FALLING INTO LOVE

By: T-Drift


Chapter 11

"Watashi o mite!" [1] Jin said sharply and cupped the face of the badly battered man, who was now lying on the blood-smeared bed, turning in different directions with eyes wide open as he struggled to breathe. Jin saw how the man went in and out of consciousness as he held him down, while Dr. Ryuzaki tried to stabilise him; the bleeding had been stopped, but he had suddenly had trouble breathing and his heart seemed to be trying to give up on him.

"Calm down, just—easy! You're not relaxing! Ochitsuite!" [2] Jin said, nearly shouting at the man as he held him down by his shoulders, still trying to make him relax; Jin's heart was racing from fear.

You have to make it, please relax so we can help you breathe!

After several attempts of trying to regain the man's regular heart rhythm, he finally started relaxing and stopped struggling and spasming as much as before. Soon the drugs had also taken effect and he was fast asleep, calmly breathing as the room went silent, the only sound that of the beeping monitor which had been brought in to be placed next to the bed.

Dr. Ryuzaki examined the sleeping man and made sure not to miss anything crucial about his condition and recorded everything necessary on the sheets of papers now in her hands. After about half an hour she stood up, a semi-grim look on her face.

"We should allow him to rest now. Kazama-san, can I—Kazama-san?" She had turned her head to look at the Japanese male who seemed to have spaced out in shock as he eyed the sleeping man infront of him; Jin looked and felt completely exhausted.

"Mm? I'm sorry?" He abruptly made a slight movement with his head and looked at her questioningly, his mind hazy yet his look strong and piercing. The female doctor remained silent and studied him for a short while before continuing.

"Can I have a word with you outside?" Dr Ryuzaki asked, and Jin gave a slight nod of assent as he dismissed the guards that had helped them out earlier.

As they stepped out, Dr Ryuzaki faced Jin even as she closed the door behind her, the guards slowly disappearing around the corner in the dimly lit hallway.

"Kazama-san… he's clearly been abused and tortured; if G-corp. was behind this, my guess it was some sort of attempt to extract classified information from him, or something of the like. It's not the first time I've seen marks like those." She looked away as if suddenly feeling sick to her stomach at the thought of what the man must've gone through. Jin hid his hands in his pockets and sighed as he lowered his gaze.

"I don't want anyone in there with him. At all. Please, place a few guards outside this room to forbid anyone from entering. And no one should know about this either, at least until we've established what's happened." She saw how Jin was slowly regaining the colour on his face, as she had noticed how pale he'd become when they were trying to stabilise the now sleeping man.

"Kazama-san…" The woman took a step forward and placed her hand on Jin's shoulder when she noticed how far away his mind seemed, rubbing it gently. His gaze was still lowered and he gently sighed before finally speaking.

"'In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends…" [3] He trailed off, looking up again as he gazed at the door, seemingly deep in thought. But then he abruptly exhaled as he turned around to face Dr Ryuzaki. She frowned sympathetically as she met his gaze.

"I'll arrange for some guards as soon as I get back to my office. Please keep me updated on his condition, Ryuzaki-sensei." The doctor nodded in assent and smiled half-heartedly.

"You know I will, Kazama-san. You should hurry back and change your clothes, get some rest." She gave a slight nod and turned around to leave, the sound of her heels muffled by the carpet covering the hallway floor.

Jin was tempted to go back into the room just to assure himself the man was still breathing, and most importantly that he hadn't dreamt the whole thing, that this was real. He glanced at his blood-smeared clothes and remained standing like that for a short while, and so refrained from touching the doorknob, tears threatening to well up in his eyes.

No… he needs to rest.

Then he lowered his gaze to the floor before hesitantly but ultimately walking away from the room, his mind in a haze of confusion as he made for his study through the silent hallways.

Hang in there.


Sarah was having trouble falling asleep, tossing and turning as the events of the day, the memorial service in particular, flashed in constant replay in her mind. Sometimes she thought of trivial things, such as how she could've done this and that slightly different. And sometimes feelings of longing and grief hit her full force, and she silently cried from time to time for everything she had been through in her life.

Are you resting, Lars? Are you looking down at us; do you feel our baby, do you know?

She felt strange about it, but it made her feel better, so she told herself he surely was resting in Heaven and that he was smiling down at her and their unborn child.

