(A/N: Wind scar? Oh you mean the attack? Actually Sigma and Zero did have an attack like that in one of the games, but yea now that I think about it... wind scar! lol.)

(X and Axl arrived in the maitenance room. Douglas took off his smoke dirtied goggles to greet them.)

Douglas: Oh, back so soon? So how was it, did you... (he took them off and saw Zero's body) Oh.

X: Douglas, send for a salvage party. Most of our men were killed but some are still out there injured.

Douglas: And, what of the Mavericks and Sigma?

X: The only one that got away was Neon Tiger.

Douglas: And Sigma?

X: Sigma, is dead.

(Douglas stared in shock.)

Douglas: A-are you sure, seriously?

X: Yes Douglas. Zero gave his life to finally make it happen.

(Douglas was happy but sad at the same time, the conflicting emotions created a tornado of confusion inside him.)

Douglas: I'll contact Signas in the command center immediately.

X: Right.

(Douglas went over to his table and spoke into the walkie talkie.)

Douglas: Come in control room.

Alia: This is Alia here, go on ahead.

Douglas: Have Signas set up a salvage mission for the battle zone.

Alia: So is it over?

Douglas: Yes it is.

Alia: (gasp) You mean that...

Douglas: Yup, Sigma's dead.

Alia: Alright, oh wow, that's so great!

Douglas: The Mavericks are all gone as are many of our troops but some injured are still out there and we need to bring them back for medial repairs.

Alia: Roger. I'll have Signas get Gate and Life Saver for that.

Douglas: I'll go with them, I don't know how much help they'll need.

Alia: What about X and Zero?

Douglas: Oh, yea, they're here...

Alia: Are they ok?

Douglas: Oh X is pretty damaged, but I'm sure he can wait until after the salvage.

Alia: And what about Zero? You do know that he's a father now.

X: Wait, what?

Douglas: Yea, that's right, Iris gave birth to a healthy beautiful baby girl not too long after you left.

X: Oh no...

Alia: Is everything ok over there?

Douglas: No, I'm afraid not.

Alia: What's going on?

Douglas: I'm not sure how to say this, but...

Alia: Then just say it.

Douglas: Zero, is dead.

(There was silence.)

X: I'm sorry.

(X walked out of the room. Axl reached after him.)

Axl: Hey X wait!

Douglas: Who are you?

Axl: I'm all that's left of Alpha and Red Alert. X and I are....

Alia: Douglas, are you still there?

Douglas: Yea, what is it?

Alia: Signas is heading over there right now with Gate and Life Saver, they were still in the medical ward with Iris.

Douglas: Roger.

Alia: Out.

(They turned off their walkie talkies. In the control room, Alia was still trying to cope with what she had just heard. She couldn't believe it. Sigma and the Maverick army was gone, but so was Zero. Iris had finally delivered their child, a child conceived in the first place with the fear of Zero's death only now to have him dead at the moment his daughter was born. Signas, Gate and Life Saver ran into the maitenance room to find Douglas looking at Zero's body. They froze, so it was true.)

Signas: (shaky voice) Oh my god.

Gate: No, way...

(Life Saver didn't say a word, he just closed his eyes and lowered his head. Douglas stood up.)

Douglas: I'll be joining you on the salvage. Axl, take Zero to the med ward.

Axl: But what about X?

Douglas: X needs some time alone. Don't worry, he knows what he's doing.

Axl: Alright.

(They watched as Axl grabbed Zero's body and went out the door. The four men looked at each other.)

Signas: So, ah, I guess we should get going.

Douglas: Oh, uhm, yea.

(Douglas switched on the teleporter and the four men vanished to the battlefield. As they salvaged for survivors, X was walking sullenly down the hall when he passed the med ward. He heard a baby cry and he froze in his tracks.)

X: Oh my god.

(He rushed into the sickbay and saw the Colonel sitting with Iris and her baby.)

Colonel: Hey X, heh, look at me, I'm an uncle.

Iris: Oh X, look at her, isn't she beautiful?

(X didn't know how he was going to tell her.)

X: So, have you decided on a name for it yet?

Iris: I don't know, Zero and I were going to come up with it together.

(X chocked, he couldn't take it anymore. Iris looked at him confused.)

Colonel: X, are you ok?

(X didn't respond, he just ran out of the room. Iris and Colonel looked at each other and shrugged. Axl had set Zero's body in the farthest sickbay room before going back to the maintenance room to wait for the team to come back. X somehow managed to find his way there. It was dim and quiet inside the room, Zero's body lay on the bed. X went over and looked at him, he looked so perfect and peaceful in his eternal sleep. X shook his head and sat down, it was time for him to say his good by.)

