A Different Fate

by Musal

What if Train didn't know Creed killed Saya? What if he believed it was Chronos? What if Train helped Creed create the Apostles to get revenge on Chronos? What happens when Train learns the truth? CxT

48. Journey Home

Disclaimer: I do not own Black Cat or its characters.

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Creed groaned painfully as he slid down to the ground and settled himself against a tree. Aliane helped the silverette lower his body as Creed adjusted Train in his arms. He sighed and shut his eyes as he rested his head against the bark, attempting to catch his breath before they continued their arduous journey home.

I still have no idea where we are. Did Doctor pick that field out on purpose so it would be hard to find us? Or because it's so out of the way no one would witness the fight? Or was it randomly chosen by Train?

Creed assumed Doctor must have chosen the location for the battle he was forced to have with his beloved since it didn't seem like Train had much say in anything due to Chronos' drug. His Kitten was still sleeping in his arms and as strong and motivated as the silver man was to get Train home, he needed to rest for at least a minute. Based on the setting of the sun and slow rise of the moon, Creed was able to work out they had been traveling for about three hours, maybe four hours, but he wasn't sure how far they had gotten.

I'm moving far slower than usual so I don't think he could have traveled more than five miles. Six at the most which feels like no distance at all between us and Doctor.

Normally in three to four hours, Creed could easily quadruple that pace, even if he was moving slow. But, with the injuries he had endured along with carrying his love's limp body, he was walking slower than a snail's pace. In fact, he was starting to grow envious of snails and turtles. Or at least that's how it felt to him. Aliane pointed out several times that they were still moving relatively fast all things considered, and since she was making sure they stayed invisible the entire time, the younger girl was confident they weren't going to be caught.

Creed opened his eyes and looked at the girl who was still holding on to his arm. "Aren't you tired?"

Aliane blinked at him. "You're asking if I'm tired? You just walked who knows how many miles with bullets in your arms and legs!"

I knew Creed was tough, but this is another level! I'm struggling to maintain my invisibility and he's lugged another fully grown man on legs he could barely use a few hours ago. Just who the hell is Creed Diskenth? Is he even human?!

Creed nodded, then grimaced slightly at the pain his body was still enduring. "Yes, I am asking if you're tired. Didn't you say it was hard to maintain your state for longer than an hour? Especially since you're transferring your abilities to two other people."

Aliane sighed and rested her head against the tree next to Creed. "Yeah, I'm exhausted, but I figured that's nothing compared to how you must be feeling. Besides, I'm motivated. The idea of getting caught but that madman has been better than any training sessions."

Creed smirked. "How about you deactivate it while we rest for a minute?"

Aliane sat up a little and gave him a strange look. "Are you sure?"

Creed looked around quickly, adjusting Train in his arm as if that would protect him from any approaching enemies. "Yes, I'm sure. I don't intend to stay here long. I just needed time to sit and get these damn bullets out of me."

Aliane stared at the man for a few more seconds, then finally decided to let go of the swordsman arm. As soon as she did, she let out a long, deep, relieving sigh, almost as if she had been holding her breath for the last several hours. As she watched Creed, she noticed he was moving Train in his arms so the cat was leaning against his lesser injured shoulder and spread his legs a little so the rest of the gunman was resting against his chest and stomach. He then activated his Imagine Blade and adjusted what she assumed was the tip of the invisible blade to point towards his leg and remove the first bullet.

Creed took a deep breath and bit his lip, readying himself for the pain that was going to accompany removing his beloved's bullets. He had removed bullets from body before, so he was used to the pain, but he knew with how tired he was, it was going to be worse. Just as he was about to dive the blade into his injured legs, Aliane reached over and grabbed his wrist to stop him.

Creed blinked at her in confusion. "What are you doing? I need to get the bullets out before the wounds get infected. It'll also speed up the process of the Tao's healing."

Aliane nodded in understanding. "I know. But I can remove them for you with my Tao. It might be more efficient and slightly less painful."

Creed blinked at her again. "What?"

Aliane sighed and turned her hand invisible. "I can phase through people, remember?"

Creed watched her hand disappear and frowned. "Do you have the strength to do that right now?"

Aliane shrugged her shoulders. "Guess we're about to find out."

Creed felt a little uneasy at the slight waviness of her voice. "What will happen if you can't maintain your abilities while you're phasing through me?"

Aliane smirked at him. "What do you think will happen?"

Creed felt himself shiver, knowing he may end up with the woman's hand trapped in his leg and questioned what they were about to do. However, he knew his hands were shaking and his arms were weak, so he knew he wasn't going to be able to do a competent job of it.

At least her hands seem steady. I might slice my leg off if I'm not careful. Or hit a major artery and bleed to death before the Tao can fix me. It looks like Train missed all my vital points, but I don't think I'll be able to with the state I'm in. It's probably better to let her do it.

Creed sighed, then nodded, moving his lover over to give the woman more room to work. "Alright, let's just get this over with so we can keep moving."

Aliane frowned, then took a deep breath and dipped her hand into the silver man's leg. "You won't be able to feel my hand, but you will feel the bullet coming out. I'll try to be as gentle as possible, but you should have something ready to stop the bleeding."

Creed nodded in understanding, then ripped off the bottom part of his shirt that was not dirty. He leaned his head forward and rested it against his beloved's, taking in deep breath as he concentrated on Train's breath brushing gently against his cheek. He tried to use the presence of his Kitten to distract from the further pain he was about to be in.

"Do it."

Aliane nodded, slipping her hand inside the man's leg, and dug around for the first bullet. She used her Eyesight to see through the man's legs to make it easier to find the bullets. She hoped that would decrease the time she was rooting around inside the man and therefore lessen the pain he'd be in. The first bullet looked like it was around two inches into his thigh, so he went for that first. She pinched her fingers around it, then pulled it out slowly and carefully. Aliane heard Creed groan in pain, but his leg did not move an inch. The silver man took in shallow breaths as she waited for him to give her the go ahead for the next one. Once she saw him nod his head, she went for the next one that was a little higher up and only an inch it, repeating her same gentle motions there.

"How many are there?" Creed asked through gritted teeth, but he did not look away from his partner. He needed Train's existence to help him bear the pain.

Aliane pulled out the next bullet and threw it as far away from them as possible, then scanned the swordsman's body with her Eyesight. "It looks like there are a few clean holes which means the bullet went straight through, so from what I can tell it looks like there's only three more."

Creed chuckled and kissed his love. "Oh, is that all?"

Aliane rolled her eyes. "Considering the amount of bullets he shot at you, I'd say that's pretty good."

Creed sighed and snuggled his face into Train's, too entranced by his beloved to feel the next bullet removed as he kissed his Kitten again. "He was doing his best not to aim for me. And when he did hit, he missed all my major arteries and vital organs which I'm certain was on purpose. He was doing his best to fight the orders the whole time…."

Aliane smiled. "He's a strong man. I can't believe he could still fight the urge to kill with how much he's been through. Anyone else would have died just from the torture."

Creed shivered as she removed another bullet, but he knew it wasn't from the pain of her gesture. "Let's not talk about what he's been through or what might have happened to him… He's safe now and thinking about anything other than that will distract me from our journey home."

Creed sighed and ran his fingers through his beloved's hair, overjoyed that he could feel Train's beautiful chocolate locks dance between his fingers once more. It had been far too long since he had held Train in his arms and he was going to take advantage of every moment they had been blessed with. Even if his cat woke up and tried to kill him again, it would be worth it to hold Train again. He would have endured anything to hold his beloved in a tender embrace for the rest of eternity.

Is it too much to ask that he wakes up and is completely normal? I know Sephiria said the drug would work for the first dose, but does that mean he'll wake up and at least somewhat back to his old self?

As Aliane removed the last bullet, Creed pulled Train closer to his chest, brushing his love's hair aside to stare at his cat's peaceful face in hopes that would give him the strength to keep moving. He sighed and kissed his cat's forehead, his heart fluttering a little when he heard Train whisper his name and snuggle closer to him. His Kitten smiled slightly as he took a breath in and Creed was certain that was because Train wanted his nostrils to fill with the swordsman's scent. To remind his sleeping self that his lover was really there.

He jumped a little as Aliane took the ripped cloth from his hand and pressed it down on his bleeding leg. "You weren't ready with it like you said you would be. You're lucky it didn't hit any vital organs either or you'd be bleeding profusely right now."

Creed sighed, then nodded, watching as the girl began ripping her own clothing to hand to the silver man. As she wrapped him up, his ears perked when he heard something in the distance. "Can you hear the water coming from behind us?"

Aliane tightened her makeshift bandages around Creed's wounds then raised her head to try and hear what he was talking about. "I do. It sounds close. Want me to check it out?"

Creed nodded, then glanced at the wound in his shoulders. "The ice daggers Train threw at me already melted and luckily cleaned those wounds in the process, but I need something to clean the rest of them. The Tao can heal me, but it can't stop infections from forming."

They also stopped bleeding a while ago and my Tao has already started to heal them along with the burn marks and scratches.

Smaller wounds like cuts, scraps, and burn marks were quick and easy for the Tao to heal and Creed knew that now that the bullets were out, those wounds would begin to seal up as well. There were no broken bones which took the Tao a while to heal, so he knew as long as they could find a place to rest, he'd be fine in a few hours, a full night at the most. With his fully leveled up Tao, the healing factor worked faster than it used to back when he and Train ran the Apostles. That didn't change that he needed to get a better form of first aid than some ripped clothes and water to clean himself.

I thought Train threw the daggers at me pretty hard, but they aren't as deep as I thought they would be. He managed to avoid all my vital points with each of attacks and I know he did that on purpose. And at his own cost, too.

Before the woman walked away, Creed grabbed her wrist to stop her. "Get some water for Train as well. I want to wash him off."

Aliane rolled her eyes, but snickered. "Of course you would. I'll try to get enough for both of you."

Creed nodded at her, then went back to his earlier thoughts of Train's condition during their battle. He smiled sadly down at his love and kissed his lips lightly. "You made sure not to cause too much damage to me and ended up hurting yourself in the process. But, it's okay. I'm here now, and I'll take care of you."

Creed kissed Train again, then scanned his beloved's body just to make sure he didn't have any injuries and sighed in relief when he saw none. Even though Creed didn't lay a finger on him during their fight, it still looked like Train was being torn apart from his Tao. He was sure that was going to be the only moment he was grateful Train's body had been pumped full of Nanomachines. They, along with the Tao, were the only reason his love wasn't injured or worse. However, that didn't change the fact that he was sure Train wouldn't want them inside of his body once he came to.

We need to find a place to stay tonight before that happens. At this rate, I don't think we'll be able to get home before the night's over. I don't even know where we are.

He felt Train shiver a little and pulled his lover closer, burying his face between his love's neck and shoulder, kissing his smooth skin gently until he felt his Kitten no longer shaking. When Creed heard his beloved purring quietly and cuddling closer to his body, he pulled away slightly, but not enough that his lips weren't still caressing Train's neck.

"Don't worry, Kitten. When we get home, Eve said she can remove the Nanomachines. We'll get you back to normal in no time."

Creed sighed and kissed his love's neck again, feeling his heart quiver merrily when he heard Train mumble his name again. As he snuggled against his love, Creed's eyes widened at the thought of the bio-girl.

Shit! I need to call for help! How the hell could I forget to do that?! Guess I'm more exhausted than I realized.

He had been concentrating too much on getting as far away from Doctor and their battle ground as possible to remember to call Sephiria or any of his sweeper friends. Since he was waiting for Aliane to get back with water anyway, that was the best moment to reach out to someone. Creed wrapped one of his arms around his beloved and began patting himself down to find his phone. In all the chaos, he couldn't remember where he put it, but he was positive it was on his person somewhere. He made sure he had it when he left their hideout.

It would have been foolish to leave without it. I'm positive I brought it with me. Where the hell is it?

As he patted himself down, he began to panic, wondering if he somehow dropped it during the battle. He was doing a lot of flips and jumps, so he wouldn't have been surprised if he did. When he tapped his back pocket, he felt his heart freeze. Creed moved his lower body up slightly so he could reach into his pocket and growled in annoyance at the crumbled glass he felt poke his fingers. He pulled out his phone, frowned at the cracked screen, and tried to turn it on despite that.

