Used to be
-Sixteen Months Ago-
Fate tipped her head back against a crumbling wall. The small town had been nearly decimated in the battle between the enforcers and some rogue mages over a lost logia. From her barrier jacket she withdrew a single cigarette and a match, striking it against hard stone and lighting the end of the cigarette. A single smoke after every battle for the enforcers who weren't going home. It was an odd ritual for her squad, but one that had seemingly stuck throughout the years, having been started by her former superior before she had been shot down, nearly four years prior.
Shot down. What an odd way to phrase such a thing.
Her leg throbbed dully, and the sticky warmth that trickled down past her knee was a sign that she would probably need stitches soon. Judging by the sheer number of critically wounded though, she figured she would end up stitching it up herself. She took a long drag, surveying the efforts of the cleanup crew as they scrambled to remove all traces of the bloody battle, and waited for the night to end.
Her hands shook, and she paid them no mind. They always did, now.
If you were here, would you calm me down?
"Those aren't good for you." A quiet voice murmured to her left.
Fate smirked. "I know, but tradition demands it." From the corner of her eye, she watched Ginga lean back against the wall beside her, sliding down until she was sitting on cold terrain beside her. The woman pulled a cigarette from inside her own jacket, grinning sheepishly.
"Old habits. Couldn't bring myself to stop."
"Mm." Fate hummed in acknowledgment. "Once a member of the eighth squad…"
"Always a member." The younger woman finished quietly. "I was surprised to hear you were out on this mission so soon after the last one, and you are a very difficult woman to track down. Aren't you going to take any leave?"
Fate shook her head. "I have no reason to go home. Besides, someone has to watch over that crazy partner of mine. She gets these silly ideas…"
Ginga laughed softly. "Oh really? When I was your partner, I seemed to remember the one getting all the foolish ideas was actually…"
"Ah." Fate cut in. "Don't finish that statement out loud. It's nice that the younger ones all think that I actually know what I'm doing."
"Oh, stop it."
The blonde grinned. "What about you? Don't you want to go home?"
"Ah, it's about the same for me, since father died. Subaru seems to be doing fine on her own. I guess I'm just of better use out here."
Fate exhaled slowly, watching the smoke curl up into the night air. She didn't want to go home, but she certainly didn't want to be on this planet any longer. The dust stirred up from the battle had near blotted out the stars overhead, and the light from the twin moons seeped through the clouds eerily. "I know that feeling."
"Sir." Bardiche cut in. "Incoming call from Raising Heart."
She sighed warily, squeezing her eyes shut. "Is it an emergency?"
The device fell silent for a moment. "No Sir, it doesn't appear to be."
Fate took another long drag, acutely aware of the curious eyes on her. "Then ignore it."
"Yes Sir."
Ginga quirked a brow. "I guess we all have our troubles."
"Life is complicated." Fate agreed. One of the rogue mage was carried by on a stretcher, howling as he clutched what was left of his arm."Everything is a battle, and I prefer battles that make sense."
Ginga sighed heavily, stubbing her cigarette out into the dirt. The communicator in her ear blipped shrilly, and she tapped the receiver to go over speaker. "Nakajima here. Go ahead."
"Hey, Ginga. Did you find that blockhead yet?" A familiar voice echoed dully as it bounced through tinny speakers.
Fate blinked. "Blockhead?"
Ginga bit back her laugh. "Yes, I have found Captain Harlaown."
The blonde looked pained. "Thanks…"
"Excellent. I've already located Lanster. Can you bring her over to the barracks?"
Fate shook her head in the negative and crossed her arms. Blockhead? Really? "Tell Signum to shove it up her…"
"We'll be there shortly." Ginga replied sweetly, tapping the receiver once more to end transmissions.
"Traitor."
"Captain."
Fate sighed as Ginga rose to her feet, brushing her uniform off. "No Captain. Just Fate. How many times do we have to go over this?"
Green eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief as Ginga tapped two fingers to her forehead in salute. "Yes Captain."
