Time.

Brad made it to the Royal Cup, mindlessly making his way through battles, defeating Naomi and waited within the ShadowFox while Bit switched to the Panzer armor seeing the Berserk Fury in their path.

——

Brad watched Bit struggle, trying to raise the Liger, but the stabilizers were beginning to burn out and the Fury was preparing for another blast.

His hands gripped the controls tightly, hearing Tori's past words echo through him.

/Even if he doesn't feel the same, he has to know you love him…/

The ShadowFox sprung forward, firing the Vulcan gun at the hulking Zoid, rendering one of the shield generators inoperative. Vega yelled at him, and Bit glared, but there was an obscured softness in his eyes.

"Bit! Jettison the Panzer Unit!" He did and the Liger stretched it's sleek, naked body, overjoyed to be free of the heavy armor.

"What should I transform into!?"

"The basic Zero armor, you still have it left! Get going! I'll hold it off till then."

"Brad…um…thank you." He said, running off to the Hover Cargo.

Brad faced off with Vega, stalling. He struggled to keep ahead, but somehow the adolescent pilot knew his every move. He let out a yell as the 'Fox was hit hard and he saw the entire right side get blown away. Tossed aside, Brad's ribs and wrist shrieking in pain upon impact with the unremorseful ground.

"Brad!!" He heard various people yell as everything began to swirl slightly.

"Brad! Brad!!" He heard a moreso familiar voice call. /Bit…/ he thought, seeing his worried face on the cracked Vid-screen.

"Hey…" He said shakily as Bit looked even more fearful.

"Brad…I…I'm…" He choking on tears as Brad weakly smiled.

"Be careful, love…I'm counting on you…win for Tori…" He said barely over a whisper.

Bit's anger rose as the hot tears spilled down his cheeks, turning the Liger Zero swiftly.

"Anything, Brad." He said fixing his eyes on Vega.

"You're gonna fucking pay for that, kid!" He snarled as the Liger let out a ferocious roar and charged at The Fury; it struck and cracked off the head armor, leaving a black frame and eerie, glowing red eyes.

—— † ——

Bit and the Liger delivered the Final strike to the Berserk Fury, Liger letting out an impressive roar of triumph. He opened the cockpit and checked on Vega.

"You okay, Kid?"

"Yeah!"

"Good."

"Hey! Do you think the ShadowFox pilot's okay?" The child asked as Bit nodded.

"Of course. Brad'll be fine." He laughed but he ached with guilt.

"Haha. Jeeze! I thought you were gonna kill me, when you first charged! He must mean a lot to you." Vega grinned and Bit stood frozen, his head downcast, away from him.

"Yeah. Yeah, he does." He said as the Comm. came on.

—– † ——

Brad sat on a stretcher within the chaos on the lower-square. He looked at his wrist, splinted in a black brace; his ribs wrapped up tightly under his shirt.

"They did it! The impossible has been done! From Rookie to Hero! Bit Cloud has won the Royal Cup for the Blitz team!" The speakers boomed, making his head ache moreso.

He tilted his head down, just wishing he could go back and make everything all right.

—— † ——

Bit ran through the swarms of people, dodging interviewers and adoring fans. He made it to the upper tier of the square, where the large Vid-screen was. He scanned the crowd and spotted a familiar red-head who stood out, now wearing her street clothes; a torn-up tank top with a black anarchy sign, fishnet gloves and baggy torn up bondage pants, with heavy black makeup and a silver ring showing in her bright red lips.

"Naomi!" He yelled out as she looked away from the screen, blowing out a puff of smoke.

"What do you want?" She asked, sounding bored, inspecting her chipped black fingernails as Leon frowned at her.

"Congratulations, Bit." He said as he caught his breath.

"Where's Brad?!"

"Why do you want to know?" She snarled, taking a drag on her cigarette.

"Because! Because you're right! He doesn't deserve me!" Naomi's stolid face softened.

"Bit…he does…I mean…Damnit!" She sighed. "I think he's at the medic station, the Fury banged him up some." She said as Leon smiled.

"Go on. Hurry up, Bit. This isn't a fairy tale, he's not going to be there forever."

"Right! Thank you!" He called back, breaking into a run again.

"Leena's made him fast, ne?" Leon asked, touching her shoulder gently. She shrugged him off and nodded, letting the half burned cigarette drop from her fingers, crushing it beneath her heavy boot.

—— † ——

Bit dashed down the steps, taking them by fours, trying to avoid crashing into people. Finally he saw the red cross sign, and his beloved sitting on a stretcher.

"Brad!" he called, his heart ready to beat out of his chest. Brad looked up just as Bit half-tackled him, pressing his lips against his own. His good hand clenched around the golden haired pilot's arm, telling him to let go. Bit blinked, then realized he'd been hugging him around the ribs.

"Ah! I'm sorry! Sorry, sorry!" He said over and over, holding him more gently. "Brad…" He whispered into his neck. "I'm so sorry, really. Can you ever forgive me…I should have never said any of those things…"

Brad kissed him softly and played with his hair.

"Of course, since it was my fault." He said as Bit nuzzled him.

"Let's just put that behind us….I love you so much, Brad."

"Mmhm. You know I love you, too."

——

Naomi stared up at the Vid Screen, ready to kill the camera man who'd zoomed in and focused on Bit and Brad.

"That fucker!" She screamed wrathfully, streaking down the steps, Leon in tow, going to try and calm her fury.

The two snuck up behind the cameraman and pulled the plug out. When out of Leon's reach, Naomi pounced and gave him a black eye.

"Hey!" The security guards called as Naomi ceased her pummeling and ran with Leon following close after.

"Ciao boys!" She called running past them.

[End chapter Six: To be concluded.]

a/n:

Oha minna.

I'm done! Only took me how long. -.-; Gomen ne. Home alone again. Mwahahaha Lots of internet tonight. Hope you liked. Aw the sappy fluff.

Disc: I own Tori, the plot and Naomi's wardrobe (not lit'rally unfortunately.)