Krystal couldn't take it anymore. It was while she was staring out the wide viewport at space in the Great Fox's lounge that she came to this decision, and she had to do something about it.

That blasted experiment. How dare they? How dare they put Fox through such a thing? She was a patient vixen, but people hurting her loved ones was something she could not abide. Not like this. Her anger built up every day since Fox came home from the experiment; he was sullen and withdrawn, showing just how much that simulation hurt him deeply. He was wounded, and every protective instinct in her body wanted her to go back to Corneria and tear that lab down piece by piece with her staff. Her hackles rose as she thought of those blasted scientists, analyzing their bits and bytes of data while the man she loved suffered in a private hell of his own worst fears-

Krystal clenched her paws and closed her eyes.

"Calm," she whispered. "Calm. The anger will pass through me, and calm will remain." It was an old Cerinian prayer, one she relied on frequently in these times.

She opened her eyes and stared back into space. She'd given Fox space these last few days because there was a policy between them of giving him time to work a problem out on his own before he sought her for help. It wasn't because he didn't value her help or judgement. It was because Fox knew he couldn't solely rely on her all the time to fix something, as tempting as it was to do so. It was that Papetoon born rugged individualism. Cerinians were a more communal people, but she understood his need and respected it. But right now, that individual approach wasn't working. The look in his eyes told her all she needed to know. Falco and Slippy told her daily she needed to say something, and where before she said no out of respect for Fox trying to manage this himself, now she knew had to step in. The time for that was right now. She turned around on her heels, and-

"Oh. Krys."

Fox came out of the elevator, a tired smile on his muzzle that didn't reach his eyes. He walked passed her and sat on the couch, and stared at his paws. There he was, speak of the devil.

"Fox," she said. "We need to talk."

"I know," said Fox. "I...Krystal?"

"Yes?"

"I need help."

Blast those scientists. Blast them and blast the bureaucracy that put them there. In all her time with Fox she never heard him speak with such a tone. It was quiet and afraid, and it made every part of her want to wrap him in an embrace and never let him go.

"Of course," she said, sitting beside him and taking one of his paws. "Of course, Fox. I'm here. I'm here as long as you need."

He looked at her, then at her paw, and squeezed it. Then he looked out into space for a time. He could take as long as he needed. He needed to find the words for whatever he was going through right now, and only he could find them. It didn't matter how long it took; no force short of divine intervention was going to make her let go of his paw. She could feel the gears in his head ruminating over his thoughts about the simulation, and what painful thoughts they were.

"I can't handle this alone," he said finally. "I can't. This is something I've always struggled with, and for the longest time I thought I could manage it. But being faced with it...your worst nightmare, it...Krystal, there are just so many things on my mind and I don't know how I can say them and-"

"Shh," said Krystal, pulling him to her bosom for a hug. "One thing at a time, Fox. One thing at a time. There's no hurry." She let him go. "There's nothing you cannot tell me right now, Fox."

Fox just looked at her, then took a deep breath. He opened his muzzle, closed it, then opened it again.

"I'm not afraid to die, Krystal," he whispered.

Krystal nodded.

"I've faced the odds so much at this point that...when you do something dangerous, Krys, and you know this, pretending like death isn't in the picture is the worst sort of delusion. Part of what drives us to be the best we can be at what we do is to mitigate that risk. But we always know that risk is there. At this point, while I'm not numb to it, I can face the possibility of my death almost with a cold detachment. That's why in the simulation, when I...when I was about to fly that final mission alone, when I knew I was probably going to die, I just accepted it. It was what it was. If I could die making a safer world for my friends, then I could take it. I don't know what comes after death, but...I'm willing to face it for my friends."

Krystal nodded and stroked his paw.

"What scared me so much about the simulation was...how lonely it was," he whispered. "How...when I talked to that fake Slippy and Falco I just felt this sensation of emptiness, like pieces of myself being ripped off my body. Then, when I talked to...when I talked to...I..."

