So please don't ask me how
I ended up at my wit's end and breaking down
Pages torn from books we never read
'Cause we're plugged into this grid
Don't pull this plug right now, or then we'd really have to live
When I die will they remember not
What I did, but what I haven't done?
It's not the end that I fear with each breath
It's life that scares me to death
When we build these dreams on sand
How they all slip through our hands
This might be our only chance
Let's take this one day at a time
I'll hold your hand if you hold mine
The time that we kill keeps us alive
*Rise Against – Rumors of My Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated*
Cornerian Defense Force HQ
In quiet and contemplative silence, Wolf and Sheila sat chained to the stainless steel table bolted into the ground before them. A single light illuminated the cement room they were holed up in, only adding to their strained nerves and overwhelming worry.
Wolf glanced over to the husky and gave her a faint, tender smile to ease her worries. "It's okay. We'll be okay."
"I'm scared, Wolf," she squeaked out, her ears and tail fidgeting along with the rest of her body as she sat locked up to a steel folding chair. "What are they gonna do to us?"
"They won't do anything," Wolf assured her. "Just stay calm, okay?"
Sheila whimpered and begrudgingly nodded her head. Satisfied with her answer, Wolf let his head fall back, shutting his eyes to avoid staring up at the light overhead. He had to think of something, otherwise the both of them would be screwed.
They didn't even have a chance to run. Their transgressions were already on record, and as soon as they stepped foot on Corneria again, they were detained. This was mere hours after their capture, and they were still awaiting the inevitable round of questioning. Still, what would he say? That it wasn't his fault? He knew that he had full awareness of his actions, so he could only hope that his sincerity in his apology would lessen his punishment.
The deadbolt on the door unlatched, causing both canines to jerk their heads towards the slowly forming opening. In unison once more, they both let out gasps at who slipped into the room with them. The newly appointed General of the CDF, Wes. Maybe they had a chance.
"Long time, no see," Wes started blankly, his expression as even as his tone. He didn't express an aura of hostility or malice, but by the same token, he showed no signs of mirth or compassion either. With his hands in his pockets, he shut the door with his backside before stepping forward, stopping inches before the table separating him and the "traitors." "I trust that everything was smooth and comfortable?"
"Barely," Wolf answered.
"I hate to break it to you," Wes continued, now placing his open hands on the edge of the table to support his leaning weight. "But you two are in a whole hell of a lot of trouble."
"Tell me something I didn't know," Wolf muttered.
Wes nodded his head. "Okay. I'll cut to the chase. Sheila, Wolf; you both have transgressions on your records, and I unfortunately cannot reverse or shorten the sentence as is. What I'm looking at is your accounts of treason, which is punishable by death, as you know."
Sheila whimpered again. "But—"
"Hold on," Wolf interrupted. "Wes, you know as good as I do that what we did wasn't wrong by any stretch of the word. How can you say that we committed treason when we only helped?"
"You turned against your own military while you were enlisted," the hybrid continued. "Sheila especially. That literally defines treason."
"God dammit Wes, you helped me!" Wolf growled. "You let me escape from being arrested the first time! How can you sit here and question us about what we did when you let us go for the same thing?"
Wes stopped, slowly letting his eyes fall to the floor. "We all make mistakes."
"Yeah; clearly!" the lupine snapped. "But that doesn't mean we should be tried when there are hundreds of soldiers that have killed innocent people in our ranks."
"They don't have as many crimes on their records as you two do," he argued. "I'm sorry, Wolf, I'd love to set you two out again, but I have a new job and new authority. I can't just give you a slap on the wrist and set you free."
"Wes, please," Sheila squeaked out. "You know that we didn't do anything."
"I know," Wes mumbled.
"And you know that we saved thousands of lives by—"
"Sheila, I said I know," Wes grunted sternly, gripping his forehead. "But you broke your CDF contract. Wolf, you breached our security, and committed first degree murder."
"I was saving her life," Wolf argued. "James was going to kill her if I didn't do anything."
"Still doesn't change the facts," the wolf-dog shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you two walk free this time. Not without consequences."
"Then put all of it on me," Wolf blurted out. "Don't punish her."
