Chapter 10: Cover the Wounds and Move On

After Amira left my hospital room, I sat there and mulled over what she had told me. It wasn't a lot, but it does confirm that this is indeed my third life. So, at least I'm not crazy, but why are those two so crazy over me? It doesn't make a lot of sense. I made a move to get up and Kara stopped me, "Hey hey hey, you should be resting. I would have used a healing beam, but you need to heal naturally. Sometimes you can't just have me heal all the pain away." It sounded like she was scolding me, in a motherly tone.

"Kara, relax. I feel fine, I just need to move a little. I'm getting a little stir crazy, ya know being a Hunter and all." I said, hoping she would let me move.

"Fine, and I'll let you know, Amira wanted me to tell her when you got out, but since you haven't been discharged from here yet…." she started.

"You won't tell her yet… Thank you, little Light." I smirk at the newfound nickname I gave her.

"I'm not little, and don't make a habit of that." she said, trying to be serious, but failing.

"Sure thing little Light. Also, thank you… for uh, sticking with me. I really should listen to you more often." I said, apologizing to Kara, in my own way.

"You're fine, now let's go, we have a spy mission to go on." Kara said, feeling daring? That's new, I like it.

"Lead the way then." I said, following Kara after I disconnected from the machines and IVs. I probably sent the nurses into a frenzy. Oh well, they have a Hunter in medical care, should've probably kept a better eye on me. I'll probably be lectured about it when I return.

I hobbled my way up to the Courtyard, it was dusk, and the sky was full of warm colors. The view looked so peaceful, so relaxing, but that isn't what caught my eye. What caught my eye was Stephanie, Amira, and Lucas sitting under the tree close to Banshee's workshop, of sorts. I only got bits and pieces, since they were like the only Guardians out here, but what I heard was jaw dropping.

I was at Twilight Gap and the Battle of Six Fronts, but I don't remember it. I had trained someone in my ways of my Artemis bow, and they also trained someone in one of their subclasses. The most shocking thing of them all… I was married to Amira. Is that why she came to find me a few days ago, she wanted to see me, her husband. Kara was looking at me like I had just died again. My face felt like someone dropped an iron onto it. I couldn't cope with what was being said. Kara eventually asked, "Do you want to go back, or do you want to stay here?" When I didn't answer, she floated in front of my face, "You need to answer me, because I know you aren't mute."

"I'll… I'll stay, I need to hear this." I responded shakily, closing my eyes to prevent any tears from leaking. Now isn't the time to be like this, I need answers, and I WILL get them.

"Okay, I'm here if you need me." was her reply. Her being right here was comforting, it was something I needed.

As Amira went on with her story, I noticed Kara tense up when she said I died when I threw Marshal out to save him, but that almost wasn't enough. He managed to make it back and give Amira and Stephanie a ring and a necklace. I assumed the ring was a wedding ring, and the necklace must have been mine at some point. I let Kara land in my outstretched hand and held her, conveying without words, to show her how much I care about her, I don't to have to repeat that. She visibly relaxed in my hands, thankfully, and it was at that moment I felt a burning stare directly into my soul. I released Kara to see who it was.

It was Amira. Looking at me, with that look in her eyes. Uh oh, time to go.

She waltzed over to me, casually, and I turned to walk away, but she grabbed my arm, "So, how much of that did you hear?" she asked.

I ripped my arm out of her grip wincing a little since I was still trying to heal, "I heard enough; Probably too much." I turned around to look her in the eyes, "You didn't think to tell me?" I asked, insinuating that she knew what I was talking about.

She sighed, "Klein, if I told you straight up when we met, it would have unforeseen consequences. I didn't want to do that to you. You deserved to find out a different way. We both wanted to tell you, but we couldn't do that, we just couldn't bring ourselves to tell you yet. There wasn't a right moment." She said, with sadness and regret laced in her voice. Traveler, I didn't know. They wanted to tell me, but they just couldn't bring it up. It didn't feel like the right time to say anything. Now I feel bad for snapping at my… friend? Teammate? Wife? All three? What else can I do? I wasn't told I was on the third life, I had my suspicions, but they weren't confirmed no less than thirty minutes ago. Being in my mind wasn't on my radar, but he did say that I was him. That should have been a no brainer, and very obvious thing in hindsight. It's no wonder why I died, if I acted this dumb, who knows what kinds of trouble I was in.

"What about Stephanie?" I asked, hoping to get a straight answer.