His paw started shaking.

"I'm here, Fox," Krystal said.

"I felt like I was dying," said Fox. "Like there was a hole in my heart. I think I was already dead at that moment, before I ever pushed the button on the detonator. Everything after that I just...moved through, not really feeling alive."

Krystal felt her hackles raising again. Those scientists would never-

Calm. Calm. Breath in and out.

"Krystal?" said Fox.

"Go on, Fox." she said. "I'll be fine. Go on."

There was pause while he looked at her worriedly, then he took a deep breath.

"The number one thing I'm afraid of, Krystal," he said, "the thing that haunts my nightmares and makes me feel like a child again, is loneliness."

The word hung in the air like the stench of death. It was the way he said it, the way it just fell from his muzzle like bile. Krystal felt everything in him as he spoke the word, and for a moment the Fox she knew was replaced with a kit, wearing a look of grief and fear that no child should ever have to wear. Goddess of Mothers and Home and Hearth, Shepard of Orphans, she thought, envelope my love in your arms, and give him the strength the see this through, she thought.

"It was the loss of your family that did this," she said.

"Yes," said Fox. "But...it's something in particular that makes me fear it this much. A memory. The worst moment of my life."

Krystal looked at Fox sharply.

"I relive it sometimes," said Fox, a thousand-yard-stare in his eyes as he looked straight ahead. "I think that's where I felt that feeling for the first time, like in the simulation when I talked to...when I felt like I was dead. Where I just have a hole in my stomach and I'm just bleeding out."

"Fox..." Krystal whispered.

"And it makes me feel like a child again," said Fox. "I can see it again now, and I don't want to go back Krystal but I need to talk about it, but it hurts-

Krystal pressed Fox close to her chest, holding his paw while she stroked his head. She projected comforting and caring emotions through her powers, wrapping Fox in a warm blanket of feeling and holding him close to her heart. She cradled his head in her lap.

"It's okay, Fox." she said.

The look in his eyes was gone, and he just stared at her. He controlled his breathing and held her paw as she tended to him.

"It was during the funeral for my father," he said.

She said nothing.

"When my father died...originally, General Pepper wanted to give him a burial with military honors. A blaster salute, fly by, everything. Pepper loved my father both as an officer to a soldier and as a friend, and the loss pained him. He would spare no expense. But Peppy said no. Not because he doubted the general, but because he wanted it to be a family and friend affair for my sake. Because he wanted me to be surrounded by as much close family and friends as possible.

And that is what happened. I will never forget how much everyone circled the wagons around me. My friends comforted and cried with me. The fathers of my friends pulled me aside and told me how sorry they were, how my father was one of the best men they ever knew and how they would do anything I asked for my support. The mothers did the same and hugged and kissed me. Fay's mom, Athena, practically wanted adoption papers signed right there. I would not go on without a family, she said. But it wasn't the right time back then, and I want to carry on the name of my folks. But I was grateful for all the love shown for me.

Then we buried my father. It happened after that."

He was quiet for a time. He looked at the ceiling and held her paw while she stroked his cheek. Then he started up again.

"After the ceremony everyone drifted away to their circles. Peppy went with Lucy, my friends with their parents, friends with friends. I understand why now. After all that grief, they needed kin to decompress and sort it all out. I remember being all alone by the gate to the cemetery, and thinking, this is how it was when mom died. Everyone's going out to their circles.

But my dad was there to hold my paw when mom died, when it was just the two of us. I remember I cried so hard into my father's suit I think I almost ruined my lungs. So, at my father's funeral, I felt so sad and alone and turned around thinking, dad, hold my paw please, I don't want to feel alone and...and..."

He was crying now, weeping quietly as tears streamed down his cheeks and onto her lap. He was squeezing her paw tightly, and the need for her presence emanating from him was overwhelming.

"And I saw the grave with my parents under it. My daddy was gone, and I understood I was completely alone."