I do hope it's a boy, and that he resembles you in every way and grows up to be just as honorable, intelligent and wonderful as you. That he inherits the same vague dimples when he smiles, just like you, dazzling everyone around him with that solid determination you held so naturally.

The thought made her smile and she knew she would somehow be all right. She knew she needed more time to mourn, to reflect and digest - to accept. But she had to make it, to go on fighting; the unborn baby inside her deserved all her attention now and she vowed to give it all she had, and make sure it was always well and healthy, and love it no matter what the circumstances.

She turned to sleep on her back, sighing as she hid her arms under the blanket, the refreshing air from the open window in her bedroom slightly chilly on her bare shoulders.

The incident earlier in the hallway crossed her mind, and she wondered yet again what the reason behind Jin's weird behaviour could have been. He'd been disoriented and cold toward her when they'd bumped into each other, and it had left an unsettling feeling inside her.

He's never acted that way before.

She had snuck back out again from the storage room when the sounds of the footsteps had receded and the sound of a door closing had echoed through the hallway. She assumed the hallway would be empty following the silence, and she was right; she had hastily walked back toward her room but had heard somewhat loud voices and other sounds of machinery and beeping on her way there.

She had stopped and heard Jin's commanding voice and Dr. Ryuzaki repeating an exclaimed "Clear!' every now and then. From the blood on Jin's clothes and his hurrying to fetch Ryuzaki to the sounds she heard from the room, she suspected someone was being treated.

But for what? And why did Jin leave the memorial for this, as well as stay with this supposedly hurt person that Ryuzaki was aiding?

For a mere split-second a tinge of pain twisted her heart of how it could, by some miracle, be Lars out there struggling, having made it back alive somehow. But she just as fast let the hopeful thought go, because she knew he wasn't alive, and would never be again. She had seen Lars' body in the coffin, and not a single pulse had gone through his veins. He was gone, and she knew it would be wiser to stop hoping and dream of the impossible. It had also been an entire month already, if not more, since the attack.

She turned her head toward the open window and gazed out at the starry night sky, and right then and there she saw a falling star. She frowned upon seeing the star, but immediately sighed.

Unless the dead can come back to life, there's no use in wishing upon a star…

She had trouble even guessing at what might be going on though, and didn't know if she should forget about it, in spite of the uneasy feeling it emanated, or follow up on it and perhaps even ask Jin about it in the morning. Pondering for a while, she decided she would sleep on it instead, sighing as she gently stroked her belly.

It's probably just a wounded officer or someone close to him in the administration.

The word 'officer' still stung her heart a little when she said or thought of it, the memory of Lars seeming to be in every word she said and in every place she went.

It's surreal, the way my life has changed so fast.

But she had vowed to be strong in spite of everything and therefore she immediately blocked the surge of feelings inside of her with other thoughts, and closed her eyes.

I had better try harder at getting some sleep. Wouldn't want to miss breakfast with Ms Alexandersson tomorrow.

Soon she was fast asleep, dreaming of teddy bears, soft clouds and rain. And in the midst of it all, a baby inside a coffin, next to another coffin where the late Lars Alexandersson lie.


Days were going by smoothly, and Sarah had noticed how her routines had started changing slightly, her plate filling with larger amounts of vegetables and other foods she craved than usual; the baby was growing like never before.

Jin was often busy and Sarah seemed to never have the courage to ask him what had happened the night of Lars' memorial, fearing it might have been a sensitive subject for him, whatever it had concerned. Xiaoyu had not been acting any different than usual since that night, chatting away with her friends and participating in activities and having fun.
Lars' passing away had lightened slightly at the base where everyone slowly but surely started going back to their old routines and humour. But they never forgot, and so a huge poster scroll of Lars was put up at the base where soldiers practised, as to respect and aim for Lars Alexandersson's high standards of what a warrior should be like, both in combat and in mind.

Earlier in the day, Sarah, Xiaoyu and Julia had gone shopping for new clothes, prioritising Sarah since her belly would only just about fit into her normal jeans, dresses and skirts nowadays.

"We also need to find something sexy and glamorous for you!" Xiaoyu exclaimed as they looked about at various expensive outfits. Sarah gave the Chinese girl a questioning frown as she put down her shopping bags on the floor. She stretched her back as Xiaoyu spun around to face her, reading the brunette's expression.

