A/N: Disclaimer: Refer back to Chapter 1.

WARNING: OOC, SUGGESTIVE NARRATIVE.

Chapter 3: Leap of Fate

Another week had passed. Argilla had been depressed; refusing to talk, even to Serph. Dr. Ezekiel was almost at a loss but Serph had convinced him that he would bring her back from the brink of despair.

He visited her again that evening, "Hey there…"

She didn't respond…she didn't even acknowledge his presence. He sighed; she was being difficult. She had been doing this to him all week long. She had even refused to leave the hospital. She had become even more reclusive than before. But he wouldn't give up.

"You know…the weather's good outside. Want to go out?" he offered.

She scoffed, "The weather's the same as always."

He sighed, "You're right. But still…it's a new day."

"…" she crossed her arms, looking out of the window, "A new day?"

"Yes. It is."

"…" she continued to look at the arid horizon; what was the point anyway?

"With each new day, there is a promise of hope…"

"Hope…" she trailed off.

"Yes. Hope…hope that we may find happiness."

She sobbed, "Happiness…"

He nodded, "Yes…happiness…Do you know what that is?"

She smiled bitterly; Serph saw as her face was reflected from the glass in which she stared. She said nothing; Serph had expected that much. He nodded.

"I'm not sure what happiness is exactly either…I think that…people spend their lives looking for it…They strive and work hard every day with the hopes of finding it within each given day. There are times when there is only grief and sadness awaiting a person…but…even then, men still strive to find that happiness…never giving up…" he paused for a while, pondering over his own speech.

'Happiness…'

"That's why…I do my duty everyday…with the hope of finding my own happiness one day…You never really know when it'll come; but you just know it when it does."

She still said nothing and remained as cold as a statue.

"I may not know what happiness really means…but…I do know that…you…you bring me hope of finding it."

Her eyes widened at what he said but still remained unfazed. He nodded and smiled, "I'll leave you alone now. I'll be here though when you need me."

He took a deep breath and took a bold step, encircling her in his arms from behind. She felt her chest heave up and down at the contact but remained where she was. She could feel his face beside hers but did nothing. He let her go momentarily, "Well, I'm off. I'll see you later."

She heard his footsteps move out of her room and then finally, she heard the door click closed. She was alone once more. When she was convinced of this fact, she finally let the tears that she was holding back and let them trail down on her face freely. His words were still fresh on her mind.

'Happiness…? Does such a thing exist…?'

She could only wish so.

"I may not know what happiness really means…but…I do know that…you…you bring me hope of finding it."

Her heart warmed up when she heard his words.

'Maybe…maybe…' she began.

She felt guilty; he was trying to help her when she herself didn't want to help herself. He was her only one. He was all she's got and she had given him up. She gritted her teeth; she wanted to rip her hair out at that moment.

'Serph…'

xxxxx

He was back the next day. A part of her wanted to lash out at him. Why couldn't he just leave her alone?

"I may not know what happiness really means…but…I do know that…you…you bring me hope of finding it."

'Hope…?'

"Hello Argilla. How are you today?" he asked cheerfully.

Here, she turned her gaze from the window and towards him. His smile had almost brought her to tears…They were filled with…

"Your eyes…" she said, taking steps towards him, her hands reaching out. Serph stood there, unmoving as he saw her approach.

"Your eyes…They have…" she stopped a meter away from him and touched his face. She felt him sigh at her touch; why did he do that? Was this his happiness? Did he feel happy?

"They have…hope…" she said finally. She didn't know how she knew…It just felt right to say.

He nodded and opened his silver eyes once more; looking into her pink ones, "Yeah…I think so too…" he smiled.

"Yours too…" he said. She was completely taken aback by what he had said. Hope?

She withdrew her hand from him and took a step back, turning around, "I think…I know what happiness is…I felt it before…"

Serph stood there quietly, waiting for her to continue.

