Summary: Five years of loneliness took a toll on Axl, only to be washed away later on when someone he knew returns to him.

Love that Transcends Time

Axl's POV

It has been twenty years now, Sigma is finally gone, rogue mavericks still on the loose, and many new faces in Maverick Hunter HQ. Twenty years since the Jakob Project incident with Lumine and the earth is now starting to restore itself to its formal glory. X is now the leader of the Maverick Hunters after Signas retired to his private home in Florida; Zero is not only my commander, but my private trainer as well. Alia is still going out with X and is now one of the best navigators we could ever ask for. I really think X is about to pop the question to her, but he is too chicken when it comes to her. Anyway, Layer is still trying to get Zero's attention yet not having the best of lucks, but it is working.

Me, well, I'm not my old self anymore.

The old me died a long time ago; the cocky, hyperactive me. It has been five years since the attack on HQ that I've never recovered, five long years of depression……………after the loss of someone I loved. The attack was sudden, no one saw it coming. Old generals that served Sigma broke through the front door and began firing at humans then reploids. The 10th unit got to the front first and managed to hold them off until the 4th unit arrived, and then came trouble. The west wall, where the navigators and main computer were, was blown open by another maverick group. Zero's team arrived before they could attack the main computer.

I arrived on the scene one hour later to defend the navigators with X and the 17th unit. We were actually winning until disaster struck. One of the mavericks managed to grab Pallette and use her as a shield against us. I tried to save her, but that bastard maverick blew a hole in her stomach and dropped her. Time stood still for me, seeing the one on the floor in front of me, dead. In a fit of rage, I took care of the other mavericks then went after him. I first blew his arms off then his feet. Next, I shot the non-vital points on his body with a maniacal smile on my face which got wider when he started begging for mercy. I frowned with tears coming out of my eyes and tore his head off with my bare hands. Everyone that was still alive gaped at what I did.

It took both X and Zero to calm the rage of fire in me, which led me to crying in Zero's arms. We had a funeral for Pallette in the gardens by the old tree where she would love to sit and read. After the end, I laid a single red rose on her grave, said a prayer, then left. The next few years I was cold to everyone, not caring anymore about life. I never forgave myself for not being able to save her, but one night, I had a dream.

Pallette was right there in front of me looking sad.

"Axl, why are you like this," she asked me.

I responded looking at my feet, "Because………because, I lost you; when you died, my happiness went with you."

She still looked sad, "Yet you cause everyone else to be sad as well, don't you see?"

I only looked at her with a strange look, "What do you mean?"

She walked towards a window and motioned for me to come over, "This is the future in the looking glass, the Mirror of Time; it will show you events to come if you do not change."

The mirror rippled then started forming a picture. It showed me X looking down-hearted at Alia, explaining to her about me. She showed me Zero shedding a few tears for me, then Layer, she was comforting Zero. The last one hit me harder than anything. I saw myself, sitting in my room crying, and then pointing one of my pistols at my heart and pulling the trigger. The mirror faded away before I saw anything else.

Pallette then turned to me with a small smile, "Try to be happy Axl, because I will come back, I do not know when, but I will come back for you."

She walked over and embraced me in a hug, "One way, or another."

Then I awoke.

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That was three years ago.

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I remembered the dream time and time again, holding to her promise that she would come back. Because, people sometimes do crazy things, when they're in love.

Now, I was walking to the grave with a bouquet of flowers in my hand. However, when I got there, the grave was open. Thinking that someone robbed her grave; I rushed forward with pistol in hand to it. Then I saw someone step from behind the tree.

I dropped the flowers and pistol in shock at who it was.

Pallette was standing there, the hole was healed over, she was still in the same dress as we buried her in and she still looked young, not a single sign that time or death touched her. With a cry of joy, I rushed over and swept her of her feet, then embraced her with tears flowing like waterfalls. She too embraced me and cried in happiness. After a few minutes of hugging, we kissed.

How I longed for those lips.

I took her back with me to HQ and showed her o everyone. They jawdropped and went to check the grave, then they checked her. After a few weeks of testing and repairing, she was out of the medical bay and back to navigating. I was finally happy again, happy that I found it.

From out of the darkness of my mind, I found the light of my heart.

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Whew, that was a doozy. I was inspired into writing this story from a music piece I listened to a few days ago, which pretty much wrote this. I know you guys are still mad at me for discontinuing my other story, but I will get on it soon, it's not gone for good!

Until then, enjoy life.

------hydra man.EXE