"Well, she's your sister. Your younger sister to be precise, you were both revived together, and you both made it to the City, and then you came to find me shortly afterwards. I never thanked you for saving me that day. I never even told you how much I loved you. It is one of my biggest regrets, and I say this with all my heart: I love you. Your death took its toll on me, and you died so close to our anniversary. I never even got to get you a gift because you died a week before it. It was July 25th." Amira's voice started to break, and I was the one who made her feel like this. I don't know why, but an instinct kicked in, and I wrapped her in an embrace, arms around her waist and I pulled her close, so she had a shoulder to cry on. It felt so foreign, but so right. She reciprocated the action and hugged me back, maybe it brought comfort to her, but I'll never know. I felt awful for what I did, in my past life. I probably had a good reason to do what I did, but here and now, I felt like the world was shattering like glass around me, see someone I cared about cry. No, I hate seeing someone I care about cry like this.

"I'm sorry." I managed to get out in between her tears, "I'm sorry I put you through that kind of sorrow. I just hope you kept it." I said, referencing the ring. "Maybe one day I could repair our relationship, but not now. It's too soon, and we need more time to recover, especially me."

"I understand, but one day we'll be together again. Promise?" Amira pleaded softly.

"I promise, I promise to come back and be with you again. Now come here, I honestly don't want to let go." I said tightening my very loose grip into a firmer grip around her waist.

Thank the Traveler that no one else was around to see a Titan crying on a Hunter. From what I know about Titans, which isn't a lot but, they really don't show emotion. They are supposed to be stoic, unwavering, loyal to a fault. Amira was proving that stereotype wrong, sometimes the wall needs a few cracks in order to alleviate the pressure that was built up, you cannot cope by bottling it all up, it could detrimental in the future.

Amira stopped crying, her eyes puffy, so she could say, "Can I walk you back to your hospital room, since you technically aren't discharged yet." She was chuckling at the fact I was wandering around, yet I'm supposed to be resting.

"You know Hunters never follow the rules. Just ask Cayde, or so I'm told" I said with a slight smirk.

"Spoken like a true Hunter." she responded.

We started to walk back to the hospital, well, Amira was walking, I felt like putty, it was a wonder I managed to make it to the Courtyard in my condition. Amira took most of my weight and basically carried me back. Before we got far, I heard a voice, sounding worried, "Amira? What are you doing?"

I snapped my head around to hear the voice. It was Stephanie, my little sister, "She's helping me, little sis." When I said that, I could see her now glassy eyes. She walked slowly toward me, "Is it really you, big bro?" She said with hope in her voice.

"Maybe one day, but I haven't been that in so long. I'm sorry that I did what I did, even if I don't remember it. I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I never wanted to put you in that situation." I said with a sad smile.

Apparently it was all she needed, she threw herself on me and wrapped her arms around me, "I'm just so glad to have you back! We missed you so much!" She was crushing me into a hug and kissed my cheek, which I tried to reciprocate, but struggled.

"Hey, as much as I want to hug my sister,... I kinda like…. breathing a little….. more." I said, running out of air. Note to self, never doubt a Warlock's strength.

She released me, "Sorry, I'm just happy. Now that you know, we can help you on your search." She pushed some of her hair behind her ear, nervously.

"My search?" I said nothing of the sort about a search.

"The search for your Ghost Angel, you never went anywhere without that set." Stephanie explained.

"I'd love your help, but am I allowed to heal first? Also, did I always make stupid decisions?"

"Yes." Stephanie, Amira, and even our Ghosts said it.

"Kara, you are supposed to be on my side." I said whining sarcastically.

"I know, but I like making you feel uncomfortable." Kara responded, with a light chuckle.

After that conversation, they both brought me back to the hospital, where I was greeted by angry nurses. They proceeded to lecture me, as I expected, and I just held myself back from making a comment, as tempting as it was. Well, I did sneak out, but it is not my fault, they should know when they have a Hunter in medical care, they should always be watching. Amira and Stephanie laid me down in my hospital bed, and proceeded to tell their story in full, instead of me listening in to bits and pieces. Stephanie handed me the necklace, that Marshal, my old Ghost I presume, gave to her, and she put it around my neck again. It felt warm, like it was happy that it was back with its rightful owner. Then the crystals felt like they were singing, they felt like they were latching on, to other crystals. (Sound Familiar?)

My crystal reached out to Stephanie to which she took hers off and handed it to me, "Well, at least this seems familiar. Uhm brace yourself Klein, this might get wild." she said.

"O..kay." I was nervous, but for what reason?