"For tonight, of course! We're going to the tournament kick-off, baby! Jin is announcing the King of Iron Fist tournament 6 tonight! And we are going to have fun and shake our booties all night" Xiaoyu embraced Sarah tightly and beamed before taking her arm to walk a short distance toward the more glamorous dresses.

"Oh my God! This dress would look totally kick-ass on you, Sass! Come on, try it on!" She literally dragged Sarah to the changing rooms before the brunette even had a chance to size the dress up.

"So everyone will be there, including townspeople and other important figures Jin has invited. But we're gonna have some mad fun! Okay come on out, let's take a look at you!" Xiaoyu continued outside the changing room, standing next to Julia.

As predicted, Sarah had looked fabulously star-like in the glittering, red dress that reached about a foot above her knees, revealing her slender legs. The back of the dress had a long slit, as to reveal much of her back, her shoulders bare, whereas the front held a v-shaped cleavage, revealing much less than the back. Her belly wasn't too big as to steal the beauty of her figure in the dazzling dress, in fact it barely showed in the dress, and Sarah had quite liked the dress just the way it looked on her.

"There's just this one thing... I'm not quite sure about the back, it's quite revealing you know, all the way down to my waist…" Sarah twirled as she watched herself in the mirror with the dress on, her back bare and naked - something she wasn't used to when it came to bold dresses.

"Nonsense! Your back is gorgeous as it is, what's to hide? You're buying this dress or I'm buying it for you," Julia said as she put her hands to her waist, determined to convince Sarah of buying the rather expensive dress.

"Alright, you know what? What the heck! Ready to go wild tonight, babes?" Sarah said and teased the girls with a wink.

"Now you're talking, Sassy! Woo-hoo!" Xiaoyu exclaimed and beamed at Sarah's words.

Xiaoyu had chosen a light-purple dress which boldly embraced her femininely athletic figure; it left the arms, shoulders and neck bare, the snake-like, shiny fabric starting from above her chest and ending, also, about a foot above her knees.

Julia's black dress reached slightly above her knees, and had three layers of silk loosely set under a thin layer of mesh-like fabric, the dress swaying beautifully when she twirled. A dark-red, silky belt embraced her waist with a cute rose in the middle, the upper part of the dress having a v-shaped cut at the front which was held together by dark-red threads. The upper part was, in contrast to the lower, tightly embracing her in a heart-shaped form at the front. The dress was further held in place by beautifully laced straps on her shoulders that ran all the way down to her waist in the back, intertwined.

Everything else that was needed for the night was bought and taken care of, and on the way back to the base Sarah had craved ice cream which they agreed to buy as they had enjoyed the rest of the afternoon in the park, walking and talking of everything and nothing. Xiaoyu's birthday was also mentioned, as it was nearing.

Julia and Hwoarang were now in a serious relationship, much to Sarah's surprise, and Xiaoyu had chatted non-stop about her unforgettable moments with Jin Kazama, and how she longed to finally be married to the man of her dreams.

Her girlfriends' happiness both hurt and made her happy; she was glad they had found such beautiful happiness, but every time that unmeasured happiness was mentioned, Sarah felt like someone had made a hole in her chest and squeezed her heart out.

Because I wished for all of that for me and Lars.

Xiaoyu and Sarah had, a few days before the war, had a long 'girl-talk' of what their dream wedding would look like, what fashion they admired and if they would have kids in the near future. And in the midst of their amusement and laughter, Xiaoyu had beamed about how wonderful it would be if Sarah and Lars one day got married, and on the same day as Xiaoyu and Jin. 'It would be the biggest, most amazing and beautiful double-wedding ever!' Xiaoyu had said beaming out of her wits and embracing her dear friend.

But memories are only fragments of the past, and that's all they'll ever be…

However, Sarah told no one of her secret thoughts and her fragile feelings; she had to do her best to start life anew.

And in the end I am so blessed to have such wonderful, caring friends.

So blessed.

"Sassy, Jules and I will be coming over at 10 to change and stuff! Make sure you're there so you can let us in!" Xiaoyu had hugged her friend at the gate at that, Jules following up, the trio bidding each other a 'see you soon' before Julia and Xiaoyu had left Sarah for their own rooms, heavy bags in their hands.

I so need to rest before tonight.

And so she went in, locked the door and kicked off her shoes. Walking up to her queen-sized bed she threw herself gently on it, curling up on her side as she instantly fell asleep. An hour had passed and she was now in deep sleep, dreaming of nothing and barely shifting her position in her sleep.

