It was around two AM in the Hub, not that anyone could sleep. Vert was wandering, trying to stay conscious for when Agura's parents arrived. Most of the team was gathered in the game room, minus Zoom, who had disappeared under pretense of needing sleep, but truthfully just couldn't bring himself to face his fellow teammates. Teammates who were, in fact, trying to numb the pain with a slew of video games. AJ had joined them until he saw Vert walk by in the hall, a troubled look on his face.

"Hey buddy. Why so grim?" AJ greeted Vert, who looked up blearily.

"Huh?" Vert had been yanked from his musings.

"Why the long face?" AJ asked again, reclining against the wall. Vert's jaw nearly hit the floor at his casualty.

"I don't know, AJ, maybe Agura's going to DIE and there's nothing I can do about it!" He snapped, and instantly regretted it at seeing the hurt look on his friend's face.

"Sorry." Vert briefly apologized. AJ put a friendly arm on his shoulder.

"It's okay, man. I haven't known her as long as you, but I know how bad it bites to have something like that happen." He said comfortingly. "I mean, even Tezz is pretty shook up, and Zoom's not doing too great either. I know how you feel."

"No you don't AJ." Vert said bitterly. "None of you know how I feel."

"What do you mea-"

"None of you loved her!" He lashed out. "Not like I did! And now…now I might not even get the chance to let her know." Vert's head went into his hands as he squeezed his eye shut, holding in stinging tears. AJ put a hand on his shoulder, when Sage's voice came over the intercom, breaking the silence.

"Mr. and Mrs. Ibaden have arrived." She announced in a monotone. Vert stood, wiping his eyes.

"Better go say hi." He said, and AJ's heart went out to the leader, who had no choice but to stay strong.

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"So…you mean to tell me that Agura has been fighting these…creatures, for nearly two years?" Mr. Ibaden asked, not in shock, not in anger. The dark-skinned man seemed rather emotionless despite what he had been informed. He and his wife, Nairi, were gathered in the center of the Hub along with the rest of the team.

"Yes, ah, sir." Stanford stammered. Agura's father was tall and possessed an air of business that the normally cocky red-head found rather intimidating.

"There is no need for formalities, son." Agura's mother, who gave off a much warmer aura, smiled at him.

"Why have we not been informed of this until now?" Mr. Ibaden asked again, and the team exchanged nervous glances.

"Oh dear. Nothing good ever comes from that look." Nairi winced jokingly. "What happened?" After much shuffling and coughs, Vert finally answered, barely able to look in the eyes the person who so clearly resembled his dying lieutenant. No, lieutenant was too cold a word. Agura had no real desire for power, or status. Vert had chosen her because he had known from the start that she cared. About their cause, about her teammates…Vert jolted as he was awakened to the nine faces staring questioningly at him.

"Uhm, she was, er….poisoned." He mumbled, ashamed, choosing to speak to the floor over Agura's parents.

"Oh, my." Nairi said softly. Vert forced the lump in his throat down so he could continue.

"And she…ah, she…the poison…" Vert's lips froze. Her mother; her father, all he could see was Agura lying motionless. He couldn't go on. Sage kindly took over.

"Agura will not survive the effects of the poison." She said apologetically. Nairi murmured something unintelligible, possibly in another language, and Mr. Ibaden put a hand on her shoulder.

"Where is she?" He asked bluntly.

"I will take you to the infirmary." Sage glided off, and they followed her.

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"Agura!" Nairi exclaimed upon entering the sick bay.

"M-mom?" Agura, half-asleep, asked in surprise. Her mother maneuvered her arms around the tubes and cautiously embraced her daughter. "What…what are you-"

"Sage called us. Oh, sweetheart, you look terrible! What happened?" Her mother asked, and Agura opened her mouth. "No, no, Vert told us, never mind. Don't waste your energy."

"Mom, I still have forty-"

"Speaking of which, was that the Vert you told me about? He is one fine boy!" Her mother giggled, making Agura's mouth drop open despite the bleary state of sleep.

"Mom!" She hissed, gesturing to the open door.

"Nairi…" Mr. Ibaden warned, and Mrs. Ibaden laughed.

"Hello, daughter." Agura's father sat by her bedside. "How are you?"

"I'm…I'm alright." Agura tried to put on a brave face for the people who had raised her, but they knew her too well.

"Oh, sweetheart…" Her mother hugged her, and Agura' lower lip trembled. "It'll be okay." She said soothingly.

"But…Mom, I-" Agura's voice cracked, and she finally gave in to the tears. Her mother stroked her back, soothing her, reminding Agura of her childhood, and wrapped in familiar arms she finally fell into peaceful sleep.

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After almost an hour, Agura' parents emerged from the infirmary, her father with a stiff upper lip and Mrs. Ibaden's eyes red.

"I have prepared a room for you to stay in, if you would like." Sage gestured to a few doors down the hallway.

"Thank you. We appreciate your hospitality." Mr. Ibaden said blankly, disappearing into the door.

"I swear, that old stone! He certainly hates to wear his heart on his sleeve." Nairi apologized to Sage and Vert, the only two present.

"In times like these, I do not blame him." Sag responded.

"Thank you again for the room. So thoughtful of you to make it so close." Nairi nodded appreciatively.

"I am glad that you…ah, noticed." Sage said, a bit surprised and flattered. As soon as Mrs. Ibaden joined her husband, Vert darted into the infirmary.

"Uhm, do you mind if I just talk to her alone for a minute?" He asked Sage, who nodded, leaving them in privacy. Vert slipped into Agura's "section," only to find her asleep. He groaned softly, but too exhausted and discouraged to take another step, Vert sank into the chair that stood near her cot. He took Agura's hand in his, idly stroking the lines of her palm and thinking.