The crystal showed me my past life, but as a Guardian, not my first life like it did previously, according to Stephanie. It didn't show every detail that happened in the story Steph and Amira told me. The pulses of memory went to my head, feeling like it did back in the Cosmodrome, painful, but manageable. I think I scared the nurses with my heart rate going up and Kara was voicing her concern with how much more my limbic systems, or the section of the brain where memories are stored, was lighting up like a Dawning tree. My body could have shut down completely, but it didn't, although my heart had stopped for three seconds, but I guess that was my body turning off and on again? It freaked them out a bit and then it resumed its normal pace, according to Stephanie. It seems like she became a doctor, or some type of healer while I was dead. So she knew about the Human/Awoken body. Exos were in a class of their own. They are different but the same. So, after my mini death escapade, the three of us, along with our Ghosts had a few more conversations. They also told me about the vermillion stripe that was dark yellow, it honored my legacy and memory. They showed me that they, in fact, did put it on their armor. Stephanie's on her left side and Amira's on the right side. Symbolizing two halves that was missing a middle piece, me. The memories that were there, showed I had a yellow stripe on my armor, and that was because I enjoyed fashioning my armor out, the stripe happened to be in the middle. Speaking of the armor, that helmet was my personal helmet, Ghost Angel, I think I nicknamed that set. Apparently, throughout the years, I made quite a name for myself. I had named some of the hunter armor. Ghost Angel being one of them, and Dustwalker being another. Amira and Stephanie helped me, in the past, make multiple sets of that armor set, along with sets to their respective classes. They were never released, for a reason that I kinda feel like I know. What did I really do? What was my reasoning for not telling them that I was going to do what I did back then? Seeing the mistake now, I wish I hadn't done it. Maybe things could have been different, but the past is in the past, where it belongs.

They left after a few hours, we were talking about going on patrols to the Moon. I thought about it, and I said, "Can I heal first before you throw me back into a pit of hell?"

Amira retorted with, "Throw you? Ha, you'd be the person to jump in head first to clear out a path for us. It was what you did all the time. We jumped down after you one time on Venus, and by the time we caught up with you, you had already cleared the room and you asked us, 'What took you two ladies so long?' We laughed about it and we went on our way. I hope we get to do that again someday."

"Maybe one day, but for now… I'm on the bench. Did you give Cayde my report?" I asked.

"Yeah, Kara sent it to Sundance, Cayde's Ghost. He is impressed on how you dealt with the Archon, called it 'the best performance I have ever seen, 2nd only to myself.'" Amira said, thankfully. I asked myself, what did I do to deserve those two? They could have moved on and left me to my own devices, but no, they came back. It felt like they were always watching, maybe they were, and for that, I'll always be thankful.

When Amira finally left, I thought about going on patrol to the Moon. The Moon was full of Hive, and unfortunately, the memories I got back were not all happy ones. The most traumatic inducing was my death. Yes, I know I was on Earth when I died, but roll with me here. The Hive had caught me after I blew up their nest, to say they were aggravated was an understatement. They saw me as a parasite, one they wished to expunge. I remember throwing Marshal out and telling him to go and not turn back. I told him to leave me, to save himself. That was when those little shits, the Thrall, caught up with me. They were weak, but in large numbers, they were a force to be reckoned with. Sounds a lot like those old Golden Age video games. Anyway, when they caught up to me, they were unrelenting, they just tore into me. It wasn't a pretty sight. My armor was able to withhold a majority of the damage, but even then, they managed to get through. It wasn't my Ghost Angel set, I was wearing, but it was the opposite set, Dustwalker. Thinking back, I remember telling Marshal to spread out my Ghost Angel set in a precise set of coordinates, that is, if I was ever resurrected, I would eventually find them. Seems like the perfect time to see if I can find them. I reached for my Handcannon and I grabbed one, my Devil you Know, but there was one I was specifically was looking for. My Hawkmoon, I had built it from the first nut and bolt, and I realized it is not there and I had to find it. If I remembered correctly, I left the pieces and blueprints to build it with the rest of my stuff, being the other pieces of armor. I'll have to tell the others about it.

"Klein, I know what you are thinking, and I don't like it. Just the thought of you trying to find these, and not finding them… Well, let's say I don't want you going crazy on your search." Kara said, trying to stop me, but I won't.

"You know I won't, but you also know I need to. That cannon was a piece of me, and I need it back. I remember carrying at least three handcannons at all times." I said.