You've got to be fucking kidding me…

Creed snarled at the broken device, trying whatever tech tricks he knew to get it to turn on, then flipped it over and noticed the back was crushed as well. When he looked closely, he could see his sim card had been destroyed, which meant even if they somehow miraculously got to a store where he could buy a new phone, he wouldn't have any of his contacts.

And even with how much my memory has improved, I don't think I remember anyone's number except for Train's. And I'm positive he doesn't have his phone.

Frustrated, he threw his useless phone on the ground and clung to his cat again. When he pulled Train against his chest, he felt the music box jostle in his pocket and chuckled against his cat's ear. "Saya really must be watching out for us, Kitten. She made sure to keep your birthday present safe."

What's the deal, Saya? Was it between my phone and the music box and you chose to protect the music box? Really?

Creed sighed cordially when he heard Train mumble his name again and press his face against the silver man's chest. He kissed the top of his beloved's head and nuzzled his face closer to Train's. "I guess considering that's what allowed me to hold you again… I can't be too mad. We'll find a way home. No matter what. Knowing Sephiria, she's probably already sent a squad after us."

However, I can't help but laugh a little at the irony that the music box breaks almost all the time, yet somehow managed to survive that fight. Saya really wanted to make sure she could reach out to him.

Creed smiled at the adorableness of his beloved, kissing him again before looking up at the sky. "Thank you, Saya… I can't believe I've fallen into even deeper debt with you. And I promise both you and Train, no one will ever hurt him again." He nuzzled Train's face, kissing his nose and laughing lightly at his love's twitch and smile. "I will get him home safe, my love."

Or Sephiria will somehow find us. If Train were awake, he might be able to flash us home, but I'm not even sure of that. He might be too weak or too disoriented to use his Tao.

The swordsman smiled at the collar that was around his love's neck. He wasn't sure how he had managed to keep the gift from Lin, but he was happy to see it. It meant a lot to Number X and it meant a lot Train, so Creed was relieved the Apostles didn't take that from him as well.

They probably didn't think about it. From what Aliane told me, his neck was covered up for the most part, so Doctor probably didn't even notice it.

Creed's ears perked when he heard Aliane step up behind him. He played with the bell on his love's collar, not taking his eyes off Train as he spoke to the woman. "You don't by chance have a phone on you, do you?"

Aliane frowned as handed him a piece of wet fabric for Train, then knelt down and began lightly dabbing the silver man's wounds. "No. Why?"

Creed sighed and gestured to his phone with his hand, then began cleaning the dirt off his beloved's beautiful face. "Because mine is trash now. Second phone in a few months. And I thought Train was irresponsible. Why don't you have a phone?"

Aliane sighed and shrugged her shoulders, making sure to clean as much of Creed's wounds as he could. "I didn't have it on me when I left the Apostles layer because I didn't want them to use it to track me."

Creed nodded, then kissed his love's forehead again as he cleaned off his neck. "Smart. Guess I can't fault you for that."

He hissed when Aliane rubbed a little at one of his wounds. The girl frowned and tried to be more gentle. "Sorry, I just want to make sure you don't get infected." As she scanned the man's injured body, he couldn't help but admire his pain tolerance. "I feel like you should be worse off. Even with the Tao healing you, you could barely walk at first. Not to mention it looked like you lost a lot of blood."

Creed chuckled and brushed his lips against Train's cheek, making sure to cherish every moment he had with his Kitten, then began cleaning off his hands. "Train avoided all my vital points and even though it looked like I lost a lot of blood, it was mostly from shallow cuts and bullet wounds."

Aliane blinked in shock. "He purposefully avoided killing you? It certainly looked like he was trying."

Creed shook his head and breathed in his Kitten. "Trust me, if Train wanted me dead, I would be dead. He was in more control than you realize."

Aliane looked at Train and smiled a little.

I know I've been inwardly singing Creed's praises, but Train is amazing as well. I can't believe he was able to control himself even after everything he's been through. Then again, I guess I always knew Train was from another world. Both these men are horrifyingly, yet remarkably strong. And it's not just their bodies. The tenacity and preservation of their hearts and minds are… mystifying. No wonder the Apostles wanted to control Train and kill Creed.

"He's really an incredible man." Those were the only words she was able to use to describe the man in Creed's arms.

Creed nodded and kissed his love again and again, relishing the way Train's warm skin tickled his lips with each of his pecks. He pulled back and rubbed at some dirt that caked on his Kitten's forehead. "Yes, he is."

Aliane smiled warmly at the scene of Creed reuniting with his partner. Even though Train was asleep, she could see the peaceful smile on his face and saw his lips whisper Creed's name over and over again, letting Aliane know that she had done the right thing by tracking the silver man down.

Despite all the drugs in his system, despite all the pain that Train has been in for the last nine days, despite the fact that he looks like he's out cold right now, he somehow still knows Creed is with him. Man, I really hope he wakes up and is just back to normal, but I doubt it.

She felt her heart get warm when she saw Creed rest his forehead against Train's now clean one, overjoyed she was able to give the men their partnership and happiness back.

They really love each other. Like a crazy, sickenly, adorable amount. It's always been obvious how much Creed loves Train, but I can also see the love in Train's face even though he's sleeping.

Aliane pulled her legs up to her chest, resting her cheek on her knees as she watched Creed cuddle his lover. "Are you telling me you're not in any pain?"

Creed laughed at her, but did not pull his head away from his Kitten. He thought Train was as clean as he could get for now, so now he wanted to bask in the warmth of his beloved. "Oh, it hurts a lot! Don't let my sweet facade fool you. I'm in a lot of pain right now, but I have a high tolerance for it. I'm used to it. We both are." He kissed his beloved again and smiled warmly. "The only reason I have a smile on my face is because I'm reunited with my beloved. He's the only thing that's making the pain bearable."

I can bear anything as long as I have Train.

Despite her sympathetic smile, she still voiced her skepticism. "I guess I'm just surprised. I knew you were both beyond human, but seeing you still able to be so coherent after that battle is just… miraculous to me."

Creed smiled warmly at his Kitten and nuzzled his face closer. "I appreciate your admiration, but I'm not as amazing as you think. I actually think my body would have gone into shock if it wasn't for my pure force of will to get Train to safety. Even now, I'm only able to fight the pain because I'm holding Train. Despite the fact that he made sure to avoid any vital points, getting shot and stabbed still hurts. No matter who you are."

The only thing that's going to get me through tonight is my love for Train. But, even the strength of my love for my Kitten won't heal these wounds. I need time, rest, and the Tao. And a little TLC from my beloved if he wakes up won't hurt either.

Aliane sighed and looked up at the sky. "That battle did seem really brutal. I'm shocked you're conscious let alone able to have a conversation."

Creed kissed Train's shoulder, then his neck, then his cheek, then he responded to the woman's statement. "Like I said, I think I would have gone into shock if I didn't fight through it. However, I know Train could have hurt me a lot worse."

Maybe I'm also able to keep going because I'm trying to downplay the damage in my own mind so I don't have to think about my love trying to kill me. Even if he wasn't himself, it hurt to see such anger in eyes directed at me.

The last time Creed had seen Train point that looked at him was when he found out what he did to Saya. The only thing that made his beloved's deadly look bearable was the fact that he knew Train didn't recognize him. Creed didn't know what Doctor did to him to make his lover forget who he was, but whatever it was, it worked.

Doctor said he replaced the image of me with someone else in Train's mind, didn't he?

Creed frowned slightly at his beloved as he kissed him on the cheek.

I wonder who it was…?

The silver man sighed and ran his fingers through Train's hair again, leaning forward to breathe in his love. He tried to block out the fight he just had with his cat and replace it with the sight of Train sleeping peacefully in his arms. Creed could tell his partner was no longer in pain, and other than having Train by his side again, that was what mattered to him.

However, I can't help but obsess over how Train was worse than he had ever been… Worse than I had ever been. How much did they pump into him?

"We need to get him home so Chronos' doctors can look at him." Creed continued running his hands and lips along every part of Train's body, his heart fluttering at each little happy sound his unconscious love made, elated that his beloved knew he was there despite everything.

Aliane blinked at him, ignoring the open display of affections he was giving Train. She knew how much Creed missed the cat and she believed the silver man deserved every kiss he gave his lover. "Why does Chronos' doctor need to look at him? He doesn't appear to be injured at all. The Nanomachines healed him."

Creed's smile never left his lips as he ran his fingers along Train's jawline. "Because they'll be able to figure out how much of that drug they put in his system by drawing some of his blood. Once they know that, they'll know how much of the counter drug we can give him."

Aliane frowned in confusion as she watched Creed kiss every inch of Train's face. "I know how much of the drug they gave him. Can't I just tell them? Doctor took enough of his blood…"

I really don't want them to take more of Train's blood…

Creed sighed sadly, then smiled blissfully as Train subconsciously nuzzled his head into the swordsman's hand. "I know… But I'm pretty sure they need an exact amount which they can only get from his blood."

Aliane was quiet as Creed caressed Train's cheek, then voiced a concern she had about that. "I'm… not sure how Train will react to needles or doctors after everything he's been through. He's… He's probably going to be traumatized from all this."

Creed frowned and rested his forehead against Train's. "I know… I know. He's probably going to have some serious PTSD, but… Train's strong. He's going to make it through this. I believe in him and I will never give up on him."

He'd never give up on me…

Creed kissed Train's lips lightly again and again, speaking his thoughts out loud unknowingly. "I'm going to bring him back to the light. No matter how long it takes, no matter how much it'll hurt to watch him suffer, I won't leave his side for a second. I'll never leave his side ever again. And no matter what, I'll protect him."

I won't let them win. I'll never let him have Train again.

He smiled confidently at his beloved, staring at Train's closed lids and imagining the determined, passionate look in his flawless, golden eyes. "He'll be back to his happy-go-lucky, carefree, wayward cat in no time…"

As Creed snuggled against his cat, he felt Aliane tap his shoulder and he lifted his head slightly to see what she wanted. He frowned at the woman as she handed him the syringe filled with water. "What's this?"

Aliane frowned. "What does it look like? It's water."

Creed eyed the syringe wearily. "...Did you wash it out?"

The woman rolled her eyes. "Of course I did. I wasn't going to make you drink remnants of that drug. Also, before you ask, it's not salt water. I checked, so it's safe to drink."

Creed was hesitant, but knew he and Train needed something after that battle. Of course, Train always came first to Creed, so he opened his beloved's mouth, pressed the opening of it against his lips, then slid it down his throat.

Besides that, if there is anything left inside, it'll only benefit Train to consume it. I want him to get as much of this antidote since I don't know how long it will take for us to get home.

He helped his Kitten swallow it by massaging his throat, emptying the contents completely and handing it back to the woman.

"Can you get more?"

Aliane nodded, not hesitating to take the syringe and run back to the water. She was willing to make a thousand trips if it was going to help the men. She still felt guilty for everything she had put them through, so if literally showering them with water and running around like a chicken with her head cut off to get them what they needed would help even in the slightest, she'd do it. She'd do that and more.

As she ran off, Creed slipped the damp cloth in his pocket since he did not want to leave behind any traces of where they had been. He was pleased to see Aliane was throwing the bullets that were in his legs as far away as possible because that told him she had been thinking the same thing. Creed knew all Doctor had to do was call his beasts and they could probably track them down easily since there was a sick connection between him and his beloved with those creatures. And with them being at their weakest and sitting prone in the middle of nowhere in an unknown wooded area, that was the best time for them to attack.

But, I don't know if Doctor will risk it. As he said before I fought Train, the Apostles didn't know he let my Kitten out to try and kill me. That's why he left them behind: So as not to raise suspicion. That also means he'd have to get back to the hideout on his own, which will take him a while since he has no transportation abilities of his own.

Creed knew he couldn't bet on any of that since there was a high chance that Doctor had a way to call the beasts to him by some other means. Kanzaki had such a strong control over them, Creed wouldn't have been surprised if that was the case.

I don't know what those means could possibly be, but I know I can't risk it. We should probably move when Aliane gets back.

As if the woman heard his thoughts, she stepped up from behind him and handed him the vial filled with water again. Creed took it grateful, then drank it quickly and slipped it back in his pocket. He pulled his arms away slightly from his Kitten to shake them, then slipped one under Train's knees and the other behind his back, preparing himself to carry his lover again.