Fate groaned aloud, but the younger woman ignored her, summoning a screen and tapping out a quick series of commands. "Shall I arrange for transportation via one of the convoys? The med trucks are heading back to the barracks anyway."
She shook her head. "Thanks, but no thanks. I prefer to fly."
Ginga eyed her wounded leg critically. "Are you sure you're alright to…?"
"It'll be fine." Fate reassured her, pushing herself off the wall and ignoring the joints that popped in protest. She tapped the corner of Ginga's screen, abruptly closing it out, and grinned at the investigator's confused look. "Like old times." Fate murmured, holding out an arm. "Need a lift?"
Ginga eyed the outstretched hand, her cheeks turning pink. "Well, uh…"
Fate took this as a yes, and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Hold on."
Ginga gripped onto Fate tightly, squeezing her eyes shut. Sure the hugging part was nice, but the rest? The ground beneath their feet turned gold, and she couldn't help the squeak of panic that escaped her as they took off, Fate's laughter ringing in her ears as they streaked across the sky.
Tea and Signum were waiting for them when they landed outside the main building for the barracks at their makeshift base. Tea merely arched a brow at Ginga's disheveled appearance and Fate's enormous grin, and Signum shook her head as the blonde released her hold on Ginga. "Better watch yourself Testarossa. You're going to start some rumors."
"Nice to see you too. What brings you out here?"
"Welfare check." Signum drawled. "Hayate was worried when she heard that certain squad members were involved in a large scale explosion…"
All eyes turned towards the blonde, who rolled her eyes in response. "Come on. That was over a month ago."
"Regardless." Signum continued, "I've brought Shamal to help tend to the wounded." Blue eyes dropped to Fate's leg. "And it looks like you just fell into that category."
Fate glanced over at Ginga, narrowing her eyes sharply. "It appears that I have been set up."
Ginga smiled up at her innocently. "Oh?"
"Come on." Signum sighed, draping an arm over Fate's shoulders. "I know you hate doctors, but it's just Shamal. Cooperate with me, and I'll buy you a beer."
"So then," Fate laughed, gesturing her bottle towards her partner. "Teana threw me over her shoulders and hauled me through the ruins, all while under fire."
Signum chuckled. "Must have looked ridiculous."
"What?"
"For starters, you're the fearless leader. And then you factor in your freakish height compared to hers…." The knight trailed off, tipping her bottle to Teana in salute. "Girl deserves a medal."
Tea crossed her arms and scowled. "It wouldn't have been so bad if she hadn't been sobbing the entire time."
Her partner looked wounded. "Now, that part you could have left out."
The women laughed, and Fate shook her head. "Shameful, I know." The waitress brought another round of shots, and Signum groaned.
"I don't know how much more I can drink."
Fate quirked a brow, and slid one of the shot glasses over to Ginga. "That's bizarre, coming from you. Hayate must keep you on a short leash now."
The knight flashed her a goofy grin. "She can keep me on whatever she likes."
Fate groaned aloud, burying her face into the palm of her hand, while Teana made a sound of disapproval, downing half her beer in one go.
Blue eyes blinked, confused. "What?"
"Take your happiness elsewhere." Teana muttered, earning an enthusiastic nod from Fate as they clinked their bottles together in agreement. "This right here," she continued, making a sweeping gesture with her hand to indicate the table, "is a relationship free zone. Got it?"
"Wait," Ginga piped up, "so you and my sister aren't…?"
Fate stiffened in her chair, and cast a nervous glance in Tea's direction. Blue eyes flickered dangerously, and the blonde decided to not so subtly slide her chair over a few feet. She wasn't in the mood to pick broken glass out of her face, and she had already learned the hard way to never mention Subaru. Ever.
Tea drew one of her guns and slammed it down on the table, her finger hovering over the trigger, and the grin she had was downright terrifying. "Let's just say I have a bone to pick with your sister."
