Rinslet watched, frozen, as Train resurfaced, pulling Lia with him as he swam back to the shore.
"Jeez, Train, don't scare me like that-"
Sven began to complain as he and Eve hurried to the lakeside to help Train, but Sven was cut off as Train yelled, his voice desperate and almost terrified, "Jules! Jules!"
Sven stopped dead, staring at Train in shock as Train checked Lia for signs of life, still yelling even as his voice cracked, "Jules! Wake up! Jules!"
Eve also gawked as Train smacked Lia's face slightly before – after getting no response – Train bent down and pressed his lips against Lia's. He broke away quickly, pumping Lia's chest before he returned to her mouth as he administered emergency CPR.
Normally, Sven would have offered to help; but not only did he think Train probably wasn't capable of hearing and accepting the offer, Sven also couldn't get his body to move as he stared at Train where the young man was working desperately to save a woman he'd never even mentioned prior to the day they had accidentally run into her. And then never mentioned again since.
Train began to pump Lia's chest yet again, when she suddenly coughed, spewing up lake water.
Train quickly turned her on her uninjured right arm as Lia coughed out all the water in her lungs, helping her get all the water out of her body.
"Jules?" Train asked, peering down at the woman worriedly, but she only blinked at him once before her eyes closed again and she passed out once more.
There was a heavy silence after that, in which Train sighed in relief as he physically sagged tiredly, while his friends stared at him in numb shock. None of them knew what to say; they weren't even sure what they'd just seen yet as each of them slowly let the scene sink in.
After a moment, Train tore at the bottom of his shirt, pressing the fabric onto Lia's two most prominent injuries and putting pressure on the wound for now.
"Train…" Sven began at last, slowly and unsure as to what he even wanted to ask.
But he was interrupted anyway, as a voice called suddenly from behind their group, "That was quite a reaction."
Train turned sharply, as did the others, to see a lithe figure with long black hair tied in a low ponytail walking towards them through the forest surrounding the lake.
The young man – for he was indeed male despite his distinctly feminine looking features – was accompanied by two other men wearing shades, but all their attention was focused on the man who'd spoken and not the guards.
It was more than the fact that the younger man had been the one to speak. Sven in particular stared at the 'X' tattooed between the man's clavicles, visible through the specifically designed shirt the man wore, which had instantly told them who they were being faced by.
"I must say, I wasn't expecting such a valiant rescue." The man continued as he stopped just out of the tree line. "Although, given your history, perhaps it was the natural reaction. Isn't that right, former No. XIII?"
Train didn't reply, nor did he move as he simply watched the younger man.
"That…" Rinslet murmured from where she stood. "No. X… That means, this guy is…"
The young man smiled as he introduced himself in a friendly tone, "My name is Xiao Li Lin. How are you, Mr. Black Cat?"
Again, Train didn't reply as he stared with narrowed eyes at Xiao Li, who went on nonchalantly, "To be honest, I'm more surprised to see you here. Does that mean you didn't have a battle with Creed Diskenth?"
Train's eyes narrowed further, while Xiao Li looked over towards the burning ruins of the castle as he commented, "Though, I guess, looking at it now, it was a good idea."
Train stared at Xiao Li for a moment longer, before he smirked and he said lightly, "I see! You… were that bastard who wore that mask in the city, right?"
"What?!" Sven gasped as he swiveled back to stare at Xiao Li. Could this… boy… be the strange face-changing old man who had told them to go investigate Creed's castle in the first place? The one who had had the startling ability to somehow change his entire facial appearance in less than a second?
"Haha, yes…" Xiao Li answered with a wide smile. "Sephiria told me to do it. Dressing up is…"
His hand slowly moved to the side of his face.
"My specialty."
His hand swiped across his face, and Sven was stunned as he suddenly found himself looking at what could be Train's twin; no, what could be Train. Train also looked surprised; after all, the speed with which Xiao Li could change his appearance was astounding. There wasn't even a single flaw in his change.
"Excuse me." Eve suddenly chimed in, making Xiao Li and Train glance at the girl. "But you said… Train rescuing Miss Julia wasn't surprising given their history."
Train tensed, while Xiao Li smiled as he answered, "I never said 'their' history."
"It was implied." Eve returned evenly, and Xiao Li's smile widened though it was all the faker for it.
And it was really creepy when he still had Train's face on.
"If Black Cat hasn't told you about his past with Lia, it isn't my place to tell." Xiao Li replied, though there was a slight coldness to his tone that hadn't been there until then.