Before he stood up, he decided to ask Aliane another question. "What did you end up doing with that transceiver Doctor day?"

Aliane smirked. "I smashed it on the ground as soon as I got him as far away from you as possible. I didn't know if it was going to be a normal transceiver, but I didn't want to take any risks. Knowing him, there might have been something sneaky about it."

Creed smirked as he sat up a little with his love in his hands. "Good girl."

Aliane pouted at him. "You know I'm not a kid, right?"

Creed's smirk did not waver as he spoke. "I know. But you're still pretty young."

Aliane sighed and put her hands on her hips. "I'm the same age as you and Train!"

Creed blinked at her. "Really?"

Aliane scowled at him slightly. "Really! Maybe like, one year young at the most, but that doesn't make that much of a difference!"

Creed frowned and looked her up and down. "But… you're so…"

Aliane felt like Creed was beginning to trust her more, so she thought it was safe to harden her scowl lightly. "Small?" Creed gave her a sympathetic look and nodded. She sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Not my fault. Can't help my size. I've always been small, but I'm still an adult capable of adult thoughts."

Creed decided to hide Train a little in his arms, remembering the girl's confession to him earlier. "Should I be concerned leaving him alone with you?"

Aliane sighed and rolled her eyes. "No. Absolutely not. While I do care about Train, my feelings for him could never in a million years ever even come close to what you feel for him. Or what Number X feels for him."

Creed nodded and kissed his beloved again. "Can't say I'd trust Lin alone with him, so it's good to hear you won't act like he does around Train."

I know Lin can't help it. He truly, absolutely, and utterly loves Train. He'd do anything to get him back.

The silver man tucked Train's hair behind his ear and caressed his cheek. "Did you know Lin kissed Train while I was unconscious in the same room as them?"

Aliane blinked. "Wow, really? While you guys were together?" Creed nodded and she frowned. "That's pretty messed up. And you still consider that man a friend?"

Creed shrugged his shoulders and outlined Train's jawline with his index finger. "We're more like frenemies. We've been getting along lately, but that's only because we both want to get Train back. I know that now that he's back, we'll go back to being rivals."

Even though Train is mine, Lin can't help himself. And I guess I couldn't either when our relationship roles with the beautiful cat were reversed.

Creed sensed the judgemental attitude surrounding Aliane and sighed as he smiled down at Train. "Don't be too hard on Lin. I don't want to get into it, but if he could forgive what I did with Train when they were together, then I should be able to forgive him."

Aliane opened her mouth to question the man, then shut it quickly and nodded her head.

Maybe the fact that Creed's able to joke with me means he'll stand up for me when I finally run into Chronos. I doubt it. He's probably just so happy to have Train back, he'll be kind to anyone he runs into. He might even kid around with Charden if he showed up right now.

Aliane knew that no matter how much she helped them get Train home, no matter how much water she brought them, how much she apologized, or used her Tao to protect them, it was never going to make up for what she forced Train to endure. Nothing was ever going to cancel out the fact that she not only betrayed them, but tried to break apart their family.

Is it even worth saying sorry…?

Aliane watched the man cuddle Train against his chest, contemplating if she should try to beg for forgiveness. She even opened her mouth to say the words, but was cut off by Creed's determined, yet tender voice, a tone Aliane figured he couldn't help but take on whenever he was looking at his lover.

"We need to get going. You didn't by chance see anywhere safe we could stay the night while you were getting water, did you?"

Aliane shut her mouth, then tilted her head in confusion. "You don't want to keep trying to get Train home?"

Creed sighed and ran his fingers through Train's hair. "I'd love to do that, but… I don't think I'm physically capable of it. Despite having had a moment to stop and let the Tao do its work, I still need to rest if I'm going to get him home safe. So do you. Besides…" He looked up at the sky, frowning at the moon that had made its full appearance, then looked back down at Train. "It's going to be harder to travel at night. We won't be able to cover as much ground which will give our enemies time to catch up."

Aliane sighed, then nodded in agreement. She eyed the tree Creed was leaning against, then walked towards it. She jumped up and grabbed the lowest branch to pull herself up. "I'll take a look. My Eyesight also lets me see farther than the average person so if there's anything within two-hundred miles, I'll be able to spot it."

Creed blinked at her as she climbed the tree. "Are you just making up your abilities as you go?"

Aliane made an annoyed noise and rolled her eyes as she grabbed the next brench. "No! It just keeps coming to me as the situation calls for it!"

Creed sighed and rested his head against Train's as he watched the girl climb. "Does that mean you've been able to tell if Doctor was following us?"

Aliane nodded even though she knew he couldn't see the gesture. "Yes. That's also how I knew I was able to lose him when I led him away from you guys. I've been checking every so often to make sure he's not following us and I still haven't seen him."

Creed nodded as the girl made it about halfway up the tree, then looked back down at Train. He sighed peacefully as his beloved buried his face into Creed's chest, then kissed the top of his cat's head gently. "It's okay, Train. Doctor doesn't know where we are."

Just because Aliane hasn't seen him doesn't mean he's not on our trail.

Since Creed had no idea where they were when the fight happened, he didn't know how far away they were from the Apostles' hideout. Creed assumed the battle ground was relatively far so the Apostles wouldn't hear them fighting, but again, he didn't want to assume anything when it came to his enemies. The price of running into them was too high since he knew now that Train wasn't in their control, they would kill the Black Cat without hesitation.

I refuse to make any assumptions right now. The cost of doing so is not worth what Train means to me. Nothing is worth what Train means to me.

He heard Aliane land next to him, but did not look at the woman since he never wanted to take his eyes off Train again. "Find anything?"

Aliane nodded and pointed in the direction she saw the closest building. "I saw what looks like an abandoned barn about a mile, maybe a mile and a half that way."

Creed sighed in relief. "Is there a house?"

Aliane frowned and shook her head. "No. It looks like there used to be a house about seventy-five feet away from it, but it's in complete ruins. From what I saw, it's in rubles."

Creed's hope faltered slightly. "But the barn looks okay? How do you know it's abandoned?"

Aliane shrugged her shoulders. "I guess I can't say for sure, but as I said, my Eyesight lets me see further and it didn't look like it had been used in years. Windows were broken, the siding was coming off, and I think I even saw a hole in the roof. I scanned the whole area and I saw no humans or animals which are both things I think you need in order to properly run a barn."

Creed nodded. "I don't think you 'run' a barn. You own it. That being said, that sounds pretty abandoned to me. Let's go. Lead the way."

Aliane helped the man stand and placed her hand on his arm. Before she could turn them invisible again, Creed shook his head. "No, don't worry about that right now. We might need that ability later if the Apostles manage to track us down. I don't want you to wear yourself out."

Aliane nodded and let the man's arm go, then started walking in the direction she saw the barn. "How long do you need for the Tao to fully heal your body?"

Creed groaned and followed her, gritting his teeth through the pain of moving again. "Since my Tao is leveled up so much, it heals me much quicker than it used to. Same with Train, and I assume same with Charden at this point. That's probably why I don't look as 'bad off', as you said earlier. And, based on how I feel now compared to how I felt when we were walking, I'd say I'll be back to normal in a day or two."

Aliane felt her mouth drop a little at that statement, making sure she stayed close to the man as they walked through the woods. "That quickly?! That's insane! And you think Charden is at that level now too?"

Creed nodded. "I do. Have you noticed a change in him?"

Aliane frowned. "Oh… there's definitely been a change. I may have only been back there for nine days, but I definitely see a change. Everyone sees it."

By the tone of her voice, Creed could tell she wasn't talking about his abilities. "What are you talking about?"

Aliane sighed, activating her Eyesight again to make sure they were still going in the right direction. "He's… not the man I met when I joined the Apostles. That was one of the reasons I decided to turn my coat. I joined to take down Chronos because I believe what they're doing to the world is wrong and I thought Charden was going to be the type of man to make that happen in the most effective and efficient way, but lately… I don't even know who he is anymore."

Creed thought about her words, then hesitated with his next question. "...And you said everyone notices it? Even Echidna?"

Aliane furrowed her brow, then spoke her thoughts out loud. "Could that be what's been bothering her?"

Creed finally pried his eyes away from his beloved as he glanced down at the woman. "She's been troubled…? For how long?"

Again, Aliane thought about that, making sure they were still walking on the right path as she spoke. "I can't say for sure since the last meeting we had with them before we-" She paused, not sure if she should openly mention the betrayal, then changed the wording of her sentence. "-Before we returned to headquarters, it seemed like something was bothering her, but we didn't know what and she wouldn't tell us when we asked her."

Creed looked back at Train and held the man tighter in his arms. "But, you could tell there was something wrong?"

Aliane nodded confidently. "Yes. There was definitely something wrong. We all noticed it, even Watts and that man is completely out of touch with his human emotions. So, if he could notice it, then there was definitely something wrong. Charden was not acting like himself during that meeting either and has gotten worse since then, so we assumed it had to do something with him considering how much she cares about him."

Creed felt a very tiny bit of guilt leave him as he slowly began to accept Echidna may not have been distracting him from his beloved that day.

No… That still doesn't make sense. The timing is too perfect. There's no way they weren't somehow connected. Especially with how plan oriented Charden is.

However, Creed also knew he couldn't ignore what Aliane had just told him. If Charden really was slipping over the edge as Echidna implied during their conversation, it was possible the reason a lot of his plans hadn't been working lately was because he wasn't able to think straight. Maybe the only reason his plan to capture Train worked was pure luck. Or because it was something he planned back when he was more reasonable and capable of making good plans.

Even if she did just want to have a conversation about Charden, why would she talk to me about it? Yes, I may understand more than anyone else what it's like watching your lover slip away from you and I also know first hand how much running the Apostles takes a toll on your mental and emotional state, but I'm her enemy. She's not stupid enough to unload her secrets to the enemy. Especially when they're as clever as I am.

Creed adjusted Train in his arms as they walked, praying they'd get to the barn soon so he and his beloved could properly rest. He tried to focus on what Aliane told him and work out what could possibly be on the actress's mind. While he still did not believe her appearance that day wasn't a ploy, the small bit of irritating hope in his heart wanted to cling to the idea and vindicate the guilt he felt at Train's kidnapping being his fault.

I mean… if there is something wrong with Charden and she wanted to talk to someone about it, who else would she have to talk to? She doesn't have any friends or family I know of outside of the Apostles and it would be even more idotic to talk to her members about a problem in their leadership than to talk to her enemies about it.

Creed knew that even with how much the Apostles had grown since he and Train left, there were probably still people who were weary of joining. He found that out during his journey through the underground world with Lin while they were looking for information on Train. They found out that there were a lot of people who wanted to join the Apostles, but did not because they were worried about the leadership falling apart like the last one did. There were also a lot of people who did not want to join without the Black Cat, so it was important for them to keep whoever they had in their ranks and keep growing in numbers.

That's a lot of pressure even for me. My natural charm and Train's legendary assassin status made it easy for us to recruit people, but I can only imagine what Charden has to go through to get people to join. Especially after learning about Train's defection and my breakdown.

The more he thought about it, the more sense it made that Echidna really didn't have anyone to speak to that would not only understand what she and Charden were going through on a personal level, but also not be able to act on their weakness immediately. If she spoke to any of her members about it, chances were the word would spread amongst their ranks and destroy their organization from the inside out. However, if she spoke to her enemy about it and worded it in such a way they didn't truly know what she was talking about, there might be a chance they'd be safe.

We wouldn't be able to take advantage of their weakness right away. It's not like their members would believe us if we told them and it's not like we would have been able to miraculously find them and attack Charden while he's weak. Is it possible she really was just looking for someone to talk to?

Creed's thoughts were interrupted as his Kitten jostled slightly in his arms. The silver man held his breath, his heart beating faster as he hoped against hope that his love would wake up. Not only was he dying to see Train's eyes and hear his voice again, his arms were beginning to go numb with how tired they were from the fight and carrying an adult man.

But what I care about more is knowing he's back to himself. I doubt it will happen that quickly, but I refuse to let go of that hope.