A sudden loud knock startled her awake, and it took her a few seconds to realise she was back to the real world and that someone was actually knocking on her door. A barely audible 'Open up!' was heard from far away, and as she got to her feet and walked up to the door, she recognised the cheerful voice to be Xiaoyu's.

"Sarah Alexandersson! Wake up if you're sleeping, or get out if you're in the shower! Sarah!" Her Chinese friend seemed to be in a hyper mood, her tone beaming and anxious for a night at the dance hall.

The brunette opened the door and let her two friends in, the two girls holding at least two bags each in their hands.

"We're gonna have so much fun tonight! I hear Christie's going to bust a groove too! So I promised her we'd join in with our dance theme!" Xiaoyu said as she put down the bags on the sofa table and clasped her hands together, grinning.

"Capoeira?! I don't know squat of that—" Sarah started but Xiaoyu interrupted her immediately.

"No, no, no babe! Not Capoeira dance moves, our dance theme! You know, the one we rehearsed for that party that never took place, remember? So, I signed us three up and Asuka, Zafina and Lili. Nina will probably be busy guarding Kazama-san, though it would've been cooler if she joined; she sure was amazing at that rehearsal!" Julia was smiling at Xiaoyu's little speech and turned to look at her frowning, pregnant friend.

"Sarah, you know the moves like the back of your hand, stop calculating a possible situation and stop worrying! Come on, this isn't the Sarah I know; we used to have so much fun together!" Sarah finally smiled at her Native American friend, thinking she was probably right. She did worry too much nowadays.

"You're right, we used to kick ass on the dance floor. I miss those days." Sarah put her hands on her hips and looked down, reminiscing the days of them dancing, along with Asuka and Christie. Of how they'd perform on the big and abandoned military stage outside the base, and how sometimes random people had quickly started gathering and cheering them on. She'd give almost anything to have fun like that again.

That military stage got wiped out in the war though... shame.

"I'm so in!" Sarah cheerfully said with a big grin, and gave her friends a thumbs-up.

"Now you're talking, Sass!" Julia excitedly exclaimed as she reached for the articles in her bag.

"Which song have you chosen? I hope you chose our favourite." Sarah asked and walked up to her own bags, from which she hadn't bothered taking her newly bought items when she had returned from her shopping tour. She rummaged through her things quickly.

"'Beautiful liar" of course! Freemasons remix!" Xiaoyu replied with enthusiasm and made a move with her hips and hands.

"Oh, we know how to show off to that beat, don't we girls?" Said Sarah and winked at her friends before resuming her task at hand.

"Darn right we do!" Julia replied and started undressing, her newly bought dress neatly placed on the back of the sofa.

All three girls laughed and talked and dressed up for several minutes, feeling completely up to the challenge of the performance.

"I'm so gonna blow Jin away with my moves!" Xiaoyu said with a rather serious tone, applying her makeup. Julia and Sarah snickered at her adorable remark.

"Yeah you heard me. Tonight is my night. I'll show him alright; I'll show him who Ling Xiaoyu can be. I'm gonna show him that Jin Kazama can be completely fazed by a woman." And after a few seconds of complete silence the three of them burst out laughing at Xiaoyu's serious yet playful mood.

"You naughty girl!" Sarah exclaimed with a grin and elbowed Julia in a playful mood. The latter grinned back and said, "You go girl!" She chuckled wholeheartedly and the Chinese girl grinned mischievously.

"And maybe we can even have Hwoarang join in if he's in a playful mood." Xiaoyu said, and immediately they all recalled the many times they would goof off with Hwoarang in training or in discotheques, and it made them laugh their hearts out at the image of a silly Hwoarang dancing to their theme.

"He would so ace it though! He's pretty good at dancing!" Sarah exclaimed amidst their laughing, and her friends agreed.

Xiaoyu had decided to keep her hair loose, which reached slightly above shoulder-length; part of her hair and her bangs were gathered up high, with the help of some good old hair spray, in a flower-like fashion. Julia had gathered all her up in a bold and messy bunch, colourful and tiny hair clips holding it up. Sarah decided she wanted some volume to her elbow-length hair, and had worn braids ever since her shower before breakfast the same day. She had now set her wavy hair loose, parting it to the side and spraying it in place. A golden-coloured hair clip loosely held a small bunch of hair on the non-parted side, as to give the hairstyle a little lift and glamour.

