A/N: FINALLY! This is the last chapter of this story. The second installment of this series, as mentioned before, will be a lot more serious and follows the FMP!/TSR mood. Also, just a warning, this chapter is kind of sappy and cheesy romantic. A lot of self-realizations, awakening feelings, etc. You get the idea.

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After much splashing about and several attempts to drown a certain MITHRIL Sergeant, Kaname agreed on a mutual cease-fire with Sousuke and the two walked up the shoreline. As fate would have it, they had arrived right in between the two ends of the island. Kaname looked around, taking notice of the untamed undergrowth, which composed of trees and shrubbery indigenous to the area. The island was relatively minute in size, and the lack of construction indicated the land was probably uncharted as well.

On her left, Sousuke quickened his pace, shouldering both his and Kaname's luggage. He turned back and motioned for the blue-haired girl to keep up, which prompted a hard seashell to collide with the back of his head. Fortunately, it wasn't the rainstorm season or else the beach would be littered with substantially durable objects. Thank God for small miracles…

"You can be as big of an idiot as Kurtz sometimes, you know," she said scathingly, trudging heavily through the sand.

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Back in Tokyo, a supine, mummy-like figure with blonde hair protruding out of the bandage wrappings and cast sneezed violently on its hospital bed, rocking its body tumultuously as its suspended arms and legs shifted away from their comfort position. It screamed in pain, yelling incoherent demands at the tall, purple-eyed candy striper. The short haired nurse smiled mischievously and continued flipping through her magazine.

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As they entered the thickly, foliage-ridden forest, Sousuke pulled a machete from his duffle bag and turned back again. "Miss Chidori, please take a few steps back." Kaname stared momentarily, but relented to his request. After several precision swings, the trail revealed a reasonably clear path. They continued on through the uncultivated vegetation for several minutes until they reached the end of the trail. Sunlight loomed brightly overhead as Kaname stepped out of the forest. She brought her hand up and shielded her face from the sudden beams of light. Her eyes had yet to adjust to the sudden intensity of the light spectrum.

Sousuke dropped the bags unceremoniously on the side and sank down on the ground. Kaname followed suite, dropping down softly onto the soft earth. She drew in a deep sigh and hung her head to the side, subconsciously leaning on the shoulders of the young man next to her. Noticing the previous tension between him and Kaname dissipating, Sousuke relaxed, resting his cheek on top of the blue-haired girl's head.

They sat there for a moment, both taken deeply in each other's warmth and company.

No words were exchanged, nor were they necessary. Nothing else in the world mattered at this point. No duty or responsibility from being a member of MITHRIL's Special Response Team. At least for now, the weight of the world was lifted off his shoulders. The past was forgotten, and the future undetermined. This was strictly in the now, living in the present, spur of the moment…the possibilities were limitless.

Sousuke exhaled softly, breathing in the girl's sweet scent.

It was then that he truly understood what Lieutenant Commander Kalinin had hinted at during their last broadcast. What Kurtz and Melissa - both jokingly, of course - had tried to help him realize for the past year. What Captain Testarossa had been so worried about during the Hong Kong raid.

It was time to own up to his feelings for the Whispered girl. 'The loud, pugnacious, irascible…No.' Sousuke shook his head. Those were not just characterizations of Kaname Chidori. It was only during his own blunders that brought out that side of Kaname. 'The patient, brave independent, responsible, magnanimous, at times quick to jump to conclusions, but nevertheless altruistic.' Not to mention – dare he say – LOVEABLE nature of Kaname Chidori.

Sousuke shook his head again.

No. Truth be told, he was enamored with ALL sides of the blue-haired angel. It wasn't just her strong points, or her shortcomings. His feelings toward her encompassed all of the above. Her strong will allowed him the luxury of not worrying about her every single action. Her willingness to assume responsibilities outside the field of combat reduced his stress level and optimized his performance in his specialty. And while her negative sides were usually provoked by his indiscretions, it served as an indicator of his insufficiencies as a civilian. Failures and hurdles that, time and again, she would help him overcome.

And – God willing – she would continue to do so even after the conclusion of the Tokyo assignment.

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For what seemed like an eternity of tranquility, Kaname felt a slight movement in Sousuke's shoulder. She looked up at his face, tilting her head in wonder. Sousuke opened his eyes and looked down towards her. Their eyes locked for a moment until she broke the contact, pouting. "You're still not off the hook from before, Mister," she muttered, turning her attention away from him.