If she were affected, Ginga didn't show it. "Well. That would explain all the alcohol."
"Exactly!" Fate drawled, not wanting to have to explain another bar fight to Hayate. "Quick. Someone go find the waitress."
Several rounds later, Fate was feeling rather warm, and was seriously starting to reconsider her decision to drink. She had already discarded her white cloak, and her dark blue sleeves were rolled up to her elbows. Her injured leg sent out nothing more than muted tingles, and it was a sign that she was going to heal quickly. Teana seemed to have lost all of her earlier spunk, and her cheeks were rather flushed. Signum looked no better, thanks to her lowered tolerance, and even Ginga was starting to get rather giddy.
"Sir?" Bardiche intoned.
Fate shook her head to try and clear the fog. "Yeah. Shoot."
"Incoming call."
"Bardiche." Fate replied tiredly, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Don't send her calls to me unless it's an emergency."
"Sir."
The table fell silent, and she realized she was the center of attention. She reached for another shot, tipping it back and not even feeling the harsh burn in her throat. What time was it on Mid-Childa? Scratch that. What planet was she even on now? Everything had started to blur together a few hours ago, and she couldn't remember much of anything anymore. It was actually quite fantastic, now that she thought about it.
Ugh. But thinking hurt, and even though she knew she had both feet planted firmly on the floor, the room seemed to be moving.
Signum held an even gaze on her. "Testarossa?"
"Yeah?" Fate closed one eye for a second, and the world didn't seem to spin as much anymore. Much, much better.
Ginga rested a hand on her forearm. "You alright?"
Fate threw her a disarming smile and a wink. "Ask me that next week, because I'm sure I'll have a nasty headache tomorrow."
"Excellent point. I'm gonna go to bed." Tea drawled, rising to her feet. She patted Fate's shoulder wordlessly and waved towards the rest of the group, staggering a bit as she made her way to the door.
"I'm going to go walk her back." Signum announced, following suite. Her gaze flickered back and forth between Fate and Ginga, her mouth pulling into a tight line.
'Testarossa. Don't do anything you will regret.'
'Ten years too late. But thanks.' Fate pushed the thought back, amazed that she still had the mental capacity to control her telepathy. Signum gave a half-hearted wave over her shoulder, already knowing that her warning would go unheeded.
"I think that's our cue as well." Ginga said with a grin, stretching her arms over her head.
"I'll walk you back." Fate offered, pushing herself to her feet and offering the crook of her arm. "Hostile territory and all that."
"My hero." Ginga drawled, looping her arm through Fate's and allowing the blonde to lead her outside.
The night air was a bit cooler, and felt fantastic on the captain's heated skin. It had been awhile since she had drank that much, and she was thankful that she wasn't on duty until tomorrow evening. The stars were visible now, and out of habit, she tried to pick Mid-Childa out of the endless expanse of sky. A wasted effort, her equally wasted mind tried to point out, but she shook it off roughly.
"Can I ask you something?" Ginga said quietly, leaning in a little closer towards Fate.
"Go for it."
"Are you really okay?" the younger woman asked softly. "You've been…" she trailed off, as she struggled to find the right word, "different."
Fate quirked a brow, and nodded in acknowledgment to a passing guard. Their walk was turning into a leisurely stroll, and for once, she didn't mind the company. "How so?"
"Well, for one, you're certainly more outgoing."
"And that's bad?"
Ginga laughed, tucking stray locks of dark hair behind her ear. "No, but I guess it's more your demeanor than anything else. I mean, how long have I known you?"
Fate squinted in the darkness. "Ah, don't ask me any questions that involve math right now."
The investigator bumped her shoulder playfully, causing them both to stumble a bit. "Seriously. We've known each other a long time, but when have we ever done something like this?"
The blonde chuckled. "Are you sure it's not just the alcohol?"
"I'm sure." Ginga replied confidently. "I can see it in the way you interact with the people around you. It's my job to pay attention to details, you know."
"And a fine job you do."
"You didn't answer my question."
