(DR & Zeke walk in)

Zeke: maybe you should have...

DR: Zeke, it is so important to your future that you not finish that thought.

Zeke: 0-0

Van: Hey, leave Zeke alone!

DR: (waves hand Jedi fashion) Van, go make out with Fiona. (Van leaves to find Fiona)

DR: now where was... oh yes. I don't own zoids or Earthseige 2. Not one bit. So enjoy the story (you Brad/Naomi fans will love this chapter!) and please R&R!

Chapter 3: Preparations & Heart-to-Hearts

Later that day the Blitz sat down for their evening meal. Bit had come back from his run with Liger and the smell of food even got Doc Toros out of his room, though he did bring one model with him to the table. Due to the steep debts that the Blitz team still had, the team ate mostly takeaways and simple fare. They didn't have the money – or indeed the skills – to prepare anything fancier.

"Great, takeaway chow again." Bit complained as he was handed his portion of food.

"At least we have food on the table." Leena muttered. The whole team knew the root of their money troubles, her father. Sometimes it had come down to having food for the next week or paying off chunks of the teams' debts.

"Dad, will you PLEASE put the toy down and eat something!"

Doc Toros looked hurt. "It's called a model, dear." He did put it down though.

"Whatever."

Brad couldn't resist rolling his eyes. It was like this all the time.

As they ate gathered round the central table in the sunken lounge area, Jamie noticed a tell-tall blinking light on the main screen. "Hey, we've got a message." He stood up to check the source. "It's from the ZBC!"

"Maybe they've got the season started at last." Brad commented around his coffee cup.

"No, not yet..." Jamie answered as he read the message. The others slumped into their seats. "…But we are invited to a formal evening diner hosted by the ZBC tomorrow night." He continued.

"What?" Bit shot straight up.

"A formal dinner?" Leena was just as upright.

"Yep. Apparently it's when all the teams from Class S gather together before the season starts, ideal for sizing up the competition and meeting the newest teams to join the class. Sometimes warriors will transfer around, and these events are the main way other teams can get to know the warrior in question."

"Where's it being held?" Brad asked.

"Romeo City." Jamie answered. "Oh, and each warrior can bring one guest. No limitation on who the guest is, but I'd guess that they'd prefer upper rank warriors."

"Well, I'm calling Leon. I'm sure he'd love to be there. And it would be nice to see him again." Leena was smiling at the thought of seeing her brother again.

"It'd be nice to eat some good food for once. No offence Jamie." Brad commented.

"None taken."

X-X-X-X-X-X

The next day was filled with thoughts about the evening. Leena had already called Leon and had got a very exuberant reply to her offer. Harry had called from his home – he had been discharged a few days ago – and pleaded Leena to allow him to escort her. She simply hung up on him. Bit almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

Jamie had taken his Raynos to his father's home, since anything formal that Jamie could wear was there. Doc was locked away in his room, muttering so softly no one could make out what he said.

A couple of hours before they were due to leave, Bit found Brad sitting in the lounge, reading a paper. He was still dressed in his usual clothes.

"Hey Brad, aren't you getting ready for tonight?"

"Already done. Just need a quick shower." Brad answered without looking up.

"Oh." Bit paused before changing tack. "Say, you decided who you're inviting along?"

"What makes you think I'm inviting anyone?"

"What about Naomi?"

Brad finally looked up. "What about her?" he asked tensely.

"Well, why don't you ask her along?" Bit teased.

"One, I doubt she'd like being second fiddle to me." Brad snapped. "And second, there is nothing going on between us!"

"You could have fooled me." Bit winked. "Seems to me that you two flirt enough."

"Bit, drop it!"

Bit was a little intimidated by Brad's tone, but he refused to back down. "Come on! This could be your big chance! What have you got to lose?" Bit swallowed the lump that form in his throat, since those same words could be aimed back at him. "Besides, how do you know that she wouldn't enjoy herself? She may be thrilled to bits!"

"Maybe…" Brad muttered.

"And think how she would feel if you don't call?" Bit hated to do this, but it was valid. "She's bound to have heard from Leon about this event. She'll be wondering why you've not called, and…"

"Alright, knock it off!" Brad interrupted, glaring at Bit. "You've made your point, now go!"

Bit thought about pressing on, but that look in Brad's eye remained. He got and headed for the door. But before he could go though, he just had to push one last time.

"Brad, don't screw it up."

