(Author notes: Sorry but this one turned up a little short...good thing is it sets up chapter 13 which promises to be a pretty long one. Warning though this ch gets a little sappy.)
Chapter 12
(Twocannibals are eating a clown, one turns to the other and says: "Dose this taste funny to you?")
5 Days Later
Fox was recovering nicely and was finally released from the hospital, Falco's team had arrived on Corneria but...due to the news that Fox had given up on the military Falco refused to talk to him. Katt seemed to understand just fine, and nobody else seemed to even care...but neither did Fox, his only care was that he was with Krystal and she had at some point forgiven him for his past mistakes...he was right back where he wanted to be with her in his arms and he'd now do anything to keep it that way. The two had decided that they would wait to get a check up on Amila's condition before going to Papetoon...Fox being in the way to do whatever Krystal asked of him decided to stay until the vixen was awake. For some reason Krystal did not go to see her sister at all...Fox figured that this was due to the guilt of being the one that put her there.
000
Fox awoke early in the morning to that silent snore that seemed to always make him smile coming from the beauty that slept next to him. Normally he wouldn't have slept in the same bed, but recent events were pulling the two closer together again and he only really had enough cash for one room as they'd still not been paid for their mission from Wolf. Now that he thought about it he had some things to do today; he had to check on Amila's condition, he had to check on his payment from Wolf, and he had to make preparations for he and Krystal's trip packing all of his things as he had no intention of coming back.
Fox rolled out of bed and stood up wincing back a bit, his stitches were removed but his side was still very sore, "Gotta watch those sudden movements." He said to himself very lightly with a hand on his side, "First thing's first though...I need a shower." He said realizing he'd been wearing his uniform for several days.
He walked over to the hotel room's small closet and took out some fresh clothes, at the time he was only wearing his pants as he didn't care to sleep with a shirt on. He looked back to Krystal who he noticed had begun to shiver...she still wasn't used to his way of life and he liked his environment nice and cold, he reached to the thermostat and turned the a.c off then headed into the bathroom. It wasn't too long after he'd gone into the bathroom that Krystal began to rouse from her sleep. She was a bit surprised that Fox had woken up so early, he was still injured but, she took this as a good sign as this was around the time Fox was used to waking up.
She rolled out of bed and went to the closet to change as she'd taken a shower the previous night, and she really didn't want to walk around in a nightgown all morning...she didn't even really know why she liked them...the flimsy things hardly counted as clothing, hell in the proper light the thing was all but transparent, she knew this because she'd caught Fox staring a number of times before she bothered to ask him what he was gocking at...she hadn't even realized it herself. She dressed herself in a standard dress; a pair of jeans that felt a little tight around her thighs, and a white t-shirt that had a star fox insignia on it's left breast. Since it was so early she decided that she'd cook breakfast while Fox was in the shower, she set on a pot of coffee in the large room's small kitchen...now that she thought about it the room looked more like a small single room apartment than a hotel room; it like the other rooms she'd stayed in before was highly decorated, had a great view of the city from it's glass doored balcony, it even had it's own kitchen and refrigerator with plenty of food.
It wasn't too long before Fox sauntered from the bathroom dressed in a blue tank top, and a pair a dark brown kakies still drying his head off with a towel. After he heard a scream of pain from the kitchen he ran in to find Krystal grasping her right hand.
"Hey are you alright!" He asked in a very worried tone.
She released her hand and Fox began to inspect it, "Yeah I just got distracted and burnt my hand."
Fox turned the stove off and walked her to the sink and turned on the cold water...
"Just keep it under the water while i get some ice."
This was the Fox that she'd always loved...he seemed to drop everything all at once at the slightest sign that she was in any sort of pain or trouble, it was his tender heart to begin with that she'd fallen in love with in the first place though she never would admit that her first attraction to him was entirely physical. He hurried back with a small clear bag full of ice and placed it on the small burn on her palm, his hands were as gentle and soft as silk whenever he touched her, as if she could feel the warmth of his person through them...but when he was fighting he donned such a fierce persona that it often frightened her. After breakfast they sat there for some time, Krystal was still holding her icepack to her hand.
Krystal looked to the clock by the bed and then to Fox, "Don't you have things to do today?"
"Yeah but...they can wait." Fox replied, "I'd really rather stay here with you."
Krystal smiled, "Fox it's only a small burn...it didn't even singe any of my fur." She pointed out.
