Happy Holidays!  This is my present to all you people.  I do a major Christmas update every year, so here's my update this year.

I hope you enjoy^.^

Something that I want to clear up is the ages of the characters in this story.

Bit, Leena, Star -18

Brad, Naomi -19

Leon, Josh -20

Jamie -16

Disclaimer:  I don't own Zoids, but I do own Star and her kawaii brother, Josh.

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It was almost a week before Star began sleeping in her own room again, surprisingly, much to Leon's dismay.  He had started to enjoy having her company at night and now his bed felt cold and empty.  However, he couldn't go and ask Star to come back.  That would be…wrong in a few ways.

Star proved her worth in battles, showing the world that she was a good pilot.  Everything began to settle down and the Backdraft hadn't bothered them for a while.

It had now been two weeks since the incident at the party and everyone was celebrating over their newest victory.

"Cheers!" shouted Doc, "to another victory in S class!"

"Cheers!" said everyone else, downing their non-alcoholic beverages.  They were having a party to celebrate their current victories.

"Well Star, I have to hand it to you," began Naomi.  "You can really handle yourself out there."

"Thanks," said Star, a shy smile on her face.

"I've got it!" shouted Doc, startling them all.  "Let's take a vacation tomorrow!"  Everyone broke into cheers.  Doc wasn't the type to offer a vacation.  It usually had to be suggested to him.

"That sounds great Dad!" said Leena happily.  "Where to?"

"How about the beach?" he suggested while taking another drink.  The warriors all smiled.  Even though the Blitz team's last beach vacation had been less than perfect, they all loved the beach.

******

Josh Summers walked down the hallway of the dark Backdraft base he was currently staying at.  It had been two weeks since Ain's death, and the man's sister still hadn't calmed down.  She was heartbroken.  He was currently on his way to see her.  He knew it wasn't a good idea, but he hated seeing her like this.  It was strange.  She was one of the few people he enjoyed being around at this base.  He came to a door and knocked softly.

"Maria?" he called gently.

"Josh?" questioned a soft female voice.  The door opened slowly and a young girl stood there.  She looked around seventeen or so with cherry blonde hair and emerald eyes.  Her hair was short and hung to her chin.  She was a beautiful woman, something Josh, being a guy, hadn't failed to notice.  Her eyes were slightly red, a sign that she had been crying.  He was at a loss for words, but she spoke up before he could. 

"Thank you," she said to him.

"For what?" he asked.

"For caring.  I know you and Ain didn't get along well, but you're the only one who has even tried to comfort me."  He cringed inwardly as fresh tears came to her eyes.  It was hard for him to see her this way for multiple reasons.  She was a kind girl, but also…the fact that he had been the one to kill Ain wasn't making this any easier on him.  She could never know that.  He couldn't tell her.  She was crying now, so he did the only thing he knew of.  He embraced her and held her as she cried.  He owed her this much, if not more.  She had saved his life about two months ago.  It was so clear in his mind…

******

The Blitz team arrived at the empty beach and quickly got out of the hover cargo.  They were all excited about going to the beach.  They were all dressed in their swimsuits.

"Let's play beach volleyball!" suggested Bit as he and Brad set up the net.

"Sounds good," said Naomi.

"Let's do guys against girls!" suggested Leena.

"Not again," said Brad.

"That's what we did last time!" shouted Bit in an annoyed tone.  "And we lost!"

"You have Jamie now," pointed out Leena.  Jamie's face paled.

"Uh…I think I'll let you guys play," he said, backing away.  Volleyball wasn't one of his strong points and he knew how aggressive Leena could be in that game.  He had played her once before and his face began to hurt just thinking about it.  Star said nothing as she walked to the ocean.  The waves hit the shore gently.  It had been a while since she had been able to do something like this.  Working for the ZBC had taken all of her time.  Vacations were like myths in that world.  She could finally take a breather.

"Are you going to play?" asked Leon, coming up next to her.

"I don't think so," she said.  "Being here is enough for me."  Her blue eyes were sparkling like the ocean itself.

"You don't get to do this often, do you?" he asked, more in a statement.

"Vacations are a myth to the ZBC," she said with humor, drawing a small laugh from Leon.  She couldn't help but smile at that.  She was content just standing here, staring at the water that reflected her eyes.  Having Leon there made it all the better.  It was strange how attached she was to him, and she couldn't believe how loyal he was to her.  He was always helping her and he had shared his bed with her for a week.  She would never admit it, but she missed sleeping next to him.  Her bed felt empty now.  Of course, it had surprised her that first morning when she had woken up in his arms.  Apparently, they had moved during the night.  It was strange how instinct had taken over when they were sleeping like that.  They awoke like that each morning.  She blushed at the memory.  She glanced sideways and noticed that he was still there, staring at the ocean.  'Hard to believe he's single,' she thought to herself.  'He doesn't have to be.'  She blushed and stopped looking at him.  'What am I thinking?  Am I implying that I…like him?  And why am I talking to myself?'