Did he dare tell her?

No, he couldn't. What if she didn't return the feelings?

How could you be so selfish as to let her die without knowing?

I'm not selfish! Maybe she likes someone else. Then, if I don't tell her she won't have to feel guilty!

Vert sighed. Who am I kidding? He couldn't let Agura go. If he did, at least, if he did without telling her…Vert would never be able to live with himself. He wrapped his fingers around her limp ones, holding the small part of her that he could tightly, when the door slowly opened and he jumped back.

"Oh! I'm sorry, should I come back another time?" Nairi asked, standing by the door.

"Uh, no, it's fine." Vert stammered, wondering if he had been caught. "She's just sleeping."

Nairi laughed. "Just sleeping, mm? That's all that's going on in here, I suppose?" She gave Vert a knowing wink, and he blushed to match his Shocksuit.

"Uhm, well, I…ah…" He stammered, and she chuckled. Vert nearly lost it then and there at the sound, the sound of what could have been Agura's laughter. He bit his lip, looking down, and Nairi stopped immediately.

"You poor boy…" Mrs. Ibaden shook her head. "You have not had an easy day, have you?"

"It's…it's been tough." Vert managed, on the verge of tears. He gritted his teeth. He would not cry.

"Oh dear." Mrs. Ibaden sat in the chair next to him. "It must be hard to be strong in the face of your teammates. You are very brave to be holding out for them." She stood.

"Remember, Vert, an unconscious girl will not remember tears. It's been a long day; no one would blame you." And with that, she left, her words ringing true. Vert shook his head, smiling despite everything.

"You're a lot like your mom, Agura." He whispered, reclaiming his hold of her delicate hand. "I wish that you were awake, so I could tell you that. In fact, there's a lot I need to tell you before…before it's too late." He admitted, but her closed eyelids and relaxed breathing calmed him to the point of openly chatting, as if she could hear him. The fact that she couldn't somewhat encouraged him to go on.

"The thing is, Agura…I love you. A lot." Vert grinned, letting out a small chuckle. "And I don't want to be without you. I don't think I can be without you." He paused, a small tear making its way down his cheek. "And if you leave me, I…I just don't think I'll make it without you. I know the team won't. We need you. I need you." Vert stopped, his heart aching.

"You can't leave us now, Agura. Please, don't leave us. Don't leave me." He tentatively leaned in to kiss her cheek, and at that point, there was nothing Vert could do but let out the sobs he had been forced to restrain for the past sixteen hours. The pressure, the emotion…it was all too much, even for the Crimson One. Hot tears spilled down his cheeks, chest shaking from bitter sobs. At that moment, Vert would have given anything for Agura to live, even for just a few more hours.

But once the screen goes black, life is one thing we can't rewind.

But wait…Something was tugging at Vert's mind, a vague shadow of an idea that was immediately whisked away as Agura stirred. Vert furiously wiped his eyes as hers fluttered, then opened.

"Vert?" Agura asked. "It's like, three AM!" She yawned blearily. "What are you doing?"

"Uhm….uh, Sage sent me in here to check on you." He lied.

"Oh…" She murmured, taking a closer look at him. "Vert? Are you crying?"

"Huh?" Vert said, rubbing at the corner of his eye with his sleeve. "Oh, uhm, I have….ah, pollen allergies." Had he really just said that?

"That sucks." She said sympathetically.

"Eh, it's not so bad." Vert lied again. Why was he acting this way? Was he really lying to someone on their deathbed? "Uhm, your parents are nice."

"Hm." Agura chuckled. "Thanks."

"Uhm, so, Agura." Vert began, anxiously pulling at his collar.

"Yeah?" She asked, gazing up at him.

"Well, I was thinking, and…" Vert started to cough as the nerves took over.

"Vert?" She asked anxiously, trying to sit up but lacking the strength.

"I'm, uh," Vert coughed, gently pushing her back down. "Allergies. I'll, uh, come back in," He false-coughed again. "A sec." In true coward style, Vert sprinted out, ashamed. Agura watched him go, pain tugging at her heart. What was he going to say to her? It was clear that her leader wanted to badly to get something off his chest, but would she ever find out what?

If her death wouldn't give him the confidence to say he loved her, what would?

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Vert angrily stared himself in the mirror. He was near-revolted that he had just done something so cowardly. He knew he needed to tell her. Why was it so hard? He splashed cold water onto his face, drying it off and returning to the infirmary. Sage was there, and she turned, surprised to see Vert.

"Vert? Why have you not retired along with the others?" She inquired.

"Well, I, ah…" He couldn't lie to Sage, especially after deceiving Agura so heartlessly. "I wanted to say goodnight." He admitted.

"Oh." A troubled look crossed the Sentient's features. "I'm sorry, Vert. Agura was experiencing extra nerve and brain activity, therefore I allotted a dose of sleeping medication. She will not awake for several hours at least."

"Why would you do that? She can't just sleep her life away!" Vert accused, infuriated.

"Vert, because of the poison, sleep is imperative now more than ever." Sage replied calmly, only frustrating him more. She was right. He simply bowed his head, overcome with sudden exhaustion, and Sage understandingly glided out. Vert sighed, crashing into the chair next to Agura's cot. He brushed a stray hair from her face.

What would it take for him to admit his feelings?

If he had known at that time what would, Vert would have run back and confessed right then and there.

Hey guys, so, Kgirl's putting on some cowboy boots and heading out to the "Wild Wild West." XD JK, but I will be in Yellowstone for a week. I'm talking five AM Monday morning to about midnight Sunday, so if someone writes a Vergura fic and I don't instantly review, don't worry, I'm not dead. XD