A/N : I will finish this story ! Even if it takes three months each time to write a chapter !
I'll ramble after the chapter, so enjoy ?
Stand by Me
"Because this sky I love so much seems empty without you."
Nanoha opened her eyes slowly, and blurry sapphire blue eyes gazed at the blank ceiling. There was mist created before her mouth with each breath she took which caused her pain in her right lung at the same time. She realized there was a mask on her face that was helping her breathe almost normally.
"A hospital...?"
She didn't move for a while as she tried to gather her thoughts on the previous events. Arf and Zafira helped her and Hayate escape. After they parted, Hayate and Zafira searched for Erio, while she managed to find Raising heart in the facility. Then she went to find Bardiche, which led her to a huge laboratory. What happened next...
She suddenly shot upward and said loudly. "Fate-chan !" Then winced under the sharp pain she felt at the motion, feeling the rough bandage wrinkle under her hospital gown. She grasped the fabric on her side tightly and cringed as she tried to bear the pain. Once it eased a bit, she looked around. On her right, she assumed the door was to be a part of a hospital room since everything was white and her surroundings smelled disinfectant. She looked at the wall before her and...She turned her head to the left and her eyes widened in surprise and moistened. She tried to get up from her bed, only to end up on the floor and disconnect her mask from the respiratory system that then started to beep softly. She nevertheless managed to get up again while fighting her pain, but nothing could stop her at that moment.
She stood up on shaking legs and wheezed strongly from the lack of oxygen as she slowly made her way to the side of the other bed. Her trembling hand reached out to softly caress the blonde figure laying on the bed.
This had been a gesture she had made for as long as she remembered when she became friend with the small girl with sad burgundy eyes, but this time feeling the softness of her cheek under her fingers when she thought she lost her...she sat gingerly on the side of the bed, smiled tenderly and removed a strand of hair coming down the sleeping face.
"You have no idea how much I missed you, Fate-chan..." She said in a whisper.
Her features were peaceful in her slumber, but a bandage was circling her head. And she knew her abdomen was in a terrible state, having sensed Raising Heart pierce through flesh when she tried to protect herself from Fate's assault. She sighed, still relieved, and when she took the unmoving hand in her own, she heard the door open.
"I should have guessed you wouldn't stay still in your bed when you'd wake up." Said the blonde healer, smiling as she closed the door behind her.
"Ah, Shamal ! I..." She stuttered, blushing, but didn't move from her spot.
"I'm just glad to see you're okay, Nanoha. You gave us quite the fright back then, passing out with a hole in your abdomen." Before the brunette could answer anything, Shamal had come closer while talking so she stood before her and ordered with her doctor tone, her arms crossed.
"Now get back in your own bed or I'll have to drag you by force."
Nanoha looked at Shamal, then at the sleeping form beside her.
"Can I stay here for a bit ?" She asked with a pleading look, squeezing Fate's hand a bit more.
"Alright, but not too long." She sighed, and gave the girl a smile before adding. "And you have to lay down. You're a patient as well, that's one thing you tend to forget."
The brunette laughed sheepishly but complied, laying beside her friend without much problem since the bed was quite large. She immediately started to relax from the warmth coming from Fate and soon forgot the pain that came with each breath she took. But the blonde doctor was not so easy to fool, so she took the mask from the other bed and put it forcefully on Nanoha's face. She protested, but only for the sake of it since she knew she needed it.
"And I'll use the occasion you're awake to do your check up." She got a soft hum in response, she brought a stool from the other side of the bed and started her work as Nanoha complied to her demands and responded with small words to her questions.
"Vivio was bouncing with joy when she heard both her mamas were back." Shamal informed her when they were almost finished. Nanoha had her eyes closed, but a smile grew on her face as she imagined her little blonde jumping on Zafira's back, the blue wolf as stoic as ever.
"She went to see you everyday since you arrived at the hospital, four days ago." She had been out for a pretty long time. "She will be more than happy to know you're awake." She looked down to find out Nanoha had fallen asleep, her head resting on Fate's shoulder with their hands intertwined.
