author's notes : Eya! MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone! Hehehe! Hope you all enjoyed your Christmas. =) Hehe. Anyway, here's a little present for you! I know it's not much… and some of you people out there hate me… but… here you go! =) I really hope you enjoy. Since I always make Jet OOC, I'll try my best to capture his character here. Ok? Thanks! =)

Disclaimer : I DO NOT OWN WILD ARMS.

To all those who like my fics… thank you very much. I don't know how to repay you. I hope making more fics for you and for others will be a good enough repayment. =)

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Whatever!

By aya_yahiko/Terra

"Maybe... it just had to be this way." Virginia muttered, as her breathing became more dense.

"Don't say things like that." Jet said, in his best effort to sound comforting. "Your old man, Clive and Gallows will be here any minute. So stay put and try not to talk."

The young Drifter smiled as she put a hand over her chest. It was becoming harder to breathe. "You broke my fall, right, Jet?" She said, as panting. "You caught me when I fainted. Thank... you."

Her companion was silent for awhile. When he finally spoke, it wasn't a 'you're welcome' or 'no problem' phrase. Instead, he sort-of scolded her. "I told you not to talk. Do you know in what condition you're in?!"

Virginia nodded and smiled. Though her comrade spoke harshly to her, she just smiled. He was normally like that anyway. And normally, when he spoke like that, she would fight back and tell him to stop being so cold.

...But today, everything couldn't go 'normally'.

"Jet, when I die..." She started, the thought of her disappearing in this world crushing both her and secretly, him. "I'll haunt you. Is that ok?"

Jet was surprised when she said that. This was supposed to be a dramatic moment, for crying out loud! She was the one in trouble, and she shouldn't be making jokes of such things. "What?" He said, as moving his chair closer to the bed in which she lay.

"I'll haunt you." She said, almost playfully, as her chest deepened and craved for air. "I'll always be beside you, so that when you start saying how memories are not important I'll find a way to hit you, and then you'll realize that memories ARE important because you'll have a memory following you."

She thought she saw a smile creep up his lips, but it must've been just the trick of her tear stinged eyes. She had heard no reply from her companion, so she just continued on speaking.

"And when you try to leave Gallows and Clive,... I'll hit you again because you're needed in the team. You're a clue to saving Filgaia, you know?" She said, as smiling. "Daddy knows who you really are. Don't worry, I'll haunt him too and force him to tell you who you are."

While she spoke, her smile never faltered.

"You shouldn't talk, I've told you that." Jet said, as looking away. Darn it! How he hated Leehalt for doing this to her! There she was, speaking about death as it came to her. And she was dying, but she still wasn't thinking of herself! She was still thinking of how to help him…

'Why is she like that?' Jet thought to himself, as watching Virginia breathe deeply as closing her eyes. They had thought that the antidote that Werner had given her for the nano-machine virus had already been working, but Leehalt had found out about it and casted another spell on her. 'Why does she have to think of me when all I do is oppose her?'

Being frank, he was about to tell his female companion about his thoughts, but was cut off when she called out first.

"Jet...?" The female traveler said, as looking at her side. "Can I ask I question...?" Her voice was becoming drowsy and weak.

"Whatever." The male Drifter said, trying to look away from his companions face. He couldn't take it anymore, she was dying and yet... the pretty smile on her face did not fade away.

Virginia seemed to take his answer for a yes. "What did you see when you insterted your Airget-lamh B/V2 in the pipe? I heard you say it was a 'distant memory'..."

Jet was surprised. He hadn't been expecting her to ask such a question. "Well,..." he started, as trying to picture the scene once again. "It was a field full of flowers."

His comrade nodded. "Oh. Just a field of flowers?" Her voice seemed quite disappointed.

"Yeah." He replied, as looking back at her. He then added in a sarcastic voice, "Like it was important."

"Of course it was important!" Virginia countered, as trying to stand up and face him. "You're lucky you even have a memory like that! I- - - "

Her voice got cut off as she nearly sat up and also nearly fell of the bed. Her hand was on her throat.