Creed whimpered sadly when Train's eyes did not open, but sighed merrily as his cat snuggled into his chest and clutched at his shirt. Train's face was pressed so close to his body he could feel the other man smile and heard his angelic voice sweetly whisper his name. Creed couldn't stand the cuteness of the man in his arms and wanted nothing more than to pull him towards his face to give him a kiss, but his muscles were too tired to do that. All he could do was concentrate on moving forward and pray they would reach their location soon.

"Can you tell how much further it is?"

Aliane rolled her eyes only because she knew Creed's stare was locked onto Train. "If you could pry your eyes away from your beloved for a second, you'd see it's right in front of us. Honestly, I don't know how you were able to make it that far without tripping on anything."

Creed ignored her sarcastic comment and lifted his head. He sighed in relief and picked up the pace a little, desperate to set Train down somewhere so he could get the feeling back in his arms. He knew the task of fighting Train, surviving without receiving or giving any lethal wounds, and then carrying him for miles to safety was a feat worthy of praise, but he knew that was nothing compared to what he'd do for Train. He'd move mountains and planets just to see Train smile. He'd change the trajectory of the Earth's rotation to see Train's glorious golden eyes and he'd snuff out all the stars in the universe's infinite vastness if his beloved complained they were too bright. He'd do all that and more for his beloved, so enduring bullet, burn, and stab wounds all while carrying his Kitten to freedom was nothing.

Even if someone set me on fire right now and Aliane took complete control of my body it wouldn't be enough. My love for Train can get me through anything and this night has proven that… That doesn't mean I don't need to rest.

As he approached the door he noticed a rusted lock was attached to it. As he was setting Train down to slice it off with his blade, Aliane came up from behind him, slipped her phased hand through it and undid the lock. Creed watched as she pulled it off the door, then pushed the doors open.

Aliane felt the man's eyes on her and she answered his unspoken question. "Even though it's rusted, it still might be useful in case someone tracks us down. If Doctor or anyone else in the Apostles sees there's a broken lock or the door is ajar, they might think we're in here. Best to leave it intact and put it back on the door."

Creed smiled, then nodded his head in agreement as he stepped into the barn. "You're quite the clever girl, aren't you?"

Aliane smiled proudly, ignoring the part of the swordsman's sentence where he called her a girl and followed after him. "That's, I try."

Creed looked around the barn to find a good place to lay his beloved down and also see what was in the room. It definitely looked like it had been discarded years ago. The stalls that once held animals were broken and dilapidated and a few pieces of boards were falling from the roof. There were several empty buckets throughout the area, hay covering the floor with piles of it here and there. A few of the stalls had old blankets thrown over their broken doors which Creed was positive were meant for horses. They looked itchy and unpleasant for human use, but Creed was going to take whatever he could.

He scanned the room to find a place he deemed worthy enough to rest his love's angelic head, positive they wouldn't find food there and even if they did, it would be long spoiled. He wasn't sure if there was electricity running through the walls, but that didn't matter since he could use his own body heat and the tattered blankets to keep him and his Kitten warm.

Creed saw a stall in the far back corner that had a huge pile of hay stacked in the corner and decided that it looked like it would make the best bed for him and Train. He made his way towards the stall as Aliane explored the rest of the room for supplies. As soon as Creed reached the stall, he knelt down and gently placed his love on top of the haystack. He leaned forward and kissed his beloved gently on the forehead, then caressed Train's cheek with the back of his hand.

Train smiled and leaned into the gesture, his face relaxed and calm as he whispered softly. "Creed…"

Creed's heart filled with warmth and relief and he rested his forehead against Train's. "I'm here, Train… And I'm never going to leave you alone again…"

He continued caressing and kissing his beloved, relishing the way Train responded to every one of his touches despite being asleep. Creed was too lost in the miracle of having his Kitten back to notice Aliane walked up behind them. He was too entrapped in Train's majesty to hear the woman clear her throat and he kissed his lover's head and cheeks over and over again. However, when he heard Aliane clear her throat in an aggressive manner, Creed was finally snapped out of his trance and looked over his shoulder at the woman.

He cocked an eyebrow at her, as if asking what she wanted, making the woman sigh before she responded. "I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?"

Creed rolled his eyes. "Doesn't matter because unless the bad news is the Apostles are here and the good news is Chronos is here, then I don't care. Just tell me both facts in whatever order you'd like."

Aliane nodded her head. "I confirmed that there is no electricity, but there is running water. And the water looks clean. Now you can more effectively wash out your wounds."

Creed sighed in relief, then turned back to his love. "That's good to hear. I know this is a long shot, but you didn't by chance find any form of first aid that would be better than a few raggedy pieces of cloth, did you?"

Aliane frowned. "No, but there is soap."

Creed nodded, but did not turn to look at her. "Thanks, Aliane…"

The woman pointed towards where the running water was. "As luck would have it, the wash stall is right across from where you set Train down. I found a decent towel for you to use and set the soap out as well. Here's the cleanest blankets I could find." She tossed them to Creed who caught them and immediately wrapped them around his love. "I'm going to step out and do a perimeter check. I'll let you know if I see anyone."

Creed nodded to confirm that he heard what she was saying, but did not respond verbally. He was too busy making sure Train was properly tucked in and warm. When he saw his beloved wrapped his fingers around the edge of the blanket and pulled it up around his shoulder, Creed smiled warmly and kissed his love's forehead.

"You're safe now, Train… And we'll be home before you know it."

At least, I really hope we're able to find home soon. I don't want to be out in the open for very long.

Aliane rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless at the charming scene of their love for one another. Train was still asleep, but smiled and purred quietly at his partner's sweet words. She stepped away from them and walked towards the door. "Go wash up. I'll be back soon."

Creed didn't acknowledge her as she left, but he did hear her reattach the lock to the door and figured she must have phased through the wall. He kissed his beloved a few more times, running his hands all along his hair and body, not wanting to step away from Train even for a second, but knew he needed to properly clean his wounds and body. The Tao was doing a good job at healing him, but the last thing he needed was an infection to slow them down.

I'm not worried about dying. I'm too stubborn to die. I'm more concerned about becoming too sick to walk and getting caught before we can get home.

Creed whimpered when Train called his name again and gave his love one last lingering kiss on the lips, then finally pulled back and stepped away from his beloved. He caressed Train's cheek, then walked away from the haystack his Kitten slept on and towards the wash stall Aliane pointed found for him. He turned on the water, ignoring how cold it was and peeled off his bloody clothes and bandages, making sure the music box was a safe distance away so it wouldn't get ruined in the shower. Creed hissed as he stepped into the water, the wounds that remained burning under the liquid as he washed the dirt and blood from his body.

Creed turned to face his beloved, smiling as he watched Train sleep. He grabbed the bottle of soap Aliane set aside from him and used the vision of his cat's tranquil face to distract him from the sting his injuries gave him. He made sure to be gentle as he washed himself off, but still scrubbed hard enough to remove the dirt, blood, sweat, and soot from his body. He opened his mouth and drank some of the water, moaning soothingly as the liquid wet his dry throat. Creed made sure his eyes never left his beloved and kept his Imagine Blade within arms reach just in case they were attacked suddenly.

After a few more minutes, Creed stepped out of the shower, dried off and redressed. He put his pants on, but chose to leave his shirt off since it was in tatters anyway, but wrapped the damp towel around his torso. Seeing Aliane also left him a small cloth towel, Creed soaked it in water and soap then turned the shower off. He grabbed the music box off the ground and quickly walked back over to his beloved, feeling a bit more refreshed now that he knew he was clean. It was a relief since he knew that would help stave off any infections and now his Tao could work properly to heal the rest of his body.

I'll have to thank Train when he wakes up for making sure not to hit anywhere that would do serious damage. He'll probably yell at me for thanking him after everything that happened.

Creed giggled as he played out the scene in his head, excited for his first argument with his beloved after he woke up. Once he was next to Train again, he unbuttoned the man's shirt, slid it off and began inspecting him for any injuries. Seeing none, Creed allowed his finger to dance lightly over Train's bare torso.

"Perfect as always, my love…"

Creed let his fingers linger on his beloved's stomach, then replaced them with the wet cloth so he could begin cleaning Train. He sighed blissfully as he cleaned his sleeping lover's firm muscles, overjoyed he was able to touch them again. It felt like it had been years since he had been that close to Train and considering everything that happened in such a short amount of time, he didn't think his feelings were too far off.

Creed heard Train mewl quietly in his sleep and smiled warmly. "It's okay, my love. You're going to be okay…"

You're back with me…

He leaned forward to kiss Train's forehead again, but jumped back quickly as the golden man sat up quickly and looked around frantically. When his eyes met Creed's, he growled and stumbled away, reaching for Hades and panicking again when he realized he did not have it one him. Creed put up his hands as he watched Train back away from him and into the corner of the stall, the cat looking very much like a cornered and injured animal who was at the mercy of a predator.

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!"

Creed clutched his broken heart and slowly stood. "Train… Train, it's me. Don't you recognize me?"

Train swiped his arm across his face and pushed Creed away with his wind abilities. "SHUT UP! OF COURSE I RECOGNIZE YOU! YOU'RE THE BASTARD THAT KILLED MY PARENTS!"

Creed blinked and felt his heart freeze.

Is that who he's been seeing instead of me? Does he think I'm Zagine? Is he still under the drug's influence?

"Train…" Creed said as he tried to take another step forward. "Kitten… I'm not who you think I am… Don't you recognize my voice?"

Train's face paled at the pet name his lover gave him. "Don't… Don't use that name on me!"

Creed frowned and took a small step forward. "What name? Do you mean 'Kitten'?"

Train gritted his teeth and snarled at the man. "DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME THAT! CREED IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN CALL ME THAT, YOU SICK BASTARD!"

Creed jumped to the side to avoid an ice blast from his beloved, then ducked to avoid a gust of air that was being thrown at him. He could tell Train's attacks were weak which told Creed his lover's strength was not back to its fullest yet. He decided to take advantage of that bit of knowledge as he took another step towards his cowering cat. It broke Creed's heart to see his beloved be so powerless and frail, but he wasn't going to let his melancholy stop him from making Train see who was really in the room with him.

"Train…" Creed said as he took another step forward. "Train… my beautiful Kitten… my moon and my stars, love of my life… I'm not who you think you see. Just listen to my voice. Just let me hold you in my arms and you'll understand what I'm saying…"

Train gave the man a disgusted look and pressed his back against the wall. "You're fucking sick! You can never replace my parents and you can never replace Creed!"

Creed whimpered, then stepped to the side to avoid an electric zap that was sluggishly aimed at his head. He spun around to dodge another ice blast, then spun the opposite way to avoid the next one. Creed took another step forward, then flattened his body to the ground as Train threw a slightly more powerful burst of air at him.

What's going on? The antidote didn't work at all? I mean, he's talking to me instead of just attacking. That's progress, right? However, if he's still able to fight me so readily, that's not good for his mental or physical state.

The swordsman gritted his teeth and tried to take another step towards his love. He was getting worried his cat was beginning to regain his strength, but not his senses. When Creed looked up at Train's face, he saw the tears streaming down his flawless face, his normally lively, golden eyes burning with rage as he stared down at the man he believed to be the one that murdered his parents. But behind that, Creed was able to see the attacks were still causing Train pain.

He's not getting his strength back, his powers are just reacting to his emotions. And his body still isn't able to handle his Tao yet. He pushed himself to the limits too much earlier and he still needs to recover from that.

"Train…" Creed tried again as he saw his beloved's eyes glow a bright shade of blue. "Kitten, it's me… It's Creed… Just listen to my voice…"

Seeing that didn't work, Creed lowered his head onto the ground, then saw the music box out of the corner of his eye. He jumped forward and grabbed it, turning the crank quickly. He held it up in the air as he braced himself for an attack from his beloved. However, as soon as the music started to play, the static in the air lifted the anger he felt emitting from his beloved stopped. Creed looked up at Train and watched as his beloved stared at the music box, then fell to his knees.

"S… Saya…?" Train reached towards the box as if it were his dead friend, a tear falling as he was unable to reach her "Saya…? Saya, is that you?"

Creed sighed in relief at seeing a bit of his love's old self coming through, then slowly sat up. "Train? Kitten, can you hear me? Are you back now?"

Train's eyes suddenly moved from the music box to Creed. Golden eyes widened as he watched the image of Zagine turn to the image of his lover and he felt himself beginning to shake violently.