"It's like this." Fate said. "You build up this life, this whole world, around what you know and what you think you know. You become this person based on this idea of who you think you are and who you think you should be, only to come home one night and find out you were wrong, about everything. This world, this ideal, it's broken."
Ginga nodded slowly.
"I tell you this, because I know you understand." Fate continued. "You have all these broken pieces, but no idea about how they fit together. Is it better to struggle with that mess, or start fresh?"
Her former partner gave her a sideways glance. "In my experience, you start fresh. Put the mistakes behind you."
Fate grinned. "Exactly. And that means becoming a new person. Learning to be you before you build up a new life, so that next time, if it all shatters, you're not such a mess. This is the second time this has happened to me now, and I'm tired of feeling like I have no control. So I think, I think it means that I have to do things different. I have to be different. I have to do things I have never done before."
"I would hardly call you a mess."
The blonde shook her head. "Which is exactly why I dodge calls and hide out on remote planets, right?"
Ginga studied Fate carefully. That had been the most she had ever said on the subject, but it was enough. There had always been a certain level of admiration on her side, ever since the day Fate had blown through that ship and scooped her up, and that incident had certainly increased her desires to become an investigator. And then she had met Nanoha, the ace who had rescued her little sister, and in her mind, it had made sense that Nanoha and Fate would be together in just about every sense of the word. But after she signed up with TSAB, and she had the chance to work with Fate one on one, she learned that everything was not as it seemed. For one, there was no 'together', and she could tell it hurt by the look in Fate's eyes and the tone of her voice when she would speak to Nanoha on the communicator. But Fate was blindly loyal, and even though it would have been easy to have as many lovers as she had wanted during her travels, Ginga couldn't recall a single instance of Fate even looking at anyone else. Though she was very strong, she hated to fight, and she always carried herself with a kind and gentle aura. Being a woman of very few words, she could get her point across with just a look, and it was very bizarre for Ginga to see Fate so unfiltered.
Even now, dark eyes were distant, and Ginga couldn't help but wonder how long Fate had been alone.
"I guess it's just my way of escaping from things. Throw myself into my work, you know? Keeps me busy."
The investigator knew that feeling all too well. "So you don't have time to think."
"Exactly." she smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "But after all of that tough talk, I thought it would be easier than this, you know?"
"What's that?"
"Disappearing." Fate murmured. "I keep trying, but she won't let me."
Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was the fact that the night looked like it would stretch on into forever, Ginga didn't know, but she had already decided that maybe, just for tonight, she would be the one to save Fate. She reached for her hand, lightly weaving their fingers together, the palm of her hand ghosting over Fate's. Fate snapped back to attention, pulled out of her dark thoughts, and rested her gaze on Ginga, and then down to their joined hands.
Ginga couldn't help her smile when Fate held her hand just a little tighter.
Fate sucked in a breath, russet eyes widening when the backs of her knees hit the edge of the mattress. Deceptively strong hands were on her shoulders, and she found herself being pushed down into a sitting position. "Ginga." she tried, a little confused by the way her own voice shook. "I don't?"
Ginga stepped forward, suddenly up in her personal space, and all Fate could think about was how nice her perfume smelled. Fingertips danced up her neck, over her jawline, and hands buried themselves into her hair.
"Disappearing. It's kind of like dying, right?"
Dying? Oh. The numbers, during the JS Incident. Technically, Ginga had been dead for…
The alcohol in her blood muddled up her mind, and Fate briefly wondered if she had been this warm a few minutes ago. Lips brushed over her forehead, her eyelids, her cheeks, and she forgot how to think. The blonde swallowed hard and tried to ignore the blood roaring in her ears. "We shouldn't." the hands in her hair faltered for a fraction of a second. "I feel like I'm using you." she tried, not trusting her voice. "I mean, I don't…"
The smile she received in return was both beautiful and sad, all at the same time. "I know." A kiss was pressed to the corner of Fate's mouth, and dark eyes fluttered closed as her pulse sped up. "But maybe, just this once…"
"We…we should really…" Fate tried again, half-heartedly as her arms wound around the warm body in front of her. Was this, was this really okay? It was one thing to be lonely, but it was another thing altogether to take advantage of someone else, just to feel a bit of warmth. For half a second, she saw Nanoha's face behind closed eyelids, and roughly pushed such thoughts away.
