Drifting Chapter Part 6 (Chapter 15)

-Len-

I woke up very slowly, still half dreaming. It was night, I could tell that much, but I didn't want to wake up yet. In my dream, Rin was there. She was holding my hand and crying. Rin kept trying to tell me something, but I couldn't hear what she was saying. My eyes opened, unwillingly. I sighed, I could still feel Rin's hand in mine... Wait a minute, there really was a hand in mine! Confused, I looked over to see someone with long teal hair...

I gasped and ripped my hand away from Miku as I sat up, hunching over in pain. She jerked awake and looked at me in concern.

"I'm sorry! Are you all right, Len?" she asked, grabbing my shoulder. I tried not to shake her off again.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. My voice must have been colder than I thought, because she removed her hand slowly.

"I was just watching over you, making sure that you were all right," Miku said, smiling uncertainly. I turned my gaze to my hands folded on my lap. I couldn't look at Miku without showing her how angry I was.

"I'm fine," I said through my teeth. Miku sat back with a "hmph!" and stared at me in the dark.

"I talked with the others today," Miku began and I tried to keep myself from looking over at her in surprise. Was she going to tell me herself? Was I going to have to hear her call Rin "dead?" "I explained to them what happened. Len... you have to give up on her."

"Why?" I yelled, frustrated at losing my temper. But then again, I was unused to having to fight against my friends, "Because if she comes back all those people who she called friends are going to kill her?" Miku blanched.

"Who told you?" she questioned, standing up and shoving the chair back.

"It doesn't matter! How could you tell them that without talking to me first? Aren't we leading them together, Miku?" I burst out, grudgingly looking up at her. Miku smiled. My frustration faltered a bit at the coldness she seemed to be emitting.

"No, we're not. I'm the only leader now. You are obviously too overcome by grief for what Rin did and your pain has... well, let's say addled you. You're in no condition to lead so I have taken over the responsibility," Miku ended. I was so shocked I forgot to interrupt.

"What the hell, Miku!?" I spluttered as she stood up.

"That's what I'll tell anyone who comes asking. You need to give up on Rin. Forget about her. She'll just kill us when she comes back and I'm not going to take that risk. Give up and I won't say you're mentally unstable and we can lead together again," Miku said. It almost sounded like she was pleading.

I knew what I should say. I should tell Miku that I will forget about Rin. That way I wouldn't have her watching my every move, but... I couldn't say it. Rin had always told me I was a terrible liar until I gave it up all together.

"I will not," I said, emphasizing each word. I couldn't betray Rin, even to make it easier for me. I wouldn't let Miku stop me. She would only be a hindrance.

"Fine," she said, apparently too exhausted to say anything else. Stiffly, she walked away and closed the door behind her. She never looked back.

I slumped back on the pillows, feeling a headache coming on. Why was Miku acting like this? I shook my head and then rubbed my forehead. Right now, it didn't matter. Right now, I had to concentrate on helping Rin, but I couldn't stop my thoughts from returning to Miku. I hated her. She would have Rin killed and I would not let that happen. I also sympathized with her. She was probably doing this mostly because of the threat. That Rin would come back and kill the rest of us. Logically, it made sense. We value more lives over one. If it hadn't been Rin, would I have done the same thing?

It was frustrating. Utterly frustrating. I had to act against Miku. I wished I could just hate her. It would make things so much easier, but when had life ever been easy? Especially now?

I grounded my teeth thinking about it for a few minutes before I realized I was waiting to see if either Kiyoteru or Meiko would come in. Slowly, I rubbed my eyes. It was ridiculous to think they could put everything aside just for me, for Rin, as if we didn't have to worry about getting discovered by the soldiers and probably killed. But it was heard to keep in mind when I could only think of Rin.

I let myself close my eyes and try to relax. I was going to have to be patient.

-Rin- (a few days later)

VY2 decided that we should camp in the woods this time. He had parked the truck under the trees and moved the supplies inside. IA was pulling out the sleeping bags and spreading them on the truck bed. I watched, still adjusting to life with one arm.

I had told them my whole story, but I left out one thing: Piko. I couldn't bring myself to tell them I had him stuck in my head, that he could talk to me, and that he could mess around with my systems. Everything else seemed crazy enough.

[You just don't want them to leave you. They'd really start questioning your control on things] Piko laughed.

Speak of the devil.

[Not now, Piko. I don't have time,] I thought. A weariness was settling on me earlier than usual. Was I charging properly?

[Oh, now you don't have time for me? Maybe it's not too late to make them think you're crazy...]

My eyes widened and I didn't have long to wonder what he'd do.

He brought up the memory. VY2 and IA disappeared from my view to be replaced by Len's last gasp of air. The gun felt hot in the hand I knew didn't exist anymore, but what I knew and didn't know ceased to matter. It felt like a wound in my chest was torn open again as I watched Len die. I thought as time went on it wouldn't affect me like this, but there is a difference between remembering it and experiencing it as if it was really happening all over. A distinct part of my mind was wondering how Piko had managed it. Was he already becoming more powerful? How much time did I even have left?

The memory didn't have time for the rational part of my mind. Already Len's body thudded against the ground and I was reliving the panic. Then I was screaming and trying to rip off my right arm...

"Rin!"

I could hear the crunching metal...

"Rin...! Rin, Rin!"

But someone was laughing this time... or were they calling my name...?

"Rin! Rin!"

My eyes snapped open. I hadn't even realized they were closed. I choked on my scream and tried to stop my left arm from grasping the air where my right used to be.

"Rin...? Rin, are you all right?" IA asked, her small hands on each side of my face. My head was thrown back and I couldn't move, I couldn't look at them. I felt frozen and I wondered why Piko wasn't trying to take advantage of that, or had he already done enough damage?

"Rin, what's wrong? What happened?" VY2 said, his hands were pushing down on my shoulders. He sounded concerned. For me or for IA...?

Suddenly I felt freed of the invisible bonds of the virus. My knees buckled and VY2 caught me around the waist before I crashed onto the ground. He slowly lowered me to the ground and braced his arm against my back. IA followed us and kneeled in front of me. Finally, I looked at them. IA was worried out of her mind. She was searching my face, as if it held the answer of how to fix me. I had to look up to see VY2. His eyes were wide and he was shaking. I quickly looked away. I didn't want to think about the horrible things my breakdown had reminded VY2 of.

"Rin... Rin what happened?" IA asked, her voice trembling. She reached out for my hand, trying to comfort me.

"I-I..." I tried to start, but a sob interrupted me and all of a sudden I was crying. Or as close to crying as I could get. I closed my eyes. I couldn't look at them anymore. I was hurting them and I was dying on the inside.

Suddenly, IA threw her arms around me and pulled me close.

"Shh...shh.. it's going to be okay," IA said calmingly as she rubbed my back. After a moment, even VY2 leaned down, circling the both of us.

"It was about Len, wasn't it?" he asked quietly. I only nodded.

No one dared mention the virus.