Love's Eternal Flame (Arc II 4)

The weather was quiet and mild, rare for the warmer season of the Grid. Filled with harsh storm fronts over the Sea of Simulation, that clashed with the dominant dry and cold air of the Outlands, Argon faced awful tantrums of rain, harsh winds, and hail at random times of the cycle. Annoying and unpredictable as it was, it was still what Paige had started to call home.

Currently, the medic was flying over the sea with a two seated jet. Tron insisted she use this kind for the benefit of its speed, versatility, and fuel efficiency. Spending less time to reach her destination, more time in the air than the ground meaning less chance of being spotted by Clu's soldiers, and better odds of survival with her higher performing jet. She argued against it as the benefits were minimal and unnecessary, preferring a single seater, but the older Program stepped his foot down. Of course she had a Baton Jet strapped to her thigh, but seeing that a two seated couldn't compress into a baton she was out of luck. She was thankful for the jet's autopilot feature and relaxed as she sailed through the clouds.

Her mind wondered to the usual, Beck. Specifically, some of the memories she had found surfing his disc.

Between their dates, he had resumed his alter ego, that didn't surprise her. What did surprise her was how his thoughts had started to turn. No longer had he felt a brilliant flame of righteousness, instead he felt downtrodden, hopeless, and isolated.

It was clear to see it when she looked at his memories. His complexion when he looked in the mirror was off, much lighter than it was when he first began fighting. His frame had deteriorated as well, his chest, shoulders, and arms the main component of muscle loss. The rich brown eyes she had become so fond of were half lidded and showed dark circles underneath. Cresses of stress were etched into his skin, hard to notice but when one has the ability to freeze a memory it became quite obvious.

It should have been obvious to her, especially with her medical training, that he was facing severe depression. Paige berated herself for not seeing it sooner, particularly on her later dates with the mechanic. She took a breath when her thoughts yet again turned dark toward herself. It wasn't her fault she hadn't been able to see the subtle changes of someone new, nor had she been able to see it on their dates as he was able to completely forget his troubles for a brief time. It wasn't her fault he hid what hurt so much so well, as what his duty to save everyone from his prolific secret.

But now that she knew his thoughts, nothing was withheld from her. Behind his shining eyes were the dark murky thoughts of someone who was truly losing faith. Forcefully isolated from his friends, and the only one he could confide in had held his own secret of the Renegade's birth and couldn't be trusted.

The doctor tried to imagine how Mara and Zed acted while he was out on his secret missions, it wasn't something that came readily to her. She could only base their reactions off the few times Beck and the two had been able to chat. Beck was worn down, and clearly just looking to go rest. The other two were visibly displeased and gave short curt responses, clearly holding back their true thoughts. Even Able seemed to be of a similar mood, yet more sympathetic than his fellow mechanics.

They'll understand.

She recalled one of his nights where Zed had refused to even acknowledge him and Mara only glared and walked off when he returned hours after his shift would have ended. Instead of trying to talk to them he opted to simply go to his room and catch up on sleep. But when it hasn't come, he tried to process his friend's reactions and the detrimental sorrow that followed. That night he sobbed silently. Even with his disc, Paige had struggled to comprehend what was going on, and only figured it out when he wiped his tears with his forearm.

Of course, Paige had felt her heart become taught when she watched the memories, as if hundreds of finely woven wires were wrapped around it and strangling it, trying to rip it to pieces. But as she continued to watch, she found an inception happening. In his darkness, he had replayed the dates and thoughts of her in his mind. The light in the dark. Only to Beck would he see the potential hope in someone else who was surrounded by the corruption and lies.

He held so much.

...

So much pain.

...

And yet, he still went on.

-memory-

"So you've been to my place, do I get to see yours?" Paige playfully admonished.

The spiky haired mechanic only smirked and raised an eyebrow knowingly at her in response.