When they were all set with bold beauty, they walked out and made their way to the big party held in the huge main hall near the big stage. The place was already quite crowded as they made their way past cheerful, dancing and chatty people.

The hall was like a huge room, almost the size of half a soccer field, the roof of this part of the building made of glass, just like the one at the auditorium.

And once again, Jin hasn't spared any expense! Xiaoyu thought to herself as she looked around.

It was yet another starry night that beautifully mirrored the roof of the dance hall, the many coloured disco lights lighting every corner of the hall, one after the other. The up-beat music was rather loud, currently playing Nadia Ali's song "Pressure", and people had already gone up to the dance floor, moving like they were born to dance. Others were enjoying drinks by the bar and by the many tables that lined the walls and corners, surrounding the dancing area all the way to the bar.

"I love this song! Just makes me wanna dance!" Julia said and busted some moves with a smile.

"Oh, there they are! Let's go talk to the girls!" Julia said as she spotted the others, and took the lead amidst the crowd, Sarah and Xiaoyu following her with excitement.

As they walked among the dancing crowd, Sarah suddenly felt her surroundings move in slow motion, as it had many times before, the sound of her high heels slowly echoing in the loud hall. She felt a strange presence, like someone was watching her, her eyes moving left and right in reflex.

"Where's Christie?" Sarah's mind snapped back to reality at Xiaoyu's loud voice, realising they had already stopped by three of the other girls, Asuka, Lili and Zafina. All three were equally gorgeous for the night and beamed with excitement. Sarah shrugged the uneasy feeling off and smiled at her friends.

"She's talking to the DJ on the stage." Zafina answered with an equally loud voice, trying to be heard above the loud music as she pointed toward the stage behind her. Julia then grinned and nudged Xiaoyu as she nodded in the direction of the bar.

"There's your prince charming! Ready to take his breath away, Xiao?" Jin was seated by the bar next to Steve and Hwoarang, the South Korean redhead seeming to be addressing them on something related to martial arts as he demonstrated different punches while he spoke. Sarah assumed it was all tournament related, as per usual when it came to the boys.

"Oooh yeah!" Xiaoyu said and grinned, and as the girls joined in on the grinning, Christie came down from the stage with a smile on her face.

"Ready to hit the floor, ladies?" She said and put her hands to her hips in a teasing pose; Christie was, as usual, wearing a bold and revealing outfit, though okay enough for moving in.

"Always! Where's Lili, I thought she was joining us?" Sarah said and looked around for the tall, blonde woman.

"She'll be joining us as we begin. She's busy lecturing a soldier." The girls all giggled at that remark even as they felt the adrenaline kick of the upcoming dance.

And just as if on cue, "Beautiful liar" bassed through the huge speakers on the stage, boosting the adrenaline kick through their veins.

I have to let go of my worries and just do it. This is it.

"Let's do this, girls!" Sarah said with a grin and took the lead, the crowd parting to the sides as the girls all walked forward behind Sarah, in the direction of the bar.

People started whistling loudly and exclaiming in awe their amusement at the swift and complex dance moves, many even clapping to the beat as if to cheer on the feel of the whole moment. Men were being glared at by their dates and girlfriends for swooning over the gorgeous women that were dancing to their heart's content in the middle of the dance floor.

The moves were teasing and bold, and all of the girls were moving in perfect harmony, each and every step identical and synchronized.

Jin, Steve and Hwoarang had turned around when people had started clapping, cheering and whistling. And just when they noticed who the dancers were, their jaws nearly dropped at the sight.

"You've got to be kidding me; is that amazing lead dancer Sarah? And the girls?" Hwoarang said with a tone, not believing his eyes. All three men were left baffled and speechless.

"Dang, those women can dance!" Hwoarang exclaimed with a grin, and earned a grin back from Steve at the remark. Jin, however, was so speechless and surprised he remained expressionless, drawn in by his fiancées teasing moves and gorgeous looks; she was as attractive as he'd ever seen her, and he felt a sudden strong desire to be close to her.

Xiaoyu winked at him very briefly but quickly regained her serious and competitive composure, moving her arms and hips, feet and head with the others, now at Julia's lead. Many people were now joining in, trying to mimic their moves, laughing cheerfully and woo-ing at the beat of the dance. Sarah suddenly saw Nina, who was seated next to her son, Steve, grinning as she slowly walked up to the dancing bunch, like the foxy lady she was, taking the lead from Julia who grinned with consent at her joining them.

