AN: Oh God you guys, I like this story too much xD Thank you for the reviews, I'm hoping to start working on the next chapter soon. Sorry that this chapter is so short, I didn't know how else to make it longer. Oh well, I hope you enjoy ^.^

The REDs lost their battle.

Was it much of a surprise? After seeing the Spy get mutilated, Ryan hadn't wanted to even fight anymore. He only left the tunnel to go hide until the battle finished, with no motives anymore.

Walking back to the base, dragging his feet, Ryan was puffy eyed and looked haggard. The teammates wondered a little, but otherwise didn't care about the Scout sulking. It was a nice change to them, as for once he wasn't being a pest.

Closing his door to his room, the RED sat down on his bed and sniffled. He was no longer crying, but sulking as the vision replayed over and over in his mind.

Her screams filled his mind, her agonized wails and sobs as her flesh was burnt and chopped, the RED Spy laughing manically, the sight of her destroyed corpse.

Ryan...

Ryan's head snapped up and he looked around. He saw no one. Was he going insane?

Spiacente. Ho dimenticato di apparire...

With a small noise, the Spy uncloaked, in her suit and balaclava, closing Ryan's door. She was standing awkwardly and her eyes were glazed with pain. Blinking up at her, Ryan stood to look her over.

After some gentle coaxing, Ryan managed to get her to let him remove her balaclava, eyes widening. There was a scar over the left side of her lip now, about 3 inches long. There was a scar of identical length just above her left eyebrow, and now, the long scar upon her jaw and neck was a pale, gleaming white, standing out greatly in contrast to her face.

Disrobing the woman down to her bra and panties, the Scout saw the extent of the damage. A burn scar was on her neck, that was 3 inches by 3 inches and shaped like lopsided circle. On her arms were about 6 long scars, and on her torso and back about 7 more. Her legs weren't cut half as bad, only half 2 new scars.

Looking over and feeling every scar, Ryan didn't notice her wince in pain each time, and drew up to full height, shaking badly as the woman redressed. Once her clothes were on, Ryan pulled Alessandra into his arms, beginning to cry a tiny bit again. He felt awful.

"I... I shoulda stopped 'im! This is all my fault, I'm so sorry Alessandra." The man said weakly, His face buried into her right trapezoidal muscle. He felt her hands on his back, rubbing gently in small circles.

"Hush... I am fine."

"No you ain't! Youse hurtin', you can't hide that from me, for real!"

"I am hurting, but it is a price of being in war. There was nothing you could do, and if you had jumped out he would have killed you or worse. He could have ratted us out." She said seriously, the young man silencing for a moment.

Taking advantage of the silence, Alessandra lay down on the cot beside him, trying to soothe her Scout.

"Yo Al..?"

"Yes love?"

"Youse still beautiful to me."

The Spy blinked in surprise, then smiled weakly, kissing his cheek.

"Thank you amico."

Alessandra closed her eyes, intending to have a nap. She was tired from the battle, and sore. She needed to recover, and she wanted to stay here with her Scout for a little while to do so. It's not like the people at her base would notice her disappearance, as she wasn't seen much anyways, always just in her room, listening to the radio and writing letters to her parents or polishing something.

"Hey Alessandra?"

Again?

"What is it Scout?"

"I was just wonderin'... Um... Well ya'see, I'm kinda curious 'bout-"

"Spit it out!"

"Do ya feel anything for me?" Ryan blurted, blushing.

The Spy chewed her lip, not sure what to say. She loved Ryan, but her pride would never let her admit as much to any human being on the face of the Earth. What could she say? She remembered Ryan saying a few times he only wanted to be 'special friends'. As in friends that fucked.

"I... Enjoy your company." She said, her face devoid of emotion.

Ryan looked away, toying with his thumbs and sitting up. Alessandra felt worry at why he was acting like this, sitting up as well. She had a bad feeling about this.

"Ryan why are you s-"

"I love you Alessandra... I wanna be more den friends ya'know? I know it's all weird, but I always felt dis way! I mean, I know youse my enemy, but for real, I wanna be with you!" Ryan's quivering and unsure voice came, sounding unsure and nervous.

Alessandra recoiled as if she was shocked, then looked at the Scout with wide eyes, her mouth open but nothing coming out.

"I- It. Ju- You see- Ryan I-" The Spy groaned in frustration as she got up. She knew this would happen. She was like most Spies- She HATED commitments, they just always came back and bit you in your posterior. Plus the Administrator would find out with no doubt.

"Al..? Al please..." Ryan called, looking distraught as the Spy grumbled moodily and cloaked, walking out and slamming his door shut behind her. Pulling his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around his knees, Ryan felt his heart sink like a stone.

His stomach was doing cartwheels, and he finally knew what heartbreak felt like. He thought they had something good, and he just went out and admitted to her he loved her, something he didn't like doing.

A choked sob escaping him, Ryan allowed himself to cry in regret. He shouldn't have made a move on her, she was just too distant. Maybe she didn't feel the same, just wanting sex. Then why had she called him 'love'? Had she been playing him?

The Scout felt as if his heart was breaking into millions of fragments. He hated this feeling, the feeling that what you loved didn't love you back.

The feeling of rejection.