She chuckled lightly as she put a blanket on the brunette's sleeping form and went out while carefully closing the door.
"I guess Vivio will have to wait a bit longer..." Then she made a screen appear before her.
Once Nanoha woke up again, she found herself in peace for the first time since... she looked on her side. Ever since Fate was claimed dead, she had suffered, but she always kept up a facade not to worry her friends. But they weren't fooled so easily, not after so many years of knowing her. But at the moment, one question plagued her mind. What happened to Fate ? How, what, who, she didn't really know how to place her questioning, but she was kept in the dark since the blonde beside her did not show any sign of waking up.
While in her thoughts, she didn't notice the door opening and a small blonde form sneaking towards her bed until it jumped on her.
"Mama !"
"Vivio !" She replied, surprised but happy, and embraced her daughter.
"I missed you mama, you were gone for a super long time !" The tiny girl was nuzzling in her mother's arms.
"I missed you as well Vivio, I'm glad you're okay." She smiled as the small blonde sat quietly on her laps and looked at her other mother.
"What about Fate-mama ? Shamal said she was badly injured because she fought bad guys ! Are you going to beat them to avenge her, mama ?" She asked innocently, and Nanoha blanched as she remembered a bit too much who the 'bad guys' were. She forced a smile and tried to explain what actually happened, but how could the small girl understand why one of her mothers slashed the other one when the former didn't quite understand it herself ? So she lied. Well, not entirely since Scaglietti did actually hurt Fate, but not on the physical aspect.
"Of course, Vivio. And I'm not going to restrain myself." She really did want to beat the life out of that bastard.
"Mama, you're frowning funny." She snapped out of her thoughts and got her attention back on her daughter. Vivio talked about her time in the spaceship, accompanied by Lindy and Chrono's family, hindered by several drones along the way. She had wanted to participate, but they kept her safe along with other children so she didn't get to see much.
They stopped talking when Hayate arrived with Zafira, and as much Nanoha wanted to hear about her daughter's story she still had to be briefed about the current situation. And it was pretty odd.
The small army that invaded the council withdrawn from the conquered buildings and were nowhere to be found, but the council itself was left unharmed. They had no news from Scaglietti, and he had Erio and Yuuno as prisoners since the former hadn't been found when Hayate scoured the labs in his search. Said labs were found pretty empty that time, almost like it had been planned so they were searching for taps or considering the possibility of a traitor in their ranks. On the other hand, Subaru woke up mysteriously but she was the only one, so they were currently searching for a solution in her. The TSAB had suffered quite a loss from the various attacks the enemy launched and the headquarters were in ruins.
They sighed in unison when Hayate finished, and even Vivio had a serious look on her face since she grew up in a military environment and understood they were talking about serious events.
Hayate fumbled a bit between all the paper she had in her hands, searching for something she might have missed and stopped when she found one.
"And about Felicia, that girl who got captured with us... There was no trace of her, so we still don't know if she was with them or not. She remains a mystery."
"About that..."
She looked at Nanoha who had a faraway look in her eyes, "Yes ?"
"...I think that was Fate-chan."
Her eyes widened, "What ? How could that be...?" She tried to remember the raven haired girl and make a connection with the blonde enforcer, and frowned. "You'll have to explain your train of thoughts, Nanoha, because I don't see how it could be possible. I mean, why would she have done all of this ?" The two brunettes stared at each other for a few seconds until Hayate hung her head down in defeat. "Explain, please ?"
"A feeling."
"You're joking, right ?" They stared again, with the same result. "And I guess it was a feeling as well with Fate-chan ?" Nanoha nodded slowly. "But how come you didn't recognize her at first ?" She hated to ask question after another, but she needed to know. And the last question seemed to give a harder time than the other, since she opened her mouth to close it after several times before she actually answered.
"You know Fate-chan and I did share some kind of bond." Always knowing where the other is, whether they're happy or depressed, sometimes even sharing thoughts. But the latter was pretty rare otherwise they wouldn't be in that kind of situation. "The day she disappeared I felt this feeling vanish." She looked down at her daughter, hoping she wouldn't catch the truth right away and saw her frowning lightly seemingly trying to analyze the facts.