After he said that, time passed. Krystal didn't know how long. It could've been minutes or an hour or an age, but the way those words tore themselves from Fox's throat was the most agonizing sound.

"I don't want to feel that way again, Krystal," he said. "I don't want to go back to that place."

She pulled him close. They stayed like that for another long time. Her powers picked up Fox becoming lost in her warmth, as he was pulled away from the emotional desolation he just weathered through.

"It's okay, Fox," she whispered. "It's okay."

Fox sat up, wiped his eyes, and looked out into space in thought. When he looked back at her, he visibly looked better, but there was still a lot on his mind.

"Everything I saw in that simulation," he said, "was everything I don't want for my life. I don't want to see my team break up with me being the only one left. I don't want the person I love-the greatest thing that's ever happened to me-to look at me with nothing but hatred in her eyes. I don't want to die alone for Lylat like a hero. I'll fight for it and I will sacrifice for it, because it holds everything that I hold dear, but I want so much more in my life. I want to marry you and settle down somewhere quiet and raise a family, Krystal." He wiped his eyes again and gave her a shy look that melted her heart. "If you would like that, of course."

"I think we've always known that's what we want," she said, smiling and blushing at him.

Fox just smiled. "I suppose so."

"But Fox," she said. "What you saw...I can't speak for Falco and Slippy, but I know they wouldn't leave without talking with you. But for me, what you saw, I swear by my honor, will never happen. There are times where I'm mad at you, where I need my space, where we have our boundaries, but there will never be a moment where I betray you. I would never hurt you so deeply. I would sooner die than do that."

"Don't say that," said Fox fretfully.

"I mean it," she said. "Fox, Cerinians take bonds seriously. The two of us have been through so much together. I know how much agony that would cause you, and I don't need a simulation to see that. "

"Yeah," said Fox, nodding. She could tell he understood. "It's just such a frightening thing though."

"I understand. If you ever feel such fear, come to me."

"I will," he said. He smiled at her. "One of the best gifts you give is your presence."

"Fox...thank you, darling," she said, blushing and smiling.

"I do want to talk to Dr. Barnes about this, though," said Fox. He saw her hackles rising and put his paws up to placate her. "I know you blame him, but I believe he wants to make amends and talk me through this. You can tell he is sincere, surely."

"He is, but I'm still holding all of it against him," she said, crossing her arms. "He hurt you."

"I know. But I still want to talk to him. I want help for this, and I think you can give that to me. And I want you to come with me. I would feel better if you did." He held her paw. "Please?"

"Of course," she said. "I'm not ready to forgive him, but if it's what you want, then I will come."

"Thank you. I'm so glad you'll be there." said Fox.

How odd life is, Krystal thought as they smiled at each other. That over the course of her life and the events in it, that she could stumble across a person who loved her so honestly and deeply. Fox was a simple man in his feelings. He gave her all of himself, and it was gift every moment of every day.

"There's something else I'd like to say, too," said Krystal, a thoughtful look in her eye.

"Hm?" said Fox.

"The way the simulation ended," said Krystal. "The way you gave everything in the end. Fox, I know if there ever came a moment where everything rode on one final effort, and you felt so called, you would do it alone, even with the slimmest chance of survival. If such a moment ever comes, promise me one thing."

"What?"

"That you will take me with you."

"Krys..." said Fox, his eyes widening.

"Fox, the way it happened was too sad," said Krystal. "No one should ever have to face death like that, so alone and so desolate." She cleared her throat. "I want to be there, not just because we could fight it out together and maybe come back alive, but because if it ever did come to that, if it ever came down to dying for a greater cause...I want to be there to hold your paw when it happens. I want to tell you that it's going to be okay."

Fox looked at her in wonder, his eyes misting. "I...I'll try, Krys," he said. "I'll do my best to honor that."

She pulled him close again. "That's all I ask, love," she said. "That's all I ask."