The pair were walking down one of last nice boulevards in Purgos, having met up not to long before and planned the rest of the day devoted just to each other. The two had decided on an area in Purgos as the Occupation hadn't taken to occupying as many places in Purgos than Argon.

"I don't see why not, I'll take you there later," he said lightly, clearly indicating he had already made plans to.

The two fell into a comfortable silence as they trotted along the near black sidewalk. Two to four story tall trees took place in the middle of the road, separating the rarely used traffic lanes. More trees were placed between couple of meters between the sidewalk and road, almost perfectly in the middle and spaced about thirteen meters from base to base. While trees of the User realm were made of wood, often brown, topped with leaves, pines, etc, trees in the Grid were nothing of the sort.

Trunks still held a nature like texture, much like the rock formations in the Outlands: jagged, rough, unformatted by a User or Program. Much like wildlife, it managed to grow over time, depending on the species varied other characteristics. Oak, the ones planted throughout the area the couple were in, had darkly colored leaves. Tinted green, they were somewhat see through on the edges and slightly foggy, similar to the transparency and consistently of a salt crystal. They had smooth textures and their strength that of normal paper, similar to the leaves of the User world, and similarly to the real world, the leaves would fall from their host branches once the season changed to less hospitable.

Their base was kept clean by cleaning Programs of any small and unsightly branches. Along with the area as a whole, clean, neat. Natural yet, controlled.

But just as nature could be controlled in some aspects, it was a truly untamable and unpredictable creature in the end.

"Rain?" Paige questioned softly, holding her hand out while looking up at the clouded sky. Beck followed her gaze upward. His eyes wear able to see the glittering line of water falling a fraction before it dripped harmlessly onto his forehead.

"Looks like it, want to go before it gets bad?" the mechanic inquired. With a nod, the two promptly gathered themselves and headed off.

It was a short ride to Abel's garage, one they took in comfortable silence. When they had reached one of the side entrances to the massive garage, he slowed and allowed the two to get off before derezzing his bike and strapping it to his leg. With a quick glance over at Paige, he smiled and headed inside. He knew it wasn't her first time at the garage, in fact, he recalled her first time there, and subsequently the first time they met without the mask. It wasn't the most pleasant memory, so he decided to keep the fact to himself.

"What do you think?" he asked while making a grand gesture to the garage with his one hand raised toward the center of it all. The cheesy smile he had plastered on his face made Paige chuckle softly as she strode by him and poking him in the sides, causing him to reflexively push her hand away.

"I didn't know you worked at this garage. This is the one the Occupation prefers to associate with," she smirked with an eyebrow raised slightly in a knowing face as she watched him catch up to her.

"Oh did I? Must have slipped my mind, don't want you to get the wrong idea and think I boast about my impressive accomplishments," he waved his eyebrows back at her with his own smug expression. Which rewarded him with another jab to his side.

"Don't I know it," she laughed lightly. The beautiful melody of it filling his ears and stomach with pleasant butterflies. He starred unwaveringly at her, entranced by her beauty, wishing for everything in his life to capture this moment forever. Hoping he could make her laugh like this whenever he wanted. It was instantaneous for her to see his current low lid eyes and soft expression and she knew he was deep in his head thinking about her. That surge of emotions quickly erupted in her core and filled her limbs with almost uncontrolled energy. With a slowness she felt more than commanded, her body gravitated toward his with an invisible pull and was mere centimeters apart.

"Well? Show me around, Mechanic," her voice was low and sultry, added with the closeness of her face, the mechanic could hardly breath. The things she did made it impossible for him to not fall farther entranced.

"I..." his voice rumbled, the smooth sound of gravel churning was the image that came to Paige's mind.

The curt, harsh through clearing from their left helped break their focus on each other, but did little to calm the multitude of blissful emotions coursing through their souls.

"Mind introducing us to your friend Beck?" Zed, obviously the one who interrupted the two, stood with Mara. Both holding a devilish and knowing grin on their faces. Beck felt the heat on his cheeks for his unintentional public display of affection but recovered smoothly.