"Wolf, no," Sheila butted in, looking directly at the lupine. "I'm not letting you—"
"That's enough," Wes interrupted tiredly. "I'm not changing the rules. I'm sorry, but as far as I'm concerned…"
Wes trailed off when he locked eyes with the couple again. Sheila still looked defiant and desperate to overrule her obvious death sentence, but Wolf looked as though he admitted full defeat. His violet eyes, exhausted, tired, and full of guilt, quivered as he anticipated his sentence. Those eyes had seen a lot during this conflict. They had seen life go from the highest of highs, all the way down to the complete opposite. They had seen family and friends brutally murdered before his eyes. They had seen chaos, death, destruction, heartbreak, failure, and guilt come and go like the flowing tides… …something someone of his young age should never have to experience in a lifetime, let alone now.
It took a short week for Wolf's life to be turned upside down with turbulent relationships with family, friends, and his own government. Just recalling how much the young wolf had gone through made the wolf-dog hesitate. Wolf survived that entire week with little to his name, but a faithful companion and an adoptive brother—both of which provided him with the strength to continue. He didn't rely on a set of misguided rules or an imposing father, but on his own will. That itself wouldn't be much, but Wes knew that he overcame the adversity just by that sheer will and support alone.
Wes saw something in him. Wolf's eyes relayed the chaos, but his heart withheld the truth. He stood against the odds and ultimately won. He hated to admit it, but that stubborn kid saved a lot of life. Who was he to take his own away from him?
"No," Wes breathed, turning to face the side wall. "I can't."
Wolf looked up, curiosity overtaking him.
"I can't do this," Wes continued. "You're right. Both of you are. You saved thousands by forcing us back. You did the right thing from the start… …I can't punish you for that."
"Wes…" the husky whispered in shock.
"But it still doesn't change the fact that what you did should have repercussions," he added swiftly. "And I have just the thing, just so that we don't have to deal with either one of you or your stubborn actions."
"Name your price," Wolf said, seemingly unfazed by Wes' disposition flip.
"You two can roam free," he began, looking at both of them dead in the eyes. "But with constant monitoring. You have to stay on Corneria. And… …I want the both of you to hang up your wings."
Both Sheila and Wolf looked absolutely stunned. Sheila broke the silence with a shrill, "What?"
"I'm going to decommission you from active duty," Wes continued, expression still stiff and unchanging. "Sheila, your Husky Squadron Leader title will be revoked, and you will not be allowed to fly for the CDF again. Wolf, same with you and your position, or with any other piloting company."
Wolf breathed. "So, you aren't executing us for treason?"
"As long as you accept my terms," Wes concluded. "Either you're grounded, or you're going in the ground."
"Okay," Sheila about sobbed, her eyes glazed with tears. "I accept. I'll drop… I'll… I'll drop my position." She turned her head over to face Wolf. Wolf merely gave her a nod of assurance. "We both accept," she finished.
"Good," Wes finally let a small smile crease his muzzle. "And listen, I'm…" he trailed off for a moment, but finally managed to lean forward and talk to them with a more personal tone. "I'm sorry I had to do this to you guys. PM wasn't gonna let me release you two without consequences."
"I understand," Wolf weakly grinned back at him.
Wes nodded his head, then did the honors of unlatching Wolf and Sheila's wrists from their shackles. As he did so, he continued, "You two are good kids. If you need me to vouch for either one of you for a new career direction, I can do it; no problem."
"Thank you, Wes," Sheila smiled, instantly hugging the larger canine, who in turn returned the friendly gesture. After they had regained their bearings, Wes escorted them out of the HQ building, dropping them off at the main entrance. Rubble and construction vehicles littered the entire premises aside from a shambled road that led out of the complex.
Their view gave them a bleak picture of Corneria City's remnants. Damaged towers scraping the thick layer of overcast clouds stuck out like broken thumbs—abandoned and destined for certain demolition. Still, trails of smoke seeped out of the metropolitan city, intermixing with the clouds overhead. From their perch on the hill, deadlocked streets, mounds of concrete and twisted iron, and millions of displaced persons were intertwined with the remnants of what used to be a super city… now turned into a casualty. One distinct circular crater stood out to the both of them as where the satellite had struck, utter decimation in its wake.
Sheila immediately clung onto Wolf, burying herself into his warm, consoling grasp. Wolf tightly held on to her, gently massaging her back to give her that extra reassurance. For what felt like ten more minutes, Wolf whispered nothing but promises into her ear that they would be okay. That moment was one of the first times Wolf ever admitted to crying. They escaped. They were okay.