X: I'm sorry Zero, why did you have to die? I was there for you and still you gave your life. You ended the war, you defeated Sigma and all of his Maverick army, but in the end, your battle was lost and for that you paid the ultimate price, but not before finding your true self and being at peace before death. For that I'm happy for you, but not for this Zero. Zero, you never truly even got a chance to be a father, Iris gave birth to your child while you were giving your life in battle. You did so much for us and we will forever be eternally in your debt, but nothing can return our gratitude for you grace. Zero. You were my enemy, your very existence, your very being was the sole purpose I was created. But I couldn't destroy you, I could never kill you, and yet somehow, I helped to be responsible for your death. I always thought seeing you kill me was my worst nightmare, but no, now I know what my true nightmare is. It was to see you die, to stand back and watch idly by as I could do nothing to save you. You gave your life to save me and every Hunter here at the base, for every Reploid, for every human on this planet. Zero, I....

(Finally he couldn't speak anymore, he broke down into crying. The Colonel poked his head through the door.)

Colonel: X?

X: (gasp) Colonel!

(He whirled around and dried his eyes. The Colonel walked in and stood next to X, then he looked down at his now late brother in law.)

Colonel: So, Zero is dead, the father of my nephew, the husband to my sister, dead in battle.

X: He gave his life to save them, to protect us all.

(Colonel sighed and shook his head.)

Colonel: Oh geez, how am I ever going to explain this to her?

X: Poor Iris...

(X stood up.)

Colonel: Hu, wait X, where are you going?

X: As much as a hated despised duty it may be, we have to tell her, as it's our responsibility.

(The Colonel nodded and they walked out of the room and headed back down the hall. Back in Iris's room, she was growing sleepy from the tiring experience. The baby was already asleep in her arms and Iris was starting to nod off when a voice caught her off guard.)

Voice: Iris.

Iris: Hu, who, what's that... Zero?

(She looked around, she could've sworn she heard his voice, but nobody was there.)

Zero: Iris.

(A very transparent image of himself appeared to walk out from nowhere as he approached her bedside. Iris looked up at the ghost.)

Iris: Zero, am I feverish?

Zero: No. Ahem. I, ah...

Iris: What is it, Zero?

Zero: I don't know how to tell you this, but, uhm, I'm dead.

Iris: You're what!

Zero: I'm sorry honey, you have no idea how bad I feel. Leaving you behind, dying in battle, and now this... look at her.

(Iris followed Zero's gaze down at their sleeping daughter.)

Iris: Zero, I...

Zero: I'm sorry, I'm sorry I never got to hold you in my arms, my child. I'm sorry, I'm sorry I didn't get to hug and kiss you one last time, Iris. I'm sorry, I'm sorry that we'll never get to be a real family, I'm sorry.

Iris: Zero, don't be.

Zero: Hu?

Iris: You gave your life in battle to defeat the Maverick army, you did it to save the world, but you had only one person in mind to protect, and that was me carrying our unborn child. And look, you not only won the battle but the war, Sigma is gone and here is our child now in this world.

(Zero smiled and put his hand on Iris, it was a strange cold feeling, but she was just glad she was able to sense his presence.)

Zero: I'm sorry, I'm afraid I have to go now.

Iris: What, oh Zero no!

Zero: I'm sorry. Garres is saving me a chair right now, there's a shortage of them up there so I'd better hurry back before bingo starts.

(Iris smiled up at Zero, still his same sense of humor even in the after life. Zero smiled proudly down back at her.)

Iris: Good by Zero. Don't ever forget me.

Zero: Good by, my wife. Iris, I love you more than anything in the world. I'll always have you in my heart so long as you remember me.

Iris: I will. I only wish our daughter could've gotten a chance to meet you.

Zero: I love her more than I love life itself.

Iris: And you proved that, I only wish she could've seen you with her own eyes.

Zero: Yea. My time has come Iris, farewell.

(Zero and Iris looked at each other and then slowly began to go in for a kiss. Iris closed her eyes and a split second before their lips were about to meet, he vanished. Iris opened her eyes, she looked around the room, but he was gone.)

Iris: Hu? (sigh) Good by, my husband.

X: Iris?

Iris: Hu?

(Iris turned to see X and her brother standing in the doorway.)

Colonel: I'm afraid we've got some bad news to tell you.

(Iris shook her head and wore a small smile.)

Iris: You don't have to tell me, I know.

X: Hu?

Iris: Zero died. Yes. He came and told me, he said his good by and saw our daughter.

Colonel: He what?