"Mara, Zed, this is Paige. Paige-"

"Actually, I've met them before," she cut him off sweetly, causing the man to raise an eyebrow in question.

"When Hopper was accused of being the Renegade, we went to the Commander to prove his innocence," Mara explained with a smile directed toward Paige, who returned it with less enthusiasm.

"Yes, you two were very brave to come to his defense. Especially against Tesler," the Commander complimented with admiration.

"Hey, it's what we do. Just trying to do what's right," Zed confidently announced while putting his hands behind his head and strutting his ego. The girl next to him quickly reprimanded his poor behavior with a jab to the side.

"So, Commander," Mara started.

"Please, Paige. I rather not feel intimidating while not on duty," Paige corrected politely.

"Paige," Mara said with a brighter smile, "How do you know Beck?" She asked with great curiosity. There was a brief pause as she gathered an answer. The small time Beck felt his stomach plummet and all his earlier joyful emotions disappear.

"We met on a train going to Bismuth," she said with admiration, which further confused the other two mechanics.

"Wait what?" Zed reactively asked.

"When were you on a train to Bismuth? Why were you going there in the first place?" Mara asked incredibly confused. Her second question far deadlier than the first.

"I never asked why you were either," Paige said somewhat admonished. "It was honestly the last thing in my mind after we all jumped from it,"

"What?!" Both Mara and Zed exclaimed in horrified shock.

"Okay okay! Let me explain what happened," Beck cut it making a decisive story.

"First off, I was headed to Bismuth to run some errands for Abel. As I was walking around, I bumped into Paige, who I had met before while I was out. It was one of the reasons I missed a shift," Beck explained to his friends mid story, "Anyway, we were talking when I-"

"Said you were an architect?" Paige commented in stylish sass.

"Yes, I admit I lied and said I was a architect to impress her. I was interrupted by a Light Copter that was apparently looking for a run away Program. And for whatever reason, the copter started shooting the train and disabled the breaking system,"

"I can explain that. The Occupation was trying to return one of its research and development scientists who had gone AWAL. Pavel, my less than competent coworker, had his gunner shoot the train attempted to detain the scientist who had revealed herself on the top of the train. The gunner lost control of his bearings and began shooting wildly at the train when he hit the conductors box and destroyed the brake system,"

"Ah got it," Beck feigned understanding, which was incredibly hard when he felt an overwhelming amount of guilt, "I met up with Paige again when the cars on the train started closing off. I unlocked us with my impressive mechanical skills and we managed to cut off the passengers from the engine block,"

"So you jumped off when the train came to a stop then?" Zed supplied thinking he had the story.

"Not quite. The scientist I had talked about had jumped onto the engine compartment at the last second and I followed," Paige expanded.

"Yes, I managed to get on after her and found the bridge was out after Bismuth. I unloaded my baton parts into the Light Stream and was able to get the train slow enough for all of us to jump off and escape derezzing in the canyon," The spiky haired Program finally finished.

His two friends starred at him with wide eyes. Their bodies were frozen in a suspended state of disbelief and concern.

"What! Why didn't you tell us Beck! Are you hurt? Here sit down, let us take a look!" Mara said in a frantic rush.

"I'm fine,"

"He's fine," both Paige and Beck said at the same time. "Ive been programmed as a medic, he's alright,"

"I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry," Beck hurriedly explained before Mara could nag at him again. "But like I said, I'm fine,"

"Well now I feel bad for being mad at you for missing your shifts," Beck gave his friend a reassuring smile.

"You didn't know, I understand,"

"Mara, Zed!" A old, grainier voice called out. The four turned to see Abel approaching with his usual stern look and taught stance. "I need you two to help Link with a project, seems the boy doesn't know how to properly use a lift," Abel commented in agitation.

"You got it boss," Zed said prompting the two friends to leave. Abel turned his attention to Beck and his companion.

"So, you decide to show up when you don't have a shift, and you bring a... friend," he peered at the Commander with unrevealing eyes.