"Back when…my family was still alive…" she choked and started to sob. He walked up to her and took her in his arms, "Hey…you don't have to say anything anymore…"

"But I want to…" she murmured, "You're trying to help me…Thank you."

She walked over to her bed and sat, "I…was born on a settlement…far from here. I had a father and a mother, a grandmother and a little brother. I had friends there too…" She hesitated for a moment before continuing. Serph had noticed and noticed her agitation. But she was talking; that was a good thing.

"I had a best friend…named Reika. She had green hair…and shiny green eyes. Her father had died when she was little, so only her mother looked after her."

She sighed again and Serph could only look on helplessly. She continued, "We were a small community…probably less than a hundred…My…my grandma…used to tell me of different stories about…dungeons…and dragons and stuff like that. Reika and I…we used to play together too. My mom…would always cook for us…and my dad would work around the village…"

"And…then…one night, when I was asleep…I woke up when a hand covered my mouth and dragged me out of our house."

Serph looked at her; his face deadly serious. This was where the trauma would begin. She was going to jump…she was going to take the plunge.

"I struggled but the person, whoever it was, was a lot stronger than me…He dragged me to a small broken down hut and stuffed me within a rolled on carpet. I thought I was…going…" she paused as she felt her tears…she sniffed. Serph pulled himself closer to her and held her hand, "Sssh…I'm here…Don't worry."

She smiled at him and nodded, "I'm fine…"

"I thought I was going to suffocate…I struggled to get myself free…the man had already left. I looked on after him…He…he was…he was my father…" She paused.

Serph looked at her as her eyes become glazed as she unlocked her memories, "I struggled so much that the carpet tumbled over and pushed the door to the hut open. I could…hear screaming and shouting from the outside. I shrunk within the carpet…I was trying to hide…there were many people outside…and the houses were burning. I…I saw…"

She paused again and had her face in her hands. Serph couldn't let her continue. He took her in his arms and embraced her, "Ssshh…don't worry about it anymore…You don't have to say more…"

"You've done enough for one day…" he soothed her. She relaxed in his arms but nonetheless continued to cry.

She said nothing and continued to cry.

xxxxx

Days had passed by, and little by little, the girl that he had met had begun to change. She was beginning to regain her lost spirit. He stood there, watching her, with a smile on his face. She was sitting on the ledge, her legs waving to and fro. She leaned her head back, supporting herself on her palms. She looked at him, "Hey…look!"

He moved from his spot and sat beside her. He followed the trajectory of her pointing finger and saw the sunset. The smile on Serph's face faded as he saw some of the golden rays of the sun reflected in her pink eyes. He looked intently at her as the world around them became hazy.

It was as if the world had gone blurry and nothing else mattered. He noticed everything that she did…from the way her loose pink hair danced slowly in the breeze, how her body moved…to how her smile seemed to freeze everything.

He felt that feeling once more…His chest tightened. His breathing became labored…and when he just thought that he would feel agony from the lack of oxygen in his lungs, he was surprised to find that it wasn't the case.

This feeling…was not of agony…

This feeling…

He let out a breath…he didn't even realize that he was holding his breath. He was…he was falling in love with this girl; this innocent, vulnerable girl.

xxxxx

He tucked her in that night. He looked at her fondly and touched her cheek. She was already fast asleep and had just taken her anti-psychotic drugs. He cursed inwardly; he didn't want her to be doing these things. He didn't want her to be in this hospital, away from the rest of the world…hidden.

He didn't want her to be strapped to her bed and restrained like a wild animal when she would have her "episodes". He didn't want her to be held captive…

He wished that she didn't have to take these pills…these so-called medications.

He wanted her to be free…to live her life the way she wanted to. He wanted to see her smile…to see her happy.

He leaned in and pressed his lips to her forehead like he had done many nights before, "Get better…"

He didn't know what else to say. He himself did not understand his feelings for her. He was in love…but what did that mean? What did that entail? This was all new for him…

It was new…and it scared him.