"Which one, besides the one you carry already? Could you at least rest for a bit? You have been awake for what seems like 36 hours. Go the frick to sleep, you need to continue healing." Kara recommended.

I sighed, "Fine, but I need to talk to them about this. So at least they are in the loop, so they don't get mad or angry, hopefully. To answer the question, have you heard the expression 'Better the devil you know than the devil you don't'?"

"Yes, I don't know anyone who hasn't." Kara replied matter-of-factly.

"Well, this cannon" I said holding Devil you Know, "has a sister cannon, The Devil you Don't. I always felt like if I have one, you gotta have the other. I'll ask Banshee about it, maybe he has it or knows where I could find it."

"Fair enough, now seriously, go to sleep."

In true Hunter sarcasm, "Yes, mom." And with that, I fell asleep.

….

My eyes open to see I'm still in the hospital, but not in urgent care. I moved my hands across where the shrapnel wounds would be, and I felt that they were healed to their entirety.

"Morning big bro, bout time you got up, we have things to do." Stephanie said in an all too cheery voice.

"How long was I out?" I opened my eyes groggily.

"About 2 days, you think after that huge dose of NyQuil that the nurses gave you, you'd think that your blood was made of the stuff. You slept pretty well, your body was exhausted, and try not to move, your muscles might be sore." She paused, "Damn, NyQuil still works as well as ever." Steph explained, I was out for two days? What happened?

"NyQuil? That shit still exists?! I thought the last stocks of it were used up?" I exclaimed in confusion.

"Yes big bro, that 'shit' still exists, and thank Traveler, your snoring was awful. I think you kept everyone up." Steph said with a huge shit eating grin on her face.

Disregarding her comment I said, "Anyway, I have to talk to Banshee. I have a question for him." I removed the covers off the bed and I motioned to Steph to move so I can get up.

"What about?" she sounded surprised.

"I need to find my other two cannons. The sister handcannon to that." Pointing to Devil you Know, "and Hawkmoon."

Stephanie looked at me, dumbfounded, and was in awe, "You mean, you remember your loadout and your favorite cannon?"

"Among other things, like possible clues to the other pieces of Ghost Angel, and maybe the blueprints to said Hawkmoon. I remember building that cannon from scratch." I said, surprising myself a little.

"We need to go to Banshee now!" The urgency in her voice was prevalent.

"Can I have a minute to get ready, still a little slow right now. I'll meet up with you later, alright?" I said, wanting her to leave so I can get ready.

Stephanie picked up on what I was putting down and left without another word to me, she was mumbling about something, but I couldn't make it out. I slid on my Rustburner set and was on my way. I can't wait to get my Ghost Angel set back, and speaking of it, Kara stored the helmet for 'maybe it will help find the other pieces' or something like that. Anyways, I checked out of the hospital, and made my way to Banshee. Banshee was occupied with someone else and I was leaning against the cherry blossom tree. I was lost in my thoughts, and then was promptly brought out of those thoughts by a random Guardian. She was a human, blue eyes, dirty blonde hair, in a semi neat bun, about five foot six, kind of pretty too, but not my type. I was already spoken for.

"Hey, aren't you the Guardian who killed that Archon in the Cosmodrome?" she asked.

Not wanting to come off like an ass, "Yeah, but it wasn't that impressive. Asshole had something I needed."

"Oh, something like this?" she asked, while twirling a cannon, and I recognized that cannon. It was Devil you Don't, the sister handcannon.

Trying my best to look disinterested, "Nice cannon, where did ya get it?" Sometimes, weapons have a story, gotta know about it.

"Well, I could ask you, since this was yours." she said with a smirk on her face.

I flinched subtly, hoping she wouldn't notice, but her being a Hunter, by the looks of her, she noticed. "Hoping I didn't notice you flinch? Nah, I know who you are." she said coyly.

"Oh do you now?" I said, hoping to get a decent answer.

"Everyone knows who you are/were. Everyone here knows that you are a legend. Everyone got that yellow vermillion stripe on their armor. Everyone knows the history. Everyone has heard of the legends known as Fireteam Swap. I don't know what that meant until the answer slapped me right in the face." She lowered her voice, raised her head to me and whispered in my ear, "you are an elemental swapped Guardian are you not?"

"How high are you right now?" I asked, trying to deter from the question.

"Stop trying to dance around the question and just answer it." she said

"Why is it so important to you?" I asked the still nameless Hunter.

"Would it help if I told you my name? Maybe that'll get the response I need" she said

"Okay, hit me with your best shot." I said as a challenge.

