OHMIGOSH!!! I'm so sorry everyone. I totally forgot about writing for awhile. Life's been hectic but hey I've been working on a new style. Hope you like it.

((Disclaimer)) Zoids belongs to some rich person in Japan, not me.

Running Free

Chapter 16

To Speak of Memories & Dreams of Old

Shay walked through the hallways of the Ultrasaurus. It was bigger than anything she had ever seen before and constantly busy. People running here and there making sure it was still running correctly. She was supposed to meet Jamie in the hangar next to her new Storm Zabat.

"Shay," Jamie approached her from behind. "Looks like I caught you before you reached the hangar. Well we probably shouldn't go there because it is bussling with people." He motioned for her to follow him and about 300 levels later she found herself standing on the top of the Ultrasaurus.

"Wow! I didn't know it would be so beautiful up here." The sun was begining to set and the colors were fantastic. She sat down on the edge dangling her feet over the edge. "Jamie I asked to talk to you because I have something very important to tell you and I want you to know before anyone else."

"And I have something important to say too." Jamie smiled at her. Now is my chance. It is time for Shay to know how I feel about her. He could see Shay begin to open her mouth but instead she closed it and stared at him.

"Um, I guess I'll go first." She heaved in a large sigh and stared up in the sky. The two moons loomed overhead. "I've been wanting to tell you this but I don't know how to start."

"I'm having the same exact problem." Jamie blurted out but shut his mouth and nodded waiting for her to continue. "Sorry, I'll shut up."

"I guess I could just say it out right." She paused and watched him change his expression to that of an excited one. "My memories have returned."

"Oh," Jamie's face fell and all the color drained from his face. She doesn't love me.

"Are you ok Jamie?" Shay stared at funny waiting for his reply.

"Yeah I'm fine." He sighed but smiled trying to hide his discomfort. "So is it a good or bad thing that your memories returned?"

"I think it may be bad because they're not the most pleasent." Her gaze fell to the ground. "I'm alot older then I thought. The Ancient Zoidians did create the cryogenic capsules but what they didn't know what that they decreased your age. When I was frozen I was around 18 years old."

"So what add 18 years to however many years you were frozen?" He shrugged but noticed a hurt expression on her face. "I'm sorry did I say something?"

"Reyo." Was the only reply he got. "I was not only 18 but I was engaged."

"WHAT!?" Jamie shouted out of shock. The woman that he loved had already been engaged once.

"But he turned out to be the enemy and thus I was frozen out of depression. I don't really even know why I'm telling you this. It's not really like you'll be able to help. Sorry." She wiped the tears that were falling from her eyes. But the minute she really noticed that she had released tears the dam seemed to break and she was forced to cover her face.

Jamie watched in shock as Shay broke down. He had never seen her cry and he found himself grabbing her and bringing her into a deep embrace. She choked on her tears an looked up into his eyes. All he longed for was the ability to kiss her. He wiped the wet tears from beneath her eyes. "You don't need to worry. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere." She smiled and brought her hand up to his cheek. For the first time he noticed that she had a small scar on her cheek. He kissed the scar and followed until he met with her lips.

Shay was shocked after what Jamie had said and the way that he had grabbed her buty what shocked her the most is when he kissed her. He was so gentle running his fingers through her long hair. all the black dye she had put in it had washed away and it had returned to it's original color, a dark brown with red highlight when in the sun.

The kiss seemed to last an eternity neither of them willing to part and end this wonderful moment. At lasst though when they each needed a breath their lips parted and their eyes met once again. The sun had set and the stars reflected their eyes. "Does this mean?" Shay spoke softly.

"Yes, I always have but I couldn't bring myself to tell you, and I couldn't bear a rejection. So I kept quiet." He looked down the the cold metal surface they sat on. Shay reached out taking his chin and forcing him to look at her, she smiled and kissed him once again. A simple kiss compared to the last but one enough the display her affections.

The elevator door opened and Doc came bounding out. A wide grin graced his face as he noticed the two blushing teenagers. "Sorry if I interrupted anything but hurry we have something to show you. It is going to make you so happy.

He left as quickly as he had come and Shay stood up first followed by Jamie. "Let's go." She reached her hand out, waiting for him to take it. Jamie was barely even able to believe what had just happened. The moment he had been dreaming of for a year and a half had just come and gone. He took her hand and together they got on the elevator making a silent pact to meet there again in the morning.

