As soon as Jr. could breathe again, and had blinked the sting of light from his eyes, he snapped his head up and looked around.

He was on the Durandal once more. His veins flooded with relief.

He had another chance.

"Mary," he said, head whipping back around. "Status report. What time is it?"

"1900 hours," she said, blinking mildly in confusion. Jr. exhaled. He really was back.

The relief felt more palpable this time. His temper was cooling, all spent in that explosive bout of anger. Now Jr. could think.

If Jr. was back here again, maybe he didn't have a limited number of tries- maybe he could do this as many times as he wanted. Maybe he was stuck here until he found the right way to save Albedo. He'd read about situations like that in books, before. It didn't seem likely, but there wasn't a better explanation for all this.

If Jr. was trapped in a loop, then there had to be a way out. There had to be a way to save Albedo- some way to talk him out of this madness.

"Little Master?" Mary tilted her head, hair swinging to and fro. "What do ya plan on doin'?"

"I'm not sure yet." Jr. shook his head. "I have to think this through."

Jr. would have to monitor his temper closely this time. Every other attempt he'd lost control. But Jr. couldn't refuse to fight, either, because Albedo wouldn't listen until his back was to the wall.

Jr. rubbed the back of his head, grimacing. This was almost like a puzzle.

He paced slowly about the bridge of the Durandal, deep in thought. Maybe there was a way to talk Albedo down. Jr. didn't know if they could fight without red dragon getting out of control. Albedo would prod him, though, threatening him and the galaxy and anything else he could think of.

Of course, none of the threats were real. Albedo was bluffing. He didn't actually want to kill Jr., or take over this region of space. All he wanted was to piss Jr. off enough to end him.

How did Jr. reason with someone who wouldn't listen? How did he restrain someone who wanted to fight?

His hands came up, ruffling through his hair. This was a major headache.

"…Little Master?"

Jr. was suddenly aware of the eyes on him. Mary, Shelley, and a good deal of the 100-series realians were openly staring at him.

He cleared his throat, attempting to change the subject. "Gaignun isn't here, is he?"

Of course, he already knew the answer.

"No." Shelley answered, with a shake of her head.

"He headed out awhile ago." Mary added.

"I'm gonna try and get ahold of him," Jr. said, but more than a good excuse, it wasn't a bad idea. He had to find a way to talk to Albedo, and Gaignun always had been the more diplomatic of them two. He could talk to politicians and that sort.

Gaignun knew Albedo too. He might have some idea of what to say. There wasn't a risk to it, either- he was probably too far away to stop Jr. from going, and even if he did, there was always the next try.

As Jr. made his way to his room, he probed at their link. It was sealed as tight as it had been every other try. He sighed. Gaignun had to be pretty busy to lock him out like this.

Jr. would try Gaignun's communicator. Maybe he'd pick up.

Jr.'s hope began to wane the longer Gaignun's communicator rang. His call never got declined, only rang unanswered for an agonizingly long minute. He guessed Gaignun must be away from it.

When it prompted him to leave a message, Jr. began talking out of instinct.

"Hey Gaignun. I wanted to ask you about something-" he cut himself off, sighing. "Not that it matters. Once you get this it'll be too late."

If Gaignun did respond, Jr. would already be in the time-space anomaly, or in another loop altogether. He didn't have the time to sit and wait.

"I thought maybe you'd know what to say. You're better with this kinda thing, even if Albedo does like me more. I prefer the kind of problems where you can just shoot 'em dead."

Of course, Jr. had already done that to Albedo. Three times.

It hadn't really worked out.

"And you don't get mad like I do," Jr. muttered. Gaignun always kept his cool. "But… it has to be me. I don't think Albedo would like it any other way."

That was what he wanted, right? The graves, and the mirrors… he wanted to be like Jr., mortal. Albedo didn't want to outlive him.

Jr. rubbed a hand against his forehead. "He just isn't listening. No matter what I do, it doesn't work. But something has to. There has to be a solution."