"I know, I'm sorry Abel. I promise I'll try to make it to more shifts,"

"Try?"

"Well if you have me running to Bismuth all the time, I can't always be expected to make it here on time," Beck said with a certain strain in his voice. Abel took it as Beck's attempt to get his boss's cover, while Paige took it as stress from all that had happened on the train ride to Bismuth. Because he had relived the story and finally told his friends, she imagined it was like opening a recent traumatic experience. She wondered how he was feeling about the Games.

"Right…" Abel drawled slowly and eyed Beck with a hard glare, telling him he'd have to explain himself later. "Just make sure you don't piss anyone off. The others have noticed your lack of commitment to your shifts and aren't as lenient as I am towards the behavior," he warned before heading off.

"I like him," the words surprised the young Program.

"Really?" Beck asked as he they walked towards the lift to the dorms with Paige close behind.

"He's a smart leader, I can tell that much. I admire those types of Programs,"

"What about ones that impress?" his lips pulled up in a cocky smirk.

"Depends on how they impress me. Lucky for you, my dear Mechanic, you've impressed me almost every way possible,"

"Almost?" Pressing her for more, his expression causing her to laugh seductively.

"So you disagree with Clu's perfection, but you want perfect with me?" her eyes were filled with a lightness that told him how much she enjoyed him by her side.

"Maybe you just make me want to the best I can be," Beck spoke softly, his

"Well you've turned me on to the idea imperfection. Don't go back on that and act perfect," she teased lightly while poking him lightly in the ribs. He laughed and slapped her hand away quickly.

"Maybe it's in my programming to please," he beamed back brightly as they approached the door to his room.

"Hmmm, I wonder if there's a way for me to extort that," Paige said lowly as if the words weren't intended for him.

"Say something, Medic?" Beck asked suspicious with playful hints.

"Nothing at all, Mechanic," she grinned back at him challenging him playfully. Finally managing to open his door, he stepped out of the way and allowed his date to enter the room first.

"Ladies first," Beck motions with his arm extended toward the rooms.

"Such a gentleman," she noted while entering his room. A small hum escaped her chest as she peered around the small box.

"It's… cozy," she said hesitantly, as he stepped in behind her and closed the door.

"I know it's small. Might say it's claustrophobic, but it's home," he replied warmly. He was most definitely fond the small dorm.

The box, as Paige was quickly becoming to think of it, seemed no bigger than three by three and a half meters. Directly opposite the door, where the mechanic still stood, was a large hexagonal window. In the corner to the right stood a full sized bed where Paige had comfortably seated herself as she continued to analyze the room. In the left corner, opposite of the bed, was a small cabinet. Its long rectangular frames held little designs other than diagonal lines that were marked into them. The corner to the left of door held a simple storage unit for addition clothing options or other belongings. It was slightly darker than the stark white that encompassed the walls leading Paige to believe it had been his own personal addition to the place. In the last corner right of the door was a desk that fitted perfectly into the corner and walls with a chair tucked neatly under it. It appeared to be a work station or terminal that Beck hardly ever used, while Paige couldn't put her finger on it just by a glance something about the set up seemed… untouched. No personal affections had been added to the white smooth table, and Beck wasn't one to put things perfectly back in place such was the chair between both ends of the table. The last piece of furniture was a nightstand between the table and bed. Unlike the bare table, it had personal affections, two picture frames. She took hold of one of the frames and placed it in her lap.

In the picture stood four Programs, three of which she knew: Mara, who was on far left with a huge smile plastered on her face. Zed, on the far right with a similar expression though he appeared to be mid laugh. Beck, pressed into the camera shot by Zed, seemed unprepared and held an odd expressive smile. And one other Program smashed against Beck by Mara, his hair had a white stripe in the middle of it and he had red secondary circuit lines.

"That's Bodhi," Beck said softly as he sat down next to Paige to peer at the picture in her lap.

