Jonas' breathing shallowed, and Asherah looked over at him. His eyes were on her.
She struggled up, propping herself on her elbows, and looked down at him. "Truce?" she whispered, voice wavering.
"Truce." he breathed, smiling a little.
A tear dropped onto his face. "Jonas-"
"Don't. It doesn't matter now."
Asherah pressed her lips to his; when she came up again, he smiled, and Asherah could feel him fading away from her-
and then he was gone. Simply gone.
She stared in shock. "Jonas- Jonas?" He didn't reply, she knew he wouldn't, but she couldn't make herself believe it. "Jon- dammit, Jonas!" she sobbed. "Why? Why…" Asherah gave a hoarse cry and buried her face in his shoulder.
*
Asherah staggered into the hospital waiting room, eliciting gasps from those seated there. She didn't see them, didn't recognize the familiar faces.
A nurse rushed up to her. "Ma'am, the emergency ward is that way. Here, I'll take you-"
"I'm not here for treatment." Asherah quietly informed her.
"But, ma'am…!"
"Asherah, please… here, I'll take you to the emergency room." Rain offered.
The other woman's eyes settled on her for the first time, and the expression in them backed both the others up a step. "Where's Chibodee? I know he's here."
"He- you can't- you shouldn't be going anywhere with the condition you're in!" Rain spluttered, trying to regain her composure.
"Room 118." Domon supplied, slipping up beside Rain and putting an arm around her shoulders. He drew her back gently.
"Domon!" Rain protested.
Asherah was already gone, striding down the hall.
*
"Asherah?" four voices chorused in disbelief, and Shirley and Bunny sprang up to help her.
Asherah ignored them and headed straight for the purpleheaded man in the bed.
"He's resting." Shirley explained, toning down her voice.
The white- haired woman ignored her and gave Chibodee a sharp rap to the head with her knuckles. "Wake up, you lazy bum."
He groaned instead. His crew bustled around her, demanding explanations and trying to drag her back, but they froze when the fighter groaned again and shifted slightly.
His eyes strained open. "Shirley… Cath… Bunny… Janet…"
"We're here, Chibodee." Shirley said.
"Are you all right?" Janet asked worriedly.
"We're glad you're awake." Cath admitted, soothingly rubbing Bunny's back, who was crying too hard to say anything intelligible.
Asherah pushed in front of them. "It's over."
His teal eyes widened and he sat up in a rush, wincing only slightly. "You mean-"
"He's dead. By my hand." she confessed flatly. "You'll have to- clean up the rest, I'm afraid…" Her hand gripped the bedside, and she swayed.
Shirley and Cath both grabbed a shoulder, but Asherah's dark eyes were trained unerringly on Chibodee. The Gundam fighter found himself unable to look away. "My brothers."
"I'll take care of it." he pledged, although he wasn't entirely sure what he was agreeing to.
Her eyes closed and she sighed in relief; then she cracked an eyelid. "You did well."
"Thanks." he croaked.
"You still have- ?"
"Yes."
She smiled. "Freedom- I'm finally free-" and with a rapturous expression, her eyes drifted shut, and she slumped in Cath and Shirley's grip.
End