Although Shay's evening was going well Brad's was not. He had gone to the quarters provided for him and fallen asleep but his dreams were not pleasant and more definently were not comforting.

A young Brad sat in a field playing with his sister. She was making flower headresses and putting them on him. She had braided numerous violets in her own hair. Her laughter never ceised for she enjoyed every moment she spent with her brother.

An explosion occured behind them and they both jumped up running in the direction of their home, in the direction of the explosion. At last they reached the house, it was engulfed in flames and they could hear the screams of their parents inside. Suddenly two shots pierced the air and the screams went silent.

Brad covered Anna's eyes, picked her up, and ran as fast as he could in the opposite direction. She watched the roof cave in trying to comprehend what was happening. He did not stop running until night had fallen and when he did he set Anna down then collapsed on the ground crying. His face was already soaked with the tears that had been shed.

"Brad," She touched his arm but he slapped her hand away. "It's all gonna be ok. I'll always be with you." He sniffled as he opened up his arms and she curled up into them. For two years they did stay togetehr, never letting one another out their sights.

An older Brad sat in watch of his seven year old sister as she begged a man for food. He of course gave her some, unable to resist a starving little girl. She thanked the man and returned to Brad. They dissapeared into an alley way and enjoyed the food but their peace did not last long when a group of men gathered around them knocking them both unconsious.

When he came too, he found that he was in a dark cell of some type. He couldn't find Anna anywhere and suddenly started throwing himself against the walls and the door trying to escape. His efforts appeared to be fruitless until he heard footsteps approaching.

"Calm down!" A stern voice spoke as the door opened and Brad found himself face to abdomen with a very large man. He was very big and muscular and Brad recognized that he was one of the men from the alley way.

"Where's my sister?!" Brad crossed his arms and tried to push his way past the man, with no luck.

"She's safe but the scientist are ready for you. You have to come with me." He picked Brad up by the back of his shirt and carried him down a long corridor into a white room with skiny men dressed in long lab coats. One of them carried a long needle and as Brad looked around he could see Anna laying on a table asleep.

"What have you done to her?!" He shouted and tried to make his way to her but as he did the need penetrated his skin and he fell backwards on the ground.

"She is crucial to our plans." A man with dark hair stood over him as Brad faded out of consiousness. It seemed like a dream to him, large lights more needles, but what finally made him come too was the loud scream of Anna.

"ANNA!" Brad shot up, ripping out the IV's in his arm. Anna screamed again as he ran out of the room past the scientist and into a room where he could hear the screaming. The door had a sign on it that read Research and Conservation. There were no more screams only a dead silence as he ran in the room to find Anna sitting in a corner crying. He could see that they had torn out an area of the back of her shirt, revealing her skin but it wasn't only her skin there anymore. A tattoo that read AZ was on her back.

"Brad," the tears streamed from her eyes. "Help me." He ran towards her picking her up and carrying her away from the room. They read signs that said hangar and knew that there they could find a Zoid and escape. When they arrived many people had surrounded them and they could see a Command Wolf directly below them.

"Brad," Anna pushed him into the cockpit. "Go don't stay here or they'll get you too. You must escape. Don't worry about me, I can manage on my own. We will see each other again, I know you'll make sure of that. Now Go!"

"No Anna, I won't let them take you. I'll never leave you, I'd die first." He reached up to pull her in with him. "Your only seven, your coming with me."

"No I'm not coming. I know I'm young, but you can escape. I will find you. Now go!" She pushed the cockpit closed and started to run away. He could see the large man rounding the corner directly in front of Anna. He grabbed her and knocked her out.

"Anna!" Brad screamed but the Command Wolf activated and started to run out of the hangar. He could hear the large man say one thing, "He's useless, let him go. All we need is this little Ancient Zoidian brat." A voice that would always haunt him. "Anna!" Brad screamed once more, with the hope that she could hear him but she never did. Through all the dreams it always ended the same.

He sat up in his bed just in time to hear the door open. "Brad," It was Doc's voice. "Come on Brad, get up. I need you to follow me. We have a big surprise for all the Guardian Force."

Next Time....

What could this big surprise be? Will Jamie and Shay finally get together? WAIT! WHAT'S THIS!? Find out next time....

Still Alive!!!

Hey everyone, again I'M SO SO SO SORRY!!!! I didn't mean for this to take me so long. I've had extreme writer's block but hey if you like the new writing style please tell me.

Love and Peace

Ancient Zoidian

PS. Some of my other stories have been updated.