Louder whistles were heard and soon half the hall joined in on dancing, emphasising the whole moment of moving lights, dancing chicks and encompassing feel, having fun until the exotic and up-beat song came to an end. The girls ended their dance with splendour and provoking poses, earning loud cheering and several rounds of applauses from all around the hall.

The song was immediately replaced by "Rapture", another Nadia Ali song, and the girls laughed and put their hands together in a circle, shouting with glee at their perfect performance.

Many people resumed on dancing to the new song, the earlier adrenaline kick pushing them to the limit of the amazing night. Xiaoyu quickly ran up to her fiancé, the fast and short steps of her high heels echoing but barely heard amidst the loud music. She bumped into Jin and circled her arms around his neck on impact, kissing him deeply and not caring she was doing it so provokingly in public.

"Hello to you too, Xiao." Hwoarang teasingly said and grinned at her bold move on Jin, earning himself a short dismissive wave of Xiaoyu's hand.

"Dance with me." The Chinese girl seductively said to Jin when she broke off their kiss, which earned her a grin from the Zaibatsu owner.

"Come on, onegai? I love this song!" She took Jin's hand in hers and pulled him up to follow her, not a word of objection escaping him. This both surprised and filled her with such joy she thought she would soon burst. The couple stopped a distance away as they danced in through the crowd, thus disappearing from Hwoarang and Steve's line of view, mixing with the rest of the dancing crowd.

"Let's go see the girls, shall we, mate?" Hwoarang said and grinned at his friend, the renowned British boxer, Steve Fox.

"Most certainly, mate." Steve replied, his grin never as mischievous before, and got to his feet as he followed Hwoarang toward the girls, who, except for Xiaoyu and Zafina, were seated at a table some distance away.

"That was so much fun! I could do it all over again!" Asuka exclaimed with joy as she put her hands in the air and let them fall gently on the table. The others smiled and cheered in assent.

"Man, I love this song! I'm getting a drink, anybody want anything?" Sarah said and lightly moved to the song where she was sitting.

"Yeah, the usual for me! Actually make that times four, it's on me! You guys have to try this cocktail. Except, no alcohol for you, Sarah." Asuka winked at her Swedish friend as she finished her sentence, and Sarah merely smiled at her, looking down at her pregnant belly and gently rubbed it.

"Gotcha," Sarah said and chuckled as she started heading for the bar, only to stop in her tracks and look back at the girls.

"Actually, first I need to use the restroom quickly." Sarah said looking pale all of a sudden.

"Sass, you okay?" Julia asked her friend with a worried expression on her face, her hand on Sarah's arm. The moving disco lights and loud chatting amidst the even louder music were making her slightly nauseous all of a sudden. It didn't feel like anything serious though.

"I'm alright, just feeling a bit queasy. I won't be long." Sarah smiled as to comfort her friend with reassurance.

"You sure? Would you like me to come with you?" Sometimes Julia worried about Sarah more than Sarah worried about herself.

"No, it's okay, really. Thanks anyway, Jules. Besides, I don't think you want to leave this table just yet." Sarah motioned with her head toward the crowd, where Hwoarang and Steve could be seen walking up to them. Julia chuckled and smiled at Sarah.

"Okay, don't be long. Call us if there's anything at all. I mean it, anything." Sarah thanked her friend and walked up to the guys, greeting them as she excused herself to go to the restroom, and that she would join them soon.

Hwoarang went on ahead to join the girls while Steve stayed, wanting to make sure she was okay; he could clearly see she wasn't feeling well.

"Sarah, you look really pale. Are you okay?" Steve took another step closer to where she was standing, towering over her even though she was wearing heels, looking dashing as usual. He put his hand to her shoulder and she noticed how close he was, and she blushed. He looked into her eyes, sincere and caring; her nausea was instantly forgotten and she was mesmerised by his presence, how good he looked and how the music was enchanting her very state of mind.

Her heart was racing and she got nervous.

"Sarah?" Her mind snapped back to reality just as she was about to ask him to dance with her, and she inwardly sighed with relief that she hadn't embarrassed herself just then.

"I'm okay, thanks for asking, Steve. Don't worry about me, I just need to freshen up." The Brit didn't look too convinced, but he decided to respect her wishes, and he nodded.

"Alright, but do you need me to walk you out?" She shook her head and smiled at how much he always cared about her well-being.