"C-Creed?!" He fell to his hands and knees, beginning to crawl towards his partner, desperate to get to the man to make sure he wasn't a mirage. "Creed? Creed, is that really you?"

Creed smiled broadly.

My love…

Creed dropped the music box and scrambled towards his beloved, wrapping his arms around Train and pulling him into his lap. "It's me, my love… It's me." He kissed the top of Train's head as he curled into a ball between his legs. "I've got you, Kitten…"

Train cried and clutched Creed's shirt, relief flooding through him as he slowly began to accept the man wasn't a figment of his imagination or a dream. "Creed… It hurt so much… Still hurts…"

"Shhh, I know my love, I know. I'm here now. I won't let anyone hurt you ever again." He squeezed Train in his arms and never stopped his kisses.

Train trembled and allowed more of his defenses to drop. All his dreams and fantasies of Creed while he was locked away never felt that real before, so he was positive he was truly in the arms of his lover. It was hard to accept that he was safe, but he wanted to so desperately that he found himself welcoming it before he questioned it. He had been pleading with the universe to send him Creed for what felt like decades while he was locked up in the Apostles layer, tortured on a regular basis, begging for the sweet embrace of death, but only receiving pain and torment. He had no idea how long he had been apart from his lover, but it felt like a lifetime.

"It was so dark… So quiet… So lonely…" He buried his face deep into Creed's chest. As a few more tears fell from his eyes, Train began punching his shoulder slightly, too broken to cause any damage to the silver man's already injured shoulders. "Where the hell were you?!"

Creed smiled sadly as a tear fell from his eye, squeezing Train as tight as his tired arms would allow. "I was looking for you non-stop, Kitten. I never gave up, even for a second. And I found you, Train…" He kissed his beloved's head over and over again. "I found you…"

Creed knew his words weren't true since he sat like a useless hump for four days, but now wasn't the time to tell his Kitten that. There would be plenty of time for confessions and guilt later. Right now, he needed to focus on calming his beloved down before he cried himself dry.

Creed whimpered sadly when he felt Train shiver in his arms, reaching over and grabbing the blanket his cat threw off his body when he leapt up. He wrapped it around Train's shoulders and pulled him tighter against his chest. Creed gently petted the back of his lover's head, whispering soothing sounds into Train's ear as he rocked their bodies back and forth together. He looked around for the music box and when he spotted it, Creed tried to reach for it. However, as soon as his arms left Train, his Kitten emitted more panicked noises, making Creed bring his arm back and around his beloved immediately.

Unsure of what to do, Creed acted on instinct and began singing to his beloved.

"Let's sing the world's song
How far shall we go…"

Creed felt Train stiffen against him, then relaxed and pressed himself harder into his lover. "Creed…" He whispered peacefully as he clung a little tighter to the man.

Creed sighed quietly in relief, then continued the song.

"Looking up in the sky
A baby's first cry…"

Creed kissed the top of Train's head over and over again, nuzzling his chocolate locks lovingly as he smiled warmly.

"The beating of an insect's wings
Lightly, lightly, floating."

Creed felt Train relax even more against him, then felt his beloved sigh serenely as he pulled himself further between the silver man's legs. Creed wrapped his legs around Train so their bodies were as close together as they could get, one hand remaining in the golden man's hair as the other trailed gently up and down his love's back.

Creed pulled his head away from Train, pressed his foreheads together as he looked deeply into his beloved's eyes and finished the song. "Carry our feelings…"

Train let out a few more tears, but now Creed could tell they were tears of relief. The salty liquid that fell from his beloved's eyes was a sign of the real Train slowly coming back and Creed was more than ready to welcome his beloved to the world of truth. Creed smiled lovingly at his Kitten, removing his hand from Train's hair and placing it on his love's cheek. He massaged the flushed skin there tenderly, wiping away Train's tears as he let out a slow, quiet breath.

He pressed his lips softly against Train's, hand remaining on his love's cheek as he continued holding him closely in his arms. "You're back, Train… And I'm never letting you go again…"

Train smiled and let out a shaky laugh, then leaned forward and kissed Creed far less gracefully than the silver man did him. He pushed his body harshly into Creed's, wanting to feel more of the man he loved to prove that he really wasn't dreaming. Creed responded immediately and deepened their kiss, letting his cat feel every bit of his love and devotion, allowing Train to feel every emotion he had experienced the last nine days they had been apart. He emptied his heart and soul into the other man, determined to let his lover know that he really was back in the security of his arms.

When they finally parted, Train wrapped his arms around Creed's neck and buried his face as far as he could into the silver man's neck and shoulder. "How long have I been away…?"

Creed sighed and placed his hand back against Train's head and ran his fingers through his hair once more. "Nine days… Nine long, tormenting, brutal days…" He smiled when he felt Train's face nuzzled into his neck and rested his head against his beloved's hair. "But it's over now, my love… You're in my arms once more and I'm never going to let you leave them again."

Train smiled into his partner's skin and shut his eyes. "You better not. I need you, Creed..."

Creed's heart skipped a beat when he heard his love say that. It reminded him what Saya said to him and in that moment, he knew the sweeper girl had been looking out for them the entire time. Between the music box staying protected during his fight with Train, the inhuman strength he found to carry his beloved miles through the woods with bullets in his legs, and the sheer luck he had to run into Aliane in the first place, there wasn't a doubt in his mind Saya had a hand in all of it.

He's back… my beloved is back...

Creed kissed his love's head over and over again, then nuzzled his face as deep into Train's chocolate locks as he could.

Thank you, Saya… I've fallen deeper into your debt yet again. I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you in this life or the next.

Train squeezed Creed tighter in his arms and purred quietly at the swordsman's soothing fingers tickled along his back. For a moment, he felt like Creed had relaxed his arms and began to panic that he was going to be left alone again. "Please don't let me go! Please!"

Creed's heart broke for the man. It was clear his body and mind were still very weak and he wasn't going to go back to normal with just a snap of Creed's fingers. That didn't mean Creed was going to give up. If what Train needed was to be in his arms every day for the rest of his life, he was more than happy to comply. That's all he wanted out of life anyway, so who was he to turn away the chance to hold his love as close and as tight as he could?

Creed squeezed his Kitten again and breathed in his scent. "I won't, Train. Not ever again."

Train sighed in relief at his lover's words, reveling in Creed's aura for a few more seconds as he felt his sore body and broken mind beginning to relax. He finally lifted his head slightly and scanned the room they were in, then frowned when he realized he didn't recognize it. Train pulled back quickly and looked around more frantically, beginning to feel his body tense up again as he slowly returned to the darkness.

"Where are we?!" He turned to Creed wildly, giving him an agonizing, yet deadly look as he started to question if he really was his lover. "Creed?!"

Creed whimpered painfully and pulled Train back against his chest. "We're in an abadoned barn, Train. We came here after the battle when you passed out. It's only for the night. We'll be back home tomorrow."

I guess he's only somewhat back to normal. It seems like he's only hanging onto reality by a thread.

Train relaxed again and purred quietly at his lover's gentle caresses. Then he frowned at part of Creed's statement. "Battle? What battle?"

Creed frowned and looked down at his beloved. "You don't remember?" Seeing Train shake his head, the silver man sighed. "What was the last thing you remember, Train?"

Train tried to think, his head hurting slightly as he tried to piece together the broken fragments of the last nine days' events. "I… I remember being at the music school and… and…" His eyes widened and he looked up at Creed. "Creed… Anastasia… She's… She's… I-I couldn't-"

Creed silenced his love's guilty words by kissing him. He pulled back and locked eyes with his Kitten, giving the golden man a reassuring smile as he caressed his cheek. "Shh, it's okay, Train. I know. You did everything you could. And we know about Nica and the others. You don't need to relive that trauma. I just want to know what you remember after that."

Train wanted to writhe in his guilt, but found it impossible with the adoring look his partner was giving him. Instead of throwing a pity party for himself, he found that he wanted nothing more than to give Creed anything he wanted, and obey his every command.

"After that, I… I remember being in Doctor's lab with the Apostles. Then… I remember my insides burning." Train clutched his stomach and felt himself beginning to shake. "I… I can still feel them moving inside of me…"

Creed frowned and took Train's shaking hand in his own. "The Nanomachines?"

Train nodded, feeling himself beginning to relax again as Creed's fingers tangled with his own. He sighed and leaned into the man's chest, eyes locked onto their hands as they twirled and spun together, reminding the cat even more that he wasn't dreaming.

Creed pulled Train's hand to hip lips and kissed each one of his fingers. "It's okay, Train. Eve said she thinks she can remove them. If that's what you want."

Train couldn't nod his head fast enough. "Yes. Yes, I want them gone. I never wanted them in the first place. You know that."

Creed sighed and kissed the palm of Train's hand. "I know, my love. Don't worry, we'll make it all better. I'll never give up on you." He trailed his kisses along his cat's hand and to his wrist, then up his arm and to his shoulder. "What do you remember next?"

Train felt the same urge to answer all of Creed's questions as if they were a command and continued speaking, even though he really didn't want to relive the last nine days.

"After the Nanomachines, I… don't remember much but… but I remember it hurt… I remember an unbearable amount of pain. I remember calling out your name and when you didn't come, I called for death to take me…"

Creed felt tears fall from his eyes at his love's heartbreaking story, fighting the urge to feel guilty so he could comfort his Kitten instead. "I'm so sorry I didn't come to you sooner, Train. But, I'm here now. And like I said before, I'm never going to let you go again." For emphasis, he squeezed the golden man and kissed his beloved's neck. "I'm here now…"

Train leaned his head to the side so Creed could continue kissing his neck and jawline. He remained silent for a while as the silver man kissed every part of his body until he unknowingly spoke a sentence he did not understand.

"What are my next orders?"

Creed paused his kisses, then lifted his head and blinked at his beloved. "What?"

Train gave him a confused look and blinked innocently at his lover. "What?"

Creed frowned and cupped Train's cheek. "What did you mean by that, Train?"

Train returned his lover's frowns. "Mean by what?"

Creed tilted his head in confusion, about to repeat Train's question when he heard Aliane's voice coming from the entrance.

"I don't see anyone in the area. Not a single one of Shiki's bugs or either of Doctor's beasts. I think we're in the clear to sleep for the ni-"

Her sentence was cut off as Train jumped out of Creed's arms and leapt towards the girl. He launched a large gust of air at her, sending the girl flying across the room before she could activate her Tao. Aliane tried to catch her breath before Train could launch another attack, but didn't have the time as she felt herself wrapped in a thick sheet of ice. She watched wide eyed as Train floated towards her, his fingers sparking with electricity as he quickly made his way towards her.

"YOU!" Train's voice boomed, ignoring the pain he was in while using his Tao. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"

"TRAIN, STOP!"

Train lowered his hands and body immediately at Creed's words, even though he wanted nothing more than to hurt the woman laying in the tube of ice in front of him. Instead, he turned on his heel and faced his partner, standing up straight as he repeated his earlier question.

"What are my next orders?"

Aliane blinked at Train's words, remembering all too well how often he said that while he was a prisoner of the Apostles.

Creed blinked at his love as he ran over to him. "Orders? What orders, Train? I'm just trying to tell you Aliane helped me find you. If it wasn't for her, you might still be locked away in that hellhole."

Train frowned at his lover, then looked down at Aliane with barely hidden contempt. "That doesn't make up for what she did…"

Creed sighed as he wrapped his arms around his beloved, remembering his promise to never let him go again. "I know, my love. But, we can't hurt her. She needs to pay for her crimes. We need to hand her over to Chronos."

Aliane's heart sunk at Creed's words since they confirmed what she was pretty sure was already going to happen. She was hoping that since Creed had been treating her so nicely, he might try to spare her from Chronos wrath, but she knew that was a foolish thought to have. He was right, after all. She needed to pay for what she did.

Creed was shocked to see how readily Train nodded his head, but was even more shocked at what his verbal response was. He also couldn't help but notice that even though he was holding Train, his Kitten was not holding him back.

"Understood. What are my next orders?"

Creed pulled away from his love and grasped him by the shoulders, shaking Train slightly to try and get him out of what appeared to be a slightly dazed state. "Why do you keep saying that, Train? No one is giving you orders!"