Bodhi appeared equally as awkward as Beck in the photo. It didn't take a genius to see that Mara and Zed had jumped the two young mechanics and surprised them into a photo.

"He's the friend you lost when the Occupation came into Argon?" Her comment was more of a statement than question.

"Yeah," Beck replied sorrowfully. The medic placed the frame back on the table and picked up the other one. The nano she saw it, Paige could tell it was not a surprise photo grab. This time five Programs stood together, four in the front, one in the back. All four of the previous Programs stood in the front wearing clean and bright smiles on their face, with a darker, taller Program standing behind them with a aged but still happy smile on his face.

"That's when we first got hired here. Abel," Beck pointed at the one in the photo, "commemorated our first day with a photo,"

Before either could continue, the roaring of the rain brought their attention to the window. Water steadily pelted every spot on glass, the view of the mountains out in the distance becoming distorted and wavy. The room felt smaller as the wall of rain seemed to disconnect them with the world and Paige couldn't help but feel claustrophobic. As she stared at the waterfall she didn't notice Beck silently moving to the light-switch until the lights flicked off.

When the room turned dark, she felt released from the tight walls and confined space. Her mechanic sat behind her, his chest pressing up against her back and his arms snaking around her waist to hold her against him. She turned back to look at him and found his eyes soft and understanding. He knew that claustrophobic feeling, had most likely lived with it for years. The small sensation of… something bloomed in her chest. A feeling she had before with him but had yet to figure it out.

The two adjusted their positions so that they could completely face the window and ended up with Paige leaning back on Beck in comfort. Her arms and hands became flush with his and intertwined their fingers together as they held her securely at her core.

In that moment, their world's melted away. The Occupation, Pavel, Tesler, The Renegade, everything vanished. No other sound besides the constant rain and their soft breathing. The warmth of their bodies fleshing into one source.

Inside the small coded room they sat staring out at the far off mountain range. Large landscapes of unexplored and untampered code, patiently observing the two and comforting them. It called to them. A world beyond the rigid tight walls of society, where conflict was inevitable and rules were so conforming to the way of life. Open and free in almost every way, the idea of running to it, running from the pain and leaving it for others to handle.

Along with the the rain, so cleansing. So overtaking, it could make almost any place a sanctuary for the mind. A place to think without painful emotions, and to wash away the hurt that comes with them.

The idea flowed through them, flirted and taunted them with promises of happiness and security, but in the back of their minds they knew better than to believe in the fairy tale idea. Especially when their source of contentment was in their own arms already.

The touch of someone else, someone you care for. So much so, that you'd willingly and without hesitation sacrifice a part or all of yourself for them. And it's finally realized when you feel the warmth from them. The heat of their core against yours, the life that's with you, binding and bonding. It's only then that you realize holding them in your arms or being held is so much more than a cute romantic gesture. It's something that can't truly be described by someone other than the one who feels it, and it's complicated magnitude of emotions are still difficult to fully comprehend, let alone put labels to each little spark of light flowing through the heart and mind.

Love, an experience so profoundly individual is impossible to truly describe to another person. A subjective sensation that is unique as the person and the love itself. Each reason, attraction, and hope formed of personal preference and choice. It is the invisible bridge one takes to cross the darkest parts of their own heart in hopes of connecting with another. Faith must be in every step, knowing it can't be seen or guaranteed the next step will be the last taken into the darkest corners of the heart.

Faith, hope, and love.

Calculated by ones and zeroes of the brain, encouraged by the heart, and strengthen by the soul.

Complex emotional technology.

Time passed in increments of passion. Standing still at moments for the couple as they basked in each other then having waves of euphoria crash down on them as they became highly aware of the reality. It seemed so natural, felt so complete and right.

Only when the rain had subsided it's lashing on the world did they finally stay in reality and time crawled. Each subtle movement heightened, every soft brush of the fabrics being moved.

"Do you want to lay down? Looks like the rain is fizzling out," Beck murmured next to her ear. The gentle heated breath tickling her ear lobe and causing butterflies and sparks to run along her spine.

