. She didn't want the injured girl to throw herself into a spiraling depression because of what he mother had said. A sudden weight presented itself on the blonde's shoulder and she didn't have to look to know it was Nanoha's head. "It's a good thing Shamal is studying to become a doctor, ne?"

"Mm." A gentle nod was her only response.

"Fate-chan… I don't think you're a murderer." The brunette confessed, reveling in the sudden cool breeze. Fate leaned heavily on the girl behind her, wondering if she should tell the story of what happened all those years ago. "I want to know, will you please tell me?" The tender words reached the blonde's ears, making up her mind before she could even try to refuse.

"Okay." The teenager was about to begin when groups started to walk by them, some grumbling about lesbian relationships while others muttered about them being in the way. It wasn't long before Hayate and Vita showed up.

"That was quite the fall Fate-chan, I hope you're all right." The blonde nodded slightly embarrassed at the distress she seemed to have caused. The short redhead moved closer, her eyes scrutinizing the wrapping and ice currently residing on the blonde's thigh.

"Did it hurt?" The usual edge in Vita's tone dropped, showing that the girl had been quite concerned.

"It did, but I'm all right now. Don't worry about me." The short girl recoiled back, humiliation replacing her troubled expression.

"I wasn't worried!" The fourteen year old replied indignantly, seemingly mortified that someone would even think she was worried about their wellbeing. Light rocking told Fate that Nanoha was laughing behind her, the melodious sound smothered by the passer-byes.

"Where is Signum and Shamal?" The brunette asked after her giggles had died down. Vita shot the older girl a harsh glare, letting Nanoha know she didn't appreciate her laughter. A slightly perverse smile graced Hayate's lips.

"I decided to let them walk home alone. They have some things they need to discuss." Nanoha smiled at the implications that sentence held. The girl is a sucker for romance, she hoped everything would work out for her two new friends. "Now we have to go. The doctor doesn't want me on my feet for too long. We'll talk some other time, sound good?" Light brown hair rustled as Nanoha nodded, excitement filling her features. The two sat on the ground watching people file out in a comfortable silence. The brunette was slightly anxious to hear about Fate's past, her thumbs lightly rubbing the forearms of the girl in her lap.

"Testarossa!" The pink haired teenager walked over to her teammate with four blue ribbons in her hand. "Coach wanted me to give you these. He thought you left with your mother after your fall." Fate grinned as the satiny material was placed in her open palm. These little trophies always made practice worth it. She also found her bag and sweats being deposited on her lap.

"Thanks Signum." The tall girl straightened up, looking around for Shamal. She spotted the short haired blonde by the fence and began walking towards her crush with a rushed goodbye. Fate watched the girl go as she pulled her pants on awkwardly from her sitting position. Nanoha's eyes also followed the couple leave the stadium hand in hand. She wanted something like that. The idea of being with someone made the brunette smile dreamily. If only she actually liked someone, then everything would be perfect. Though sitting like she was with the runner made her feel warm and safe. Fate always managed to invoke those feelings within her. As long as she had the runner Nanoha would be happy, even if she didn't have the romance she craved. The figure that had been occupying her mind suddenly pulled away, using her hands and left leg to stand. As soon as the girl had moved the feeling was gone, and Nanoha felt cold. The oblivious blonde swapped her shoes before offering her friend a hand, making sure she put little to no weight on her injury. A soft porcelain like hand joined with a rough and scratched one. Despite the little nicks, the warmth the brunette loved was still there. With a seemingly effortless move, Fate pulled Nanoha off the ground with surprising strength.

"Where are we going?" The blonde didn't answer, she simply ushered Nanoha in the direction of the exit. The shorter girl glanced down at their joined hands, it felt so natural. Alisa and Suzuka never held her hand like this, nor did it feel so comfortable when they did touch her. Maybe it was because Fate-chan was meant to be her best friend. That thought caused a smile to light up her lips. She noticed the way her friend was slightly limping, trying her hardest not to put any weight on her right side. With a dramatic sigh Nanoha pulled the hand she was holding over her shoulder.

"Nanoha?" The slightly confused red eyes met hers and the brunette bit her lips to suppress a giggle. Fate was adorable, especially when she was confused or embarrassed. The shorter girl wrapped her arm around the athlete's waist.

"Mou Fate-chan, walking on your own so soon. You'll hurt yourself." It was blatantly obvious that Nanoha did not approve of Fate's independence when it was so apparent that the girl was hurt. "You need someone to help you, that someone is going to be me. So let me help, okay?"