Her condition was getting worse.

"I told you to stay put." Jet said, as his arms caught her. He then placed her carefully back on the bed, and tucked her in. "Now stop talking."

Virginia just sighed and nodded. After all, she knew he was right. If she talked more, it would also mean that she would lessen her life span. It would also make her tired and sleepy. She needed to be awake until her father and comrades came back.

A few minutes of silence came. Neither spoke a word, the other one because she was told not to speak, and the other one because he so much hated to talk.

The silence was becoming eerie for Virginia. She could see her world spinning, and she knew that her time was nearly up. Awhile ago, she was ready to die, but now, it seemed that she wanted to grasp life once again.

"J-Jet...?" She called out, silent tears streaming on her face. "I'm getting dizzy."

Jet immediately stood up from his chair and went to her. Getting dizzy was a sign of a body losing air. Though his face didn't show it, inside, his heart was pounding widly, and his throat was painful.

Virginia tried to stop the tears as her lungs started to open barely for any air that wanted to come in. She would last for a few hours, and if her father didn't come back with the herbs then...

"Jet?" She called out again.

"Yeah?"

She smiled as she heard his voice. "Can I ask you some questions?"

"..."

"...whatever."

"Why did you save me in Serpent's Coils?" The question came out almost immediately, and it was as if it had wanted to be answered for a very long time.

The young treasure hunter did not know what to reply. He tried to recall the event, and why had he done such a thing.

...

All he remembered was being extremely nervous when he saw the rock nearly fall on Virginia. He remembered feeling as if there was no reason to live if she was gone,.. an unexplainable feeling...

Just like the feeling that filled him now.

"Why?" Virginia asked again, therefore breaking of his thoughts. "Why did you catch me when I fainted, too? And why did you immediately protest when I thought you were my brother...?"

Jet was baffled by her questions. He had no idea on why he had done such things. It was so UN-him.

"I dunno. I really dunno." He replied, hoping the simple answer would satisfy her.

Virginia just nodded. "Oh, that's ok." She said, as smiling at him. She then continued, "Tell \ me, have you ever smiled?"

His answer came immediately. "No."

"Come on,... even just once?"

"No."

"Not even now? Or a while ago? Or yesterday?"

...

No answer.

Virginia sighed. "I guess that's a no."

"Good you know." Came the sudden reply.

"When I haunt you, I'll make you smile." Virginia said to him, as giggling. "No matter how much you won't like it."

She was talking about dying again.

"I haven't allowed you to haunt me yet." Jet said blankly, as thinking of more words to say. For once, he would sacrifice his hatred of talk so that she would keep her mind off dying. He would talk, so that she would listen and think about what he was saying. She had to think of something else. Anything else, as long as it did not involve her dying.

Because the mind is the most powerful thing. What she thinks, her mind can do. If she thinks she's dying, then her mind will make it come true.

...And he did not want that to happen.

Her reply came almost immediately. "Then will you allow me to haunt you, Jet?"

No answer.

...

"No." Came the male Drifter's reply.

"Why?" Her voice sounded hurt.

For once, only for once, Jet smiled. "Because you have to be dead when you haunt. And I'm definitely not gonna give up on you. You are not going to die. Not today, at least."

From her tears, the young female Drifter smiled. Although Jet rarely spoke, when he did, he was always frank. Whether what he had to say was good or bad, he was ALWAYS frank and straight to the point.

He looked at her and continued, "And if ever you will die... I'll be dead first."

Virginia could not believe her surprised ears. "Am I speaking to Jet Enduro?" She said out loud, as laughing.

Jet rolled his eyes. "No, you're actually speaking to Janus." He said sarcastically, as grabbing a chair and leaning on her bedside.

Virginia stood up as far as her dizziness could take her. "Where are you Jet? My vision is too blurry."