"It's not because of the burn Krystal..." Fox said looking into her large sapphire eyes, "...I can't stand being separated from you. If something else happens to me or you...we may not be so lucky again."
"Then how about I come with you?" Krystal asked smiling at him.
Fox's only reply was a large smile on his face, they both walked to the room's door where Krystal stopped Fox before he could get it opened. "You forget something?" He asked.
"Mmm-Hmm." She hummed in reply.
Despite saying that, she didn't move from the spot she stood in...rather she took Fox by the shoulders and pulled him into a rather heated kiss, the likes of which she'd never given him before. She even used her tongue...which was something he wasn't even sure she knew about. Over the course of the day the two were not separated for any more than a few minutes at a time...Fox had lost her for three years, and then nearly died...he didn't want to spend another moment away from her but, he knew this time of constant closeness wouldn't last. By late noon they had collected their pay from Wolf...Fox hated to admit it but, he was beginning to see that Wolf was a changed animal. When he looked into Wolf's eyes he didn't see a longing for bloodshed or hatred...but rather they were the eyes of an animal seeking forgiveness for his mislead past, for all the wrong he'd caused, and for all the things he'd done...he for some reason asked Fox about the time they'd be leaving and if Fox and Krystal would meet him at a dinner down the street from the Army base...the two agreed and headed out to their next destination which was the hospital to check on Amila...
000
Fox and Krystal entered the hospital lobby, the place was packed, people were everywhere. Bleeding, screaming, crying...something horrible had happened. Krystal began to get weak in the knees and nearly fell over holding her head before Fox caught her and quickly got her to the elevator where her sudden fit of pain seemed to subside; Fox lay his hand on her back as she slouched over with her hands on her knees trying to catch her breath...
"What's wrong?" Fox asked.
"There...was a...horrible accident...on the highway," She answered, "There's so much suffering in that room...that it overwhelmed my telepathy."
Fox took her hand as she stood and interlocked his fingers with hers, the gesture seemed to calm her quite a bit as she lay her head against his shoulder...
"Thank you Fox..."
"Don't mention it..." He replied telepathically laying his head against hers.
It anything the fact that he was developing the type of telepathy she possessed seemed to draw them closer than they had been in the past altogether Though hers was obviously many times more powerful than his as all he felt in the room was the pressure of a slight headache, while it had completely robbed the vixen of her breath. They were now not even separated by telepathy he could read her mind as she could his. The longer they were together the more it seemed like the boundaries between them seemed to grow smaller and smaller. They walked to Krystal's sister's room hand in hand. It was as they drew close that they both heard Jaxon's voice emanating from the room...
"I assure you that we are in no way trying to hurt you madam...but you have to remain still."
As they both realized who he was talking to Krystal and Fox rushed into the room. The blue vixen was thrashing about with several nurses trying to hold her down. Krystal rushed to her side...
"De...fcoujo jkef vawxkadw Amalia!" She shouted taking her by the arm.
Krystal's double instantly froze, and as she looked into Krystal's eyes her own welled up with tears, "Krystal? Aj ak houcco you?"
The two exchanged no further words but just stared at each other as their tears freely fell, the bedridden sister slowly reached up and pulled Krystal down to her in as tight an embrace as her wounds would allow.
Fox gathered together the nurses and Jaxon, "They need some time alone...everyone clear out." Fox said lightly escorting the group out the door.
"Not you though..." Jaxon said, "...you're needed here. Go to her."
"Who is this?" Fox heard a voice echo through his mind which was at the moment linked with Krystal's.
"Fox McCloud...it's nice to meet a family member of Krystal's that's still alive." He replied as their thoughts were clear to one another.
"I guess you would say we're mates." Krystal's voice said.
"We are?" Fox asked.
"Not bad Krystal...he's handsome for an outsider. Xo xuj u loh0 siko rusbjato uj nocc.."
Krystal's eyes widened at the remark made in their native tongue, "Amila!!"
"Hey hey hey...I'm in here too you know." Fox interrupted,"No Saurian...and what was that last thing she said?"
"Well...it was a compliment you can be sure of that." Krystal said blushing as she looked at him
"What's wrong?" Amila's voice asked. "You don't agree?"
"Of course I do but..." Krystal stopped herself as she noticed Fox was doing something with his communicator. "Fox what are you doing?"
