Title: Metal Gear Solid: Elements of Destruction- Chapter 8: Dreams and Goodbyes
Author: The Ice Goddess (FrozenBlueIce)
Fandom: Metal Gear Solid
Feedback: All feedback is welcome, whether it be negative or positive. I'm trying to improve on my writing so, please be honest: frozenblueice@yahoo.com
Pairing: The main pairing of this story is Snake/Otacon, which is obvious to anyone who knows of my fondness for Hal Emmerich, so therefore alright to disclose. There are others, but if I told you what they were, it'd ruin the story.
Series: No. There may be sequels in the future, but right now that is looking unlikely due to time constraints.
Rating: PG-13 for mild violence (this chapter only)
Disclaimer: All characters appearing in previous Metal Gear Solid video games are the property of Konami Computer Entertainment of Japan, and of their creator, Mr. Hideo Kojima. All new characters are the property of The Ice Goddess. This is a work of fanfiction, and in no way, shape, or form will I receive any monetary compensation for it. It is for entertainment purposes only.
Type: Action/Shounen-ai
Summary: This story takes place one year after the events of "The Big Shell." New information found by Otacon sends Snake back into action. (That's all I'm revealing!)
Chapter 8: Dreams and Goodbyes
Jack lay on his belly, with his face in the dirt. He clutched his gun tight, ready to shoot at the first thing to move. He couldn't see anything through all of the gun smoke and the setting sun right at eye level. His heart raced with fear and anticipation. Jack had to survive, somehow.
Screams in the distance rang in his ears. He crawled up closer to the shrub that was his cover. Surely that was another of his comrades dead. It gave him a sick feeling to his already aching, empty stomach.
Looking to his right, he could make out another figure. The person was approximately the same size as Jack, so he knew it had to be someone from his side. He crawled quickly to cover beside her.
"Jack," she yelled over the sound of machine guns, "We're surrounded!"
"I know," he replied. "I guess this is it."
The girl grabbed onto his arm. Jack looked down at her. She had shiny, blue-black hair, and when the sunlight reflected off of it, it had an almost liquid shimmer. Jack always thought that his battle partner's hair was so beautiful.
"I don't want to fight anymore," she sobbed, blue-violet eyes blazing behind a wall of tears. "I'm going to end this now!"
She got to her feet, rifle in hand, and charged right into the crossfire.
"Wait!" Jack screamed out as he watched her fade away into the smoke. "Diane!"
***
Raiden's eyes suddenly flew open. It took him a moment to realize where he was. He was in his new apartment, safe and sound. Jack sighed in relief.
His body was slick with sweat, and it ran down his face in streams. He wiped it away, then rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.
"Damn," he muttered under his breath, "Another one of those God damned dreams."
He had nightmares often of his day as a child soldier. All were quite disturbing, but the ones about Diane were the ones that really got to him.
She, like Jack, was a child soldier; horribly abused and forced into combat. The girl was his friend, and they had comforted each other during those times of hopelessness and despair. On that one day that haunted Jack's dreams, Diane had decided that enough was enough, and charged in on a suicide run as a final effort to protect her best friend, and end her own suffering in the process.
Jack survived that battle, and many others. He was an adult now, and had a child of his own. He wished that she would have allowed herself a chance at the same. That way, at least, they could have dealt with their terrifying pasts together.
Raiden turned his head to look at the picture of Iroquois next to his makeshift bed. At least, he had the power to fight for his son, so that he would grow, go to school, and raise a family one day. On the rare occasion that Jack had a good dream, it was usually about Iroquois growing up to make him proud. It was a dream that he clung to dearly.
Raiden sat up, yawning and stretching. He looked over at the clock. It was 7:20. Deciding to get an early start on his day, he got up and walked over to his still unpacked suitcases. He pulled himself out some fresh clothes and a fresh towel, then set them on the bathroom counter.
Jack turned on the hot water in the shower first, letting it run until it heated up. He removed his boxers and tossed them into the living area. Testing the water, he turned on the cold until the water was a cool room temperature. Raiden stepped in, letting the cool water rinse the sweat from his body.
"It's Wednesday," Jack thought to himself, "Otacon should be getting in contact with me sometime today."
The past week had quickly passed by. The time to go into battle again was near. He was going to have to say goodbye to his son. Jack hoped, however, that they would not be permanent goodbyes.
***
Raiden cringed as he rang the doorbell to Rose's apartment. He wanted to avoid dealing with her all together, but seeing Iroquois one last time before he left was more important than evading an uncomfortable confrontation with his ex-girlfriend.