"So you weren't able to tell it was her right away when she showed up."
"Yeah." She was shaking a bit, and rubbed her thumb over Fate's palm to soothe herself. "It was when she fell one the ground after...you know." Hayate nodded, encouraging her to keep on. "I looked her in the eyes just before she lost consciousness, and...Vivio, how can you describe Fate-mama's eyes ?" She smiled at Vivio, who beamed in return and answered.
"Fate-mama has the most beautiful, gentle and caring eyes in the whoooooole world !" She stretched her arms to emphasize her words. "But I can't see them now", she added sadly, "because she doesn't want to wake up."
"Don't worry Vivio, I'm sure she'll wake up soon if you keep visiting her, she missed you too much when she was away." Nanoha stroked her hair then turned towards Hayate. "That's what I saw at that moment, Hayate." She smiled softly. "I know you can't base your report on this, but I'm sure we'll get some explanation when Fate-chan wakes up." Hayate laughed.
"If there's going to be a report, it's only a personal one. You know, it's mayhem because of Scaglietti and his army, and we're trying to settle everything down so you two are not a priority. So, I just have to say I'm glad, and that is quite an understatement, that you two are alive. Be prepared for a giant party when everything's over !" She winked at her and gave a thumbs up, then added.
"Just don't almost die again, more than once is far too much for my heart to handle. Even worse when my best friends are suicidal heroes." She laughed, then suddenly got up. "Time to go, Zafira can stay here and bring Vivio back when visits are over. Shamal might come later, she has some results from your health exam along with Fate-chan's state. But I can tell her to come later if you don't feel like it." She said everything rapidly, smiled to Nanoha and patted her head.
"I...tell her to come." She was a bit surprised to see her friend rushing so suddenly, so Hayate-like.
"Okay ! You better recover fast ! And Fate-chan wake up soon !" She rushed through the door, leaving a dumbfounded Nanoha and a wondering Vivio and Zafira.
"Complete rest."
"But..." Shamal was in her strict doctor mode again and stared sternly at the brunette laying in the bed.
"Doctor's order. As I said, you've been seriously hurt and we don't have enough medicine to completely heal you right now. If you strain yourself too much there is a possibility of the wound reopening from the outside. Or the inside. Or both."
"But..."
"Everything is taken care of. Search squads have been made to find Scaglietti. Signum, Vita and Teana are parts of those and Hayate is handling the situation, trust us and rest."
Nanoha's mouth was gaping, not able to find anything to reply. And she had to admit she felt kind of tired at the moment.
"...Alright. But I'll go if I feel my help is needed anyway."
"That's a deal, as long as you're not needed you won't move. You heard that, Vivio." She winked at the quiet child who smiled with assurance.
"I'll keep mama in place for sure !" And pumped her fist in the air, making her mother sweatdrop. Shamal laughed at that, and added "I'll leave it to you then."
"So...with this we're done with your case. About Fate..." She trailed a bit. "Well, she'll need more rest and rehab than you, that's for sure."
"Where exactly did she get hurt ?" She looked at Vivio, who looked back with plea in her eyes but the younger one finally hopped off the bed and left with Zafira in tow. Shamal turned her look back onto Nanoha once she was sure the child was out of earshot and sighed.
"You know she got slashed in the back and front. Several muscles were damaged, but the injury in the back is the most serious one, since it damaged her spine."
"What ? How bad ?" She got Fate back only to have hurt her to the point of her not able to move ? This was too ridiculous.
"It's reparable, but again we don't have much medicine right now and magic can only help. And there's one thing weird about that..."
"What is it ?"
"Her body seems to refuse any magic input."
"But that means..."
"Yes. If we don't find a solution she'll have to heal by herself, and that could take several months, or even years before she could walk." Noticing the look on Nanoha's face, she tried to reassure her. "But we're going to work on it once everything's settled ! And she would certainly be able to tell us what's happening, when she wakes up !" Nanoha hummed, slightly relieved, but one question still plagued her mind.
"What's with those bandages around her head ?" Shamal fell silent.