And then, Sousuke did something that threw her completely out of focus.

He chuckled.

"My apologies, Kaname," he said, standing up and brushing off his pants. Totally oblivious to the incredulous look on Kaname's face, he pulled several components of a makeshift tent out of his duffle bag and began to set up camp. Once a sizeable tent was pitched, Sousuke unlocked his tackle box and placed the bait on the fish hook before casting his line out. Looking back into the forest, Kaname tapped on Sousuke's shoulder. "I'll bring back some wood, all right?"

Sousuke nodded and was about to tell her not to wander off too far when he felt a hard tug on his line.

When Kaname came back, an armful of wicker in hand, it was nearing sundown. Sousuke sat on the same log, busy de-scaling two generously sized mackerels. Kaname noticed the circular shape of the campfire and placed her collection in the middle. Finding matches in one of the bags, it was not long until they had a good campfire going. Sousuke found two sharp pike-like sticks and skewered his previous works before placing them close to the fire.

Kaname looked impressed. Leaning back, she took in the beautifully orange vista of the sunset. She closed her eyes, intent on burning the image in her memory forever, until the smell of cooked fish brought her out of her thoughts.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she asked, looking at the setting sun as it was nearing the end of the vantage point. She reached for her cooked fish. With her peripherals, she saw Sousuke nodding his head slightly. He too was lost in his thoughts.

"Do you remember this place, Kaname?" he asked, rotating the stick sporadically. Kaname turned to face him, a small smile playing across her face. How could she not? It was after the Gauron incident on the Tuatha de Daanan. What he said that day still echoed in her mind: 'When I'm with you, I feel like I can do anything. Like I can catch a few fish and I can escape from a horrible danger. Only thirty minutes… will you stay with me?'

She nodded.

"Remember that whopper of a fish we caught?" he asked, recalling the enormous catch. It was one of the largest he had ever come across. Kaname smiled, nodding again. Sousuke looked down at his dinner for a moment before continuing, "I asked you to stay with me and you did. And we reeled it in together. I really did feel like I could accomplish anything as long as you are with me. But now…" He trailed off, diverting his eyes away from her. The lump in his throat appeared seemingly out of nowhere, and his heart was pounding in his chest. Finding himself absolutely parched, he drained the remaining bottle of water. Why couldn't he just spill it? He shook his head.

Kaname smiled sadly. "It's okay, Sousuke. I understand."

Sousuke looked up, startled. "You do?"

Kaname smiled fakely. As much as it would hurt her, she had to accept the fact that Sousuke no longer felt the same way she did about him. And it was all right. He had done more than enough for her already. How many times had he saved her life? He was her bodyguard and friend. He was generous enough to devote so much time into her that he had to place his own life on hold. And who was she to decide that he would be interested in her? He was a catch, no doubt about that. And a good friend too. Asking more from him would be selfish on her part.

"I just want you to know that I will always be your friend, Sousuke." She bit on her lip to keep from trembling.

"A…friend…?" Sousuke reverted back to Kurtz's lectures on the friend zone. The seemingly bottomless pit that was impossible to climb out of once one entered the domain. In terms of maritime tracking, a phantom, nonexistent blimp on a woman's radar. In other terms, he was an absolute non-factor to Kaname. "I see…"

"I know that half the girls in class are interested in you, and I'm fine with it," Kaname continued, again with a fake smile plastered on her face. "You are a great guy. I should've seen it earlier, but it's my loss. So don't worry about me, okay? Don't hold back for me, Sousuke, because you deserve whatever you want. Don't…" She ducked from view. The conversation was just too painful. The emotional dam exploded as she felt an infinite supply of tears surge from her eyes. 'At least he was nice enough to take me out here again and tell me the truth…'

Slowly, she recovered some of her composure and, amid some hiccupping, she managed to finish her final sentiment. "Don't – hic – worry about – hic – m-me." She smiled timidly, cursing herself for being so weak.

Sousuke, though uncomfortable, was thoroughly confused. Standing up, he pulled Kaname face-first into his chest. "Is this what you really think, Miss Chidori? That I can do better than you? That I have completely forgotten about my feelings regarding you?" He placed his hand on the back of her head and ruffled her head affectionately. "I'm sorry…I may have misled you earlier. Please, hear me out. Let me finish what I have to say."