"That's not what I was going to ask about." Eve corrected, making Xiao Li look at her curiously. "I wanted to ask how you knew?"
Train perked up slightly at that, for he had been wondering the same thing. Xiao Li's smile became amused, almost wry… and a little cruel.
"Oh, that? I know…" He answered as he turned to look right at Train. "Because I'm close with Lia; we're friends, in fact. Friends… with added benefits, that is."
He paused before adding.
"And I don't wear this face with her," he gestured at his current mask. "Lia wouldn't be too fond of me if I did."
There was a deadly silence following the young man's words, as Rinslet's jaw dropped and Sven looked warily between Xiao Li and Train. Xiao Li was still smiling widely with Train's face on. And Train… Sven swallowed. He'd never seen Train so angry… not even when he'd gone to meet Creed at Lunatower. Not even when Durham had almost killed Eve. Each of those times, Train had worked to hide his anger from Sven – and though overall unsuccessful, it had partially done the job. Now, however…
"… What did you say?" Train asked, the words getting out through clenched teeth as he made no effort to hide his fury.
The Black Cat's gold eyes were filled with darkness and the murderous aura that had made him so infamous and Xiao Li's smile dimmed as he removed his mask to stare at Train with a coldness that matched Train's burning anger.
"I think you heard me perfectly the first time, Black Cat." Xiao Li answered. "Now, let me ask you – why are you getting angry?"
Train stiffened, and Xiao Li continued with a raised brow, "What right do you have to be angry? Do you even have any idea what you have done?"
Train frowned in confusion, while Sven asked sharply, "What do you mean?"
The faint sound of something taking flight sounded in the distance, and Xiao Li looked up towards the sound.
"Looks like time's up." He murmured as he turned back to Train and his friends. "I must leave now. That airplane is made by the Apostles of the Stars."
Sven blinked in surprise, while Xiao Li continued, "Looks like they escaped from the ancient castle before the explosion. But… from what we secretly eavesdropped on, Creed should not be on that plane."
"Eavesdrop?!" Rinslet demanded.
Xiao Li glanced at her as he explained, "Cerberus and Reaper were all wearing wires inside their suits. Lia's got damaged when she went into the water, however, so none of our conversation was heard by anyone outside of those present here."
Xiao Li glanced at Train as he spoke, but Train just returned the look evenly.
"Anyway," Xiao Li continued, "I have to follow that airplane. So, I must get going. Please make sure she gets taken of."
He nodded at Lia, and as Train glanced at the pale woman lying, still bleeding, on the ground, Xiao Li added, "And if you take her to a hospital… stick around, and you'll see what I meant… Black Cat."
Train glanced back up sharply, but Xiao Li just waved as he walked off again, calling indifferently, "See you next time…"
They watched Xiao Li walk away, and Eve commented with a frown, "How can he not be worried after he claimed to be close to Julia?"
No-one replied, and Eve stared at Train as the man stared down at Lia with an almost… pained expression. There was confusion there as well, as though he was trying to understand Xiao Li's words just by staring at Lia's face.
Sven also noticed, and he sighed.
"Come on." Sven murmured as he knelt beside Train, and Train glanced at his partner. "She needs treatment – immediately, I'd say."
He gestured at the deep wounds on Lia's right side and left shoulder, and Train nodded.
Together, they all managed to get Lia safely in their beaten up car, Train handing her over to Rinslet in the car seat before they drove to the nearest town to find a hospital.
Later
"How is she?" Rinslet asked as she came back to the hospital room.
She'd left to book herself a hotel, using the time to also take a much-needed shower. Sven had done the same – taking Eve with him – when it became clear Train wasn't going to speak with anyone. Though the two still managed to get back before Rinslet.
"… Apparently the surgeries are taking well." Sven replied when Train didn't. "She's had to get stitches of course – amongst other things – but the doctors say it looks like she'll be able to make a full recovery. She's sleeping now."
He nodded to the pale woman lying on the bed; Lia looked terrible but her chest was – as Sven said – moving slowly as she breathed while she slept.
"That's a relief." Rinslet murmured, glancing at Train.
The young man hadn't moved since Lia had come out of the emergency room. Taking a seat right by Lia's bed in her private hospital room – courtesy of Rinslet – Train had placed his arms on his knees and remained in that position, just staring silently at Lia's face.
"We should go." Sven murmured, gently touching Train's shoulder. "Visiting hours are almost up. We can come back in the morning."
Train didn't move at first, and Sven wondered if he was going to have to be dragged out by security later. But, finally, Train jerked his head once before he stood up.