"What ? Isn't there anything else you should tell me ?" She stared intensely at the healer.
"We...found a metallic piece in the side of her head, it might have damaged her brain but we're not sure. I didn't see too much of a concussion, so I hope it was nothing much. But I want you to be prepared for any eventuality." Now she was scared again. She felt her warmth right next to her ! She was holding her hand at the moment, but she might not make it ? No, she couldn't accept that. She shook her head compulsively.
"No...no, no, no..."
"I'm sorry, Nanoha..."
"It's not fair...!" Nanoha almost shouted, tears threatening to spill. "She was dead, and finally not... only to be slashed down by her friends out of everyone, and now this ?"
"Nanoha..."
"Why does she always have to suffer !" She was starting to cry, so Shamal tried to soothe her. She gripped the blonde's doctor blouse and started to cry freely.
Over the following days, close relatives came to visit.
Lindy came with Arf, who had already come to see her master when Nanoha was asleep, but the small puppy still rushed to the bed and got on Fate's laps to talk to Nanoha from here.
Lindy was far more reserved, but happiness was clearly shown on her face. She took a stool next to Nanoha who now was still laying next to Fate, but now on her own mattress, and they started to talk.
"I wanted to thank you for taking care of Vivio that time." The brunette said smiling softly.
"No need to thank me, Vivio is like my granddaughter and taking care of such a great child is a pleasure." At the comment Nanoha blushed slightly and laughed her typical laugh, earning a smile from the teal haired woman.
"Yeah, she is..."
"And thank you for bringing back my daughter." Lindy countered.
"But I..." She could hardly believe she would thank her for slashing down her daughter.
"You found her. You saved her. There's nothing else to add here." She said calmly, contrary to the agitated brunette.
"Thank you..." She finally said, relieved as she didn't want to talk about that again.
Lindy hummed in response, smiling as she was now looking at the sleeping face of her daughter. But then Arf suddenly commented, sniffling around.
"There's something weird."
"What ?" Both women asked.
"Why don't I feel her magic now ? I'm supposed to be bound to her by magic until the day she dies." She seemed a bit disappointed, but added. "But she smells like Fate, I'm sure of that."
"How could this be ? Shamal didn't find anything off, but it's true that something's missing. I felt it that day too."
"You had a bond also then ?" Lindy asked, curious.
"Since we became friends, I think." Nanoha replied after trying to remember when she felt that special connection between them, smiling fondly at the memory and Lindy at the affection she showed.
"You must really love each other deeply."
"Huh ?" Two voices rang in the not so empty room. They looked towards the door to see a still Chrono, a look of disbelief on his face as his hand held up in the air about to knock on the door.
"Ah, Chrono ! About time you arrived ! Where are Ami and the twins ?" Lindy asked.
"Ah..." He looked blankly at them before registering the question. "They...I just came back from my ship, so..." He approached the bed slowly under the curious stares of the others.
"Good to see you're awake, Nanoha." He said with a smile as he stood beside his mother, looking at the two laying women. She nodded and she couldn't help, but blush as she wondered if he heard what Lindy said and felt guilty for what she did to his sister. She just couldn't help it.
On the other side Chrono felt really confused from the previous statement of his mother. Nanoha and Fate ? He never really thought about it, and now that he did it somehow made sense. Then what did he do ? His confusion was easily read by his mother, who frowned and decided to have a talk with him later.
They chatted for a while, with the subject changing from the general events that occurred to what happened to Nanoha then finally and mostly about what could have Fate endured.
The following week they were visited by Signum and Vita, Nanoha got a good reprimand for her restless behavior but as always with the small red head she got away with a smile and a rustle in her hair. Signum was feeling guilty for the injury she inflicted, as expected from the knight. She bowed before the bed and said that if there was anything she could do to atone for the harm done she would do it. Not knowing how to react to something directed towards a sleeping Fate, she simply said that seeing her friends safe and sound by her side when she would wake up was the only thing she would care about. The pink haired knight stood silent for a few seconds, then gave one of her too rare smiles before leaving with a smirking Vita in tow. That earned a chuckle from Nanoha who was glad to have such great friends around them.