He was determined to find it. Jr. closed his eyes, trying to imagine what Gaignun might say. Control your temper, probably. He might ask why Jr. was so insistent on saving Albedo.

"I care about him," Jr. whispered, repeating the revelation he had crashed headfirst into last time. No matter what Albedo had done, no matter what he planned to do, Jr. still cared. That was still his brother.

"I already left him behind once. I can't do that again." Albedo's voice echoed in his mind, goading Jr. on, pressing on every nerve to make Jr. angry enough to kill him. "I just don't- understand. How can I talk to him if I don't understand?"

The words collided in him then, like flint sparking a fire, and for the first time Jr. actually heard what he was saying. Of course. Jr. had been trying to make Albedo understand, ignoring his stupid ramblings.

Maybe he just had to listen.

It was worth a shot.

"I'm gonna try it." Jr. breathed. He sprang up, rushing down to the hangar. Maybe it was stupid. Maybe all Albedo was saying was nonsense, aiming only to make him mad.

But maybe, just maybe, Jr. could find a way to really talk to him.

MOMO was already in the hangar bay, turning to him with wide eyes as he made for his E.S.

"Jr.-" she began, and Jr. hated to ignore her again, but he didn't have much time.

"Sorry, MOMO," he said, climbing up into the cockpit. "I'm going, alright? Please don't say anything. I know. I'll come back. I'll be fine."

Her eyes were still wide as she watched him lift up, growing smaller and smaller as Jr. piloted his craft out of the hangar. He really felt bad. He would apologize to her if this time worked, and he really did make it back.

For now, he had to concentrate on Albedo. This was what Shion had told him to do, wasn't it? Make peace with his brother. Jr. would level with him.

Albedo greeted him once he arrived.

"Rubedo," he said, smile unkind. "What a pleasure."

"Yeah." Jr. said. "I'm glad to see you, too."

It wasn't a lie, at least. As frustrating as this was, it was still Albedo. This was the man Jr. cared about so much.

Albedo was the reason why he was doing all this.

Jr. resolved to be the perfect audience. He followed Albedo through every flashback, face tempered, watching everything Albedo wanted to show him- his fear of loneliness, his jealousy, his fixation on Jr.. Maybe if Jr. understood, maybe if Albedo knew he was listening, this would all go smoother.

Albedo's chin tilted up as soon as Jr. entered his throne room.

"You've finally made it," he breathed. "Rubedo, my other half."

"Hey, Albedo," Jr. said. "How's it going?"

Albedo was sent into hysterics by the casual question.

"Never better," he finally breathed. "Better than any mortal in this universe, better than anyone could comprehend!"

He spread his arms wide. Jr. sighed. He hated having to indulge the crazy talk.

"Albedo," he said, "I've come to stop you."

"Skipping pleasure and going straight to business, Rubedo?" Albedo leaned his head into his hand. "And here I thought we might talk awhile… but if you insist."

"I'm not gonna do it by fighting." Jr. shook his head. "I'm taking you back, Albedo."

"Oh?" Albedo's smile widened. "You intend to bring the wolf among the sheep?"

Jr. only realized now that he hadn't thought this through, not really. He supposed it might take some convincing- Gaignun would be skeptical, and his friends might think he'd lost his mind.

Jr. shook his head. He'd cross one bridge at a time. He'd deal with it if he could figure out how to save Albedo first.

"I'll find a way for us all to live together."

"Well, isn't this a surprise. I've never known you to be an optimist." Albedo waved a hand. "Tired of giving up and running?"

"You could say that." Jr. sighed. This was it, after all. This was how he was going to make things up to Albedo- how he would correct all the mistakes he'd made in the past.

He would protect his little brother, like he always had.

"We're a little too old for fairytales, Rubedo." Albedo rose from his seat. "In fact, I have a story of my own: the tale of a universe, shaped by pitiful mortals into a pathetic facsimile of culture… raised from its depths by the vision of immortals!"

"You're not gonna take over this region of space." Jr. said, teeth clenched. How stubbornly could Albedo cling to this lie? "Stop the space-time anomaly, Albedo."