The male hunter held her shoulders in order to support her. "I've been telling you to stay put." He said, as carrying her down. "You really want to stand up, don't you?"

A smile was her only reply. "Take me to the field of flowers." Virginia said, as Jet supported her. "Bring me outside. Please...?"

Although surprised at first, Jet nodded. He then took her outside and they both sat on the grass, their backs leaning on a rock. They were side by side, and Virginia's head leaned on Jet's shoulder, mainly because she was losing strength.

"It's very pretty." Virginia said, as coughing. Her breathing was getting even deeper. "I can't believe that such a pretty place like Yggdrasil would be the cause of Filgaia's decaying state."

Jet blushed as he turned away. "Whatever."

"You keep saying that! Why?"

"Because I don't care about Filgaia, and because this place reminds me of that stupid flashback."

Virginia scowled at him as she looked for a witty retort. "Why did you take me out here, then?" She finally said, as trying to catch a nice glimpse of Jet even with her blurry vision.

Her companion couldn't think of an answer. Why had he taken her out here? He knew he hated the look of this kind of flower, because it reminded him of the distant memory. Why then had he pushed aside his personal hatred for it? Was it because of Virginia...?

"Because you asked me to." Jet simply replied, still unknowing the main reason on why he had done so many things for this girl beside him. It wasn't like him to do these things. To say those words to her, to take her out here despite his hatred for it, to save her...

It wasn't like him at all.

Virginia smiled at his answer. She probably knew he was confused. "Jet, thank you." She then said, as another cough came out from her. "Thanks for everything..."

Instead of saying 'Whatever' or scolding her, for the second time, Jet smiled and said, "...No problem." He then plucked a flower out of its roots and gave it to her.

"Awwww.... that is, like, SO sweet." An annoyingly annoying voice said from the above them. Jet looked up to see Gallows peeping from behind the rock. "I thought we told you to take care of her, not spend quality time with her." The Baskar tribesman said, as sitting beside Jet.

Jet glared his best at Gallows. Virginia, sensing their company was there, tried to stand up, but since she couldn't, she ended up falling on Jet again.

"I see you've been enjoying the scenery." Werner Maxwell's voice said, clear enough even though he was still quite far away. "It's really nice here, don't you think? Ekatrina used to love that kind of flower..."

Hearing her father's voice, both Virginia and Jet immediately turned crimson red and went away from each other. (Anime style!) But since, knowing Virginia's condition as we all do, she ended up coughing and fainting...

...Only to be caught by Jet again.

"She's fainted." Jet said plainly, trying not to sound embarassed.

"We better take her back, quick." Clive started, as helping Jet carry their female comrade. "We have to get the nano-machines out of her before it's too late."

"Right."