"Star, is something wrong?"  Leon's question knocked her from her stupor and she simply looked up to meet his eyes.

"It's nothing," she said with a small smile, praying he didn't notice the blush on her face.  He simply nodded and turned his eyes back to the ocean.  A cry from Bit and a thud drew their attention to the volleyball court.  Bit was face down in the sand, the ball lying a few inches from his head.  He pulled his face out of the sand and began spitting out the soil.

"That's it!" he shouted, sounding slightly annoyed.  "We're playing something else!"  Leon and Star laughed at the look on his face and also at the volleyball imprint on it.  This was going to be interesting.

******

(Flashback)

Josh's eyes opened slowly, focusing in the dimly lit rooms.  Actually, it probably wouldn't have looked so dark if the walls hadn't been painted black.  He was currently on a metal table, his shirt gone.  He couldn't move; his body hurt too much.  He couldn't remember what had happened to him, but the pain pounding in his head and the burning feeling in his chest weren't exactly helping him think.  The door to the room opened, but he didn't turn to see who had entered.  Suddenly, two green eyes were gazing into his, worry etched on their host's young face.

"Are you alright?" she asked softly, concern filling her voice.

"I don't know…" he answered, his voice sounding tired.

"How do you feel?" she asked, but didn't give him a chance to answer.  "Never mind, stupid question, I know.  I mean, you were just shot."

"I was…shot?" asked Josh, sounding confused.

"Don't you remember?" she asked him.  "Do you have amnesia?"

"I don't think so."

"What's my name?"

"Maria," he answered and she sighed in relief.

"Good, you still remember."

"What happened to me?  Why is my chest burning?"

"You were shot twice," she told him, blushing slightly as she recalled what happened.  "By the way, thank you."

"For…what?" he asked her, but it suddenly came to him.  He had been out on the field and had run into a rogue pilot, one who had been causing trouble for the Backdraft.  Josh had been ordered to go with Maria to find the pilot.  They found him, alright.  He had threatened Maria, and being a "gentleman", Josh had taken both bullets that had been meant for her.  He couldn't remember what had possessed him to do so, but he was glad that she was alright.

"You don't have to thank me," he told her.  "It was my job.  I did what I had to do, that's all."

"Still, I really owe you.  Not many would do something like that for me.  I'll find a way to pay you back."

"You've already paid me back," he said, meaning his treated wounds.  "This is your handiwork, no?"  She blushed, but smiled.

"Yes," she answered shyly.  Josh smiled to her, his eyes narrowing.

"Thank you for helping me," he said to her.  She simply blushed more and bowed slightly, her shy smile still in play.

(End Flashback)

That same girl was now sobbing in his arms and he couldn't do much for her.  'I'm so sorry,' he thought.  'I didn't mean to cause you this much pain.  You're the only one here who cares about me enough to save my life like that.  I just wish I could do something for you.'

"I'm sorry," he whispered to her.

"For what?" she asked in a muffled voice.

"I hate seeing you like this.  I hate seeing you in so much pain.  I wish there was something I could do for you.  You're the only one here who really cares about me."

"This is enough, Josh," she told him as she hugged him tightly to her.  "This is enough."  He didn't say anything as he continued to hold her tightly, letting her cry into him.  'I'm still so sorry, Maria.  You don't deserve this.'

******

The Blitz team members sat around a table that had been taken outside so they could watch the setting sun as they ate.  They were having a barbeque.  The food tasted great and they all ate happily.  This day had gone perfectly…perhaps too perfectly.

Suddenly, the ground began to shake and the warriors all stood up, confused.

"What's going on?" asked Jamie.  As if to answer his question, an army of zoids appeared.  They consisted of Demantis, Zaber Fangs, and Warsharks.  There were hundreds of them.

"Just our luck," said Bit angrily.

"Blitz team, where is Taki Summers?" asked one of the pilots.

"We don't know what you're talking about!" shouted Leena angrily.  "We haven't seen her."  These men obviously didn't know that Star was Taki.

"You were the last people she was seen with.  Now tell us where she is."

"We don't know!" shouted Naomi.  "Now leave us alone!"

"If you won't answer us, then we'll have to get the information by force!"  The zoids were preparing to fire upon them.

"Let's hurry," suggested Brad as he began to run for the hover cargo, followed closely by the others.  Star was feeling guilty again.  The Backdraft kept attacking her friends to get to her.

"Star, it isn't your fault," assured Leon, but he wasn't able to calm her down at all.  She still felt guilty.  They quickly got to their zoids as the Backdraft began firing upon them.  The seven zoids burst from the hover cargo and began to break off and attack the enemy.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," began Bit, "but isn't this what happened the last time we went to a beach?"