The sound of rubber crunching gravel reached their ears, and by the time they had separated from each other, they were greeted with two familiar faces trotting up to meet up with them. Sheila, being who she was, immediately ran over and embraced little Fox with everything that she had. Wolf let those two hug it out while he met up face-to-face with Vince.
They said nothing at first, yet they didn't have to. Just like Wes, Vince saw everything lingering behind in Wolf's eyes, especially the guilt that plagued his aura. Wolf knew the truth about Vince and James, and damn did it hurt to stand before the former after what had happened. Vince's eyes looked about as tired as Wolf's were, but his didn't show anguish or malice. In fact… they glimmered with hope. Two sapphire pools of limitless compassion stared back at Wolf with such a vibrant intensity that he was beginning to lose his composure.
The still silence shared between them stopped when Vince sniffed, then held out his open paw. Wolf stared at it for a moment, wondering what its intentions were. When the lupine saw the fox's muzzle curl slightly, he met his hand with his own in a firm shake. No sooner did Wolf try to let go, Vince lurched forward and trapped him in a hug of his own. Just like Sheila and Fox, the hug was comforting, calm, and full of compassion that everyone needed to feel.
The two groups broke off of each other, then backed away to leave Fox face-to-face with Wolf. Just like with Vince, Wolf saw no hostility in the kit's eyes, which was all the reassurance Wolf needed out of him. But, by the same card, Fox looked… lost… He looked as though he didn't have anything to look forward to anymore. And who could blame him? He lost both his parents in a week's time, and appeared to have been sobbing at their gravesite for hours until he was brought here. He had calmed himself down since then, but at what cost? The poor kit looked emotionally dead, other than assuming a natural expression of uncertainty and heartbreak.
Wolf crouched down to be at eye level with the kit. "Fox…" he started off, suddenly finding it difficult to keep his voice level and calm. "Come here, buddy."
Fox obliged, slowly stepping towards him until Wolf could reach out and set a hand on his shoulder. Once again, the two of them stood in silence while they rummaged through their respective emotions. At a loss for words but overcome with a flood of emotions, Fox started to cry again as he gently fell into Wolf's hug. Wolf mimicked his emotions, softly crying into the kit's shoulder as the two of them shared a heartfelt, intimate moment with nothing but themselves and their feelings. A wave of relief washed over Wolf at Fox's vulnerability and needy actions, so much so that he gained the slightest feeling that maybe... maybe he wasn't mad.
He didn't ask right away for fear that it would ruin the moment. Out of the corner of his tear-filled eye, Wolf saw Sheila and Vince embrace in comfort as well, but he couldn't be bothered to break his hold on Fox. In fact, it only tightened, making sure to convey the physical assurance that he would never abandon the kit. He made sure to keep it loose enough to not hurt Fox, but he kept it tight as if to keep him safe. Their breathing mixed together with sniffles and occasional sobs melded into a mess of noise, but none of that mattered.
Wolf eventually pulled his head away, then gently took Fox's shoulders and pushed him off. Their tear-stained eyes met once again, conveying that odd, yet comfortable sense of distant kinship as if they shared in each other's sufferings. And indeed they did. Their respective emotions swirled together to the point where neither one knew which one was theirs anymore. Fox didn't know if he was relieved, irate, or grief-stricken, and Wolf the same. But they both knew one fact, and that was… They were glad to be together once again.
"Fox…" Wolf started out, his voice shaky and exposed. "You're not mad at me, are you?"
He wanted to get the bombshell out of the way right away, but from the looks of it, he probably should have waited. Fox didn't anticipate a question of such magnitude straightaway, and Wolf felt himself being poisoned upon uttering that stupid question. Their shared moment of blissful intimacy shattered when Fox had no choice but to look away, unable to respond truthfully. Emotions raged on inside both of them, tension building as a result.
Wolf felt like he was about to cry again. Their moment of silence had stretched on for a minute, and Fox showed no intention on answering, opting to stare at the cracks in the sidewalk. Wolf started to doubt whether or not Fox would answer in a way he wanted to hear, so his grip began to loosen. One hand fell off of his shoulder, yet he still said nothing. More tears were forming, knowing that Fox's emotional state had been completely shattered. He had to let go of him. As soon as he did, Fox whimpered.
"No," was all Fox could manage to say.