"Screw WHAT up?"

"You know what I mean." And with that Bit left the lounge.

Brad watched him go, cursed to himself and turned back to his paper. But Bit's words continued to run round his mind and Brad couldn't concentrate on the article. Finally he threw the paper down.

"All right Bit you win, curse your hide." Brad strode over to the small booth off to the side of the main viewer. To allow for private calls the small booth had been fitted in the corner of the room. Sound damping shutters blocked out any noise from within and without. Brad sat down in the chair after securing the blinds.

He punched in Naomi's code, but his finger hovered over the call button for several seconds. He almost hit cancel, but finally he pressed the call button. 'Here goes nothing…' he thought to himself.

The comm system took its time working though the lines to reach Naomi's home. During those few long seconds, every doubt possible ran though Brads mind. But before he could do anything, the call went though.

"Hello?" Naomi appeared before him on the screen, and her soft voice filtered though the speakers. She was sitting in her apartment dressed in a long loose T-shirt that fitted her quite nicely. Although she was not facing the screen – she appeared to be doing some paperwork on the desk and had simply reached out to answer the call – Brad felt all his doubts fade and a smile form on his lips.

"Hello Naomi."

Her head snapped up to look him in the eye. Hers widened in surprise, and then a smile lit up her face. "Brad! So good of you to call!"

Brad silently decided to thank Bit, after he had pounded him flat of course. "Well, I thought I'd better. So how have you been?" he managed to say.

"Oh, been sorting out the paperwork for the upcoming season." Naomi gestured with her hand to the work she had been doing when Brad had called. "Distract me, please!"

"Well, I think I have something you might be interested in…" Brad began.

"Let me guess, a formal dinner for those in Class S?" Naomi interrupted innocently.

Brad had to work his jaw for a few seconds. "How did you…?"

She simply grinned. "Leon's been bouncing off the walls since he got the call from Leena."

"Oh, I forgot." Brad felt his cheeks redden.

"So, did you call for something…?" Naomi prompted. She already knew the question, and her answer, but she needed him to say it.

"Well, ah… I did… I mean…" Brad felt as though his tongue was tied in knots and could only stammer. Finally he got his mouth to work properly. "I was wondering if you'd, if it wasn't much bothered, like to…"

"Yes?"

Brad gulped. "…Come along… as my…"

She cocked her head to one side. "As you're tag-along guest, to a formal dinner in which you'll be the star attraction?"

Brad felt his face fall. He could only nod.

Something must have shown on his face, 'because Naomi dropped her disinterested look and smiled even more brilliantly than before. "Oh don't worry, I was only teasing. Of course I'll come."

Brad felt like mopping his brow in relief. "Thank you, though you will pay for that someday."

"As long as you're the one I pay to, I don't mind." She replied. "So it's Romeo City right?"

"Correct. We were going to meet Leon on the outskirts before heading to the reception."

"Well, I'm sure I can get a lift from Leon. I am his boss after all." Naomi smiled sweetly. "I'll see you soon then."

"I'll look forward to it." Brad couldn't help smiling back.

"Goodbye Brad, till later." Then she closed the line.

Brad sank back, his heart dancing.

X-X-X-X-X-X

Bit trudged along the corridor to the bathroom, hoping Leena wasn't still in there. He pressed his ear to the door and listened carefully. He had learned not to just walk in on her. The consequences of such action were… not pleasant.

Though the door Bit could hear running water, and the sound of Leena softly singing to her self. "Drat, she's still in there.' Bit backed away from the door. "Guess I'll just have to wait…'

Bit's attention was drawn to the Doc's door. He could have sworn he had just heard crying. Quickly stepping up to it, Bit rapped on the door.

"Hey Doc, you okay in there?"

"Yea Bit…" Came though the Docs voice. He still sounded upset.

"Can I come in?"

"Sure, it's unlocked."

Bit opened the door to find Steve Toros sitting on the edge of his bed, a suit besides him. The dresser and shelves opposite his bed was covered in toy models of Zoids. Bit closed the door before pulling out the chair under the dresser.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he sat down. As he did so, he noticed how formal the suit was, and how expensive it looked. It also looked brand new, barely worn.

"Nothing." Steve sniffed.

Bit wasn't buying that for a second. "Don't give me that. Some thing upset you." Bit wasn't sure where this side of him had come from. All he knew was that the Doc, Steve, needed some support.

