"Warning… Warning… System failure. Initiate emergency protocol."

The metal walls shook violently. A deafening alarm resounded through the chamber, as the lights shattered. The noise was drowned out only by the passenger's screams of terror.

Kill…

The splintered remains of the metal cage littered the floor. Debris was strewn carelessly across the cabin. She stood in the center, collar clattering as it fell.

I will…

The passengers backed away from the woman, cowering beneath her gaze. Her face was twisted into a menacing snarl. Her eyes were filled with rage. The equipment rocked and the walls creaked as the plane descended faster and faster in freefall.

…destroy every last one of you!

The stench of blood hung in the air. Lifeless bodies lay in every corner of the cabin. All was still… except one.

Far East Branch Headquarters - Veteran's Quarters

"Mn…"

A head of dark hair shifted uncomfortably beneath the sheets. The crackling sound of static echoed loudly in the silence of the room. It rose in a steady crescendo, increasing until it reached a steady hum. He turned again, trying in vain to ignore the sound that threatened to tear him from the realm of dreams. After a few more seconds, it ceased, and the room fell silent once more.

Beep.

A familiar pop echoed from across the room. Ichiro heaved a defeated sigh, having lost the battle and now fully awake. The door slid open with a quiet hiss, the light from the hallway briefly illuminating the room before closing again and returning it to darkness.

"…Did you have a bad dream?" He called quietly into the darkness of the room. There was no response, but he knew she was there. No one else could have, or would have, broken into his locked bedroom in the middle of the night. He shuffled towards the wall as he heard a pair of feet padding softly across the room. Within moments, the mattress shifted with additional weight as the young woman crawled into the bed. Silence returned to the room, the only sound the ticking of the clock on the wall.

He flinched slightly as a smalll hand snaked around his midsection, and the feeling of her body pressing against his own sent a shiver down his spine. When she moved no further, his muscles relaxed and his breathing slowed. The two laid silently together in the warmth of his bed. After a few minutes, he began to wonder if she had fallen back to sleep… until a sound voice broke the silent of the room. A voice that, over the years, had become so unfamiliar to him that its ring made his hair stand on end.

"… I was on a plane."

"…Hm?"

This was new. Reaper often told him of her dreams. He was her confidant; her place of security and comfort. He had heard her stories of many things, often involving experimentation and billowing white coats. But this was the first time that she had mentioned a plane… and it captured his interest.

"Tell me about it." Ichiro shifted, placing his weight on his arm and lifting his body. Reaper loosened her grip in response to allow him passage. He turned, rolling over to face her. When he laid back down, she wrapped her arms gently around him again, her forehead resting against his shoulder. Her legs curled around his own as she melted against him.

"There were people, but… all of them were dead. I remember there was blood. There was… so much blood. I could see their twisted bodies… their shattered remains... I could smell the blood, Ichiro… I could taste it."

A gentle hand stroked her hair, letting the violet locks slide between his fingers. He listened intently, his lips curling into a small frown. Her voice was wavering, and her shoulders shook as she held choked sobs. She had always had a vivid imagination, but the details of this particular dream disturbed him. The crash had most certainly been a traumatic event for her. Perhaps her vivid dreams were her way of processing the experience.

"But then… there was a man."

"A man?"

"Yes. Somehow… somehow, he was still alive. We were the only ones left and… he was so afraid."

Reaper's voice broke as her mask finally fell. She allowed the tears to fall freely and her shoulders trembled. Her body pressed even harder against him as he pulled her into a tight embrace. His chin rested against the top of her head.

It had always been like this. For as long as he could remember, she had always sneaked into his room, often in the dead of night. And he had always held her gently in arms, consoling her until fell asleep. Ichiro didn't mind that she came to him. As far as he knew, she had no one else growing up. He could vaguely remember she had mentioned a pen pal… but he was far out of reach. He couldn't give her the comfort of someone's touch. He couldn't hold her when she was afraid or wipe away her tears.

Eventually, her vibrations weakened and her sobs faded away into quiet whimpers. Her ragged breaths steadied as she drifted into a restful state of calm. Carefully, his hand drifted from her frame. It snaked its way under the pillow, his fingers wrapping around the hidden recorder. His lips pressed gently against her hair as his finger hit the Play button. As the familiar melody hummed through the pillow, her breathing began to slow. He felt her warm breath as she sighed against his chest. His fingers slowly ran along the length of her hair and down the back of her neck, her body shivering when his fingers brushed against the edge of her scarf. He could see her consciousness slipping away from her as the music came to an end.

"Don't worry, Reaper… I will always be here. Get some rest now."

At the sound of her name, her tearful eyes lost their light once more and returned to their lifeless state. Her eyelids slid closed and she obeyed his command… and within moments, she returned to sleep. Alone in the darkness of the room, Ichiro's eyes remained fixated on her sleeping form. How long he wondered could she remain like this? How much time did he have left? Were it up to him, this feeling would never end.

But nothing lasts forever.