It was less a threat, and more a statement of fact. Jr. knew that no matter what Albedo said, conquest wasn't his plan.

"Oh?" Albedo leaned forwards, "Then make me, Rubedo."

It seemed like there was only one way to make him talk honestly.

"You want to fight." Jr.'s fingers brushed against his pistols. "Fine. But if I win, you come back with me."

Albedo laughed.

"Don't plan on it, Rubedo!"

He lunged at Jr. suddenly, claws sharp. Jr. threw himself to the side, landing roughly on his shoulder and rolling to his feet. He stepped backwards, unloading a series of bullets into Albedo, hoping he could slow him down long enough to think.

Albedo wasn't trying to kill him. Jr. only had to fight long enough to tire him out. Easy.

Jr. threw himself into the battle then, hurling a deluge of bullets and ether at Albedo. He was on the offensive this time, not sloppy like the last. He wouldn't hold anything back.

Albedo reeled under the pressure, breathing labored and attacks slowing. It was a tactical barrage, straining Albedo under the intensity of Jr.'s attacks.

It hurt, to watch him stagger like this, beaten down over and over again. Albedo's regeneration was little comfort. Seeing his bruises and cuts heal wasn't enough for Jr. to forget making them.

Jr. hoped desperately that Albedo would go down soon. More than the guilt, he didn't know how much longer he could keep this up, light enough on his toes for Albedo not to catch him, but focused enough to aim with each of his projectiles. His muscles were beginning to strain, and his ether energy was dwindling.

Albedo just kept coming back, like the loop itself, regenerating endlessly.

Finally, after far too long, Albedo stumbled backwards, staggering. He sank down to his knees, bangs falling into his eyes.

"So fierce, Rubedo," he murmured. "I thought I might never see you fight like this again."

Jr. was panting himself, one of his guns still aimed at Albedo's forehead.

"Ready to talk?" He asked.

Hope was beginning to seize at him. The red dragon slept nestled in his chest, and the throne room hadn't begun to collapse yet. U-DO was still there, revolting, tangling itself in Jr.'s body, but not unbearable.

Maybe this was it.

"Talk?" Albedo repeated, incredulous. "What could there… possibly be to say, Rubedo? After we have fought, and bled…"

"I want to listen." Jr. slipped his guns into their holsters, sitting down beside Albedo. He hoped his brother would take his sign of good faith. "What do you want? What is this all about? Albedo, I just don't understand."

"I already told you." Albedo shook his head. "My union with U-DO… I have become the perfect life-form, more perfect than you could ever understand. I see everything now, Rubedo."

"That's not what this was about." Jr. argued. "All that crap you showed me- about me, and you, and Sakura- you were trying to piss me off."

"You make it so easy."

"You wanted to fight, Albedo." Jr. said, tilting his head down to meet Albedo's eyes. "Why?"

He knew, on some level. He just needed to hear it from Albedo's own lips, to hear him try to explain, to try and understand-

"It's what we were made for." Albedo said, low.

"I don't care about that."

"You've always blazed your own path, Rubedo."

"What choice do we have?" Jr. heard himself laugh, humorless. "To just do what our father wanted? We'd all be dead."

Internally, he winced. Miltia was definitely the wrong thing to bring up. Albedo, however, seemed utterly lost in thought, glazing over it.

"You still chose to face me." His eyes closed. "You already know how this will end."

Jr. did. He'd watched Albedo die too many times. It wouldn't happen this time, though. This time would be different.

"I'm sorry," he said, only now realizing he'd never said it, that he'd always been too mixed up in pride and anger to think about what Albedo needed to hear. That was what he'd been so upset about, wasn't it? Miltia. Being left behind. "…have I really never said that before?"

"Rubedo…"

"I shouldn't have left you behind." Jr.'s head hung limp. "You were right. I was scared, and I wasn't thinking."

"I forgive you."

Jr. blinked. That was quick- oddly quick. Albedo really held a grudge, Jr. knew firsthand. He'd watched the guy beat up other URTVs for poking fun at him.