It didn't matter.
"Captain." Ginga whispered in the dark. "It's okay." Soft lips pressed against Fate's temple, over an angry scar. "I promise. No mess in the morning. Just let me take care of you for tonight."
The enforcer could feel her resolve breaking as her breath caught in her chest at the hands sliding under her uniform. "What did I tell you about calling me captain?"
Fate awoke as the strange colored sun of this world began its ascent in the sky, her throat dry and her mind fogged over. She pushed herself up onto her elbows, brows furrowed as she tried to recall where the various pieces of her uniform had gone. Beside her, covered only to her waist, Ginga was still asleep.
Well. She hadn't dreamed that part then.
Her gaze softened. Ginga was kind to all of those around her, never asking for anything in return, and had always supported Fate whether personally, or in the line of fire. Her determination to help the numbers that had decided to turn their lives around to help amend her own mistakes had always struck a chord with Fate, having been there herself many years ago. Maybe, maybe it was kind of appropriate that last night went the way it did. Ginga could understand her in ways others simply couldn't.
But it was getting late, and she was still holed up in the wrong end of the barracks. Someone was going to notice that she was missing eventually, and then the rumors really would fly. She dressed hurriedly, fumbling with buttons and biting back curses when she initially failed to locate one of her boots. Raking her fingers through her tangled mess of hair, she attempted to smooth out her appearance as much as she could without a mirror, and paused over the bed for one last moment.
Ginga really was beautiful, and it stung to know that the investigator cared for her so deeply. Fate swallowed hard, and leaned over for a fraction of a second, just enough to kiss Ginga on the cheek. "Thank you." she whispered, knowing the younger woman couldn't hear her.
Fate made it through the entire officer's building without anyone taking notice, and just as she was priding herself on her stealthy skills, Signum held open the front door for her from the outside with a mock flourish.
Fate could immediately feel her face heating up, and she jerked a thumb over her shoulder to indicate the hall behind her. "Ah. I was just on my way to…" Signum crossed her arms, and gave her an expectant look. The enforcer could feel the words die in her throat. She knew better. Signum knew better. Right now, the only thing she was going to accomplish was to make a complete ass out of herself.
The knight just shook her head. "Your jacket's all fucked up."
Fate winced at the harsh language, and dropped her gaze to the very cockeyed white buttons.
Oh.
"Idiot." Signum muttered under her breath as her nimble fingers readjusted the stiff fabric. "But I guess it doesn't matter what I think, as long as you feel better." She straightened Fate's collar now, raising a brow wordlessly at the hickey on her neck and adjusted the gold clasp at her throat. "Do you?"
"Feel better?" Fate questioned, feeling her cheeks darken. She let the silence drag on for a moment, turning the thought over in her head. It was a simple question, to be sure, but the answer seemed so terribly complicated. "Would it make me a bad person if I said yes?"
The knight smirked and ruffled the enforcer's bangs, much like she had when Fate had been much, much smaller. "No. Just stupid."
-Present-
"Well?" Nanoha questioned with a hopeful sigh, twirling on the pedestal in front of three floor length mirrors. "What about this one?"
Hayate sipped her coffee from her perch on the plush couch, her brows furrowed in thought. The white satin a-line bridal gown hugged her figure nicely, and as Nanoha spun in the mirrors and eyed herself critically, it became apparent what the problem was. It was pretty, sure, but Nanoha didn't seem to be enjoying herself. They had been here at the bridal shop for over three hours, and she knew this wasn't Nanoha's first visit. "I dunno." she answered honestly. "Maybe try another store?"