"O-okay. Sorry Nanoha." No matter what happened, it seemed as though Fate always did something to upset her brunette friend. She just didn't want to be a burden. Little did the blonde know, Nanoha was having the same problem. The chocolate haired teenager couldn't help but feel like she was an annoyance that Fate just wanted to get rid of.

"There's nothing to apologize for." The usual retort covered Nanoha's insecurities. Very slowly they made their way to the park just down the street. For it only being the beginning of September, it was very cool. The breeze flowed around them, adding to the already cool temperature. Nanoha shivered slightly as she thought about the weather. Luckily, the body against hers was perfectly heated, sheltering her from the nippy day. A delicate eyebrow arched as the brunette snuggled further into Fate's side. The blonde grimaced slightly, happy that she had used extra deodorant this morning. The thought of currently being stinky horrified her. Fate almost laughed, she was about to tell Nanoha the story of how she killed her sister and she was worried about how she smelled.

"Fate-chan?" Innocent violet eyes looked up into the wine-colored pools she was becoming so familiar with. "You smell good." This time the runner did laugh. The brunette looked up at her in confusion. She hadn't expected Nanoha to be thinking the same thing she was.

"Thank you." The teen muttered, seemingly embarrassed at her own outburst, but not blushing like she usually did. The girl being used as a crutch suddenly stopped, burying her face into the blonde's neck and inhaled deeply. Her nose tickled Fate's throat as the scent of lemony vanilla entered her nostrils. When Nanoha pulled away she noticed the instantaneous reaction. Fate rubbed the spot on her neck as red covered her face, traveling over the bridge of her nose.

"Nyahahaha. You're so much fun to tease Fate-chan." Came the sing-song voice of the brunette as the duo once more began walking. It was impossible to stay mad at the suddenly big light purple eyes staring at her, Nanoha's bottom lip jutting out to make her look more blameless. They wandered into the park, Fate quickly looking around for a bench to fall onto. She would never admit to it, but her leg was killing her. With a huff they moved to the most secluded area they could find. Fate quickly fell onto the hard wood, desperate to relieve the ache in her thigh. Concerned eyes followed the pained movements. Fate straightened her leg out only to immediately regret that decision. A sharp jolt traveled up her limb, making her bend her knee quickly.

"You can sit down, I won't hurt you." The blonde mumbled, still trying to get over the ache she had just felt. Without any words, Nanoha plopped onto the bench next to her friend. Little goose bumps raised on her arms as she realized how far away she was from her own personal heater. Not wanting to seem overly clingy, Nanoha crossed her arms under her chest, trying to ward off the autumn chill. Red eyes watched the girl curiously, her grip on her bag loosening to bring out her jacket.

"Here" The usual quiet voice spoke, offering the slightly shivering girl her jacket. Lavender eyes locked onto the article of clothing, it was black with the name 'Testarossa 8' in yellow lettering on the black. She shook her head, she couldn't take this. "Yes, you can. Trust me, it's warm." It was as though the sprinter had read her mind. With that, the shiny zip-up was thrown at the brunette who, reluctantly, pulled it on and sat back. The familiar scent of Fate permeated into Nanoha's nose and the girl couldn't help but feel more relaxed.

"Thanks." A light blush worked its way onto Nanoha's cheeks, it was as though Fate treated her like a girlfriend. That thought made the heat on her face increase. "Nyahaha." The laugh seemed shrill and fake even to its owner.

"I suppose you are wondering about Alicia. Well she is my older twin, you know that much right?" At the confirmation nod the blonde continued. "Well she and I were total opposites. I loved reading, she loved running. Because we were so different, we hardly ever spent time together." An honest smile crossed the blonde's face as she looked at the scenery around them. "I didn't want to ever be away from her so I decided to start running with her. Every time we would race, she would win. She was the fastest person I had ever seen. That was back when we were eight and nine so maybe she wasn't as quick as I used to think she was." The smile gradually faded from Fate's face.

"You see, Alicia and I never knew our father. So naturally, our bond was stronger with our mother." To be honest, Nanoha couldn't picture Precia being loving or caring. "She always had me watching over Alicia because I was the more responsible one. We were all happy. Mom would smile, she would laugh. But that changed one night... I guess you could say, I made it change." The teenager's eyes suddenly became haunted, as though what she was about to say still brought her pain. Nanoha carefully placed her hand over her friend's, trying to offer silent support.

Flashback (Fate POV)

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It was the perfect first day of spring, not too hot, not too cold. Alicia had dragged me out of the house to go on a jog with her after lunch. We spotted a jungle gym in a small park quite a ways away from our house and like all normal nine year olds, we wanted to stop and play for a bit. Time passed by quicker than we would have guessed and before we knew it, the sun was starting to go down. My red eyes met the blue of my sister's.