He waited patiently as he heard footsteps approaching the door. The bolts clicked, and Rose opened the door, baby in arms.
"Hello Jack," she said simply, but with a bit of sadness in her tone.
"Rosemary," he returned, using her full name to get the point across that this was not a reconciling visit.
Raiden reached out and picked up Iroquois. He cradled him tight. "Hi big boy!" his daddy told him, "Did you miss me?"
The baby looked up at Jack, cooing in response.
"I'll take that as a yes," Raiden said. He rocked Iroquois as he stepped into the place in which he used to live.
The apartment was just as he left it. None of the things he had left behind had been touched. It was as if Rose was anticipating his return. He shook his head: not a chance.
The platinum blond haired man went into the nursery and sat in the rocking chair. He looked deep into his son's eyes. He pulled the boy in closer, whispering into his ear, "I'll come back. I have to do something important. You give me strength, Iroquois and you'll keep me alive. I'll have to come back, for you."
A familiar beeping in his ear interrupted Raiden's train of thought. "Oh great. Now what?" he thought to himself.
Rose now came to stand in the doorway.
"Take Iroquois," Jack told her, "I have to go to the bathroom."
Handing the baby to his mother, Raiden went into the bathroom and shut the door. He answered the codec. The frequency of the call was coming in at 141.12.
"What's up, Otacon?"
"You still have my frequency saved?" asked the engineer.
"Of course," Jack answered, "Though it never did me any good until now. You never had your codecs on when I was trying to get in contact with the two of you."
"Ah, well, we try to keep all nanocommunications brief and to a minimum, even with a burst transmission," Hal Emmerich explained. "We usually shut them down immediately after the codec is no longer needed."
"So what's going on with today?" Jack asked.
"We're meeting up at Mei Ling's again at 1800. I figured that would be the best since you already know your way there."
"Got it." Raiden allowed himself a smile, "I had a feeling that it was going to be you who called, and not Snake. He still pissed at me?"
"No, but I wasn't going to push the issue by having him be the one to get in contact with you. I figured it'd be best to do it myself," Hal said, "He's still upset with me though."
Jack nodded, "That night at Mei's… I've seen that look in a person's eyes before." He paused for a moment, remembering his own motives, "I'm sure you have your reasons."
A knock came at the door, "Jack? You okay in there?"
"Oh shit! Gotta go. See ya tonight."
Raiden switched off his codec, then made a few verbal groans, feigning pain, "Unh! Yeah, Rose. Just some stomach trouble, that's all."
"There's some Pepto Bismal left over in the medicine cabinet if you need it," she offered.
"I remember," he returned, "I used to live here."
Raiden rummaged through the medicine cabinet to make it sound as if he were getting himself the bottle. He got it out and licked some of the pink liquid out of the cap so his breath would smell like it. He flushed the toilet, spraying some air freshener. That way, Rose would not be suspicious at the absence of stench when he opened the door.
Jack left the bathroom and went into the kitchen. Rose was busy sterilizing the baby's bottles and parts to her breast pump.
"Where's Iroquois?" Jack asked.
Rosemary stirred the pot of boiling bottles, then tapped the spoon a few times on the side to shake off the excess water. Drying her hands on the dish towel, she turned to face her ex.
"He was getting fussy, so I put him down for a nap."
"I see," Raiden said. "Well I guess I'll be going."
He turned to leave, hands in the pockets of his jeans, head tilted slightly towards the floor. He was hoping that he'd make it out the door without having any other words spoken, but…
"Are you really that cruel?"
"Oh, God. Here we go again," thought Jack. He stopped, sighing a bit as he dared to ask, "What do you mean?"
Rose's eyes started to tear up. "Can you really just walk out that door and not say anything to me? Don't you feel anything for me anymore?"
Jack sighed again, forcefully blowing the air out. "It's just easier to walk away then to try and pretend that everything is okay and that nothing bad ever happened between us. I don't know how, even after all you've put me through, I still care about you. But, it's too hard to let those feelings mingle with all of the others."
Rose raised her eyebrow in query, "What other feelings are you talking about?"
"Anger, sadness, uncertainty, betrayed… and that's just the tip of the iceberg," he answered. Jack looked back at her, his cool, blue eyes radiating every one of those emotions that he had just listed and more. Then, without another word, he left, shutting the door behind him.
***
Rose's codec rang in her ear. She sat down on the couch and answered it.
"Are you sure?" she answered the voice. Rosemary frowned a bit.
"Yes. I'll come."
Author's Notes:
Jack and Diane: another "Kojimaism". I couldn't resist. Anyone here like that song?