"This is so frustrating." The instructor grumbled.
"Maybe something with straps?" Hayate tried. "I mean, your tattoo is showing. I don't want your father to have a heart attack at the wedding. As entertaining as that would be, the paper work would be an absolute nightmare." she ignored the mock glare aimed in her direction and grinned.
Nanoha cast a glance towards the mirror reflected behind her, eyeing the tiny star on the back of her shoulder blade.
The winter after they had joined Riot 6, a night of drinking had resulted in a lost wager on Fate's part to Signum. An hour later, they had been standing in front of a tattoo parlor, buzzed and silly.
The enforcer had proudly showed off the small lightning bolt on her hip with a ridiculously dopey grin while their friends laughed uproariously. Nanoha then slid off her jacket to reveal a star on her shoulder underneath the strap of her tank top with a flourish and a wink.
"Lightning and Stars?" Signum had muttered, the stoic mask cracking at the edges as she struggled to contain her laughter.
"You never specified…" Fate drawled, "and Nanoha wanted in on it all by herself."
"That's what she said!" Hayate howled, holding up her hand for a high five to the vice-captain beside her.
Vita regarded her and her hand with a raised eyebrow. "No."
"Signum?" the commander tried, whirling on her heels, puppy dog eyes in full effect.
The knight rolled her eyes in response and high fived her rather delusional master. "This. This was a bad idea."
"Hey." Nanoha pouted. "I couldn't let Fate run off and do something stupid by herself. Besides, maybe I want to be the cool mom too."
Signum snorted.
"Nanoha." Hayate replied evenly. "Tattoos do not equal cool. What are you gonna do when Vivio wants one?"
The instructor's jaw dropped. "I'm not cool?"
"Well…"
Signum scratched the back of her neck and turned her head.
"I'm staying out of this." Vita huffed, crossing her arms.
"Whatever. Doesn't matter what you guys think." Fate declared, obviously still giddy as she threw her arms around Nanoha's waist and lifted her a few inches off the ground. "She'll always be cool to me!"
"Aw, Fate-chan…"
"Oh God, get a room!" Hayate cried dramatically. "We're in public!"
The blonde laughed, and twirled her in lopsided circles on the sidewalk. Nanoha had laughed with her, winding her arms around Fate's neck and squeezing her eyes shut. Despite the cold temperatures, she had been so warm and…
"You need to make up your mind."
Nanoha snapped back to the present. "W…what?"
Hayate gestured at the wedding dress. "You're running out of time. You need to decide."
"I probably should hide it…"she murmured quietly, blue eyes softening.
Hayate regarded her friend's reflection. "Well, keep looking." She yawned and stretched, rising to her feet and shaking off the pinpricks of numbness in her legs. "I need more coffee. And speaking of paperwork, we need to get back soon."
Nanoha nodded mutely, her eyes still on the tattoo. It had been so long ago, and they had been young and foolish. With all the technological advances, having it removed would be rather easy and painless. Easier than trying to hide it, anyway. She frowned as her thoughts wandered back to the blonde, and she wondered if Fate had hers removed.
Hayate shook her head, knowing exactly where her mind had drifted. "She still has hers."
Nanoha looked away guiltily and wondered if she was always this obvious. "That creeps me out when you do that."
Hayate shrugged.
"Maybe my mom can help me pick one out when she comes to visit."
The commander smirked at the sudden change in the conversation topic. "You could always ask Fate to help you."
The bride-to-be stepped off the pedestal, swallowing hard as she felt her heart flutter. "I don't think I could. That…seems like it would almost be cruel."
Hayate was taken aback. So maybe Nanoha knew more than she was letting on. Then again, it was rather hard to miss the lovesick look all over the enforcer's face whenever she was around. "Speaking of cruel…" she grumbled, thinking of the mountain of folders sprawled across her desk back at the office.
"Back to work." Nanoha huffed. "I know."