Fox simply hummed to himself as he sat there punching something into his communicator, Krystal then saw some words flash across the small screen, Saurian translation completed...Fox's eyes widened as he saw what the statement Amila had said meant; Xo xuj u lohO siko rusbjato uj nocc...He has a very nice backside as well. His face turned a shade of red that was so far unmatched by anything Krystal had ever seen...
"What's wrong with lover boy?" Amila asked.
"He has a translator on that bracer thing...he just found out what you said."
As Fox finally snapped out of the shock of what was said he tilted his head toward Krystal, "Hers is a lot nicer." He stated out loud causing Krystal's face to turn a shade of red that far surpassed the one he had turned.
This caused Amila to start laughing...hard enough to irritate the wound on her chest... "Owww...Laughing hurts."
"I'm so sorry for what happened..." Krystal said.
"It is alright sister...you saved me from a lifetime of slavery."
"So Fox did they say how long until she makes a full recovery?"
Fox sighed, "Yeah they said with a wound that serious it could take months...mine wasn't nearly as serious and I won't fully recover for some time...though faster than usual thanks to the Nanites."
"Did you learn anything about the one that was controlling me?" Amila asked
"Yes we did...he's the same person responsible for your planet's destruction...as well as the death of my parents."
"What's being done about it?" Amila asked.
"Actually Fox and I...we're leaving soon...we're going to his home world."
Amila looked shocked at the comment, "You aren't going to avenge your families?"
"Look...I've been in more battles than I care to remember...more than you'd care to know." Fox said, "And I'm sad to say that it took me all those years to finally reach one conclusion...fighting is no solution to anything. All it's ever done is led to more fighting, and cost me all the people I've ever loved..." He said taking Krystal's hand and pulling her close to him, "...and I'm not going to let that happen again."
"You're lucky to have him Krystal...not very often do you find someone that'll give up his entire life for you."
"If you'd like I could have you transfered to Papetoon as soon as you're well enough so Krystal can visit you." Fox said.
Amila simply nodded her head...
A doctor walked in and signaled to Fox and Krystal, "I'm very sorry but visiting hours are over. You two will have to come back tomorrow
000
When they returned to the hotel Krystal and Fox gathered up their things...she didn't care for the idea of leaving so soon but, now she knew that Amila would be delivered to Papetoon not long after they left. As she packed her things she looked about something was missing...her finger, the ring was gone. Fox had left the room a short time ago and would be waiting outside by the elevator. She gave up her search figuring she accidentally packed it with the rest of her things...she still found it odd that Fox refused to notice that she'd been wearing it. Once her bags were packed she met Fox by the elevator...who like the gentle fox he was took her bags and boarded the elevator. The whole time they were leaving the hotel Fox couldn't help but notice her unusually emotions his telepathy was picking up...
Fox stopped as they waited for their hover cab to arrive, "Hey. What's wrong? I feel a lot of stress coming from you right nos...you're sad about something too." He said looking at her with caring eyes.
"I-it's nothing Fox...really." She lied putting up a smile that he half believed.
"You're not the only telepath here now...I can feel the same thing you are and quite honestly it's depressing the hell out of me. I'd like to make this feeling go away but..."
Krystal donned a real smile this time and kissed him on the cheek, "I understand Fox...I just think I may have lost something and I won't know until we're on the ship...if it is missing I'll let you know."
"Okay then." Fox said as their cab pulled up the curb.
The driver was a snowy leopard with black spots, Fox loaded their things into the trunk and the two vulpines climbed into the vehicle. Fox could sense that Krystal was still depressed by something but, she was as always blocking him out...she didn't want him to find out about the ring.
It took a total of about twenty minutes to reach the Great Fox in it's hanger, and the two were soon on board unpacking their bags. After Fox was unpacked he moved to the bridge to prepare the launch. He nearly fell down when he got there...
"Tomak? Sarah? Wolf? Jaxon? What are you all doing here?"
"I would deeply appreciate a ride to Katina." Tomak said.
"I heard you were on your way to Papetoon, figured my family and I could hitch a ride to Sauria." Jaxon said picking up his black furred son.
"I'm your engineer...so I'm goin with ya." Sarah said looking up from a clipboard.
Wolf then stood up, "I figured it was about time I visited home...I haven't seen Papetoon in...about 10 years."
Fox laughed, "You were the last person I expected to stick with me through this O'don...Wolf...but if everyone's ready then ROB looks like our first stop is Katina. Get us off this stink'n rock."
