A/N: if you didn't read the last 3 chapters, i reallysuggest you read this one. or at least, this last section, where chaos goes to look for Shion. it's different from the one i posted in Stranded in the Rain.

Disclaimer: I don't own Xenosaga.

Chapter Four:

Gnosis

"How are you holding up chaos?" Shion asked, poking the fire with a stick.

He coughed. "I'm doing... ok. How are you? We're... running really low on food."

"I know..." she munched on a berry. "But we can't do anything about it for now... I have to take care of you, and you certainly aren't going anywhere..."

He sighed, and sat up. "It's been days... and all we've had are berries. We need... substance."

"We'll... get through this chaos. Just... sleep it off. Goodness knows..." she yawned. "I've done it before..."

"Well... I guess." he lied back down, and soon, fell asleep.

—

chaos looked over at Shion. It had been hours since she's moved. He slowly got up, and walked over to Shion. "I'm sorry for leaving you..." he smiled as he looked at her, sleeping quietly. He took a few steps back, holding back a cough. "But... we need supplies. And... I can't let you get hurt out there..." he put his blanket over her and walked out into the rain.

—

Shion woke up, and threw off the blanket on her. "Blanket? I don't remember... chaos?" she looked over at where chaos was sleeping. "chaos! Damn it, you left again!"

"With good reason, but bad timing..." chaos walked in, with food in one arm and wood in another. He wasn't just wet and scratched up this time though. He had foot long gash marks on him, which were bleeding profusely.

"chaos!" Shion cried out, grabbing all the stuff he had brought with him and tossing it by the fire. "What happened to you?"

chaos walked over to the fire, in an attempt to grab his clothes, but collapsed. "I'm... sorry..." he coughed up blood. "There's... something I've been hiding from you... ever since we got here."

"What is it?" she asked, her voice cracking. She opened up a med kit and began applying it to his wounds.

"The... Gnosis that attacked us... they've followed us here. That's why... I've always taken so long going out for supplies. They're getting closer and closer to us. I've had to... fight them off, ever since we got here."

Shion dropped the med pack. "So that's... what you meant... when you said you wanted... to protect me..." tears began rolling down her cheeks.

"Yes..." he muttered.

Shion punched him. Not hard, but she punched him. "Idiot! Who says you have to carry all the weight of our world on your shoulders? I can fight too! I... I..." she collapsed onto him, sobbing.

"I'm sorry... Shion." he ran his fingers through her hair. "I... just didn't want you to get hurt..."

—

Night had fallen, though it was still pouring outside. chaos had been sleeping all day, and Shion couldn't sleep a wink. After hours of just watching chaos, she stood up. "It's my turn to help you... chaos." she ran out into the night.

After wandering the forest for hours, she found herself lost. "I sure am smart... how hard can it be to find a few Gnosis on an uncharted planet in the middle of the night?" she said to herself sarcastically.

Suddenly, something hit her from behind. She fell to the ground. Standing up, she saw that she had unintentionally gotten herself surrounded by Gnosis. "Hmph, so here you are. Let's go!" she materialized her M.W.S., and it instantly shocked her. She threw it off her arm, and it sat there on the wet ground, sizzling. "Great... just great." she braced herself as all the Gnosis rushed her.

—

chaos suddenly woke up. He had the feeling something was wrong. "Shion?" he looked around the cave, but no one was there. "This can't be good..." Gathering all of his strength, he ran out into the rain.

He headed straight to where he last fought the Gnosis, and sure enough, he found them there, attacking a defenseless Shion. "Shion!" he cried out, shooting out auras at the Gnosis. Though he hit some of them, they all formed a line between the two. Feeling his wings grow out of his back, he flew over them, and went to Shion. She was unconscious, and he noticed her M.W.S. on the ground. It was worthless now though, as it was throughly soaked. He looked at the Gnosis, which were staying in their line formation. Because of their position, they were blocking the path to the cave. 'I have to get out of here...' chaos thought to himself. He picked up Shion and flew off, away from the cave.

Several minutes later, chaos stopped, and flew up into a tree. He stayed there, hiding among the leaves. Time passed, and the Gnosis never came. "Good... I think we're safe now..." chaos muttered. He jumped back down and placed Shion up against the trunk of the tree. Taking whatever branches and leaves he could, he made a quick lean-to. "This will have to do... for now. Guess we're sleeping in the rain tonight." chaos said, sitting down beside Shion.