"It seems luck is never on our side," said Leena.  "We never get a full vacation."

"Vacations are just a myth, right Star?" asked Leon, drawing a smile from the currently serious warrior.  She couldn't suppress the small laugh that rose in her throat.  The fact that he had used her own joke on her was interesting.

"Let's take care of this and get back to the base," suggested Naomi.

"I second that," said Leena as she let loose a barrage of bullets.  They were all going at it as Star dealt with things from above.  Jamie was currently dealing with some Demantis.  The Warsharks were left for her, since they were firing from the ocean.  She knew she was risking it, but she flew over the vast body of water and fired at the fish like zoids.  She managed to take out quite a few of them.

Star, how are you? asked Storm.

"I'm just fine," she answered as she shot down another Warshark.

This is a little dangerous, isn't it?

"I know, but we need to take care of them."

Just don't get shot down.  I wasn't made for underwater assaults.

"I know, don't worry.  I'll try to be careful."  She spun out of the way of a missile and then returned the attack full force.  However, two more Warsharks lined her up and fired, hitting her left wing.  Star cringed as she felt Storm shake from the impact.

Star, we need to get back to the shore.

"I know," said Star as she tried to keep the controls steady.  She had to make it back before they crashed into the water.  More missiles were shot off at her and she couldn't maneuver in time.  They hit Storm's other wing and now they were plummeting to the ocean below.

"Star, pull up!" shouted Jamie as his Raynos blasted away at the Demantis.

"Star!" shouted Leena.

"I'm trying!" shouted Star as she pulled hard on her controls, but to no avail.  She hit the ocean.

"Star!" shouted Leon as he got his Blade Liger over to the shore.  The Midnight Storm disappeared completely under the water.

In her zoid, Star was still struggling with the controls.

"Move, come on!" she begged.

I'm sorry, Star.

"It's not your fault.  It's always the pilot's fault.  I should have moved faster."  She looked over the flashing monitors.  "So much was damaged…even the boosters…"

It'll be alright, Star.  We'll get through this.

"I only have two minutes," said Star sadly.  "Like you said, you weren't built for underwater combat."

…Leave, Star.

"What?" asked Star, her voice holding her shock.

Leave.

"You want me to abandon you?"

Yes.  I can always be saved, but you will suffocate down here.  Leave.

"I'd never make it."

Try.

"But I…I can't…"

You can, Star.  I believe in you.  Take a deep breath and then open the cockpit.  It's the only chance you have.

"…Alright," she said quietly.  She moved her hand hesitantly over to button that would open her cockpit.  "See you later, Storm.  I will come back for you."

I know.  Star took a deep breath and hit the button, the cockpit opening.  The first thing she noticed was how cold the water felt and the pain searing through her head from the rush and the depth she was at.  She quickly began to swim up.  She already knew she wouldn't make it.  It was so far away, but she kept trying.  She wouldn't give up, not yet.  She had to get to the top.  She was a strong swimmer, but she couldn't hold her breath forever.  She felt her lungs burn at their need for oxygen.  Her whole body soon felt like it was on fire from the lack of air.  She wasn't going to be able to hold on much longer.  Her muscles ached and her chest burned.  She couldn't keep this up.  She felt herself slipping into unconsciousness.  She had been so close.  It wasn't fair.  Unable to hold her breath any longer, she tried to inhale, but water quickly filled her lungs. It hurt so much.  Suddenly, she was grabbed onto, two arms encircling her waist.  She was pulled the rest of the way and she broke through the surface, instantly coughing up the water she had inhaled.  She desperately clung to the person holding her, coughing up water and filling her lungs with the crisp night air.

"It's alright," said a soothing voice, one she instantly recognized.  She was in Leon's arms now, still in the water.  She was trying to calm her trembling body as he rubbed her back gently, trying to comfort her.  The zoids had all been destroyed and everyone stood on the shore, waiting.  Finally, Star calmed down enough to look up at Leon.

"Are you okay?" he asked her softly.  She nodded and then hugged him tightly.  She had been so scared.  But she was alright now.  As long as he was there, she was alright.  It was a feeling she didn't understand, but she didn't care right now.  She just wanted to stay in his arms forever as he held them both above the water.  In reality, Leon had been scared to death.  Star had nearly died.  If he hadn't come at the right time, she wouldn't have been able to make it.  He held her tightly, never wanting to let go.  He didn't want to lose her, not now, not ever.

"Thank you, Leon," she said softly.

"No problem," he told her in the same tone.  "I'm just glad you're alright."

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Poor Star.  Lot's of bad things tend to happen to her, don't they.

Well, I think the next chapter will by one of my favorites to write, and in order to find out why, you'll have to stick around.

Again, happy holidays!

Bye!