"I know why he's saying that…" Aliane said as she phased herself through Train's ice prison. She waited until Creed's eyes were on her before she finished her sentence. "It's the Chronos drug. He kept saying that while he was with the Apostles. Anytime he was given something that sounded like an order, he'd carried it out then asked what his next orders were."

Creed blinked in shock at her, then looked back at his love. Train's eyes were locked onto him, but the look he was giving the silver man was the same he used to give Sephiria when they were working under her at Chronos.

He looks alert and prepared for a fight, but not unless he's told to attack. Like a guard dog waiting for their master's command.

Creed frowned at his love, then pulled him back into his arms. "Train, I'm not giving you an order. Please, understand that…"

Train blinked in confusion a few times, then slowly relaxed at Creed's loving words and caresses, wrapping his arms around the other man's back and burying his face into his partner's neck. "What are you talking about, Creed?"

Creed lifted his head and looked at Train again. "Have you already forgotten what you just said?"

Train's confused look grew at his partner's words. "I only asked you a question… Did I say something else?"

Creed continued staring at his beloved in bewilderment, then looked behind Train and to the small woman. Aliane frowned as she spoke. "He was having memory problems at the Apostles and I assumed it was because of the drug, but I've never seen him forget what he said so quickly before. Do you think that's the new drug messing with his brain?"

Train frowned at Creed. "What drug?" He looked over his shoulder at the girl. The anger and hatred was still evident in his eyes and Aliane was certain if Creed didn't tell him to stop, he'd continue attacking her. "What did you do to me…?"

Creed turned Train's head back to him and caressed his cheek gently. "She didn't give you anything, Train. I did. It's a drug Sephiria gave me meant to counteract the Chronos drug. It's the only reason we're able to have this conversation."

Even if it seems like Train keeps forgetting what he's saying…

Train blinked at Creed. "Sephiria? Where is she?"

Creed ran his hand through Train's hair and kissed his forehead lightly. "Probably freaking out at the sweeper house and cursing my name as she's searching for us."

The image of Sephiria panicking and screaming obscenities at Creed gave Train's mind a bit of a break from the turmoil it had been in and he began to laugh a little bit. "What did you do, Creed?"

Creed smiled at seeing a bit of his love's playfulness come out, even if it was just a sneak peak or it, but his heart broke realizing Train still didn't seem to fully comprehend what happened. "It's… a long story, Train. We'll talk about it later." He kissed his Kitten lightly on the lips and pressed their foreheads together. "For now, you need to rest. Go back to the haystack and lay down. I'll join you shortly. I just need to talk to Aliane for a minute."

Train nodded obediently and Creed was shocked to see he didn't protest at all. Not only did his beloved know there was an enemy in the room, but Creed informed Train he was going to have a conversation with her, yet he didn't put up a fight. The Train he knew wouldn't willingly let Creed speak with an adversary alone, let alone a known terrorist who worked for the organization they were currently trying to bring down.

Is that the Chronos drug as well? Is he still obeying orders?

Aliane watched Train walk away, an idea occurring to her that she felt like she needed to test. "Train, don't go lay down. Stay here."

Train stopped and turned to face her, his eyes no longer angry, but the empty look Aliane had gotten used to seeing while he was prisoner at the Apostles hideout remained. "That goes directly against the Master's orders."

Aliane sighed, then nodded in understanding and watched as the cat followed Creed's orders. Creed stared at his beloved's back strangely, watching as the gunman laid down on the haystack and wrapped the blanket around himself. When Train shut his eyes, Creed glanced back over at Aliane, but made sure to keep his Kitten in his line of sight.

"What… was that about?" Creed clutched his chest painfully as he watched his beloved desperately try to sleep. He had a feeling it was going to be difficult without Creed there, so he wanted to keep his conversation with the woman short.

Aliane sat on the floor languidly and rested her head in her hands. "That was a test… I wanted to see if my thinking was correct…"

Creed turned to face her. "A test for what? "

Aliane looked up at Creed and gave him a sympathetic smile. "The Chronos drug is definitely still in his system, but it looks like he's created a new pecking order in his head."

Creed frowned at her. "Pecking order? What are you talking about? And be more specific.."

Alaine sighed again and leaned back on the barn door. "Doctor did something to the Chronos drug that made him listen to Charden, Echidna, and himself before anyone else. I saw it happen when Watts tried to command Train to hurt himself, but he didn't listen. Instead, Train said that went against 'the Leader's' orders. That was another reason why I had to come find you. Because he wouldn't leave when I ordered him to."

Creed furrowed his brow at her, still not quite understanding what she meant, but starting to put the pieces together. "So then… Train is listening to me over you?"

Aliane nodded. "Based on what we just witnessed, yes. Doctor and Charden were concerned if he heard your voice, he might listen to your orders over theirs. They had the same concerns with Sephiria, Lin, and the rest of them, but they were mostly concerned about him seeing or hearing you or Number One."

Creed thought about what she said, then turned back around to look at his beloved tossing and turning on the haystack. "That makes sense why he'd want Train to see someone else instead of me…"

"What?" Aliane asked

Creed shook his head and looked back at her. "Don't worry about it. So, are you saying Train is going to obey anything I say that could be perceived as an order?"

Aliane nodded. "He viewed questions as orders as well, so that might be an issue too. But, it's not all bad, right? At least he'll listen to you. And we all know you'll have his best interest in mind."

Creed sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Yeah… but that's not who Train is. Part of what makes Train, Train is his stubbornness and unwillingness to listen to anyone. Even me. Seeing him be so dolce and following my 'orders' doesn't sit well with me."

And he called me 'the Master'... As much as the perverted side of me wants to exploit that in roleplay, the logical side of me knows that's not Train…

"...Did the drug not work?" Creed questioned himself.

Aliane could tell he didn't expect a response, but she wanted to give him one anyway. "From what I saw of him at the Apostles layer, I think it worked to some extent. No only was he able to view me as an enemy when he first saw me, but he was able to hold you in his arms and ask a question that didn't have anything to do with his orders. I also heard it in his voice and saw it in his eyes. Even though it may have been brief, I can see Train is in there." She glanced at the man trying to sleep and smiled slightly. "It's been a while since I've seen him show emotions that weren't anger, sadness, or pain and judging by the way he looked at you… I can tell the drug definitely did something."

Creed looked down at her, then back over to his beloved.

She's right. He doesn't look how he did when we were fighting at the docks. I saw it in his eyes. Train's in there. He has been the whole time except now, he's able to come out. His light isn't being totally snuffed out by Chronos' drug anymore. He's able to fight the mind altering drugs more easily now. He just needs guidance.

"...We just need to help him find the light again."

Aliane nodded in agreement, even though she didn't think Creed meant to say that out loud. "And knowing you, you'll never give up until he's back to his upbeat, cheeky self."

Creed smiled warmly as his Kitten pulled the itchy blanket over his head. "Never." He turned to face the woman. "Do you really think he'll listen to orders from Sephiria as well? Lin too?"

Aliane shrugged her shoulders. "I have no idea. Honestly, using me as a test to see if he'll follow all and any orders wasn't the best test. Charden and Doctor didn't trust me at all after I tried to help him escape the first time, so I'm positive they put me at the bottom of the pecking order in Train's mind. I don't think we'll know if he's created a new one in his head until we find the others and test it."

Creed frowned. "You tried to help him escape? I thought you said he wouldn't move."

Aliane shrugged her shoulders. "He wouldn't. When I undid his chain, he just sat there and I assumed they ordered him not to try and escape. And the first time he did try to escape I didn't help him, I just covered for him." She paused before she said her next words since she wasn't sure how Creed was going to take it. "Nica… helped cover as well. And Echidna, to an extent."

I don't really care if he trusts Echidna. Honestly, it's probably best if he doesn't, but if there's any way I can get them to absolve Nica just a little bit… It might help ease her soul.

Aliane knew how much Nica still loved Sven and there was a small part of her that hoped the green haired sweeper might find it in his heart to forgive her. She knew it was a long shot, and chances were it probably would never happen, but if there was even a small glimmer of hope, Aliane wasn't going to throw it away.

Nica's not a bad person and she loves that old man. She won't say it, but I can see it in her eyes. She doesn't want to be with the Apostles anymore either. She wants to be with Sven.

Creed stared at her in silence for several seconds. He wasn't sure how to respond to her statement. "Nica… and Echidna helped…?"

Aliane took the bit of hesitancy in his voice as a sign of hope and elaborated. "Yes. I was accused of helping him break out since they found out I cleaned up after his break out. However, Nica stepped in and said she cleaned the room and Echidna corroborated the story. I don't know how we were able to convince Doctor and Charden I didn't try to cover up Train's escape, but I don't think they would have believed me if they didn't both back me up."

I can't help but feel like I owe them my life…

Creed was quiet again, absorbing her words and trying to figure out how they made him feel.

I still don't trust her completely, so why would that story make me trust either Echidna or Nica? It's not like they did it to protect Train. They did it to protect Aliane. And while that shows they're human enough to experience care for another human, that doesn't exhibit any care they might have for my beloved.

He felt like the incidents of the day showed him he could at least trust Aliane a little bit, but thinking over her words, there wasn't anything she said that made him trust either of the other women. Covering up the fact that Aliane cleaned up after Train's escape attempt didn't absolve Nica of anything. She still used Sven's emotions against them and took Creed's beloved away from him. Seeing how broken up the green haired sweeper still was over the woman, Creed didn't think there was anything she could do to make them forgive or trust her.

And then there's Echidna. While I'm starting to believe more that conversation we had might not have been a distraction, that doesn't change the fact that she's helping lead the Apostles. If anyone was capable of freeing Train, it would have been her. Not only did it sound like he would have listened to her, but she has literally the easiest way to travel.

Looking at Aliane, he could tell the girl wanted to talk about what the women did to 'help', but Creed didn't want to. It sounded like they were helping her and not Train. And, even though she helped Creed get his lover back, Aliane was still the enemy. Nothing that happened that day changed that.

...And she's the one that took Anatasia captive in the first place. She was the first one to cut into her neck according to Aimee.

Creed narrowed his eyes at the woman, slowly forgetting about the invaluable help she offered him that day and beginning to see her as nothing more than an enemy once more. However, he knew looking at her with the hatred he knew he still harbored heavily towards her would not get them anywhere. He needed to set it aside for later. And he knew she wouldn't be free for long once they found the sweeper hideout.

She'll probably want to question Aliane before arresting her, but she will most definitely lose her freedom as soon as I get Train home.

Thinking of his beloved, Creed looked back at Train and felt himself relax immediately.

None of that matters right now, though. I have Train back. And I need to get him home. That's all I can worry about right now.

Creed sighed blissfully as he watched his beloved try to sleep, amazed at how beautiful he looked even when he was struggling to complete a simple task. He finally responded to the girl, but about a completely different subject than what he knew she was hoping for.

"I guess we can't test how much the antidote worked until we get home. But for now, I think you're right. If he's still drugged up enough to take orders willingly, it's best that he's going to listen to my orders over anyone else. That way if we run into Doctor or any of the other Apostles, we know he'll listen to me over them."

It's also comforting to know he won't listen to Aliane over me as well. I still don't know if I fully trust her, but I also know I don't really have a choice. Considering what she did to keep Doctor away, I think she's closer to an ally than an enemy right now.

Aliane smiled coyly at him. "Yeah, apparently you're his 'Master', now… Sorry if I'm being a bit forward, but my deviant mind can't help but go to perverted places when I think about that."

Creed felt himself blush a little at the implication and covered his face. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Woman. Now's not the time to be thinking of such things."

Maybe when Train's back to normal and more capable of saying yes, I can entertain this new… feetish I seem to have found. But right now, it wouldn't be right. I would never take advantage of my Kitten. No matter how tantalizing the fantasy is.

Creed felt his body get hot as he thought of Train calling him 'Master' during their love making, but was able to shake it off quickly. He was a bit ashamed of himself for thinking such lewd thoughts while his lover was still fighting a will controlling drug, but he was able to forgive himself pretty easily for it since he knew he'd never act on those feelings. He'd simply just put a pin in the idea for later.

"Why don't we just have Train flash us home from here? That way we don't have to spend the night in this barn and your friends can know Train's alright?"

Creed frowned at her words, but kept his eyes on Train. "He's still in pain when he uses his abilities right now. I think they've been making him push his body to its limits too much and it's now difficult for him to use his Tao without it hurting. When he woke up, he attacked me thinking I was someone else and I could tell it hurt him. He even said it still hurt, which means he needs to rest."

