Meanwhile, while still trying to make sense of why he lashed out at Iris, Zero found his way to the only person he could trust with anything: X. It took the red Reploid awhile, but he finally found his friend in the database room. For what reasons was anyone's guess, but at least they would be alone here.

"Do you have a minute?" Zero spoke up, surprising X a little. The blue Reploid turned around to see Zero and visibly relaxed.

"Sure." his friend agreed. "What's up?"

To this, Zero hesitated. Where would he start? What did he start with? He never really took an appreciation for what was wrong until finally asked what was happening.

"X, I..." he slowly admitted, "I think I screwed up."

X put on a rather kind smile before replying, "Well, at least you're not actually a screw this time. It's much easier for me to work with."

Zero glared at his friend as if X had said something incredibly stupid. In a way, he kinda had.

"Bad joke?" the blue Reploid guessed. He sheepishly looked away before adding, "Sorry… Puns are hard to get right."

"I'm sure." the red Reploid replied without a sense of emotion.

"So, what's up?" X then asked as Zero took a seat next to him.

"It's about Iris." Zero admitted.

Knowing this, X became more serious- only giving a nod to show that he was ready for whatever Zero wanted to talk about. But that was just the thing: Zero didn't know where to start. The red Reploid cast his friend a rather conflicted look, hoping that X could gather enough clues to understand what was going on without Zero telling him. Come on X, just read off of Zero's emotions like you always seem to do so he doesn't have to say them…

"You tried to murder Iris because her combative abilities stagnated?"

Zero flinched, not denying it, but hearing it out loud made it sound just as bad as it truly was.

"You saw Colonel?" Zero then asked as he carefully looked up at X.

"I gave him security clearance." was the blunt answer. It didn't end there because X then said, "I don't know what you did to Iris, but he was less than pleased. Whatever you did to her, he knows, Zero."

"And you don't think I know that?" Zero snapped. He recoiled shortly after, knowing that getting mad at X wasn't going to do much good when his friend was only trying to help. X didn't seem to take it personally- instead tilting his head to the side a little before saying,

"Zero, I don't like it when you're in pieces: emotionally or physically. Why do you do this to yourself?"

"As I have an answer to that..." Zero bitterly snorted.

With a small click of his tongue, X innocently requested, "Tell me what you like about her."

"You're joking." came the flat answer.

X gave his friend a rather childish shake of his head, despite being serious. Zero let out a small groan, but relented regardless.

"She's stubborn." he started, "And determined to see the mission through. She is also extremely resourceful; if she wasn't so insistent to be on the offensive, I'd think she'd do well as a first responder for the medical bay." That was when a smile crept onto Zero's lips. "She worries on the field like you do, X. Not to the same degree -thank god- but she isn't afraid to use diplomacy instead of ripping the wires straight out of some goon's IC chip."

Zero turned to look at X. "I think you two would get along well." he admitted, his faint smile growing a bit wider. X looked back at him and smiled right back. But then Zero noticed something in X's smile that was more than just sympathetic.

"What's that look for?" he questioned, his smile from earlier completely disappearing with paranoia now.

"You love her."

Unlike the last time X accused him of this, Zero's face turned a deep red. "No I don't!" he denied, rather loudly. "That's so stupid X! Why on earth would I love her?!"

The blue bomber gave a small shrug of indifference before saying, "If you didn't love her, then you'd have no problems telling her what you told me."

"X, that's just…!" Zero started to shout before looking at his friend's knowing expression. That was when Zero realized he had fell into a trap, and fuck X for getting him there.

"What is it with you and human emotions?" the red legend grumbled, deterring the subject from him and Iris. "Or even sympathizing with them at all? You'd become an alcoholic just so you can understand what goes on in an addict's head, and for what? It's trivial, and pathetic, and…"

"It helps me relate to them." X admitted, knowingly cutting his friend off. "If humans can see things positively, even when there's no hope, I want to feel it just as well as they can. We're supposed to be protecting them- how can we fight for them when we don't know what they fight for on the daily? It might not be as 'awesome' as taking down another Maverick, but for them it holds the same meaning. It's that same feeling of accomplishment, and knowing some how that this is what the world will remember them for later. It's amazing how many humans see this pressure and succeed in keeping it from blocking their progress. And then you see the ones that can't… and you see what makes them think or behave that way… and it's just so… sad, but still incredibly amazing."

"You're a dreamer." Zero snorted. "And a looney one at that."

X gave a small chuckle in response, but even Zero could tell his heart wasn't completely into it.

"Talk to Iris." X then suggested. "Tell her exactly what you told me- pretend she is me if that helps you any. You might just feel better, and maybe she'll forgive you if she knows how you really feel."

"I'll try." Zero promised as he started to get up. "Thanks X."

"Any time." the blue bomber promised as he watched his friend leave. As X returned to his work, he smiled at the thought of Zero and Iris getting together. As he skim read through an article on Dr Cain's family line, he absently mumbled to himself, "I wonder if I'll ever find anyone like that."

. . .

Iris was exceedingly lucky that her arm still functioned at all. The nurses said, had she not been an Eve Reploid, they would have had to replace the arm entirely for it to function again.

After Colonel's visit, Iris was allowed to leave the medical bay after one last routine check on her arm. Colonel would not let her stay at Maverick Hunters HQ for much longer; in fact, she'd be lucky if she ever left Repliforce again after this mess.

"Iris!" someone shouted from behind her as she walked the halls alone. She carefully turned around to see Zero coming toward her.

"Iris," Zero said again once he was closer to her, "Do you have time to talk alone for a bit?"

"I guess so." she agreed with a small raise of her eyebrow.

"Good." Zero said before taking her by the hand and quickly leading her down the halls. They stopped at an empty meeting room and entered- Zero locked the door behind them and then gave Iris his full attention.

"Iris, I want to apologize."

The female Reploid folded her arms as she looked him up and down. Well, he sure did seem to want to tell her something important. "Go on." she permitted.

"Iris, you're defiant." Zero immediately started. Iris cocked an eyebrow at him, causing the red Reploid to fumble a bit before going on, "You speak your mind no matter who it hurts. You… you trusted me before I went batshit insane on you- but that was only because I didn't want us to stop training. I didn't want… I didn't want you to leave me. I liked your company. X said that I should treat you like I treat him, and I know what he means by that, but I can't do it because I see you differently than I see X. I see you and… and I want to love you, like a human would."

Hearing this, Iris recoiled a little, her arms falling to her side. "But you said that doing anything like a human was useless..."

"I know, and I still stand by it." he replied without any spark of emotion. "But for you? I'd try it, no matter how ridiculous it might look to everyone else. I know you hate me, and we both know that I tried to kill you, but it's because I love you Iris. I loved you so much that I was afraid that you would never be able to defend yourself if something bad had happened. I promise to never treat you like that again, even if you can't forgive me for this whole mess."

Iris looked Zero up and down, almost surprising herself by realizing how genuine he was.

"I… I'll think about it." she finally admitted.

"That's all I can ask for." Zero agreed, giving her a small smile.