"What?" Wolf was quick to respond.
"I'm…" he hesitated, wiping his nose on his sleeve. The vulpine finally found enough courage to lift his head up, tears streaming down his face like serene rivers. "I'm not mad…"
Wolf instantly felt relieved, but a layer of shock prevented him from expressing it. "You're not?"
Fox gently swayed his head. "I… I can't… be mad at you."
"What do you mean?" Wolf asked, genuinely concerned and curious.
Fox just lowered his eyes again. "I saw what happened… the fight… with you and dad…"
"Fox," Wolf silently gasped.
Fox shook his head again. "I'm not mad… I know… You… you did what you needed to do."
The lupine immediately stepped forward and set his hands back on Fox's shoulders, but the words wouldn't leave him. Fox stared back… that's all they needed to do. Another shared moment of silence. Wolf finally saw emotion flaring up in the kit's eyes, and they weren't filled with malice. To Wolf's surprise, they were filled with relief; that in and of itself caused more guilt to form inside the wolf's heart.
Then, Fox smiled. It was weak, plagued by the immense pain of past days and the uncertainty of his future, but a faint, forced smile nonetheless. Wolf couldn't help but smile back, his own tears gently cascading down his cheeks. Fox gently blinked his eyes, seeing his smile being shared causing his own tears as well. And once again, Fox leapt into yet another warm, comforting embrace from… his best friend.
"I'm sorry, Fox," Wolf sniffled, hugging the vulpine tight. "I'm so sorry."
"I could never stay mad at you," Fox said back, weak voice and all. "You did so much… You did that to protect me."
"You know I didn't want to," Wolf muttered.
"I know," Fox gently nodded again. "But you did the right thing. …I miss dad, but… I'd be sadder if you died instead."
Wolf's eyes shot wide open. "You mean that?"
Again, Fox nodded in affirmation. "I'd be lost without you…"
Whatever was left of Wolf's heart melted almost instantly. His shock faded into elation, his own weak smile forming as a result. Still, he felt the need to clarify one more thing. He breathed out of his nose and gently tightened his grasp on the vulpine's shoulders.
"Can you forgive me?"
Fox grinned. "Yes. I forgive you."
Wolf's smile grew in intensity and sincerity. He retracted one of his hands, but balled it up and held it out for the kit. "Bros?"
Fox mimicked the lupine's smile, meeting his fist with his own. "Bros," he repeated, immediately lunging into another hug. "I love you."
"I love you too, little bud," Wolf answered happily, holding Fox's hug at his discretion. They stayed this way for minutes on end until Vince broke his silence.
"Let's get home, you guys," he said in a gentle voice. "Best we get settled down soon."
Wolf straightened himself out, curiously staring back at Vince with cocked ears. "What do you mean?"
Fox stepped back over to Vince, so that the arctic fox could drape his arm around him. "Fox is going to live with me now," he explained. "I'll be his guardian, since, well… you get the idea."
Wolf nodded. "So…"
"Since General Jaeger told me you and Sheila aren't allowed to enlist anymore, that leaves you out of a home. But, I think I can pull some strings for the both of you and have you two stay in James's old place."
Wolf and Sheila both looked downright shocked. "Can we?"
"Not a problem," Vince showcased a faint smile. "But you'll need to pay for the upkeep. I'll give you the first month or so, so you get your feet back underneath you."
Wolf instinctively hugged the husky in relief. "Thank you, Vinny," he breathed.
Vince nodded. "Well, what are we waiting for?"
The duo broke apart and followed the vulpines towards Vince's car. The all arranged themselves inside, and in moments, they were bound for their respective homes.
Back where they belong.
A/N: Since Veria shit the bed, allow me to make reparations. Former chapters have been altered in favor to support this continuation. As of now, Veria is no longer canon in the FC timeline.
First Contact alteration: chapter 1/3
Clickin' her heels
Says there's no place like hell
When you wake up
And you find yourself drinking from the bottom shelf
Life can turn you upside down
Chew you up and spit you out
Tear you up it never ends
It goes on and on and on and on and
On and on and on and on
Hold on to that heartbreak
Hold on to that hell you have to pay
Sometimes it's the only thing that gets you by
Hold on to that heartbreak
Hold on to that hell you have to pay
All the tragedies make you who you are
Remember every scar
*Escape the Fate – Remember Every Scar*