"I abandoned you," Jr. repeated blandly.

"We're all fools, Rubedo." Albedo raised a hand, examining it idly. "I couldn't hold our nature against you."

Against all odds, Jr. found himself smiling. "Y'know, ordinarily people would say something like, 'I'm only human'."

Albedo chuckled. "We are not."

"Yeah." Jr. laughed too, weakly. "That's what I thought, too."

Their amusement died down quickly. It was quiet, save for the hum of machinery, and Albedo's breathing. Jr. was relieved to still hear it. It meant he hadn't failed yet.

Albedo tilted his head back.

"I can't go with you, Rubedo."

"Why not?" Jr. demanded. "I can talk to them, Albedo. I'm sure everyone will be fine with you-"

"I'm dying."

"I thought you couldn't!" Jr. protested, frustration rising in him again. He knew Albedo could, now, somehow, he'd seen it happen over and over, but it still didn't make any sense. Red dragon hadn't taken over. Albedo had already healed!

"It is rather difficult." Albedo's smile was wry. Jr. didn't know how he could be so bemused at a time like this.

Jr. fought the tears threatening to flood his eyes. "Normally people try not to die, you know?"

"Good we aren't human."

"Albedo!"

Jr. hated the sound of his voice, pleading and weak, but he didn't know what else to say. He could feel the sinking feeling of failure creeping back, settling like cuffs around his wrists.

"Why…?" his voice trembled, and shook, but he couldn't do anything else but ask. He didn't understand. He would never understand.

"Isn't it you who told me, once?" Albedo finally turned to face him, eyes soft. "All living things die."

"This is different!" Jr. protested. Albedo shook his head.

"I'm just the same as you. Afraid…"

"You don't have to be-"

"This is a release, Rubedo. Living as I was… I would lose everything one day." Albedo's eyes shone with grief, and Jr. suddenly understood.

Albedo was living as Jr. had been for the past few hours. He'd been experiencing Jr.'s death, over and over, mentally preparing for the day he would be alone.

All this time he'd been digging Jr.'s grave in his mind.

"I…" Jr. swallowed, tears thick in his throat. "I don't want to be alone either. Please don't leave me-"

Albedo chuckled softly.

"I would think you'd be happy… all the pain I'd caused you."

"No!" It exploded out of him, and Jr. shook his head. "I couldn't want you dead."

His hand darted for Albedo's, trying to make him see, trying to make him understand. Albedo looked at him when their skin touched and Jr. felt like he was on fire, not painfully, but dancing electric in his veins, just like last time before he had set their world ablaze, and he knew exactly what he was feeling now, what he had tried to say-

"Albedo, I lo-"

"Rubedo."

Albedo cut him off so gently Jr. was surprised he even stopped talking.

"Not now, Rubedo." He said softly, gently. "Not while you don't mean it."

"I do!" At the stubborn insistence, tears began to spill. "I do, Albedo!"

"It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest I go to than I have ever known." Albedo said softly. His fingers wrapped against Jr.'s, so comforting for how horrifying this all was.

"Will you do it, Rubedo?" He asked. "It's all I've ever wanted… to die by your hands."

Jr. didn't know why he complied. Maybe he could feel, deep down, that he'd lost again. Maybe this had been hopeless from the start. Maybe he couldn't deny Albedo now, had to show him how much he cared, that despite it all he'd do whatever strange and twisted thing he was asked of.

Red dragon came easily, and it was almost a relief to push back the waves that had been tugging at him all this time. It was strange, intimate, as Jr. pulled the life from him and Albedo cradled him close, tender, breath hitching. As he watched Albedo close his eyes, Jr. wondered why he was still trying. What was the point of all this? Was he doomed to suffer here, to watch himself lose Albedo over and over?

Albedo spoke again, and it was the last thing Jr. heard before everything went dark.

"Thank you, Rubedo."

Albedo chose to quote Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities at the end ("It is a far, far better thing that I do...") as he died. Don't ask me why, I'm just the writer.