Then Teana came with Subaru between two searching patrols. Subaru went all over her former instructor and started babbling about everything and nothing before stepping back when her partner informed her of Nanoha's injuries. Teana simply stood on the side, answered the questions that were directed to her but she didn't start any conversation on her own. Most of the time she stared at the floor, glancing at Fate from time to time. Nanoha didn't have the time to find it odd as she was assaulted by the ever overexcited Subaru, and the fact that Teana wasn't an effusive person.
Caro went alone, and seemed hesitant to enter the room, almost hiding behind the door. She was encouraged by Nanoha to come to her bed, and slowly made her way towards her, only to be greeted by a warm embrace. This was too much for her so she started to cry softly in those comforting arms.
Nanoha whispered soothing words to the young girl for a long time, distressed by the eventuality of the loss of her two most precious persons.
When she left, she was smiling a bit but her sad expression didn't leave her face.
And during all this time, Fate didn't wake up.
Vivio went to visit her mothers every day by staying as much as she could as she was afraid as her blue eyed mother that her most important persons might disappear if she left.
One day, she voiced her thoughts about her Fate-mama. Her mother looked an awful lot like the princess of one her bed stories, so she simply said as her mother was combing her hair while she was on her laps.
"Ne mama, Fate-mama is sleeping because of bad guys right ?" Nanoha hummed, concentrated on combing her hair.
"Then, she needs a kiss to wake up like in the story !" She was proud to have found the answer by herself, and now it seemed obvious. But not to her mama it seemed, as she stiffened and became beet red to her hypothesis, only getting a "What ?" out. Vivio frowned, pouting cutely with a 'Did you not hear what I said ?' face.
"I said Fate-mama will wake up if she gets a kiss like in the story." Nanoha was confused. What story ? A kiss ? She stammered a response."Huh, Vivio... Wha-what are you talking about ?"
"In the story you read me the other day, the princess was asleep because of the bad fairy, but she got a kiss and then she woke up !" She finally explained to her mom.
"...eh ? Mou, Vivio, that's not..." She smiled, embarrassed.
"If mama doesn't do it, then..." She lowered herself to Fate's face.
"Wait, Vivio..." She feebly tried to keep her daughter in place, but she was too fast and she kissed...her Fate-mama's cheek. But the latter didn't budge, even after a minute.
"Looks like that didn't work, ne ?" Nanoha rustled the small blonde's hair who pouted, quite disappointed. She was too, but to a lesser extent. And at the same time relieved Fate wasn't waken by Vivio's kiss. But that was a childish feeling. They both turned towards the door when they heard a typical laugh.
"Tututut, you know Vivio-chan it was actually a kiss on the lips that woke the princess up !"
"Hayate !" Just when she got the idea out of Vivio's head ! Hayate grinned, enjoying the situation. Vivio looked at Nanoha and asked, "Ne, is that true mama ?"
"Well, that's..." She glared at Hayate, who started to giggle like a schoolgirl and added.
"...And Vivio-chan, if you remember well, it's the prince's kiss that wakes the princess."
"Then we have to find Fate-mama's prince ?"
"Well this is a special case, we need a princess here instead." Vivio had a questioning look on her face with her head cocked to the side. Hayate approached the bed while ignoring her reddening friend, and patted the young girl's head gently.
"Do you have an idea as to who could play this role, Vivio-chan ?" She asked playfully, and winked at Nanoha, who pouted childishly, crossing her arms. Vivio seemed deep in thoughts when she beamed, having found the answer.
"That's got to be mama then, right ?"
"And why is that ?" She was pushing it a bit, but she was having so much fun...
"Because mamas are aaaaaalways together," She stretched her arms wide, "When Fate-mama is home that is, then they protect each other like princes and princesses, and..." She smiled at Nanoha, and finished. "...they love each other, ne mama ?" Nanoha looked surprised, then confused, then replied, smiling.
"Of course Vivio. Just as much as we love you."
"No, not that love, the other one ! The one between the prince and the princess !" 'What the...'