Fearing her voice would fail her, Paige simply nodded at the suggestion and she soon found herself falling down. The cushions were soft and welcoming, filled with the scent of her love. Still cocooned in his arms, her senses were overtaken by everything that was Beck. She found herself drowning once again in blissful peace.

In her angelic state, she attempted to recollect how she come to this place, but found it was similar to being intoxicated, her mind refused to concentrate on anything other than the present.

It wasn't until later she had cracked her eye open and found she had a knot forming in her shoulder. Her awareness of her environment was there but she had lost track of time and wondered if she had fallen asleep.

Tentatively, she looked over her shoulder to find Beck fast asleep. She couldn't help the smile that tugged at lips and snickered quietly to herself. She wasn't sure why it was funny, something about him being defenseless and adorable made her smile like a fool.

Carefully managing the arm that was still snaked around her waist, Paige flipped herself so she could watch him as he slept. She knew it was wasteful to sleep a free day away, but she'd be damned if she didn't enjoy her mechanic's sleeping face.

When her legs started to get antsy she took it as her cue to get up.

"Beck..." she started softly. A poke to the shoulder.

Nothing.

"Beck," she murmured a pinch louder. A firmer poke to his chest.

A low groan issued from said chest and Paige smirked wickedly. Her lips pressed hard together to trap the laughter that was bottling up her chest.

"Come on, mechanic," she issued followed by a soft jab to the side.

He twitched slightly but didn't wake. A few words escaped his lips but they were too faint to be heard clearly.

"What was that, architect?" She whispered softly, curious to his dream.

"Keller..." Beck murmured in what sounded like distress.

Confusion halted her fuzzy feelings.

"Beck?"

"Paige..."

"What are..."

"Tron... couldn't..." his face became hard, further troubled by the dreams.

Tron?

"Save... her..."

What the hell was he talking about?

"...failed..."

"Beck. Wake up," Paige said loudly and shoving his shoulder.

"Wha..." he started groggily, his eyes only half open and unfocused. When they landed on her they shot wide open and became fully aware.

"Why can't I wake up like this every morning?" He affectionally told her.

"Beck, you were having some kind of nightmare," Seeing her serious expression, his soft features fell, "You said Keller's name, then started rambling. You said Tron,"

The energy rushing through his ears drowned out everything and for a moment he froze in terror. What else had he said? What did she know?

Paige took his expression and stiff form in. Why had he incited such an overreactive response? Why did Tron have anything to do with it? What was the bigger picture? She felt that she was only looking at the corner of something far grander, and the fact that Beck seemed to be withholding the rest of it caused her stomach to turn. A restlessness that she barely kept back with the trust and faith she held deeply for the Program in front of her.

When he relearned how to breathe, the mechanic eased his racing body and formulated a plan.

"Sorry, it's just... the Occupation, the Games, that train ride... Bodhi... it's been hard for me lately. I can't sleep some nights..." he explained softly, his eyes shut and face hard in strain.

"Why'd you say Tron?" Paige asked gently, taking his hand and intertwining their fingers. The queasiness in her stomach faded with her understanding of the situation. Of course he had been through a lot, more than most. It was one of the many things she admired about his character and wished she could have every so often.

"I didn't want to tell you at first. I knew how you felt about the Renegade, and I figured you felt the same about Tron,"

The look she gave him comforted him and urged him to go on. She was far more open minded than when they had first met, and the thought alone surged hope and inspiration through Beck.

"I don't believe in what Clu says about Tron. Or the User. I've always seen Tron as a role model, I blame Abel for it. He knew him personally when Flynn was still creating the Grid. Before the ISO's. The stories he told me and the others, it drove us,"

As Beck talked, the fingers coiled around his became tighter. Paige started smiling sweetly as he spoke and seemed to have a weight lifted from her shoulders.