"No, I can manage. Really. Thanks for the offer though." He smiled back at her and gently rubbed her arm, not moving from his spot until she was out of the dance hall and out of sight, his blue eyes following her all the way.

Jesus, way too many hot guys here tonight.

She chuckled at her thought and semi-grinned to herself.

When she had finally reached the end of the hall, she noticed there was a line of people waiting to go to the women's restrooms.

Can't wait, what to do… oh, I'll use the guys' restrooms at the military base. Closest ones I can think of at the moment.

She hurried out of the double glass doors, the air not too chilly this night, but chilly enough to cool down her cheeks that were still blushing from her encounter with Steve Fox. The gentle breeze that hit her face made her feel much better and she inhaled deeply. Outside the dance hall were an almost equally big crowd dancing, the music here the same as what was being played inside.

The speakers are probably connected to the ones inside; I had no idea it would be lively out here as well. Neat.

As she walked amidst the dancing crowd, turning to her right, she thought she was tripping when suddenly something strong grabbed her wrist and swung her backward and to the side, throwing her to the ground really hard.

For a second she thought someone had bumped into her by mistake whilst dancing, the blow to the hard concrete taking her breath away for a mere second, her back aching as she struggled to regain her sight from the sudden blackness.

The music was suddenly too loud in her ears, people dancing and chatting everywhere, a pounding ache in her head as she turned on her side to try to get up. When her sight came back she noticed one of the heels of her shoes was broken as she felt a height difference when she unsteadily stood up from the ground.

When she looked up, she was immediately hit to the ground again and she screamed with fright. Her head luckily landed on something soft, perhaps on her own purse. The brunette looked up at the attacker on top of her and saw it was someone with a man's build and strength, dressed completely in black; his head and face were covered in a ski mask, sans his green eyes.

She immediately remembered what Lars had once taught her and went for his eyes, trying to poke them in with all her strength, bending her fingers on impact, but the attacker started punching her belly so hard her arms dropped to the sides from the pain as she screamed. Her mind was a hazy mess, her sight blurry with tears and she felt numb, unable to move. Trying her best to blink away the tears, she could barely make out the few people trying to drag the attacker away from on top her.

People's voices seemed to be distant all of a sudden, the music like drums inside her ears, her world yet again seeming to go by in slow motion.

"Oh my God! That's Sarah Amber! Someone get Kazama!" someone shouted, yet barely heard above the loud music.

"Get him off of her!" another one shouted, people now trying to get between her and the attacker.

My baby, please, not my baby.

Sarah wanted yet again to scream from the pain and started coughing large amounts of blood as the attacker kept punching at her. She felt this was the end for her and the baby inside her, her body now completely numb from the pain and continuing blows.

People further away were still dancing to the lively music, having no idea about what was going on; many were slow on reacting to the aid of the people who were calling out to bring Jin Kazama.

Sarah was ready to give up when suddenly a loud blow reverberated and shook the concrete ground next to her, and the punches on her subsided. She heard the crowd loudly awe at what was going on, a big chunk of them backing away and gasping. Sarah's eyes were still blurry from tears, annoying her as she tried to decipher what she was seeing.

Everything was happening so fast, when suddenly like a flash of lightning the attacker seemed to be getting abused himself and knocked to the ground several times. The blows and sounds of cracking bones and electricity frightened Sarah immensely and she couldn't believe her body had yet another amount of adrenaline to kick off in her system. She could barely feel her arms and legs, yet her strong will for survival helped her rise up to her knees as she started hyperventilating. Her arms trembled as she supported her body on her hands and knees, her mouth dripping blood on the ground.

She suddenly felt very cold and the loud music was nauseating her even further, the pain in her stomach unbearable; she dropped to the ground again, not strong enough to stand up. Sarah rolled to lie on her back, her head spinning from weakness. Turning her head around to face the noise, she saw guards running up to the now crippled attacker who was spasming from pain on the ground on his stomach. Someone was cuffing the attacker from behind, probably the man who saved her, the attacker's horribly dismantled arm twisted in an unnatural way as it was being linked to the other in iron cuffs.

But then the storm came without the calm, and Sarah's breath caught in her throat when she saw who her saviour was. It was surreal, like a faraway dream. But she immediately thought she must be in Heaven, the blows surely having killed her without her feeling the touch of Death to realise it.