In retrospect, going back to work had been a terrible idea. The instructor could feel an intense headache settling behind her eyes, and the training plans she and Vita were going over seemed to become harder and harder to read. Finally irritated to the point where she was going to give herself a headache, Vita reached across the desk and flipped the manila folder closed.
"Take a break." she muttered gruffly. "Stretch your legs. Swing by the sick bay, maybe grab something for your head?"
"Ah," Nanoha sighed. "normally I'd argue but…"
"Door." Vita grumbled, gesturing with a nod. "It's over there. Use it."
The bright fluorescent lights in the hall certainly weren't helping, and as she rounded the corner to the infirmary, she was half tempted to find a dark closet somewhere and take a nap. It was already past seven, and she was at the point where she wanted nothing more than to just go home. Nanoha groaned aloud and wearily massaged her temples, because right now, home was host to its own set of problems. She had yet to talk to Yuuno about his display of jealousy towards Fate the other day, and she was still busy trying to wrestle with her own issues regarding the enforcer. She could only hope that by the time she finally could crawl back into bed and pass out, it would be without incident.
She entered the infirmary and offered a thin smile to Shamal, still seated behind her desk. "Late night?"
"Mm." the blonde hummed in reply, rolling the sleeves of her white med jacket up at the elbows. "I had to finish up a procedure, but she should be awake soon. In the meantime, what can I get for you?"
"Headache." Nanoha replied tiredly.
"Ah." the knight rose to her feet and moved to the cabinet behind her desk. "Tension?"
The instructor resisted the urge to laugh. "Something like that." Blue eyes wandered around the room while Shamal rummaged through cabinets, and a very familiar object near one of the private rooms caught her full attention. She recognized the faded leather jacket hanging on the coat hook of the door almost immediately, but it was the fact that Bardiche was nestled on top of a pile of clothing folded on the chair nearby that gave her some alarm.
"Here." Shamal murmured, suddenly appearing beside her and handing her two capsules.
Nanoha blinked in confusion, automatically accepting the medication though her eyes never left Bardiche. "I..Is Fate…"
"She's alright." the medic laughed. "She had a minor procedure done. She's a bit of a baby, so it took some harassing to get her down here."
The instructor didn't respond, and Shamal slid her hands into the pockets of her lab coat. She had heard that Nanoha and Fate had a bit of a falling out, and she wasn't sure how much she was allowed to say. However, the worry on the brunette's face was clearly evident, and it pained the knight to watch her friends suffer so needlessly. Fate might not be happy with her later, but…
"She fell through a domed ceiling, about two years ago." Shamal stated evenly. "At the time, we weren't sure what sort of material we were dealing with, and so we took out as many of the pieces as we could without getting invasive. As a result, some did get left behind. Every few months or so, bits of material still work their way up near the skin, and we sedate her and remove what we can."
Nanoha winced. "That sounds painful."
"Ah, the pieces are small, and you know how she gets around any medical equipment."
Nanoha fidgeted in place, chewing on her lower lip and eyeing the door. Shamal leaned over at the unspoken question and punched in the unlock code, stepping back to allow Nanoha entry.
"I have to warn you, she's…been through a lot." the medic said quietly. "So, try not to be too surprised."
"What do you mean?"
Shamal shook her head. "She has earned many badges of courage, and we'll leave it at that. Just be careful if you get too close. Sometimes she wakes up swinging." Nanoha laughed at that, having a hard time picturing Fate throwing a punch at anyone, but the look on Shamal's face stated that she wasn't kidding in the slightest.
Swallowing hard and ignoring the tiny whispers of trepidation, Nanoha slipped into the room, lurking in the overhang until the door slid shut behind her. Her headache forgotten, she made her way over to a small bed along the wall where Fate lay on her stomach, bare down to her waist. She was still unconscious from whatever sedative she had been given, and she could make out three freshly made incisions on the enforcer's back, already healing shut, but that wasn't what caught her eye.