Sven nodded to Eve and Rinslet to follow him out first, and they did, leaving Train to have a little privacy as he looked down at Lia one more time.
He stared silently, taking in her face and comparing it to the face he had tried to forget but could still remember vividly.
She was a little older now, her cheeks less rounded now that she had shed all of her baby fat. She also looked tired – there were shadows under her eyes as if she hadn't slept in a while maybe years. Her expressions were also so different compared to two years ago, but now, when she was sleeping and with her hair loose around her face, she looked almost exactly like how he remembered her.
So much so that it physically hurt.
Train sighed before he turned and left the room, closing the door softly behind him as he walked out with the others.
The next morning
They returned first thing in the morning to the hospital, Train silently at the back as Rinslet chatted with forced levity with Eve in front. Sven kept glancing back at Train wordlessly, clearly concerned but keeping it to himself until Train was ready to talk.
However, everything changed when they reached the hallway that Lia's room was in.
A crash sounded from further down, just as they turned the corner into the hallway. Rinslet jumped while Train frowned, as they could also hear the faint sounds of yelling before another crash accompanied the shouts.
"What's going on?" Sven wondered, when Train broke out into a sprint as he raced for Lia's room door. "Hey, Train, wait, hang on-!"
Train didn't listen as he wrenched open Lia's room door, where he froze.
The others hurried up behind him, now able to distinctly hear the shouts and screams coming from inside the room.
"Let go of me! Don't touch me!" Lia's voice screamed above the doctors yelling at each other as they clearly tried to subdue Lia. "Jenos!"
"Here, hold her arm down!"
"Jenos!"
"She's too strong!"
"JENOS!"
"Ack, don't let her upset another tray!"
The last yell was followed by another bang, and Sven arrived in the doorway in time to see a tray full of medical equipment flying onto the ground with another loud crash and another scream from Lia.
"Don't touch me!"
"Ah?" Rinslet gasped, while Train stood, frozen, in the doorway as they stared inside the room.
Two doctors and a nurse were trying to hold Lia down on the bed – key word, trying. A third doctor was attempting to inject Lia with something, probably morphine or something stronger, but he couldn't get close enough to the thrashing woman as she fought against everyone holding her.
But, the strangest part of the whole thing was the fact that Lia's eyes were squeezed shut the entire time… as though she wasn't fully consciously there in the room.
"Help me!"
Sven jerked at Lia's heart-wrenching scream as she twisted her arm away from the injection needle once more, hitting the doctor in the face as she kicked another while her body fought against monsters only her mind could see.
"Jenos!" She screamed hysterically, her eyes still screwed shut. "Jenos, help me! JENOS!"
"What do we do?" Rinslet asked anxiously, glancing at the others.
They were just as lost, but Sven's head snapped back at Lia when the young woman suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs-
"TRAIN!"
The raw, deep heartbreak in her voice tugged at Sven's own heart.
And it was as though her call woke Train up, for he was suddenly moving again.
Swiftly entering the room, Train easily pushed aside all the doctors and the nurse as he climbed on top of Lia on the bed. Rinslet let out a squeak while Sven jumped – startled – before he quickly tried to block Eve's view of Train's slightly compromising position as the young man straddled Lia with suspicious ease.
But Train ignored all of it as he held Lia firmly down underneath his own body, saying urgently while he placed his left hand on Lia's face, "Jules, I'm here. Jules. Jules, open your eyes. Jules!"
Lia's eyes flew open at Train's last call. Sucking in deep breaths, Lia met Train's golden eyes with her own wild silvery-grey ones and she gasped heavily.
"T-Train?" Lia whimpered between her gasps for breath, the sweat pouring down her face while tears started to fill her eyes
"I'm here, Jules." Train soothed in a softer voice, his left hand caressing her face.
Lia stared at him, her breathing not slowing as she began, "I-"
She suddenly jerked, breaking off, and Train glanced over sharply to see the doctor had finally managed to stab Lia's arm with morphine, the man relaxing visibly now that his task was done without sending Lia into further hysterics.
Train turned back to Lia as she shuddered, whimpering slightly.
"It's okay, Jules." Train reassured softly as her eyes – shining with tears - met his once more. "It'll all be okay. I," he swallowed, "I promise."
A tear slid down her cheek as her eyes fluttered closed, and Lia murmured just before she lost consciousness, "Don't… leave, Train…"
It was quiet as Lia fell back asleep, the tear glistening on her cheek before Train brushed it softly away. Getting back up to sit on the edge of Lia's bed, Train turned to the doctors with a serious expression.
"What happened?" He asked, as the others could only watch helplessly.
