A/N: Scorpion's POV! Thank you for all the kind reviews. You guys rock!

Rated: M

Disclaimer: All characters and properties belong to their respective owners.

Blackness.

Nothingness.

A familiar feeling.

This darkness - this place between dreaming and wakefulness - is the only place I've felt peace in a long time.

I had felt this darkness before, only to have been awakened as a new being in the Netherrealm.

In Hell.

My eyes opened abruptly, my heart pounding in my chest.

For a moment I feared I'd wake again as a spectre. But no, I was human. Vaguely aware that I was lying down on my back, on a bed, I stared up at an unfamiliar ceiling.

I didn't bother to look at the rest of my surroundings—the memories of recent events came flooding back, and I assumed I must be somewhere inside the Edenian castle.

I was unsure of how I felt about this.

Why would these fools help me at all?

As soon as I was able I would leave. Nothing was keeping me here except for my vow to the Lin Kuei warrior. But I could protect him from afar. I had been doing that for awhile, and without him even knowing until recently.

But what would I do now?

Something or someone had given me the gift of life. I didn't plan on squandering it.

Then it hit me. Quan Chi….

I still yet had a purpose: to destroy him and exact my full vengeance.

The only problem I might come across is the weakness being human provided. Fighting against a sorcerer without—

"OW!" Something pinched my neck. Hard.

Instinctively I whipped my head just in time to catch the offending hand retreating back to its owner.

Sub-Zero.

"What the hell was that for?" I yelled at him.

The Lin Kuei was scowling, seated next to me on a wooden chair.

"You lied to me," he said disapprovingly.

I opened my mouth to object when I realized what he was talking about. The wound in my side ached and throbbed as I lifted my head a bit to look at it. It was bandaged neatly.

It was then that I noticed I was only wearing pants. I sighed and let my head fall back against the bed.

"How long has it been?" I asked.

"Almost three days," replied Sub-Zero. "You lost a lot of blood."

What a waste of time. I frowned. "Did I miss anything?"

"Nothing that we can't talk about later. Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?"

I looked at him. "Would it have mattered?"

"Yes! Maybe I could have done something…"

"Shut up. I didn't want to slow us down. And whether I died there or here it would make no difference. The important thing was to get you to Edenia. And whether you knew or not, it would have not changed the fact that I was hurt."

"Perhaps not. Are you mad I came for you?"

I turned away, somewhat confused. Was I mad? And how could he tell me something like that? That he came for me. What did he care? What was he after?

"I was… It was a stupid thing to do."

"You would have done the same."

I almost smiled. "That's different. You owe me nothing."

"Do you consider us even now?"

"Even?"

"I think I proved that I don't need you hovering around me anymore."

I sighed, closing my eyes. I needed time to think. There were too many different emotions flooding my mind. When I was undead, the only real emotions I felt were rage, or sorrow. Or both hideously combined.

Now I had emotions I had forgotten. Even breathing was new to me. All my senses were alive.

I was overwhelmed.

"I'm tired," I said, thinking aloud.

There was a long silence between us. But it was strangely comfortable. I was almost about to drift off to sleep again when Sub-Zero leaned forward and rested his arms on the side of my bed.

"So what happened back there?" he asked. "Who stabbed you?"

"Baraka," I answered.

Sub-Zero shifted in surprise. "Baraka? Why? Actually I'm shocked that was the extent of your injuries…"

I sighed again. "He was… Is… jealous, somewhat."

The Lin Kuei looked confused all over again. "What?"

"He seems to have an obsession with Mileena, who seems to have an unhealthy interest in…me." I was embarrassed to tell him this. "She had planned to keep me."

I watched angrily as Sub-Zero turned his head to stifle his laughter.

"Yes, laugh at my pain and near death experience," I said sarcastically.

"I apologize. Don't pout."

WHAT?

"I do not pout!" I shouted.

He laughed again. I found it strange. He was being very free with me right now.

"Have you slept at all?" I questioned.

Sub-Zero shook his head. "Not yet. I admit, I am feeling a bit lightheaded, but I could stay up longer if I had to."

I looked at him thoughtfully. The young Lin Kuei had risked his life for mine… It reminded me of my fallen clan. My friends. My family… Things I had forgotten in detail. They were no longer shadows to hold onto, memories I could no longer feel.

I wondered if I'd ever see my family again.

"You don't have to be here," I said. "I'm fine now."

"I know. I just wanted to make sure all my hard work wasn't for nothing."

"Ah."

"And in the future, I hope you won't lie to me again."

"I might."

He gave me a dirty look but said nothing. It was hard to believe, that we could arrive at this point from wanting to kill each other at Shao Kahn's tournament. But he was different from his brother, from other Lin Kuei. It occurred to me that he might have fit well among the Shirai Ryu.

And somehow, despite everything, I found myself trusting this young man. It was irritating.

"So," I ventured. "were your friends hurt in my 'rescue'?" I would never admit to the others that I needed to be rescued. But there really was no use in lying to Sub-Zero.

"No, we were lucky," he admitted.

"Next time don't come for me," I told him.

"You're an idiot."

"Why? You know as well as I do that one is not worth risking all in battle."

"Aren't you the one that told me I was stronger than I first thought?"

"Not stronger than I. Or wiser. I noticed you didn't have much of a plan."

He huffed. "You never plan anything!"

"You don't know me very well."

"I know you better than the others do."

"That's not really saying much…"

"True," he said. "But I guess you're not really considered part of the group yet."

"And that's fine with me."

"Why are you so annoying?"

"Me?" If the others in Raiden's group got my blood pressure up like this I definitely wouldn't want to get to know them. I had no need to anyway.

"Calm down, you're going to hurt yourself," he warned.

"Feh. Don't mother me. Or better yet, don't talk down to your elders."

Sub-Zero sat up straight in his chair. "What! How young do you think I am?"

Hmm. "Twenty-five?"

I was guessing. I had no idea.

He looked at me like I grew another head. "I'm twenty-nine!"

I started to chuckle but stopped myself because it hurt.

"Maybe you should…act your age…" I said in between throbs of pain.

Sub-Zero was glaring at me. "Okay, old man."

Just then my stomach growled. And I felt another wave of pain.

"Argh!"

"Hungry?" he asked. "The Edenians wanted to throw us a special celebration. But since you could not participate they decided to wait. I'll got tell them you're awake, and to bring you some food."

Food. I couldn't remember what it was like to eat. I'd have to get used to so many things now.

Sub-Zero stood up. "The others may not consider you a friend, but they do not wish any harm on you."

As far as you know, I thought.

"Does this mean we're friends?" I said in a mocking tone. But something inside me was childishly hoping this was the case. What the hell was wrong with me?

"No. Not yet."

He walked over to the doorway and just as he was about to leave I stopped him. I was compelled against my will.

"Sub-Zero! Ah…wait."

He turned to look at me.

"My name is Hanzo… Hanzo Hasashi."

He stood still for a long moment, then nodded and left the room.

A/N: Review? More? =P