"That's why you have to kiss Fate-mama on the lips to wake her !" The child burst out, beaming.
Augh. Why wouldn't she let this go ? She stared at Hayate, now hardly containing her laughter.
"It's your fault Hayate !" She complained, blushing furiously.
"What ? No, I just stated facts, my dear. That's all !" Hayate replied, grinning widely. "But come on Nanoha-chan, just a small kiss ?"
"Hayate~" Nanoha whined, to the commander's delight. But Vivio was not finished, and added the final blow.
"You don't want Fate-mama to wake up then ?" Both women's eyes opened wide from surprise.
"That's not it, Vivio !" Nanoha replied quickly, seeing the dejected look on her daughter's face. "It's just that, you know, it doesn't work like that and she won't wake up. And I don't want you to get disappointed."
"I know it could not work, but you have to try still, mama !"
"I...I can't." She looked down at her hands gripping the blanket. "I couldn't protect her back then, I don't...I don't deserve it. I don't deserve her." The atmosphere suddenly dropped.
"Nanoha..." Hayate said softly, reading the internal struggle her friend was going through. She simply stretched her hand and called for the child, who eagerly took her hand as she too understood something was going on.
"Come on Vivio, I think your mama has to think about things. And maybe Fate-mama will be awake tomorrow, who knows ?" She flashed a smile at the small blonde who returned it, and they both turned to the still thinking brunette.
"Fate-chan won't wake up unless you do something, Nanoha..." The latter turned her head towards them, looking lost, then looked down again.
"We'll see tomorrow then, Nanoha !" They said 'Bye bye' in unison and simply left.
At about 3 in the morning Nanoha was still awake, mulling too much over things to get to sleep. A vast majority of those thoughts were directed towards her best friend lying next to her. She didn't know what to do, she felt completely and utterly lost. She needed Fate by her side to at least relax and think over normally. But she might never wake up again.
She looked down at her side to be greeted by a beautiful sight... One of the moons was now peeking through the window and its light ended on their bed, enlightening the blonde's features. She caressed her face softly, almost as if afraid to break her. Her fingers stopped around Fate's lips. She blushed at the thought that came to her mind at that, and she couldn't shake off the words Vivio and Hayate had put in her mind earlier.
"It's only to try...it won't hurt and nobody will know." She was trying to persuade herself, but those lips were so damn tempting. "It's Fate-chan, she won't mind if I explain after ? Wait, how can I assume that it will wake her ? Damn you, bed stories !"
During the train of her thoughts she subconsciously inched closer Fate's face, and in the end she ever so slowly moved closer her lips, and closed her eyes.
It was soft. It tasted like Fate, so...pleasant. But there was something more. She knew she felt something like this before, so by intuition she deepened the kiss and poured magic into it.
The reaction was instantaneous. Fate's body arched and started to shake and electricity to run over her skin which startled Nanoha but she didn't let go. Instead she pinned the blonde down and practically straddled her to maintain her position, ignoring the pain coming from her side. She poured more and more magic, desperate to get that small feeling she sensed when she touched Fate's lips at first, then it happened. Everything went black and she couldn't sense her body anymore. But somehow she felt at ease, surrounded by something familiar, something she couldn't get her finger on.
'What is going on ? Where am I ? Where is Fate-chan ?' She looked around her, only seeing darkness, when she heard a small sound... 'A drop ? I don't understand anything anymore !' She tried to move towards that sound, and found herself floating more than actually walking. 'It's almost a third person point of view' She thought, when a flicker of light appeared showing a small blonde child clad in a white dress, sitting before a huge paper sheet covered with numerous colored lines and dark strokes. She approached and recognized her as a younger version of Fate.
"Fate-chan ?" She asked, and the child turned around, holding a used black pen in her right hand. She seemed to recognize her, as she simply replied "Ah, it's you..." and traced another black line.
"What...what is going on ? Where are we ? Are you...Fate-chan ?" Nanoha didn't know if those were the questions she really wanted to ask, but red eyes just stared at her then the child looked away and replied.
"You're quite oblivious. This is a part of Fate's mind, you forced your way into it." She remembered what she did to arrive here and blushed.