"It's just…" Steve paused, and then pushed on. "The last formal event I was at… was…" The pause was even longer this time. "…My wife's, Leena's mother… funeral."

He gestured to the suit besides him. "I'd bought this for our fifth wedding anniversary. We were going to have such a party, all our old friends and us. And we'd planned on tell Layon the truth about what happened, all those years ago…"

Bit didn't know what the Doc was referring to, but he did want to. After his thoughts the day before, this was too good an opportunity to pass up. "What happened? Between you and Layon?"

Steve sat back, a misty look in his eyes. "Me, Layon, and Oscar. We were a right bunch of tearaways. You remember that old bar out in the desert, the one Layon blew up?" Bit nodded.

"We used to go out there; it was our own little spot. Stored drinks there and we did… things. The sort of things that you want to do when you've got your zoid, but our teachers wouldn't let us do those experiments in classes. The one time, we blew up quite a large chunk of the ground…" He paused. "Not that it really matters. Leena's mother, Sandra…" Steve sighed. "…When we got ourselves hurt with our stunts, she was the one we went to for help. Couldn't go to the proper people, since they would ask awkward questions.

"After a time, she joined our little group, originally to keep us out of trouble." Steve grinned, "She soon started getting involved with our little stunts just as much as the three of us."

"That explains why Leena has a thing for explosions." Bit chuckled. Steve laughed with him.

"Maybe. Anyway, she was beautiful, and so intelligent. Just like Leena. We were all smitten with her, though each in our own way. Oscar saw her more as a sister. I loved her intelligence, though at the time I didn't realise that I did, and Layon…" Steve sighed. "…He loved her the way I suspect Harry loves Leena.

"Nothing would have happened though, except one day Layon came to me to ask a personal favour. He asked me to write a love letter to her, but to sign his name. He wasn't very good at writing such things. I couldn't tell him that I wasn't either. So I went to Oscar to do it for me."

Bit began to see a pattern. "But something went wrong here, right?"

Steve smiled. "You could call it that. Oscar put my name instead of Layons. It wasn't till then that I realised that I loved her, truly loved her. As it turned out, she realised that she loved me too. She told me the others were like brothers to her."

Bit could see clearly how that would have affected Layon. "And Layon never forgave you?"

Steve sighed. "No, the three of us spilt apart soon after."

Bit sighed. "You told her?"

Steve nodded. "After Leena was born, I tried to contact Layon, but he refused to take my calls. Sandra confronted me about these calls, so I had to come clean with her. I could never hold back anything from her. When she wanted something, she was as bad as Leena, sometimes worse." Bit could only shudder at the thought.

"It was her idea to host a party, and to invite Layon. She figured if the invite came from her, he'd come. We'd planed to come clean with him. To try and rebuild what had been shattered."

Now Steve's lower lip trembled. "Trouble is… she was coming back from a shopping trip to get food for the party, when bandits struck. She was using our armed Gustav, and she held them off easily. But one stray shot…" Steve swallowed. "…One stray shot hit the cliff face behind her. It had been weakened by thunderstorms over the previous week and…" he couldn't continue. It took him several minutes before he could speak again.

"I bought the Hover Cargo after that. And I had to wear the suit intended for our party at her funeral." Steve paused, his throat tight. "I not only lost a wife that night, but my life, and our third child…" Bit gasped. No wonder the Doc was sometimes a little crazy. He had lost almost everything dear to him in one night.

"I clung on to the things I still had, namely Leon, Leena, and the toys we'd bought them and our planed third child…"

And now the children had grown up, all he had left were the toys. Bit felt truly sorry for Steve.

"I'm sorry man." It seemed so…lame.

Steve sniffed. "It's alright Bit. I needed to talk about it. It helps." He seemed to brighten up.

"Glad I was able to help."

Outside Steve's room, Leena stood with her head to the door. She had never heard the full story about how her mother had died, and this sad tale shook her to the core. She walked away to her room, mulling things over…

Inside, Steve looked up at Bit with any odd look in his eyes. "Bit, may I ask a personal favour of you?"

"Sure, anything." At that point Bit felt like doing almost anything to help Doc.

Steve took a deep breath. "Look after my little girl."

Bit's jaw dropped. "What?"

"Look after Leena. Don't deny you have feelings for her, I've seen the look in your eyes around her. It reminds me of me, nearly thirty years ago."

Bit thought about what Steve had said, considered his thoughts from the day before, and made his decision. "I will."