He gently pushed her away from their embrace so that they stared into each other's eyes. The campfire flames danced brilliantly in her chocolate-brown eyes. Her soft skin, though tested under severe circumstances, looked soft and fragile, like porcelain. The full moon was bright and stood out in the star-ridden night sky, but it paled in comparison to Kaname's beauty and radiance. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled and took a moment to collect himself before continuing, "Back then, I felt like I could accomplish anything as long as you were with me. I was foolish then." He took a deep breath before continuing, "But now I realize that when you're with me, I've accomplished everything in life." He paused for a brief moment, letting the words sink in. It was the first time he heard himself articulate his feelings into words. "Will you stay with me?"

The look on Kaname's face turned from stunned to joyous as she cried out, throwing her arms around his neck. Sousuke returned the embrace, rubbing the midsection of her back. "I'm glad that you feel the same way, Kaname."

Tired from the commotion, Kaname led Sousuke into the pitched tent and slid into her sleeping bag. Before Sousuke followed suite, he remembered that he'd finished the last of their water supply. He searched around frantically for the plastic bottle, but to no avail. He must've accidentally discarded the container earlier. He looked underneath the covers, searching for anything that could be used to hold liquid. Kaname, noticing the young man's frantic movements, sat up from her sleeping bag. "What's wrong, Sousuke?"

Turning about, Sousuke leaned towards Kaname. Bringing himself down to meet her eye to eye, he whispered hurriedly, "Did you bring the condom?"

How he managed to survive the drop into the rocky shoreline below the cliff was beyond anyone's comprehension.

THE END

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A/N: I wanted to post this on the next chapter, but decided to just conjoin the two chapters together. Yeah, I have that superpower. Wouldn't trade it for anything in the world…except world peace. Who the hell am I kidding? Sorry, it's 3:38 in the morning and I'm still up for some reason. Okay. This is the final conclusion to this story. My next installment to the series will be after this story and will be a serious piece (but not without comic reliefs and whatnot). I think the Epilogue will play well into the dynamics of the next story so enjoy!

(Bonus) Epilogue: Kalinin's Treat

It had been nearly four months since he brought the spirited young woman to his secret fishing spot where he revealed his special feelings towards her, which she, in turn, reciprocated. While most of Jindai High was still in shock of the couple, Sgt. Major Melissa Mao and Sgt. Weber were not surprised about the union. Captain Testarossa, on the other hand, was still recovering from her disbelief. MITHRIL brass chose to overlook the indiscretion, and even Tuatha de Daanan's second-in-command Commander Richard Markudas, with much effort, tolerated his subordinate's decision. If anything, the old British Admiral was more concerned about the young Captain's welfare than the mildly taboo relationship between the trigger-happy Sergeant and his ward.

But deep down, no one was happier to see the two together than Lieutenant Commander Andrei Kalinin. Having lost his own family to war years ago, the old Russian soldier considered Sousuke as his surrogate son. He had watched the young, unremitting assassin known mainly as Kashim grow up to become a less serious, more human, and for the most part, well-adjusted young man. Sure, Sousuke had his faults, but compared to the child prodigy who lived off gunpowder and bloodshed…

Kalinin smiled, pondering the unwritten future of his subordinate.

The old soldier sat outside of his villa, overlooking the beautiful Spanish countryside. The breathtaking orange sunset, offset by the creamy pallid transition that hung over the setting sun, reminded him of the importance of life. How fleeting the life of a human being was, the evanescent state of such a priceless and invaluable commodity. He had fought many battles in his time and had lost many people in his life, civilians and comrades alike whose time he had spent with seemed like seconds compared to the many years he'd remembered and continued to remember them in his memories. Even his enemies, evil men who swore to take his life and that of those he loved, lived on in his memories. Once their time in the world of the living ended, his enemies, in his eyes, were no more than individuals who he had dueled valiantly against, and in the end, stood triumphantly over. Evil or good, they all met the same fate.

Kalinin looked down at the object in his lap when he heard the sounds of footsteps echoing throughout the interior of his villa. He stood up and motioned the dark figure to come join him in the foyer. From the dying sunset's fading beams revealed the man's countenance, which had been shrouded by shadow.

"Sousuke," he addressed, walking over to the finely set table.

"Sir!" Sousuke saluted, holding his hand to the table and stomping his feet at attention. Noticing the relaxed demeanor of the elder man, he dropped his hand and stood at ease, spreading his feet a few inches apart and slacking slightly in his composure. From his black backpack, he procured the report of his most recent mission. He walked over to the table and placed the stack of papers underneath the basket of bread. He stood in front of his superior, waiting for a response.