All of them then walked into Werner's cottage, ready to make the cure for their leader and friend.

~~~~~~~~~~

"I've told you a million times, go to sleep."

Those are the words that Jet said during the night. Werner and the rest had left again, saying that they had to gather more herbs. But Jet knew better. The look on Gallows face always said it all.

"Do I have to?" Came the reply, in a sort of childly manner. The scene was like a father telling his daughter to go to sleep without a bedtime story.

"Yes, you have to." The male Drifter said, as sighing. This was gonna be one of those nights...

Virginia seemed amused by annoying Jet. "Give me a reason, then." She said, as looking at her comrade who was at her bedside. "Give me a reason to fall asleep."

Jet grabbed a pillow and threw it at her face, but just lightly. "Or else I'll do that."

The female traveler laughed and grabbed the pillow as well. "I'll fight back." She said, as throwing the pillow on his face. "And throwing a pillow on a sick person's face isn't nice."

"Well, who said I was nice?" Jet replied, his voice cold but clearly amused.

Virginia knew exactly what to answer. "Florina and her flowers." She said, the memory of the young girl in her garden filling her.

"I told her she'd regret it if she called me nice again."

"Well, she was just being nice. Why can't you act more like her?"

"And be a mother nature-freak? No way!"

"You don't have to be a mother nature lover. Simply being nice to other people is being nice to mother nature."

Jet silenced after that statement. He did not give his comrade any reply.

"Hello? Jet?" Virginia stated, as getting up. She could finally stand up on her own. She waved her hands in front of his face. His eyes were closed, and his arms were crossed. She was sure he was just pretending.

"Jet..." The young girl said, as trying to get out of bed. Even though she was strong enough to walk, her drowsiness got the better of her. She tripped over something, and was supposed fall face flat on the floor.

"Yikes!" She exclaimed, waiting for her face to hit the wooden tiles. But that moment didn't come.

Jet had caught her... again.

His arm was around her waist, and though he was seated on the chair, he was still able to keep their balance.

"I told you to go to sleep." He said plainly, as carefully placing Virginia on the floor, because it seemed she wanted to be on the floor rather than on the bed. But just as he was doing so, he lost balance too and he fell from his chair and onto the floor, right in front of Virginia.

The young girl laughed at the sight. "Well, it looks like I'm not the only one who's sleepy."

Jet glared at her before replying. "Oh, so you finally admit that you're sleepy?"

"Well... you're sleepier."

"Is there such a word?"

Virginia giggled at his reply. "I dunno." She said, as lying down on the cold floor. It was then when she began coughing again.

Jet looked at her and silenced. She was not supposed to be coughing anymore...

There was a quiet atmosphere that filled the room after that. Neither spoke, because each seemed absorbed with their thoughts. The silence was only broken when the young lady asked an unexpected question.

"Jet..?" She said, as looking at the stars outside the window. "Do you think I'm a tomboy?"

Jet looked at her with a suprised face. "What makes you think that?" He said, as staring at her with his deep purple eyes. "..No." He answered, even though his own question had not been replied to. "But I bet even Neil was scared of you when you were kids."

Virginia rolled her eyes playfully as Jet mentioned her friend back in Boot Hill. "Neil was the only boy in Boot Hill back then. Why would he be scared of me?"

"Because he was afraid you'd shoot him."

"Yeah right. Whatever, Jet."

Once again, silence followed. It was again that Virginia broke it.

"Jet..." She started, as smiling at her comrade. "I'll always accept you for who you are."

The male traveler seemed confused. "What?"

"No matter how mean or nice you are, I'll always accept you for who you are. Okay?"

Jet smiled as he finally understood what she meant. She did not see it though, for it was night and there was no light in the cottage. "Whatever." He muttered, but his voice was clearly happy.

Virginia tried to get up as she heard his response. She smiled too, and she knew that even though his answer was like that, there was a meaning behind it. And besides, his tone said it all.

She searched for him as she felt her hands reach his shoulders. She kept it there, as she felt his hands hold her waist and carry her back to the bed.

"Now this time," He said, still not releasing her. "Go to sleep. You've admitted already that you were sleepy."

Virginia yawned to confirm his statement. She nodded and giggled. "I guess you're right..."

Jet smirked as he helped her get in the covers. "Finally, I win..."

As he said those words, he felt Virginia's hands tighten on his shoulders, as if showing her nervousness. It was then when he felt her lean on him, and press her lips against his.

"You're right..." She muttered, her cheeks flaring red as she immediately got into the blankets. "You win." Her voice was clearly a mixture of embarrasement and happiness.

Jet was still dazed about what happened. After covering her with a blanket, he sat down on his chair and he could immensly feel his cheeks burning up.

.......

Heh, This was definitely ONE memory he was going to consider important.

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author's notes : Aaaaaaaaaaah! So I know it sucks and I know you won't like it. But even so, please do review! I just came up with this fic after we returned from a province. A very cold province, mind you. I was freezing out there! Snow doesn't come here, to my country, and yet the province of Bagiuo is still very cold. Brrrrr..... Anyway, I hope you liked it, no matter how much it sucks. Okie? Thanks!

Hi to Kyoy, Yuko2, sm16, star of david, all my friends, Hi!!!