He blinked; he didn't want to think about it anymore. He slowly walked away and left through the door.

xxxxx

It had been another day that had passed, and once more, Serph found himself in her room, listening to her as she poured out to him her hideous memories…the source of her trauma.

"That night…" she began, "I forced myself to get out of the rug. I wriggled and wriggled until I could crawl out…"

She hesitated and then felt a hand squeeze hers.

She smiled weakly, "Then…I stopped when…I heard screaming. I continued to crawl and then, I ran for the nearest thing I could find…it was a torn up tent…I crawled within. It was…trashed…and they…probably took everything…so…I hid there…and then…in front of me, I saw…"

She sobbed and she felt the familiar pair of arms around her.

"My…mom and my dad…were killed…they…their throats were slit…I wanted to scream…everything was burning…and the smell of smoke was the only thing I could smell…That…and blood."

"I closed my eyes and forced myself to be quiet…all I was thinking was that…what if they found me? Then, I heard another scream…it was…it was Reika's! She was…she was…being…made to do…to do things…"

Serph's eyes narrowed into slits.

"Then…they…they all…did things to her…and then…they killed her too…" she said sobbing.

He remained quiet, letting her say all that she had wanted to say, but letting her know that he understood…and that he cared.

"My brother…and the other children…they…took them…but…Hiro…my brother…he ran…so…so they…so hit him on the head…he bled on the sand…and he…he died…Then…they…cut off his…his arms…Oh Serph!"

"They ate him Serph! They ate him!" she yelled, her eyes wide with fear.

He said nothing again and just held her tighter, burying his face in her hair. She convulsed uncontrollably within his arms. He felt anger boil within him. He hated being helpless. She was suffering and he couldn't do anything for her.

'Damn it…'

She calmed down a few minutes later. He looked at her and noticed that she had passed out. He took her in his arms and made for the hospital.

xxxxx

He sat on his bed that night, with his elbows atop his knees, his fingers intertwined at the level of his eyes, thinking. So, that was why she was traumatized. She had seen everything. He could only imagine what it was like. Being born into Embryon and being protected, his childhood had been calm…relatively compared to hers, that is. He had seen his share of bloodshed but it was only after he had been a bit matured.

After all that, he couldn't really blame her for feeling nothing but despair. She must've been wandering for days…with nothing but the clothes she had on her back.

Those that had attacked their home, their village were what they called as "rookies". He snorted; they were just bloodthirsty marauders. They raided villages and small communities, taking everything, converting the people within to join their folds. Those that resisted, die. But, there were other groups of rookies that just raided villages, killing the men, raping the women while taking their children in order to serve as their future generation. There were even cases of cannibalism…

It was one of those groups that probably attacked the girl's village.

Serph shivered at that; the world can be an evil place to live in. But then, that was why they were all fighting…so that they could bring order in this world…in order to ensure that their children need not live in fear.

It was no wonder that she didn't believe in happiness.

He gritted his teeth; she would get better. There has got to be a reason why they had met. And this was probably it; for him to protect her. To be with her always.

He forced himself to lie back down, staring at the ceiling.

She will get better. He swore it. Now that they had found each other, he wouldn't let her go.

xxxxx

Serph crossed his arms, "When…will she get better?"

Ezekiel smiled, "I've seen your interactions with her. It pleases me to know that she had vastly improved. The anti-anxiety and anti-psychotic drugs that I have administered seem to be effective. I've monitored her symptoms and she hasn't had an episode in weeks."

Serph was beginning to feel impatient. Ezekiel wasn't telling him what he needed to know.

"We feel confident that she is on her way to recovering from schizophrenia. If this improvement is maintained…then I feel that we could release her after six months of observation."

"Six months…" he repeated.

"Ezekiel…" he began.

"Hm?"

"Will…she…ever have those bad dreams again?"