Kalinin waved his hand.

"At ease, soldier." He motioned towards the vacant, handily-crafted chair. "Please, take a seat."

Sousuke nodded and sat down. He looked around quizzically, taking note of the environment. Though he had known the older man sitting across from him for most of his young life, it was then that he realized that he knew nothing about his personal life other than the fact that the old Russian had lost his family during his days with the KGB. He looked at the man whom he considered a father, who at the moment was pouring wine into his glass. The carefree nature of the whole situation puzzled the younger man.

Kalinin set the bottle down. Gesturing at the elegantly set dishes in front of them, he said, with a much lighter tone not commonly heard, "Please help yourself. As you may have already guessed, you are not here on business. I have invited you into my home as a guest, Sousuke. The hierarchy of command does not exist here; we are equals, brothers. Now, let us enjoy this meal." He pulled off the metal covering of the dish in front of him, allowing the steam and aroma of the freshly cooked meal to entice his senses. "I do request one errand," he added, his voice lined in the sternness that denoted his rank, "and that is to debrief me on Commander Markudas's evaluation of your love affairs."

Sousuke, who had taken in several spoonfuls of the basil and spiced rice, choked audibly, downing his entire glass of wine. Once he recovered, he looked fearfully at Kalinin, expecting the worst case scenario. As annoyed as he was about his teammate's uncanny interest in matters concerning the women in his life, Sousuke knew that the blonde had only his best interests at heart. It would hurt him horribly to watch the prankster lose rank or be dismissed from MITHRIL.

"Sergeant Weber is quite the swindler," Kalinin continued, slicing a moderate piece of filet mignon. He popped the tender meat into his mouth, savoring both its taste and his surrogate son's reaction. Of course, Andrei Kalinin was a merciful man. "Don't worry," he reassured, dapping his mouth with a white cloth. "Other than Sergeant Major Mao and myself, Command is unaware of Sergeant Weber's deception. Although I do wonder how the Sergeant attained such an accurate impersonation of the Commander," he added. He would definitely ask the blonde soldier later.

"Thank you, sir. I apologize for Kurtz's behavior and I do assume responsibilities for his actions. I know that he was acting solely for my benefit. But if I may ask, sir," he continued uneasily. Kalinin nodded, interested in what the young man had to say. "Concerning the issue addressed during 01700 on the 30th of September. Just why are all future requests for leave of absence denied?"

Kalinin trained his eyes on him, the wrinkles caused by the sudden increase of concentration strained his weathered face. "As you know, there are intelligence agencies around the world other than MITHRIL that has access to Black Technology. Countless organizations, whether rogue or country-affiliated, with a single purpose, Sousuke. It does not matter what their goals are, or what they are trying to accomplish. It all leads to the same path: Death. Destruction. Terror. As it stands, we know that Amalgam has further advanced the A.I. systems in their ArmSlaves with the Lambda Driver. In reality, MITHRIL is just trying to catch up with these organizations. We have multiple allies that support our cause, but we are the flagship of justice. Our allies look to us for strength. To protect the world from this evil, MITHRIL must not fail."

Sousuke looked down at his plate, feeling a sickly sensation in his stomach. Black Technology. Whispered. Even himself. Hundreds of thousands dying, and millions more suffering. They were all byproducts of war. His shoulders sagged dramatically as the weight of the world was once again weighing on his shoulders. He frowned, hoping his newfound connection with A.L. was, at least for the time being, enough to hold off the looming threat of Amalgam.

Noticing the sudden tension in the air, Kalinin gently pushed Sousuke's shoulder. Instantly, Sousuke felt the metaphorical load lighten. He looked up uncertainly. "Sir?"

And, to his utmost surprise, he heard a low rumbling laugh. His eyes widened. He must've heard wrong. Either his senses were failing him or the noise came from somewhere else. There was no way. It couldn't be…!

Kalinin grinned.

"Enough about business. There are more appropriate times to discuss such matters. How is your current status with Miss Kaname Chidori?"

Sousuke blushed.

"We are together, sir. We have been seeing each other exclusively for four months. I find that I have a lot to learn. At least, that is what Kaname has told me. On several occasions." He thought back at last week's mishap, which involved a homemade bento lunch, several wired explosives, a demolished row of shoe lockers, and an extremely irate and homicidal chainsaw-wielding custodian. He added, "She may be right."