"Alicia, I think we should go." My sister smiled and shrugged it off, continuing to climb up the equipment. I wracked my mind trying to figure out how to get her to leave with me.

"We've only been outside for a few hours and you already want to go back and read." Alicia hung upside down on the bar, her tongue sticking out at me. I grumbled to myself about how that wasn't true. I never really spoke out against my sister, even if she was wrong. I just wanted her to be happy. A sudden grin lit up Alicia's face before she flipped onto the ground, landing perfectly on her feet. I remember wishing I could do that too.

"Let's race Fate!" I didn't even think twice about it, I just took off towards home. It didn't take long before Alicia was by my side. She was laughing as she passed by. She had given me a head start and still caught up with no effort.

"Hey!" I tried to keep up with her but it was useless as she began to run her fastest. She left me in the dust, I didn't give up though and continued to chase after her.

"Come on you gotta be faster if you wanna win!" It was like she was singing, her pace didn't slow and I tried to push myself more. I closed some of the distance but overall I was still far behind. We turned a corner, down a street that was dark. Not many houses were on that road, just businesses and most of them were closed since it was well past dark. She was crossing the street when an odd feeling came over me, I didn't feel safe.

"Alicia, wait!" My sister heard the desperation in my voice, immediately pausing. I pushed off the curb, frantically making my way to my sister. I remember seeing her smirk, and I readied myself for the usual taunt.

"Fate's so lazy." I saw a slight glimmer of a light behind her, and my heart began to beat faster. She seemed so far away. "Why can't you ever catch up slow poke?" The light grew bigger behind her, and I couldn't see her smiling face. I was about to her, my legs carrying me faster than I have ever gone. I watched her turn towards the beacon behind her. I reached out my hand even though she was nowhere near me.

"Alicia!" I screamed as hard as I could as the car smashed into her. She went over the hood before landing on the cold concrete motionless. My heart felt like it stopped beating as I watched my sister get hit. I rushed to Alicia's side, noticing the way her legs were scraped and bruised. A large tear in her shirt revealed that the car's hood ornament had ripped open her stomach, unleashing what seemed like a river of blood. I looked around desperately, begging for anyone to be out or the car to have stopped. But the driver that had gravely injured my sister was gone and the road was abandoned. My sister's blurry blue eyes opened to meet with mine. I didn't even realize I was crying until she wiped my face with a weak thumb.

"Why are you crying you idiot? If something's wrong fix it." I don't think she realized how badly she was hurt. I don't think she even knew my tears were for her. My scan of the road came up bare again so I tried my best to "fix it". I picked her up bridal style, immediately feeling a warm liquid drench my shirt. I tried to hold her as carefully as possible.

"I'll get you some help, okay?" I wanted her to talk back, to say anything, to just prove that she was with me. Her head lifted up weakly and rested on my shoulder. I ran down the sidewalk, looking for any houses or lights on but I couldn't find any. I was almost at an intersection, there had to be someone down a different street.

"Fate, I can't feel anything." That should have broken my heart, but being a nine year old I just smiled down at her. I was happy she was no longer in pain.

"That's good." A thin sheen of blood coated her lips as she looked up at me.

"Mou, Fate you're still running so slow." I didn't comment on the fact that I was carrying an extra seventy or eighty pounds and just tried to run faster. "Promise me you'll be the fastest person ever."

"I promise."

"In our whole school."

"I promise."

"Faster than me."

"I promise." I would have promised her anything at that moment, I just wanted her to keep her eyes open. Mom always would talk about how sleeping was bad when you're hurt. I continued my desperate search, looking down the road to my right. I spotted a middle aged couple and quickly made my way towards them.

"Hey! I need your help! Hurry!" The duo turned at the sound of my voice, quickly scattering towards us. I smiled breathlessly, glancing down at my sister.

"I found help Alicia. I found help." But the girl in my arms didn't smile, she didn't look over, she didn't even breath. A sharp pain shot through my heart. I carefully put my sister on the ground. "Alicia, you can wake up I found help." She was just talking to me, she was just okay! Tears filled my eyes, blurring my sister's form. "Alicia? Why are you not talking?" I wasn't daft, I knew people die. But my nine year old sister was not supposed to join them. She was supposed to live life with me, go to school, and join the track team. There were so many things she would never get to do all because I was not fast enough to push her out of the car's way. All because I hadn't ran fast enough to find help.

"Oh dear." The chubby woman spoke, covering her mouth with a hand. Her husband placed a hand on my shoulder, silently offering condolences.

