To the Darkest of Nights We Go

~Dystopian AU ~

Chapter 26

Written By: RinoaDestiny

King of Fighters, Chizuru Kagura, Kyo Kusanagi, Iori Yagami, Terry Bogard, Andy Bogard, Mai Shiranui, Blue Mary, Rock Howard, and Joe Higashi all belong to SNK

Comments: My hiatus is over. Let's get this show back on the road, shall we?

Mary was in the weapons room, dismantling and going through the careful steps of cleaning her pistol. While it was something Rock had seen her do often, she seemed preoccupied tonight even as her hands went through the motions. She hadn't seen or heard them enter, which meant her mind was either focused on the task at hand or it was somewhere else. Knowing Mary and her constant reminders about gun safety at all times, Rock decided it wasn't because she allowed her mind to wander.

No. This concentration was probably a distraction away from another matter entirely.

Before he could knock lightly on the door frame to get her attention – startling Mary wasn't wise – Terry took a step forward. "Mary. You doing okay there, babe?"

The blonde woman turned, a sliver of surprise showing in her eyes. The slide was in the hand facing them, while a rag was in the other. There was the distinct smell of oil in the air – it reminded Rock of WD-40 back home in Southtown – and it would've permeated the room, if not for the tiny window cracked open above Mary to ventilate the space. Upon seeing them – seeing Terry – her expression softened. She would've placed the slide and rag down, but Terry crossed the space first between them and embraced her.

Rock saw her arms fold around him, hands meeting at the back of Terry's neck. His dad didn't seem to mind the smell of cleanser fluid, it seemed. He stood close enough to hear Mary murmur, voice soft. "You doing okay, 'hon?"

"I'm trying."

"You know this isn't going to…"

"I know."

It was intimate, even with him being here and Rock shuffled his feet, unsure if they wanted him around. Where was Joe? It stood to reason that Mary would find comfort in the familiar – among their tiny cache of weapons and the not-so-unpleasant smell of oiled rags and cold steel – but there were only a few places where Joe could be. It wasn't the supply room (that was empty) and it couldn't be the comms room (he couldn't see Joe returning there). So where would the other man be?

"Rock, you doing okay, since we're asking?"

Mary addressing him directly. He stepped over, meeting both their gazes.

"I guess. It's…I mean…we're just waiting for it, right?"

"We are." Sympathy in her gaze. He saw it flick over to Dad for a brief second. "You know it's going to get worse by tomorrow." Rock wasn't sure if that was meant for him or for Terry. Maybe it was for them both.

"How much longer?"

"Two days or three. It's hard to tell. You sure you want to see him like that, Terry?"

"He's my brother. I'm not leaving his side."

"And Mai?"

Rock knew she must be suffering badly, watching Andy deteriorate. If Dad wasn't able to stop the infection from taking its course, then Mai wouldn't be able to do anything, either. Observing was the worst, especially when it left them helpless.

"She's not leaving him, either. You know this, Mary. Why are you –"

"Because I'm concerned for you both. It's going to…will you be able to…"

"I can't just leave him, can I?"

"No, and I understand that, 'hon. But it's going to be hard for you to watch. Mai's…how's she doing?"

"She's with Andy now. You can't separate them." Terry sighed, running a hand through his hair. Rock thought he looked tired. "Andy's feeling it by degrees."

"Oh no."

"Yeah. Just like how you said. Mary…when it gets really bad, will you –"

"You don't have to ask. I'll be there."

"Love you, you know?"

"Always, Terry. Rock," Mary said, focusing back on him. "What will you do?"

He looked down at the floor, at his feet, at the minute shuffling he was doing without realizing it. Was he really that uncomfortable? He looked back up, since replying to Mary and Terry while keeping his eyes down felt odd. "Um…I'll stay with you."

"You will? You don't have to, Rock."

"We're in this together, right? So…"

"You sure, kid? It ain't gonna be pretty."

"I'm sure, Dad."

"At least we'll all be together. You know where Joe is?"

"Not sure. Rock, you wanna check?"

"On it." He'd been pondering about Joe's whereabouts earlier. If he wasn't indoors, then… "I think I know where he might be."

"Outside?"

"Yeah."

Terry gave Mary a glance that spoke volumes. "You think it's getting to him?"

"I'd be worried if it wasn't."

"Rock…"

"Don't worry, Dad. I'll find him." With that, Rock was out. Perhaps Joe needed a quiet space to think but he just wanted to make sure the other man was okay.

Joe Higashi was indeed outside. Rock discovered him towards the back, staring out into the ruined city. Evening was incoming, the clouds changing colors as the sun started to set, and while it wasn't safe to linger outdoors for too long, there was solitude here. He leaned against the wall to the other man's right, crossed his arms, and gazed out at the slanted buildings in the distance which were all colored orange, yellow, or a dusky pink as the sun wheeled further down towards the horizon.

There was a gentle breeze. The night was going to be mild.

After a few minutes, Joe glanced at him. "Hey. You out here, too?"

"They…we're worried about you. So –"

"So you came looking. How'd you figure I was here?"

"Well, you wouldn't be back in the comms room. The supply room was empty. Mary was in the weapons room…"

"And we know where your dad, Andy and Mai are."

"Yeah."

"Just needed to get outside, ya know? Clear my head before it all goes down."

"Joe?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"You gonna be there? When Andy…"

"Yeah. It'll be easier if we're all there. Support and all."

Rock uncrossed his arms and tucked his hands inside his pockets. It was peaceful out here. He saw why Joe preferred this to being stuck inside. "Do you think we'll…"

"Be all right? Afterwards?"

Rock nodded.

"Your dad's an optimist but this's brutal, kid. We have to be there for him and Mai, after. Not that I think…" The Muay Thai champ shifted his weight against the wall, moving his heel back. "If they don't survive this one…we're –"

"We're in trouble, then?"

"We haven't lost anyone until…yeah. Rocking the boat, ya know?"

"I wish…I wish we made it back home. Before martial law."

"Don't we all, kid? But we're here. Probably would've been the same back home. O.R.O.C.H.I. isn't just targeting Japan, after all. Southtown's going through this as well, so we wouldn't have avoided it. Would've just fought on home turf."

"I know."

Joe looked at him. Sighed. Rock heard a lot of that today. "Are you heading back in, kid?"

"Are you?"

"Maybe. It's just nice out here. We go back…"

"Yeah."

Another sigh. "Not like we can avoid it, right? Come on, let's go."

Rock gave the darkening landscape another glance, sweeping his sight from left to right – the clouds glowing on the edges and the buildings shades of blue – and pushed off the wall. "Okay." He followed Joe in, knowing what tomorrow would bring.

Was he ready for it? He wasn't.

Were they? Probably not.

But it was going to happen anyway. There was no escape from this.