In spite of her blurry sight and spinning head, there was no mistake about who she was seeing, impossible as it was; infront of her knelt the man she had fallen in love with, for what seemed like ages ago. Her eyes widened and she froze at the sight of the man she had married and made a baby with, the man she had seen die infront of her in a sudden, cruel war months ago.

Lars?

Her tears trailed down her face and to the sides, dripping on the ground she was lying on. Her heart was racing as she felt his warm hand on her cold forehead.

I'm in Heaven... we can finally be together?

She slightly purred at his touch as she closed her eyes, welcoming Heaven's arms around her to take her away, but when his hand moved away from her forehead and the cold air hit her yet again she opened her eyes in shock and stared infront of and around her. She was still on the ground and there were people staring down at her with worried expressions, music still playing loudly. She could barely move from the pain in her body.

He was still infront of her, a concerned look on his handsome face, his beautiful, steel blue eyes staring down at her with warmth. And then suddenly his face came close to hers, his nose an inch away from nudging hers.

This isn't a dream, isn't a—I'm not in Heaven, what is—he is—I'm seeing things—I...

Her mind was in shock with confusion and she started hyperventilating even more upon realising the situation; she was still alive, and Lars Alexandersson, the father of her baby, was right there, in person, flesh and blood.

It's impossible! I'm dreaming, I'm seeing things. What's going on...?

For a second she thought he was going to give her air by a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, but he just as quickly wrapped his arms under hers as he lifted her up and pulled her into his arms. Sitting on his knees, he embraced her gently, stroking her back with gentle strength.

"Easy now, it's okay. You're going to be alright, just breathe slowly," he whispered into her ear, his voice so familiar, so sweet and comforting.

Unless Heaven is a place on Earth...

"In and out, there you go," he said and embraced her slightly tighter. She was suddenly aware of how close they were, his embrace giving her warmth and comfort from the cold, from the trauma and from her aching body, safe from harm. She hyperventilated even more upon hearing his voice, the sweet sound escaping his throat something she had longed for more than anything the past few months, her mind and emotions now on hiatus.

Barely a minute had passed and she suddenly burst out crying uncontrollably, embracing him back with all the strength she had left in her weak body, but feeling like a mangled rag doll from the punches she had endured. Her hyperventilating refused to stop, and was made worse by her crying, her muffled sobs against his strong shoulder loud and interrupted.

I never thought I'd hear your voice again. Never thought I'd feel your warm body so close to mine again.

Never thought I was ever going to feel your heart beating against your chest, so close to mine.

Is it really you? Or have I gone mad...

"It's okay, you're safe now. Just try and breathe, I got you…" he whispered yet again, stroking her hair as he gently rocked her back and forth in his arms.

She didn't understand what was going on; Lars Alexandersson was dead. She had seen him get killed infront of her very own eyes, his corpse lying in the coffin, lifeless and pale blue.

I mourned, I grieved, I made the most beautiful memorial for you; I took every blow, every tear and every heartache.

He embraced her tighter when he noticed how weak and lifeless she looked, shouting at people nearby to give her some room to breathe.

Step by step, I prepared for an impossible life without you, and yet…

She heard him shout 'hurry!' in Japanese at the approaching, medically trained soldiers. Sarah sobbed uncontrollably as Lars got to his feet, carrying her in his arms. He walked a few steps and laid her gently on the stretcher that the soldiers were holding up. He gently struggled for her to release her embrace from him, wanting her to get immediate medical aid.

"It's going to be alright, these men will take care of you." It was still too surreal for her to hear his voice again. She let go of him but quickly took his hand and held it tightly, earning a squeeze back from it as he vaguely smiled; she didn't want to let go and he could see it.

"Take her to Ryuzaki-sensei, be quick," Lars earnestly commanded the soldiers as he forcibly, but not harshly, let go of her tightly grasping hand. He backed away a step and allowed the soldiers to walk away with Sarah on the stretcher.

And yet…

somehow…

You're alive.


A/n: Yay another chapter! What do you think is going on?!

Thank you so much for the reviews! They are all so amazing and much appreciated!

Translations and notes

1 – Watashi o mite! – Look at me!

2 – Ochitsuite! – Relax!

3 – Quote by Martin Luther King Jr.

Songs mentioned/used

Pressure by Nadia Ali

Beautiful Liar by Beyonce & Shakira (Freemasons remix)

Rapture by Nadia Ali