"You can help her, right? I got you so you could help her, so help her!" I pleaded with the man and woman, shooting up my bloodstained hand to grasp at his wrist. "Help Alicia, you have to save her." The two exchanged a look, the type of look that conveyed utter helplessness. "PLEASE." I begged, tears streaming down my face. "You don't understand she is my other half, she's my twin sister. I can't live without her so PLEASE don't make me have to." I couldn't stop pleading and I couldn't stop sobbing. The feeling in my chest throbbed, taking my breath away. I couldn't catch my breath. My head started to feel light, my mind foggy. "Please." I looked down at my hands, shocked to find them covered in blood. Her blood. My white shirt was dyed a dark crimson. My heartbeat pounded in my ears. A sudden blackness overcame me and I fell onto the hard ground next to my sister.

A few days after I awoke in the hospital, groaning loudly at the throbbing in my head. My eyes opened only to slam back shut upon meeting a blinding light. I heard steps before the presence of my mother washed over me.

"Alicia, thank goodness you are alive." Alicia? But I'm not Alicia, it's me, mother, it's Fate. I opened my eyes, blinking a few times until I got used to the brightness. The room was white so naturally the light bounced off all the walls, intent on attacking my irises. My mother looked into my red eyes in surprise, as if she had honestly thought I was Alicia. I watched the hope leave her purple hues.

"Mom?" I questioned, my throat raw and scratchy. I swallowed before trying to speak again. She looked at me, millions of emotions going through her eyes. The most prominent were surprise and disappointment. I didn't know what to do as tears filled my mother's eyes and she began to cry on the side of my bed.

"Alicia. They were right." Right? Right about what? Mom, what were they right about? I gently placed my hand on my parent's head, my thumb rubbing comforting circles. Her hazy purple eyes locked onto me once again. "Alicia?" My mother's hopeful timber caused my chest to constrict, pain shooting through it again. Looking back on it now I understand. She was told I survived and Alicia had died but part of her wished it was a mix-up. Since we were twins, she was certain that the doctors could not have differentiated between us. The moment she saw red instead of blue, the facts were set in stone. Alicia had died and I had lived.

End

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Fate purposely avoided looking at Nanoha, her red eyes full of regret and sadness. The brunette next to her didn't even try to hide the tears running down her cheeks. She could vividly hear the desperation in Fate's voice as she called Alicia back. She could picture the burgundy eyes she loved so much filled with unimaginable pain and suffering and the thought alone tore at her heart.

"I told her what happened, expecting my mother to accept me and understand that I had tried my hardest. She didn't. She told me I was useless, that I killed Alicia. And I believed her, I still believe her. Had I been faster, my sister would still be walking the Earth today." Fate looked up into the sky, wishing she didn't have to feel the pain in her chest. She remembered how her mother accidentally called her Alicia for weeks after the accident. How upset her mother would get when she was met with red instead of blue. She had slowly worn her mother down, leaving the woman unfeeling and hostile. Now she didn't even smile. But there had to be a way to bring her old mom back, the thoughtful cheerful one she remembered.

"No." The distraught voice brought Fate out of her self-incriminating thoughts. "No, it's not your fault." Doubtful ruby eyes looked over into still tearful lilac. No words came to the blonde, so she sat there, looking at the still crying girl that held onto her hand so tightly. "You couldn't have done anything."

"There is a lot I could have done." The many examples ran through the runner's head. Truth be told she never even thought she could be innocent. Her mother had always blamed her so naturally, the young girl believed her.

"Had you done something then you would have died instead."

"That would have been preferable." Nanoha couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her hands grasped onto the blonde's face, turning the flabbergasted teen towards her.

"You're wrong. You're a great person Fate, why can't you see that?" The light haired girl was about to respond when a firm hand was placed over her lips. "No, I don't want to hear it. Look at me. What happened was horrible, but it was not your fault. Yes, your mother prefers Alicia, but how would your older twin have felt if you died? How would I feel if I never got to meet my best friend?" Her sincere words made the ache in Fate's chest go away. She felt needed and even wanted. Sudden moisture came to the blonde's eyes and she pulled the determined girl to her, wrapping her slim yet strong arms around her lithe friend. Nanoha returned the hug with equal enthusiasm. Anger was the only reaction Fate could picture someone having when told the story of her sister's death. Never in a million years would she have guessed that Nanoha would not only accept her but also be so determined to make her feel better. The soft teenager currently pressed against her was remarkable. Friends like Nanoha were hard to come by, Fate knew that and now she would hold onto this new relationship with everything she had.