He looked back down at the woman as she said his last words. "I refuse to let him use his abilities if they cause him pain. Even if I have to order him not to use them, I will if that means it will spare him more pain."

Guess I must trust her a bit if I'm letting her know I won't let Train use his abilities since it's the perfect time to take advantage of us. We can't rest for long. Just enough that we can keep moving by the time the sun's up.

Aliane saw the determined, stubborn look in his eyes and sighed. "Alright, whatever you say." She glanced back at Train. "How long do you think he won't be able to use them for?"

Creed shrugged his shoulders. "No clue. We'll know more once we get home and Chronos' doctor can look at him. But for now, he needs to rest. We all do."

Aliane watched as Creed walked towards his lover. "I'll… sleep on the opposite side of the room. I want to give you two room to reunite and I don't think Train will take kindly to my presence just yet…" She was quiet for a second, then spoke again. "And I'll wake up every few hours to patrol for the Apostles."

Creed looked over his shoulder and smiled at her. "Thanks. Wake me up with updates."

Creed knew she nodded in understanding, but he didn't see it since his eyes were locked back onto his love who was still tossing and turning under the uncomfortable blanket. The swordsman had an adoring smile on his face as he curled up next to his Kitten and pulled the blanket over both of them. As soon as he was next to his beloved, Train rolled over and snuggled against his chest, seeking out the warmth and comfort of the other man as if his safety depended on it.

Creed wrapped his arms around Train's back and pulled him so their chests were pressed against each other. As soon as their exposed skin made contact, Creed felt his cat sigh and relax instantly. Train whimpered at the feeling of their bare chests touching, welcoming the soothing, refreshing heat that always took over his body whenever he and Creed embraced like that. While he was still confused as to how long they had really been apart for, it didn't matter to Train since it felt like thousands of lifetimes. Even if he found out he was only with the Apostles for a few hours, that wouldn't change that it felt like an eternity. Not only did he not have the warmth and comfort of his Stallion, but he also was being tortured almost daily by a madman.

Train smiled and buried his face as far into Creed's chest as he could, curling his arms around the back of his lover as he shut his eyes. "I missed you so much, Creed…"

He felt Creed kiss the top of his head and squeeze him tighter. "I missed you too, Train… I missed so much… I can't even describe how much I missed you."

Train's smile widened as he felt his partner continue to kiss his head, still fighting the dark, twisted thoughts in his head that were trying to convince him Creed really wasn't there. "This isn't a dream right?"

Creed ran his hands up and down Train's back and pressed the back of the cat's head gently so his face was flushed against the silverman's chest. "What makes you think this is a dream?"

Train sighed and kissed Creed's chest, his lips lingering as he tried to taste the man to make sure he was really there. "I can only remember nightmares… and I'm not sure which ones were reality and which were fiction, but… they always started out as dreams… dreams about you."

The gunman lifted his head and allowed his lover to see the tears falling down his cheeks. "But… they always turned into pain and torture. They never ended with us being together again…" Train pressed his face back against Creed's chest, breathing in deeply as he continued. "How do I know that isn't going to happen again? How do I know you won't disappear and I won't be… just an experimental weapon again? How do I know you won't turn into Doctor again?"

Creed felt his heart shatter to pieces as Train's tears soaked his chest. He pulled back slightly, resting his hand on Trian's cheek, and lifted his love's head until their eyes met. Creed stared into his Kitten's eyes with the most pious, faithful, true, and loving look he had ever given Train, staying there as he wiped away his lover's tears until they were no longer falling. He moved his hand from Train's cheek to his chin and pulled him close until their lips met. As soon as they did, Creed moved his hand to the back of Train's head to deepen the kiss, then allowed his love for the golden man to take over.

Train's confusion and disorientation vanished and were immediately replaced with clarity and peace. The interminable agony and suffering that he was beginning to believe all his life had ever been was thoughtfully and lovingly removed from his heart and soul by Creed. His dark, maniacal, dismal thoughts we gently plucked from his unstable mind and supplemented with vivid, placid, lustrous ones. When he felt Creed's tongue smoothly and skillfully slide into his mouth, Train pressed his face solidly against his Stallion's.

Train vanished into the kiss, his heart, mind, and soul drifting through the heavenly, mystical taste of his lover, thawing completely at the heat radiating off the other man. He placed his hands on either side of his partner, pressing their bodies as closer together as he could. Train rejoiced in the way Creed's velvety skin tenderly touched his own, melting the frigid void that had consumed him for far too long. He swirled, twirled, and spun his tongue around Creed's, making sure all his thoughts were focused on memorizing the way his Stallion tasted just in case he pulled away and saw his silver lover had vanished.

As Train massaged every inch of Creed's mouth, he held tighter to the swordsman, fearing that he would disappear if he let go, scared that he would no longer be able to feel his lover's bare skin brush against his own. When the kiss was finally broken, Creed moved Train slightly so their hearts were aligned with one another. Creed made sure his Kitten could feel their hearts beating against one another, resting his face next to Train's so he could whisper in the gunman's ear.

"Were you ever able to feel my heartbeat like this in those dreams? Were you able to feel my breath brush against your ear when I spoke? Could you feel the heat emitting from my body?" Creed ran the tips of his fingers up and down Train's back, tickling his lower back slightly as he spoke his next words. "This is real, Train. I am real. I know that you can feel the truth of my words deep down in your heart, the drug is just making it difficult for you to accept."

Creed squeezed Train tighter and kissed his ear then nuzzled the side of his face with his nose and lips. "Don't let the drug win, Train. Don't let them win. You're so strong. Stronger than you know. Stronger than anyone knows. And I know you won't give up so easily. And you know I won't let you, even if you tried."

Creed pulled away again, then pressed his lips powerfully against Train's once more, making sure his love could feel the passion behind his gesture. However, he cut it off sooner than the previous one so he could finish what he needed to say to his partner. "We'll find our way home and we'll find your light together, Train. I'll never give up on you, so you better not ever give up on me or yourself."

Creed smiled and pressed their foreheads together. "I love you, Train. And I'll always love you." He kissed his beloved again, then pressed Train's head against his chest once more. "May all that has been reduced to noise in you become music again."

Train stiffen slightly at those words, then looked up at his lover. He could have sworn for a second he saw Anastasia's spirit behind him, but the image was gone before he could even acknowledge it. Train's eyes flickered from the spot behind his partner and onto Creed's eyes, feeling himself smiling truly and warmly for the first time in what felt like centuries.

He pressed his face back against Creed's chest and sighed deeply. "David Teems... I hope you figure out whatever the hell is going on in that messed up head of yours."

Creed frowned and looked down at his beloved, his hands never stopping their gentle caresses against his head and back. "How'd you know that quote, Train?"

Train kissed Creed's chest over and over, finally starting to accept he wasn't trapped in a dream that would become a nightmare in the blink of an eye. "Anastasia said that to me when we first met. And she told me who's quote it is. If that was going to be said to me in a dream, it would have been her, not you."

Creed smiled peacefully, not sure why his love had come to that logic, but knowing he didn't care as long as Train was back. Even if it was just temporary. The silver man kissed Train's head as his love kissed his chest and pulled their bodies even closer together. He felt the gunman trail his kisses up to his shoulder, then his neck and jaw, staying there for a few seconds as his lips outlined his Stallion's face. When Train reached his lips, Creed caught them and engaged them in another profound, avid kiss. They remained like that for several minutes, fading away in the fever of one another as they slowly let reality sink in. Creed knew that kiss and their embrace wasn't going to be the last one Train needed to make him truly himself again, but he knew it was a start.

And I'll give him as many kisses, caresses, and embraces as he needs to help him find the light. I've always showered him in love anyway, so what's the harm in using a little more adoring water to clean my beloved's soul?

Creed pulled away and wrapped his arms as tightly around Train as he could. He squeezed his beloved against his chest, making sure their hearts were pressed against one another to remind them that the other was really there. He felt Train sigh peacefully and settled into his torso, their bodies fitting together perfectly like they always did, acting as yet another reminder to the validity of the person they were holding.

Creed kissed his beloved's head again, speaking in a soothing tone as he felt Train's breathing and heart rate slow down to an adagio tempo. "You'll be okay now, my love. We're together, and I'll never let anything rip us apart again."

He knew Train was going to take his next words as an order, but he didn't care. Train needed to listen and obey Creed's words right now if he was going to get better. "Rest now, Kitten. I promise I'll be here when you wake up."

Creed felt Train's body relax even more, letting the silver man know he was doing as he was told. He continued kissing his beloved's head until he was sure he was asleep, and then for a few minutes after just to make sure his sleeping love knew he was still there. Creed fingered the collar on his love's neck and sighed happily. He knew that even though a collar was meant to represent someone's ownership over a pet, Train's collar represented the ownership he had over himself.

Even though he may not feel like he owns himself right now, I'll make sure he gets there. I'll make sure he's back to his free roaming, jovial seld in no time.

Creed kissed Train's head again, then buried his face into the chocolate locks as he shut his eyes. "I promise…"

Finally, Creed was able to sleep for the first time in nine days.

---

Sephiria was pacing outside of the sweepers' hideout after just finishing her manhunt in the city with Belze. Eve was still flying around the city as well, despite Number One's protests that she needed to rest. She was silenced quickly when the Nano-girl pointed out both she and Number II were searching for Creed on broken bones while she was able to heal quickly with her bots. Sephiria tried to retaliate with the fact that Eve had pushed herself to her limit and almost passed out from the overuse of her Nanomachines, but she had no comeback for the bio-girl when she questioned if she didn't want her help at all.

Her help is invaluable. As much as I don't want her to injury herself further and not be of use in the future, our current problem is just as pressing as our Heartnet problem.

Creed was gone. About four hours ago, her ex-eraser said he was going for a walk, but never came back. They all started to worry after about an hour, but assumed he was just taking his time working through whatever it was he needed to. However, once it reached two hours, they decided they needed to start to look for him. Creed wasn't in the mental or physical state to be wandering around on his own and even though they all knew he was more capable than many people, that didn't change the lack of sleep he had combined with the mental stress he had been under.

And we really only just got him back after that mental break. What if he had another one and is laying comatose somewhere? Or worse…

Sephiria clenched her fists and began pacing even faster. She was trying not to think about the possibility that Apostles got him as well, but it wasn't an idea any of them could ignore. She had already discussed with Eve, Lin, and Belze the possibility of it, and they all agreed it was possible. The terrorist group already proved they could steal the Black Cat, what made taking Creed any different?

Especially since they already have Heartnet. Creed seemed eerily at peace when he was leaving which only concerns me more.

After seeing the silver swordsman leave in such a relaxed mood, Sephiria was more concerned that he had a plan that involved turning himself over to the Apostles. She was worried his harmonious aura and smooth transition into the outside world was a sign that his mind had completely snapped and he was going to find his partner through means none of them would have approved.

And that makes sense why he would leave on his own and use a vague excuse why none of them should follow. Damnit, I should have gone with him. Or sent an eraser to follow him. What the hell is wrong with me? Is my weariness getting the best of me as well?

Sephiria stopped pacing and looked down at her hands, noticing they were shaking slightly, a sure sign that her exhaustion was starting to get the better of her. She watched them for several seconds before she felt large, warm fingers wrap around her own. Number One looked up to notice Belze was squeezing her hand tightly, but not looking down at her. He didn't say anything to her, since Number II was aware his leader wouldn't want to make it known she was feeling weak, but the simple gesture of placing his hand over her own was enough to speak volumes of sympathy she didn't need to hear.

Where would I be without him?

Sephiria let out a deep breath, then nodded her head. She did not say anything either, but her small exhalation was enough to let the man know she was okay. Or at least she was going to be okay. She had to be. With Creed and Train gone, they now had to work twice as hard to find them both. She pulled several of her erasers to sweep the city and any towns surrounding it to find the silver man and even Lin was searching.

Although, I have a feeling he's actually looking for the Apostles and Train more than Creed. I'm positive he believes Diskenth threw himself in the limelight to lure them out in order to get Train back and that has to be what Lin is trying to do now as well.