Nanoha could only stand there, heart pounding hard as her stomach churned, clenching her fists tight. The scars. The sheer number of scars that littered once flawless skin made her chest ache. The biggest ran nearly the length of her ribcage on her left side, the skin having long since turned white. Over her shoulders and across her back lay many more, far too numerous to count, and she felt almost sick. What exactly had Fate been doing these past two years, besides obviously trying to get herself killed?
Fate murmured something in her slumber and Nanoha froze in place, suddenly recalling Shamal's earlier warning. But her features were still locked in the mask of sleep, and the brunette couldn't remember the last time she had been able to get this close without one of them saying something stupid. Aside from the scar at her temple, her face was unmarred by signs of battle, and Nanoha found herself taking a step forward.
She looked so peaceful, and for a moment, she almost looked like a child again, her hair mussed against the pillow. The ends of her bangs fell across her eyes, and without thinking, Nanoha leaned down and gently brushed them away. Eyelids fluttered in response to the movement, but didn't open, and she sucked in a breath. Were Fate's eyelashes always this long? Lips parted, and the enforcer's brow furrowed. She would be awake soon. The instructor felt her heartbeat quicken, and even as her fingertips traced the Y shaped mark on her temple, near the corner of her eye, she knew she should go. But this, this was the wound she had that night, and…
The door slid open once more behind her, and Nanoha jerked upright at the sound, but before she could withdraw her hand, there was a firm grip on her wrist, holding her steady and pulling her forward. Dark eyes opened and regarded the brunette curiously as Fate struggled to shake off her grogginess.
"Nanoha?" Fate's voice was rough, thick with sleep and confusion.
She felt her cheeks redden. "Fate-chan. I was, uh…"
The enforcer smiled softly, and the grip on Nanoha's wrist loosened. "I must be dead."
All words escaped the ace at that point, and she wasn't sure how long she would have stood there staring at her friend like she was seeing her for the first time, if it weren't for the voice behind her.
"Oh, I didn't know Fate had a visitor."
Nanoha cast a glance over her shoulder, and felt her heartbeat become even more erratic. Ginga. She seemed to be popping up everywhere lately. The instructor licked suddenly dry lips and struggled to find her voice, and the warm hand on her wrist reminded her that Fate had yet to let go. "I was uh, just checking up on her. I heard she was in here and…"
The investigator merely arched a brow. "Ah. I'm here to take her home."
Nanoha's brow furrowed. Whose home? Fate's? Ginga's? "I can take her home." she blurted out quickly, even as panic began to settle in her chest. What was she doing?
"It's no bother." Ginga replied smoothly. "I'm sure you want to get home to your family."
The brunette narrowed her eyes. Was…was that a jab?
Fate seemed to be waking up a bit more. The hand on her wrist finally let go, and the blonde pushed herself up on her elbows with a light shake of her head. "Ugh. Hate that stuff."
Nanoha turned her attention back to Fate, and the panic was replaced with a rush of nervousness. She wasn't sure how a totally alert Fate would react to her standing in the middle of the room, tripping out like a spazz, and having thinly veiled squabbles with her, what was Ginga anyway, girlfriend?
Russet eyes became more focused, and the corner of her mouth pulled up into a smirk. "What's with the welcoming committee?"
"They were arguing about who has the esteemed privilege of driving you home." Shamal stated bluntly, stepping between the two women and over to Fate's bedside. She flicked on a tiny flashlight, and observed the dilation of Fate's pupils despite the blonde's rapid blinking. "Looks like it's just about worn off." She inspected the incisions on her back, and satisfied with the progress, nodded briskly. "I'm turning you loose, although who you go home with is your problem entirety."
Both Nanoha and Ginga managed to look embarrassed.
"Look," Fate muttered. "I can take care of myself, it's no big deal."
"No." three voices replied in unison.
"Okay." The enforcer replied slowly. "Then can I at least get someone to hand me some clothes, and maybe some privacy?"
TBC
Notes! – So uh, yeah, just gonna put this chapter here and… *flees*