"I see...but aren't you Fate-chan then ?"
"Only a part. I guess you see me because I have to show you something." That got Nanoha curious about several things, but she went along.
"What do you want me to see then ?" The small blonde stepped aside, revealing the paper sheet from before.
"What is that ?"
"Fate's heart."
"Eh ?"
"It's just the metaphorical part of it. This shows Fate's feelings at a particular time which are each represented by a different color and different size." She presented the different colors and the emotions they meant.
"Well...but what about all those huge black lines then ?"
"Hurt. Look closer." She did as said and noticed several sizes for those lines. "The more hurt Fate felt, the thicker the lines get."
"So those two..." There were two crossing the paper, more dark and large than any others.
"You can guess the first one." An image appeared before them, showing a scornful Precia Testarossa. "I hate you" could be clearly heard as not-Fate drew again the line crossing the sheet.
"Betrayed by her most important person. Twice." Another image appeared, this time it was Nanoha herself. She was stupefied as she heard herself whispering words with venom the same way Precia had said them. She also heard words that she knew that she never nor will ever say to the most important person in her life.
"But I never did..." She started.
"This is what Fate heard and saw, this is her truth. If it is actually true or not depends on another part of Fate's mind."
"How do I reach it then ?"
"I don't know." The young girl stared at her, almost hostile.
"I have a feeling you don't really like me." Nanoha tried.
"You hurt Fate."
"That's exactly why I want to get to her and reestablish the truth." How could she get her to understand ?
"What is the truth ?"
"I never said those words to Fate-chan." She answered with determination.
"Do you realize that this is not the only time you hurt Fate ?"
"What are you talking about ?"
"A great part of those black lines are because of you." She pointed an accusing finger to her chest. What was she talking about ? Nanoha didn't know what to answer and stayed quiet as her eyes pleaded the girl to explain.
"Look." Darkness around them vanished and Nanoha found herself in familiar surroundings. 'What does school have to do with this ?'
"You don't get it ?" She turned around but only heard the voice, and then spotted an all too familiar form. "Fate-chan ?" She approached her to recognize the Fate from high school. She was sitting on the roof, a spot hidden from the entrance, and fiddling with a small red wrapped package in her hands. Nanoha came closer and extended her hand to touch her when the blonde suddenly jerked up and turned her eyes towards the entrance. 'I guess she doesn't see me...?'
"Correct. This is a memory from Fate's past. Do you remember ?"
"You can read my thoughts ?"
"This is Fate's mind. I'm the master here." She turned her attention back to the high school Fate, now seeming highly flustered. She wondered why when she heard her own voice coming from the door on the opposite side, along with a male one.
"That's..."
"Valentine's day, eight years ago."
"But why this time ?" She remembered that year, she could now walk again after a painful rehabilitation.
"That is when Fate discovered that her feelings for you exceeded ones of a mere friend." All those years she had...? "She had doubts for a long time, but she talked about it to her other friends and they came up with this conclusion. They encouraged her to declare at that time..."
"Wait, so all this time everybody knew ? And Fate-chan never did..."
"Because you ignored it. Just look at you." She looked at the scene before her. The boy seemed embarrassed with closed eyes and declared his love to the surprised brunette before him. An awkward silence passed and Nanoha gently rejected him saying she really wasn't looking for a romantic relationship at the moment, but she would be glad to be friends. The boy looked dejected and left without giving a proper answer, leaving an oblivious Nanoha.
She looked at Fate's reaction during the time, her expression passing from stressed to relieved but depressed at the same time, and almost crunched the wrapped package. She slowly showed herself when her friend called for her, sheepishly approaching while hiding the box behind her.
"I'm sorry you had to witness that Fate-chan, but I couldn't stop him in time." Nanoha scratched the back of her head in embarrassment.
"It's not your fault, I shouldn't have been here anyway..." Fate replied, waving one hand before her, the other one still holding the package in her back.
"Come on Fate-chan !" Nanoha laughed. "What were you doing here ?"
"Thinking...?" The brunette nodded then noticed her friend's hands behind her back.