When Number X left, he was furious with Creed for disappearing and they all knew it had nothing to do with the fact that he was gone. Sure, Lin knew the swordsman had been an immense help in finding Train, but that wasn't his current motivation for the frantic manhunt. They all knew Lin's plan for going on their new search was to do whatever it was he had to do to draw the Apostles and therefore Train out. The only thing that stopped him from acting so distractly before was having Creed as his handler.

Lin knows he was a target of the Apostles for a while and probably still is, so I think he's hoping if he shows his face in enough public locations screaming about the Apostles as loud as he can, one of the members will show up and he can jump into the fray to get his beloved back.

As angry as Sephiria was at the man for taking such an irrational risk, the part of her that was getting desperate to find the men didn't want to stop him completely. As precarious as his idea was, she knew there was a slim chance it would work and she was ready to try anything at that point. If what was going to get them both Train and Creed back was the plan of an unhinged and manic ex-lover, Sephiria was desperate enough to give it a shot.

However, that didn't stop her from sending a fleet of erasers to follow him. She knew Number X would know he was being followed, but she also knew he was probably too weak and tired to care. Honestly, it was the best time to stalk the man since that may have been the only time he might not know he was being trailed.

Probably should have done that sooner, but considering he's been with Creed for the most part in the last nine day, I didn't think it was necessary.

Jenos woke up shortly after they began their search for Creed and joined the search. Even Kyoko offered to go, but Sephiria told her no at first since she was still recovering. The girl tried to argue with her, but Number One put her foot down and made her stay in bed. She was another strong ally they couldn't afford to lose and based on the rate the Tao was healing her, they were hopeful she'd be back to normal with just a night's rest. And despite the fact that Kyoko didn't have to listen to her, she did. Sephiria had a commanding presence about her that made anyone feel the urge to obey.

It's the only reason Heartnet and Diskenth listened to me for as long as they did. Well… that long with the drugs we were pumping through their unwilling systems.

Sephiria shook her head to stop herself from falling back into her guilty thoughts. They didn't have time for that. She needed to focus and she decided to do that by thinking back to the fire breathing girl.

After a few hours of coming up empty, Sephiria finally allowed Kyoko to leave with Number VII, but only on the promise that she would stay with the assassin. Sven and the thief were still out and while it was clear Jenos didn't want to leave the woman's side, he knew he needed to obey Sephiria's orders no matter what they were.

That leaves just the six of us to search. The other numbers aren't ready to move around just yet, but I think with the skills this set of people has along with the help of some low level erasers, we should be able to find him.

Sephiria clenched her fist again.

I hope…

Again, Belze placed a gentle hand on her, but that time it was on her shoulder to stop her from pacing. He squeezed slightly and spoke, but did not look at her. "We'll find him, Sephiria."

The woman nodded, then looked up at the sky. "The sun has already begun to set… Is this a futile mission for the night?"

Belze shook his head. "No. You were right in your earlier statement. The sooner we start looking, the sooner we can find him. It's only been a few hours since Diskenth disappeared. If we're going to find him, now is the best time before he gets too far away."

Sephiria sighed. "Even if he's just passed out in the woods somewhere, you still don't think working into the night is a bad idea?"

Belze nodded his head. "Especially if he's passed out in the middle of nowhere. That would be the best time for the Apostles to strike. Again, I have to comment that your earlier statements about Heartnet were correct. Even though he clearly isn't completely under their control yet, we all know their ultimate goal with controlling the Black Cat other than to use as a weapon, is to kill Diskenth. Like you said, if anyone can kill that man, it's you or Heartnet."

Sephiria frowned as she thought over her own thoughts, trying to work out if she still believed them to be true. Back when the Apostles were under the silver man's leadership, she thought extensively about what it would take to erase Creed Diskenth. The conclusion she came to was simple and obvious: If Creed ever needed to be taken out, the only people that would be able to accomplish such a feat were either her, or Train. And since she was sure the Apostles knew they would never be able to get close enough to Sephiria to use her as a weapon, Train was the best choice. Actually, he was probably a better choice than Number One.

And since Creed said Charden and I think similarly, I'm certain he's thought of that as well. He knows for a fact he could never get to me and using Train to kill his partner would only add salt to the wounds of Creed's death. If Heartnet didn't want to die before, he might welcome death after knowing he killed his lover.

Sephiria knew it took a lot to make someone as carefree and spirited as Train Heartnet to give up on life, but forcing him to kill the man he loved might have just been enough to make him want to die. She remembered all too well how he reacted towards her when he believed she killed Saya, and she also remembered how quickly he abandoned Creed for the same reason. Train may have loved life, but he loved his friends and the people around him more.

If his reaction to the sweeper girl's death was any hint of how Train reacts to a loved one's death… I don't doubt him being the one to kill Creed will be enough to destroy him. Especially since his psyche must already be a mess after nine days of toture at Kanzaki's hands.

Sephiria responded to Belze's words of encouragement by nodding her head. "You're right."

Belze couldn't help but smirk at his next words. "You mean you're right."

Sephiria glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, then smiled coyly. Their short, unorthodox tender moment was cut off as the wind above them became a bit more forceful. They looked up and saw Eve had returned and was using her Nanomachines to turn her hair into helicopter blades, hovering above them slightly before lowering herself to the ground. She landed on her feet in front of them, then took a step forward.

Sephiria frowned as she saw the strained look on the girl's face, but knew calling attention to it would only make her defensive. "Find anything?"

Eve sighed and shook her head. "No. But, I'm not done looking yet. I only came back to check on Sven and Rinslet. I'm going back out after that."

A part of Sephiria wanted to object and command her to rest, but the other part of her that knew she was useful nodded in agreement and said nothing as she stepped back into the house. Soon after her, Jenos and Kyoko showed up and Sephiria could already tell by the looks on their faces they didn't have much better news than Eve had. Nonetheless, she decided to ask.

"Updates?"

Kyoko had tears in her eyes as she shook her head and limped past Number One. Sephiria decided not to say anything to the teen since she could tell she looked defeated enough as it was. The limp she was sporting also showed that she was still not fully healed and most likely needed to lay down before she made her injuries worse.

That's probably why she's crying. She probably realizes how useless she is right now and hates herself for it. I knew she cared about Train, but it's becoming more clear she actually cares about Creed as well. Which is strange considering both of their feelings for the Black Cat and the fact that Diskenth used to be her leader. I guess Creed has really softened to the point of winning over the girl.

Jenos stood in front of her, body still bandaged as he bowed slightly to her. "Sorry, Ma'am, we weren't able to find anything. I'm going to head back out with Eve soon. I just wanted to bring the girl back since it looked like she could barely walk."

Sephiria frowned at the man since she also knew he wanted to make sure the thief was okay. She sighed and gestured for him to go into the house. "Go check on the woman. I know that is playing a large role in your return."

Jenos gave her a grateful look, then walked briskly into the house. Sephiria could tell that he would have run if she wasn't there. He was just holding back so he didn't look completely pathetic in front of his leader.

I know what his relationship is with the woman, he doesn't need to hide it. Although, I guess it is a bit unsightly for a number to show their emotions in front of their leader. I'm aware they all put on a face for me.

The fact that her numbers put on an obedient face in front of her didn't bother her in the least. She knew it was a sign of respect and besides that, she was their boss. Sephiria knew even in regular jobs, people put on faces whenever their bosses arrived and in that aspect, assassins were no different.

Even Belze was different when they were alone as opposed to when the other numbers were around. Despite the fact that he was technically beneath her, Number II was still the more affection towards her, but only when no one else was around. However, she knew the reason behind that, and it was something they would never be permitted to say out loud.

And could get me punished by the Elders...

She shook her head, then sighed and rubbed her hand along her face. "Where the hell are you, Diskenth?"

Belze frowned at his leader, then put another comforting hand on her shoulder. "We'll find him, Sephiria. We'll find them both."

Sephiria tried to smile up at him, but found the gesture impossible with how tired and stressed she was. "But will we find them in enough time…?"

Belze sighed and took his hand away. He didn't know what to say to that, so he decided to keep his mouth shut. Instead, he watched as his leader began to pace in front of him again, knowing she was deep in thought and not wanting to break her concentration. As much as it pained him to see the woman bear such a burden, he knew there wasn't anything he could do to help. Besides that, sometimes Sephiria came up with her best ideas when she was under the most amount of pressure.

Several more silent minutes passed of him watching Number One pace and think, not knowing what to say or do, but at the same time understanding she wouldn't want him to do anything. However, after a while he could no longer take seeing her so troubled and decided to speak.

"Do you want to begin searching again?"

Sephiria stopped in her steps and analyzed his simple question. After a few more seconds of even more silence, she gave him a concerned look. "Are you sure you don't need more time to rest? Don't think I haven't noticed the condition of your leg."

Belze frowned and looked down at his limb. It was shaking slightly and marginally swollen, but he had been ignoring it in favor of dutifully following his leader's orders. It was still bound tightly in a thin cast since that was all they had time for after the battle and he knew he needed more in order to recover fully, but he didn't believe they had time to worry about his injuries. However, he couldn't deny that his leg was slowing him down and he would most likely be worthless in a fight. And the last thing he wanted was to be useless to Sephiria.

Still, that won't change her injuries and stubborn attitude.

"Are you going to rest?" Belze asked, making sure the woman saw the resolve in his eyes.

Sephiria blinked at him, then frowned and shook her head slightly. "Of course not."

Belze nodded in understanding. "Then I won't either. I'll rest when you rest."

Sephiria opened her mouth to object and almost ordered him to rest since she knew he would listen to her, but shut it quickly when she realized she felt stronger with Number II around. As selfish as it was, Sephiria didn't want Belze to leave her side. Not only did the man give her the fortitude she needed to keep going, but he gave her the courage not to give up. If he left her now in order to rest, Number One wasn't sure how she would fare without him.

It's embarrassing how weak he can make me feel with his absence…

Sephiria sighed and went back to her pacing. "If that's how you feel, then I won't force you to do something against your will."

Belze smiled at her back as she walked away from him. They both knew if she told him to go to sleep, he would. As devoted to her as he was, he knew their duties to Chronos always came first and she was still his superior. He had to listen to her orders no matter what they were, so the fact that she was choosing not to give him any proved that she didn't want him to leave.

Number II nodded his head. "Understood, Number One."

A few more silent minutes passed by as Sephiria thought about what their next moves should be. However, her pacing stopped when she saw a low level eraser approaching them at a rapid pace. He was panting wildly when he finally reached them, he leaned on his knees as she tried to catch his breath.

Sephiria only gave the man a few seconds before she pressed him for answers. "Did you find something?"

The man took in a deep breath, then stood up and saluted her. "We found out about a huge disturbance in the middle of a deserted field several miles away from the city. It was reported by a weather satellite, but it was quick and forceful enough to not be natural. That leads us to believe it has something to do with the Black Cat. And…" He paused and thought about what he said, not sure how his superior was going to take his next words, even though he had no control of what happened. "...Number X went off on his own to look into it."

Sephiria narrowed her eyes at the man. "...What?"

The man jumped at the hint of venom in her voice and stuttered his response. "M-My apologies, Ma'am! W-We tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen! H-He just took off on his own!"

Number One hardened her glare on him and thickened the anger in her tone. "How long ago was this?"

The man jumped again and felt himself beginning to sweat. "A-About thirty minutes! I-I came back to inform you since I'm the fastest. The other's followed him, but he took off so quickly, we're not sure we're going to be able to keep up."

Belze scowled at the man. "Why didn't you just communicate with us through your devices?"

The man widened his eyes and scratched the back of his head. "I… We didn't think of that…"

Sephiria unsheathed her sword which made the man panic even more. She pointed it at his neck, knowing she wasn't going to kill the man, but wanting him to know how easy it would be for her.

And as a reminder what the Elders will order me to do if he's that idotic again.

The eraser was still young and new to the organization, so she had a feeling he was still too dimwitted and inexperienced to think about informing her of that news in a more efficient and quick way. She wouldn't have even been surprised if he still didn't know how to use their communication devices. They were complicated to use, but the Elders didn't seem to care. She made a mental note to bring the situation they were currently in up to the later as proof they needed a change in their tech.

I don't know what the other erasers excuses are, but that will certainly be punished for their irresponsiblly stupid behavior later. But for now...

Sephiria sheathed her sword and pushed past the man. "Show me where he went."