"You sure?" The Huntress asked, smirking.

"Hundred percent." I replied immediately.

"Well, you knew my mother. She was a Guardian. Her name was Jane." She said slowly, gauging my reaction. The name didn't make sense until I remembered hearing that name during Amira and Stephanie's story. This was the daughter of my late protégé.

"It can't be. Guardians who get pregnant have a high miscarriage rate. One in every Twenty-two kids make it to term, and even then it's an even smaller chance that the child is actually born. Who are you really?" I said, still not believing it.

"Well, I'm closely named after my mother, so Janice. I was lucky to be born so, with a mutual agreement between both of my parents, they named me closely after Jane. I wanted to find you for years after my mother's death, not because I blamed you, but because I wanted to thank you. You avenged her team in the end, but you died as well. The result of that was not pretty; Your fireteam was in shambles, I told them who I was, and they knew that I wanted to thank you for taking care of her. You taught my mother in the ways of your bow, Artemis. She told me one day when I was thirteen, that she was learning something new. I knew about Nightstalkers and their Void bow. So when she told me that there was a Solar bow, my interest in Hunters piqued. I wanted to meet you and see what this was all about. So, I followed her one day, you two were at Bannerfall, post-Six Fronts, and you showed her the bow, the techniques, everything. Now, I'm asking you if you can teach me as well. I know you are still getting your memories back, according to your sister."

I interrupted, "So, she told you that I was her brother?"

"Yes, which made me all the more sad, knowing she lost her older brother. She, along with Amira, have watched over me, taken me on missions and patrols, while you were dead. I had no intentions to replace you, they just wanted someone to fill the void temporarily. I never asked what happened to you, I knew it was still a fresh scar for them. I knew they were elemental swap Guardians, but it was odd to find a two-thirds swap fireteam. Now, I have my answer." She finished

"I- I don't know what to say. You really are her daughter?" I asked just to make sure.

"I am." She responded.

"I'm not the father am I?" I said as a half joke-half serious tone.

She chuckled, "I'm not going to answer you. I'll let you figure it out. I feel like you need a little more stress. Plus, this is funny, seeing you all flustered."

"Yeah, fun for you, not me, why do you have to torture me like this?" I asked her, trying to find the meaning behind her game.

She continued, "Again, it's funny to me. Since then, I have been lounging around the Tower when one day, a Ghost approached me and said, 'I can't believe it, you are my Guardian.' My reaction was appropriate, 'How is that possible?', he asked if I knew anyone who was a Guardian, I told it my mom. It then asked who was my mom and I told it. It made sense, since she was 'reborn' as a Guardian, the spark of Light had a chance to ignite within the child's soul. Luck just so happened to work in my favor. He immediately bonded our sparks together. I named him Firecracker, but I call him Craig."

Her Ghost appeared, "Hey, you said we'd keep that a secret."

"Sorry little buddy, you know I had to prove my Guardian status to him." she retorted.

I chuckled, "Well sounds like you have had a fun time transitioning to Guardian life?"

"You don't know the half of it" She retorted.

"Given the time to regain my memories, I can teach you, but now, I have my own mission to go on. Thank you Jam."

"Jam?" She was confused.

"Jam, a nickname, it'll make it easier on me." I cleared it up for her.

She facepalmed at the nickname and looked at me like Why-I-oughta before she said, "Before you go, you might want this." She said as she handed me Devil you Don't.

"Are you sure?" I knew this was mine, but it was hers now, I couldn't just take it.

"I'm sure, you'll need it." Jam said with reassurance.

I take it and slid it into another empty holster on my right hip, but more towards the front. "I'll be back, and… Thank you."

"You better, I need a trainer and you are welcome, Klein." She laughed, typical jokesters, and with that she walked away. Damn, she must really act like her mother, a spitting image, if what I was told by Steph and Amira.

Banshee finally made a comment, "She's a good Hunter, she knew about your history. It took a lot of convincing to let her have that cannon, she wanted to find you and give it back. I also had taught her how to disassemble and reassemble the gun. She had that specific goal in mind and it looks like she accomplished it, and now there is only one thing left to do."

"What's that Banshee?" I asked already knowing what he was implying, smirking.

"You gotta find and build your cannon again. What did you call it again?" He asked

"Hawkmoon. I named it Hawkmoon." I answered. My heart felt warm saying it again, I need to build this cannon and pronto, then I get to be a teacher, again. Oh Traveler…

End of Chapter 10: Cover the Wounds and Move On