Kalinin laughed whole-heartedly, which again startled Sousuke. He smiled sheepishly. He would need more time to adjust to this change in his surrogate father's demeanor. As the evening rolled along, Sousuke shared more stories that involved Kaname and himself. He found a high occurrence of explosions, gunfights, chaos, and in general, hysteria, in most of his anecdotes. He also tallied up the number of times he fell victim to physical punishment to the number of stories he'd regaled the old Russian with. They were equal. In turn, Kalinin offered some of his own past misadventures to make Sousuke feel less incompetent. It only succeeded in making the younger man feel even more uncomfortable.

"It seems to me," Kalinin started, taking another healthy swig of wine. They were already on their third bottle, and while the older man had a high tolerance level, he had enough to loosen his tongue. Sousuke was beet red in the face, having consumed three full glasses. "That you and Miss Kaname are getting along well."

"We are compatible, sir, yes," Sousuke responded, shaking off the unnatural feeling of a healthy buzz. He thought for a moment, allowing his mind to clear substantially as he formulated the right words in his mind. When it did, he wore a somber expression. "She is…special to me."

Kalinin stopped the tilt of his glass from his pursed lips. He held the glassware in the air for a moment, taking in the mood and remembering the reason he'd invited the young man in the first place, and placed the glass down. He pulled out his pocket watch and looked at it for a while. On the left groove of the device, where the digits and arrows were absent, was a picture of a young Russian couple. On the right was a young man with a traditional Russian Army cap. The collars on his shirt revealed a special insignia that signified his importance to the company. His face was fuller and more joyous, his eyes staring optimistically in the camera. On the left was an attractive young woman in her early twenties. She glowed radiantly. The bonnet atop her head held a small red rose, the delicate petals in full bloom. Kalinin looked, reminiscing about the promising future of the young couple and the love they equally shared. Sighing, he snapped the cover closed.

"We soldiers are all alike," Kalinin said, looking seriously at the brunette. "It is by choice that we join the company that we join. After that, it is by loyalty and submission that we perform the orders given by the company. In this sense, soldiers are nothing but tools to be used and tossed aside once rendered ineffective. This is the only trait that we share with men like Gauron." Sousuke stiffened at the sound of the name, but relaxed. "Love," Kalinin continued, his tone more hopeful than serious. "The love of a woman is what separates soldiers from men. Love is impulsive, innate. Men do not choose to love. Soldiers choose to kill. Remember this, Sousuke. Remember the woman you hold dear to your heart and you will see beyond the mist that dims your sight, find the answers to your questions, and realize unattainable dreams."

Kalinin brought out a black, velvet cushion and placed it upon the table. Sousuke looked at the object that was housed in the plush, luxurious padding. It was an object more magnificent than anything he'd ever seen. The flawless beauty of the stone, the meticulous metal finishes of the gold band, even the inscribed message on the band. What it read Sousuke could not determine, as it was not in a dialect he was familiar with. Kalinin picked up the ring and, running his fingers alongside the inscriptions, read: "For you are my everything."

Sousuke could only gape at the object as the Russian placed the stunning piece into his hands. He looked at his superior, then back at the flawless jewelry. Kalinin stood up, which prompted Sousuke up on his feet as well. His feet nailed to the group, he watched as the Lieutenant Commander walked around the table towards him. Once face to face, he felt the warmth of his father's torso as he enveloped the younger man with a grand, long deserved huge. At the feeling of the touch, Sousuke felt the weight completely lifted from his shoulders for once and collapsed into the older man's embrace. For what seemed like an eternity, Kalinin held the weak young man as if he were a small child. Once he felt life and strength return to him, the Russian pushed him back to arm's length.

Sousuke, finding strength in his legs again, stood there uncertainly, still holding the ring between his thumb and index finger.

"Miss Kaname is imperative to my life. To me, she is my world," Sousuke stated, after finding his voice again. He looked at the ring, and what it had meant to the old Russian soldier. "Thank you…sir." Kalinin, forcing back the sudden rumbling sensation in his chest, looked solemnly at his dumbfounded surrogate son. No, there was no need to include the title "surrogate." Sousuke Sagara was his son, as long as he would accept him, Andrei Kalinin, to be his father. He smiled at his speechless son, and patted him on the shoulders. "You truly do have the face of a man now, son."

Sousuke looked up from the ring, not sure if his ears were playing tricks on him. But one glance from the old soldier clarified his doubts. He nodded and, taking the hand that the Lieutenant Commander had extended, shook hands with his father.

"Now show her that you are hers."

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A/N: Review…please?