The tsunami of guilt quickly crushed his composure. Another story to cover for his true pain and hardship. Another lie. Another piece of him becoming hollow.

But as he reanalyzed Paige's loving gaze, he could feel his own storming emotions lift. There was a reason to hide. Protecting the ones he held most dear was the primary reason of becoming the Renegade, and so no one else would suffer the same fate as Bodhi. Others wouldn't have to lose a loved one.

Tron would probably had said it wasn't his own reason for securing the Grid, but find Beck's motivation honorable. But did that mean Tron was alone? Beck knew of Yori, at least Abel mentioned her in reference.

Sadly, she was gone now but would Tron have sacrificed the same for her as Beck would for Paige?

He came out of his head and focused once more on the woman in front of him. The brown hair that had fallen loose of its bun, strands and small bunches had crawled on her smooth tan skin. Her rich chocolate eyes were filled with sated love and tranquility. Her lids half covering the irises, along with the small smile of content from her full lips, made for the most beautiful expression.

Beck gently raised a hand and tucked the loose bits of unruly hair behind her ear. His finger gliding over her immaculate skin and lighting a fire in its trail. The searing hand rested on her angled cheek. The palm felt immensely more cooler than the concentrated intensity of one finger. Her blush that reached to her ears was his absolute favorite. The red that spread from her cheeks and covered her nose made the medic look more angelic.

His hand was met with another smaller one as it inches down her jawline.

"I'm glad you're here," he whispered softly.

"I'm glad I have you," she replied just as passionately. The gentle breath tickled his sensitive nose and he became aware of his own blush that must have matched her own.

Neither had been conscious of their actions, as if gravity was working for them, bent to their will by their love, the two had become closer to each other. Only a few centimeters separated their bodies. With nose tips tickling the other's, every silent hot breath was felt.

"We have each other," Beck murmured so quietly he wasn't sure he had even said it. By Paige's slightly wider smile, he guessed it had been.

Tentatively, like it was their first time, their lips met. Chaste at first but quickly becoming deep and hot as their passion drove them further. Her hands reached out and clung onto his broad back and strong neck, while his held her upper and lower back, pressing her into him. They only broke when their lungs screamed at them to, leaving the two panting and dazed. Once they had refilled their lungs, they were immediately joined again. Sometimes they were wildly passionate with how they regarded the kiss, and others they were harder and slower. Their lust overwritten by love and wanting to be engraved in the other's heart through an act.

It went on like that for quite some time. Alternating between many forms of lips pressed against each other, body arrangement, hand movements, etc.

"That was new," Paige muttered sheepishly as they stepped out of Beck's warm room. Her hands were busy placing her hair back into its bun.

"I like new," Beck responded as the door closed behind him.

Paige shot him a knowing look and felt the remnants of her blush return for a brief moment. They headed back towards the lift next to each other. Her hands still fiddled with her unkempt hair before Beck's found them and lowered them.

"I think your hair looks better down," he commented softly.

"Really? I haven't had it down in a long time,"

"Hey Beck!"

Both Beck and Paige suddenly froze as they heard the voice. The two felt as if they had just been caught trespassing into restricted areas and the gig was up. They shot each other a glance and grinned knowing the other had felt the same and ridiculous.

"What's up, Zed?" Beck turned around to see his friend running up to him with Mara in tow looking at them with suspicion.

"I was looking all- guk!" Zed stumbled when Mara bashed his side with her elbow. "We were looking for you guys after the power outage,"

"The power went out?" Beck asked, and looked to Paige to see if she knew anything. She shrugged her shoulders in return.

"Yeah, when the rain started. We lost power for a pectro," Mara explained," Where were you two?"

The two hesitated a moment and Mara couldn't help but notice the small movement they made to be closer to each other.

"We were sleeping, I guess we missed out on that," Beck answered with a sheepish hand running the back of his neck.

"You didn't hear us knocking?" Zed questioned with a slightly annoyed look.

"Guess we were both pretty out of it. Been running around lately," Beck answered again.