"What's that ?" Fate blushed madly as Nanoha pointed the package and suddenly presented it as she shut her eyes.
"It's...it's for you !"
"For me ? Chocolate ? That's so sweet Fate-chan, you shouldn't have !" She hugged her not noticing how tense the blonde was, then took her hand to lead her to the stairs. "Let's go eat it with everyone, shall we ?"
Fate nodded, smiled sadly and when Nanoha opened the door and lead her along, swiftly brushed a tear with her sleeve.
"Pretty bad huh ?" Young Fate was next to her again, as Nanoha gaped at the scene before her. She got chocolate every year, ignoring the real meaning of those.
"How could I do something so horrible to her ? I never noticed !" It hurt so much to see herself unknowingly reject Fate.
"You didn't want to notice, here lies the difference. Here, let me show you what you did more.
The landscape changed, they were at the beach this time.
"About three months later. Watch."
"I don't want to see that ! I understand I was cruel to Fate-chan, that's exactly why I want to apologize ! It's just too...painful !"
"I want you to feel the same pain. I'm going to show you everything."
"But..."
"Maybe you'll be able to reach her after that."
She straightened herself, "If that's the only way I'll do it then."
"Good."
As she kept watching she learned why her friends wouldn't stop calling Fate a prince, the actual reason why Hayate put them in the same room during Riot Force 6 and other information she never really thought about before. But most of all she finally got to understood the brief glances Fate would give her from time to time and why she evaded all questions about that.
She gasped as she saw what she had put Fate through when she talked about Yuuno and his marriage proposal, then the goodbye at the airport. Ignorance is bliss right ?
"Always afraid of rejection, always afraid to do something wrong. She even feared that if she ever succeeded to confess, you would be your usual nice self and try to return those feelings. But she doesn't want a lie for a relationship, even more if it doesn't make you happy. So she would never openly say it, treasuring this friendship, trying to express her feelings in a more subtle way... But you would never pay attention to those."
The last straw was when she got to witness the scene in the spaceship, seeing herself rejecting Fate so harshly and her reaction at that... As a spectral projection she couldn't even cry but the pain was real. She turned to the small Fate and apologized numerous times even if it was not enough to condone for what she did.
"Fate-chan !" She called out desperately, hoping to get to her. She hurt her this whole time, but she hoped she'd be able to make up for it. The smaller Fate was staring at her, an unreadable expression on her face.
"Fate-chan !" She repeated more times, each one with more force and feelings than the previous. Darkness around her started to wave and small drops began to fall, the small blonde didn't budge. She called one last time, and caught a glimpse of the current Fate at the smaller one place's.
"Fate ! I need you ! I love you !" She finally shouted from the bottom of her heart. The child jolted in surprise, brought out of her trance, then smiled fondly at her.
"See ? That wasn't so hard." She embraced the trembling brunette and whispered to her ear. "I love you too Nanoha.."
The latter blinked as she found an adult Fate crying her name in her arms. She hugged her tightly and whispered soothing words to her.
"I won't let you leave me again Fate-chan." She finally said.
Shamal opened warily the door of the hospital chamber. A signal occurred stating that a magical activity had been registered a few minutes ago. When she found Nanoha sobbing with her head on Fate's shoulder she felt a sudden pang of fear crawl its way in her, but then she saw a shaking arm encircling the brunette's shoulders. She smiled and closed quietly the door. Hayate was right, again.
A/N : Thanks for reading !
So, about this chapter...I lied ! Unwillingly but still ! This chapter is not the last one, there's still one left ! And explanations finally !
And there are still many things going on, so...do you want a sequel or do I rearrange the epilogue for it to be the real end of the story ?
Great thanks for the reviews, you are all so nice ! I'm sorry if I don't answer, but...It's embarrassing ! I don't know how to react to praise...
I apologize for the super long wait, it's because...I'm slow. Terribly slow.
And finally, great thanks to Hyuuga-Sword for the help ! Thanks to her the chapter contains less mistakes (and commas) and is more fluent...!
Thanks for putting up with me, and 'till next time~
