Time Heals Most Wounds

Chapter Two: Harmony

Thomas sat on the floor, by Raven's leg and the statue's stand, tinkering with BEEK's programming. There was a sudden knock on the door and a familiar brunette peeking in the window.

"Meara?" He opened the door with a nod from Raven and she jumped on him, smacking him upside the head.

"Baka! You had us worried sick, Thomas-kun!" She sighed, clinging to him tightly, leaving a dark red smudge on his cheek after her smooch.

"Raven! Thank you for rescuing him, I owe you big time." She gave him a big hug and a kiss, too.

"It's really no problem, Peregrine." he said as she turned back to Thomas.

"Mou taku! You had Karl and I worried sick! SICK!" She shouted as he hung his head.

"MeaMea-chan, I'm sorry, but I just had to get out of there." She pulled him into another hug, patting the back of his shoulders.

"Hun, I know, I know, but next time, 'I fucking quit' is not a good thing to leave us with."

"Yes, Meara." Thomas answered as she flopped back onto Raven's bed. "So how have you and Karl been?" She cracked open an eye, about to yell. "Other than worried sick!" He added.

His almost-sister-in-law just about smirked. "If you leave that out, okay. Karl's listing you on 'Vacation leave', since I know you'll come back."

He fidgeted slightly, "Actually, Mea, I…I might not."

"Hm, well that's for you to decide, Hun, and take all the time you want in doing so, But, Karl has got a little job for you--"

"I don--"

"Uh, uh. It's not a handout or an order, just an opportunity to earn some pocket cash, to earn your keep you know? Right, Raven?"
"Whatever, doesn't matter to me." He mumbled, a cigarette between his lips, tossing Meara the pack. Thomas didn't notice her upset glance to her friend.

"Anyhow, you'll be operating from here."

"Huh?"
"By this." She said, resting the cigarette in the ashtray and pulling out a sleek black laptop with various wires, chords and hookups dangling from it.

"What do I have to do?"

"Pfft, It'd be nice if I knew." She said rolling her eyes and exhaling a cloud of smoke. "I'll say computer stuff, but there's an outline in here."

"Fine."

——— † ———

Thomas sat on the floor, Indian style, his bare feet tapping against the wood to the beat of Raven's loud music.

"And Isolation is the oxygen mask

Come make your children breathe in to survive.

I'm not a slave to a god

That doesn't exist!

I'm not a slave to a world that doesn't give a shit!"

Marilyn Manson screamed as Thomas navigated through the computer program. He watched Raven staring intently at the molded piece of clay, his foot gently tapping the floor as well, only slower. He lit another cigarette and stared harder, trying to remember the finer details of Shadow's metal body.

"The death of one is a tragedy,

The death of one is a tragedy,

The death of millions is just a, just a shame!"

Thomas smiled; it was two months later and living with Raven had definitely changed his preconceived notion of the cold maverick. He was…well…fun! The sandy haired Lieutenant and the outsider had a tacit settlement; Thomas could stay as long as he wanted, and Raven hoped he would stay forever, because, no-one wants to be alone.

Raven had taught him how to cope with the loss of Fiona and she was now a "thing of the past" as they say. But, Lieutenant Schubaltz was still plagued by fantasy. Karl and Meara, along with the rest of the Guardian Force had tried to help him regain his memory after his unfortunate encounter with Hiltz and the Death Stinger, but some things were blurred, as if they were past recollections, trying to be set free. Thomas closed his eyes and concentrated on the image of him and another young man together, with dark hair and a scar that traveled from across his ribs and ran down his side. Other than that, he couldn't remember a name or a face.

Thomas watched Raven, curled up beside him, facing the window, gazing at the stars. He smiled and trailed a finger down his spine, getting a low laugh. The other rolled over to face him.

"Still awake?"

"Mmhm."

"Try and get some sleep, it's late." He whispered as Thomas smiled and snuggled himself into his arms. "Good night, love." He said softly when he was sure he was asleep.

[End chapter two: to be continued]

Rawr. Nighty night all.

-Naomi Hun†er

Oh! Ps: as for the setting, about a year after Guardian Force and my take on the whole battle thing, thanks to goddamn cartoon network, is the Death Stinger was it, and the Gravity Cannon killed it. Anticlimactic, no? I'm going to post the prequel when this is done, It won't take long. Mata.