Iris: You know, I'm sad that he's gone, but I'm happy because... at least I got to see him one last time, for a brief moment, he stood here and I felt his presence. And it felt so complete, with me and our child, and Zero standing there. We were a family.

(She looked down at the sleeping baby. X and Colonel looked at each other and smiled.)

YEARS LATER...

(Peace was prosperous throughout the land. After the great war, the salvage mission had brought back all of the survivors who were repaired and healed back to health. No sign of Mavericks had sprung up, but the base was still operation just in case something ever happened. X had retired from the world of fighting and took command beside Signas. The Colonel and General took command of the training of the newcomers and X had taught Axl of the ways of the Hunter, naming him leader in command, the new top Maverick Hunter, which he was. Everyone was still there at the base, Douglas, Life Saver, everyone. Out in the courtyard in the center of the Maverick Hunter Headquarters was green with trees and benches among the bushes. Iris walked down the stone path and picked up a flower from the cut grass in a pile of dirt. She stood up and smiled, then looked up at the statue in front of her. It was a commemorative statue of her husband, Zero. There was a scream and she looked up as a young girl Reploid ran over.)

Reploid: Ah, momma, momma, Taiko won't leave me alone!

(A young boy Reploid about a year or two younger than her chased her, growling like a monster. The girl screamed as she held Iris's leg.)

Iris: Cero, stop this, you march right over to him and say stop it!

Cero: Grr ok! (she charged at him, he stopped and gasped as she roared) Cut it out!

Taiko: Ah!

(He ran off, causing her to giggle. Alia and Gate stepped outside as he ran past them.)

Alia: Gate, you should teach that son of ours to not be so rambunctious in the base.

Gate: (proud smirk) Oh what can I say, he takes after his old man.

Alia: (laughing) Oh you.

(Iris smiled over at them, then watched as her daughter romped and played in the garden with Rush. He barked. She looked so much like herself, but you can tell there was a difference. Her armor she wore was a little different than her own, she had a similar hairstyle only it was more golden than brown, most likely from the blonde of Zero's ponytail. The personality was deffinetly Zero, it was all there. Iris walked over to her.)

Iris: Come on dear, it's time to see Life Saver for your check up.

Cero: Aw!

(Iris picked her up and they went to the medical lab.)

Life Saver: Ah, so I see you made it.

Cero: Hey Life Saver.

Life Saver: (smirk) I'm just glad at least she didn't inheret the wrong pronunciation of my name.

(Iris laughed. That night everyone went to the main room to hang out and watch tv. Every day and night was so fun loving and enjoyable. Everything was so peaceful with the prosperity after the great war, and they had Zero to thank. This was the paradise lost he'd hoped for, the life he yearned for, and though he may not have been able to live it, he was the sole reason that the world got to exist for it. Thank you Zero, for your sacrifice.)

(A/N: Well, that's it. That's the end... or is it? Muahaha, cough. Ha, oh wow, check it out, almost a year to complete this fic, almost a year on the date (twenty days)! Oh well. I did have some other chapters but my computer is stupid, the files got erased somehow, that's why I write these chapters when I'm at school now, heh. But I did make a backup on a disk, somewhere, as soon as I find them I'll put them up in moch DragonBall GT fashion- the lost episodes, haha. I have a sequal in mind for this, possibly, but I'm not sure if I'll ever start it. Basically the idea is Neon Tiger is still out there as the sole survivor of the war, he reincarnates Sigma and he releases a new deletion program called the Null Virus over the world to manipulate all civilian Reploids into Mavericks to wipe out the entire human population. So the Hunters are called to action with Axl in command as the main character. Taiko and Cero (man I really suck at making up names, if better ones come to mind I'll switch them to it) are older now as more time has passed, Cero is about 20 and Taiko is about 18, Taiko didn't want to be a researcher or medic like his parents, so he's training to become Axl's partner. Cero wants to be just like her dad and be a Maverick Hunter by the base codes won't allow her to be anything but a base person like Alia and Iris, because she's a girl. So, she breaks the book and goes into battle anyway as the first female Maverick Hunter and so the trio sets out on a new journey to take down Sigma. And as for Zero being dead or not? Yes he really is this time, but, if I do write the sequal he'll be sort of a guide to Cero on her journey and his spirit will be in the story, and you never know, it might be affected by the new virus. But I dunno how this idea will turn out, I'm starting to come up with the first chapter and last night I got a great inspiration for the story as a whole, but I doubt it'll ever be as successful a hit as this story suprisingly came out to be. In closing, I'd like to thank everyone who read this fic, I wrote it for my enjoyment but mainly for you to read, and for that I give a big special thank you, my loyal reader and reviewers. And that, my friends, is the end.)