"Right..."

Paige felt Zed was the most gullible out of Beck's friends. When her eyes caught Mara's she knew that the cyan haired girl was not. Her bright blue eyes squinted dangerously at the former medic and Paige couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed while standing her ground with her own look.

"Mara?" Zed asked when he noticed the stare down happening.

Beck had already felt Mara's scrutinizing gaze on him and knew she was figuring things out. But before she said anything her face relaxed and a smile replaced what was on before.

"Nothing, it's nothing," she voiced with relief mixed into her joy.

Zed looked to the other two and found their smiles confusing.

"Did I miss something? Why was Mara-" he was suddenly dragged away when his companion looped her arm around his.

"Come on Zed, we should make sure Link doesn't hurt himself,"

"What? But what about Beck and..." his voice trailed off as he was whipped around a corner.

"Those two are quite the pair," Paige commented with a chuckle as she turned with Beck to walk onto the elevator.

"Yeah, they're pretty interesting," he responded with a smirk.

The elevator descended quickly and the two exited once the doors had opened.

"Are they together?"

"No, not yet,"

"Not yet?" Paige asked cocking her head slightly.

"Well... Zed is... as you saw, not that great at reading people. Mara on the other hand, doesn't really want to admit it to herself,"

"Does he like her in that sense?"

"Oh trust me. They're head over heels in love with each other, they just don't know it yet," the mechanic smiled brightly, "Only a matter of time,"

-memory-

The flight had been long, wet, and thoroughly uncomfortable. Paige wondered how long it had taken her to reach the edge of her destination. She was still a few dozen kilometers away, but the shimmering light on the horizon of the mountains edge flooded her with relief only found when at a long journey's end.

The weather was far warmer in this area of the Grid. It felt much like spring, warm moist air that smelled of fresh soil. Organic formations on the ground began to sprout again. The city and other landscapes felt clean, no lingering coats of old dusty particles as they were swept away in the refreshing showers of a new season.

That same feeling of cleanliness flowed through her with the memories of their last date.

So close she had been to entering a new perspective of helping the Grid, she was basically one step away. Of course her last step had been the hardest, but she stood back up with the help of her young love in her heart and the passionate rage she had come to befriend so long ago.

Maybe she could have returned to where she once was without Beck's love, but with her anger alone, she would have been altered, changed into something she could hardly recognize nor would she want to. She was strong on her own, but with him, when they were together, they were invincible.

Though he was gone, she would continue to stand. To fight. For his beliefs, and her own, because that's what they would have done together. Two sides of the same coin. A Yin and a Yang.

And as she stood against the perils, her devotion to a man who had started a revolution would never cease. She would never forget. Never let go, but move on if she had to.

Her body seemed to respond with her mind. With her solution, her body no longer felt cold or worn down by the moisture in the air. The hope and determination flowing through her igniting her skin with energy.

The afterburner of the engine kicked hard as she punched the pedal.

Thoughts of meeting the User felt minuscule now.

What do you have to say, Flynn?

AN: Thanks for waiting, I've been struggling trying to get this chapter right for a while as I think this is a pivotal moment for Paige and explains why she's acted in such a tragic way since Beck's death.

My main issue has been not making Paige like other wrongly lead strong female roles Ex: Asajj Ventress, Mara Jade, Selina Kyle (Sorta). All these women have a snarky and sassy attitude that I love and what makes them fun, but I don't know how much of that is prominent in Paige. I think they all do it a bit differently. Different tones, select words, and places. The small details are the hardest to pick up and recreate. Asajj is husky and sultry, and I think relates to Paige the most in personality and history. Jade is feral, passionate, and aggressive. Kyle is… she's been interpreted many different ways, but she's more forward, and honest about her feelings, while also able to use them to her advantage. I'm kind of on a tangent here, but I wanted to explain myself a little.

The next chapter is going to be a bit different than others. Primarily inspired by another source.

I hope you enjoyed!

-Rose's Requiem