"Well, there is a chance of her symptoms recurring; but that's normal for a schizophrenic. In actuality, schizophrenics usually take years to fully recover…and even if they do, they do experience recurring symptoms, and it is when this happens that they should resume their medication."

Serph winced at that. Did that mean that Argilla would never truly be cured of this…disorder? Was she doomed to live side by side with this…monster?

'No…there has to be a way for her to beat it…' he thought.

"But you must be astounded Serph. Her recovery is profound; and it is because of your efforts that she has brought herself back!"

Serph cast his head down, "…"

"What about those dreams?"

Ezekiel's smile faded, "Well…that really isn't a real concern. After all, unpleasant dreams occur all the time, schizophrenic or not. It would be a concern though, when she starts to have delusions once more…"

"I see…" he said.

He cast his head down. They were engulfed by a pregnant silence.

"The girl…" said Ezekiel, breaking the silence.

"What about her?" Serph asked, snapping his attention back to Ezekiel.

"The girl…you…love her, don't you?"

Serph's eyes went wide.

"I beg your pardon. It's not my place to intrude."

"…"

"It's just that…you wouldn't have stuck by her this far."

"…"

"Well, I suppose that you should see her now, yes?"

Serph nodded and headed out of the door.

'I'd never abandon her…'

xxxxx

"Hey…" he said, as they walked through the streets of Muladhara.

"What…?" she asked.

"Hm, after you leave the hospital, you're going to have to join Embryon."

"Really?" she asked, stopping to look at his eyes.

"Yes. Then you'll be assigned your squad…and then your living quarters and everything."

"Oh." she said; disappointment evident in her voice.

"What's wrong?" he asked. What was wrong? Did he say something that she didn't like?

"If…if I join Embryon…would that mean that I would be assigned missions too?"

"Yes…"

"Then…it would mean that I won't get to see you everyday…"

He furrowed his eyebrows, "Sometimes. I might be sent away somewhere and not be able to make it back everyday…but…that doesn't mean that I won't see you anymore."

She said nothing but frowned.

He grasped her hand and led her towards a bench. He sat her down and looked into her eyes, "Look…just because that we belong in different squads, doesn't mean that we won't see each other."

"Why?"

"Well…because…you see these people?" he asked, pointing to the people walking passed them.

She nodded and he continued, "Well, we fight to protect these people."

"Why?"

"Because they are our comrades too. Every person in Muladhara…every member of Embryon is like a father, a mother, a sister or a brother to us. That is why we fight; to protect them."

She blinked and he smiled, softened by her blissful ignorance.

"Comrade?" she asked.

He chuckled, "Yeah."

"What's that?" she asked innocently.

"A comrade is a person whom we look out for…someone we protect and someone who protects us."

"Comrade…" she repeated. She looked at him, "What about you? Are you my comrade?"

He looked at her, "Yes…I am." She smiled.

"What about me?" she asked, a slow blush creeping upon her cheeks.

"Hm?"

"Er…am I your comrade?" she asked shyly.

He chuckled and ruffled her pink hair, "You're more than that to me…"

She blushed and avoided his gaze. He squeezed her hand. She smiled.

He nodded and continued, "That's why we fight…so that…we may see them all smile…"

"Smile…" she repeated.

"Yes…like you…"

"Me?" she asked, surprised.

"Yes; I'm here…for you. I'm with you because I want to protect you. I want to see you smile. And I would do anything to preserve that smile…even if means that I have to be away from you for a while…then…so be it."

She looked deep into his eyes and saw them burn with resolve. She smiled and wrapped her arms around him, "Thank you. I think…"

"Hm?'

"I think I understand…" she began, "It's like us…and our…family…we protected one another…"

"That's right."

"Thank you Serph…" she said, kissing him on the lips chastely.

He blinked, "You don't have to thank me. I'll be here whether you want me around or not anyway."

xxxxx