DD howled.
A sad, scarred howl. Her hand reached him automatically, caressing his head.
His howl turned into an aggressiv growl and she lazily opened her eyes. A small, dark grumbling could be heard right next to her.
She sat up, ruffling through her hair, yawning.
DD lay on her left, staring at the door, Snake on her right, his back to her. An empty Bowl leaned against his hand.

Popcorn. Movie night. She remembered.

There was another loud knock at the door. That seemed to have been the cause of DD's awakening.
"M-Miss it's important! Please!", a male voice begged.
He sounded scared and his voice trembled.
She was wide awake In a matter of seconds and carefully hopped out of the bed, which was more of a couch actually, so she wouldn't wake the Boss.
She hushed to the door, opening it a tiny bit, so the soldier couldn't look in.
"What is it soldier? I was sleeping...", she mumbled and seemed sulky.
He was visibly shaking, his hands trembling.
"One of the soldiers got mad. He sh... ...shot someone alre...already...I...We...don't want to kill him...we..."
Her eyes widened and she went pale, before she shut the door behind her and hurried down the floor.

"Put the gun down..."
"Calm...down."
"It's going to be okay, put it down."
"Don't-...oh thank god you're here..", one of the soldiers whispered as she went past him, to make her way through the small crowd that had accumulated around the action.
Everyone kept shouting at the soldier, which stood closest to the end of the platform, his back facing the sea, his gun pointed directly at the head of one of his comrades.
"S-STAY AWAY!", he shouted at her, wiggling with his gun.
She simply went on, saying: "Step back, please.", to the small crowd of soldiers behind her.
"I SAID STAY!", the soldier shouted again, seemingly crying.
She still went on, taking a long look at the bloody man in front of her, who laid in the cold metal ground of the platform.
Placing a hand on the back of the threatened soldier, she pulled him away from the pistol in front of him.
"I'M GOING TO SHOOT!", the man in front of her shouted once again, now holding the gun with both of his hands, which made the trembling even worse.
"Oh i DO believe you soldier. But shoot me then, not your comrade.", she spoke.
The gunman panicked, staring at her, then back at the soldier he aimed at and back to her.
"Go.", she ordered, turning to her right and the soldier looked at her wide-eyed, before slowly nodding and backing off, back to the crowd, still holding his hands up.
She watched him go back safely, before turning to the man with the pistol, who now aimed at her.
"HANDS UP!", he yelled at her.
"Don't worry. I ain't got nothing to threaten you with. I just got out of bed, see?", she showed him her empty hands and put them back down again.
They stared at each other for a while.
"What is your name soldier?", she asked.
"What does it matter?!", he spit.
He still trembled. And she watched his hands.
"It matters to me. Would you like to tell me-"
"SHUT UP.", he yelled, wiggling the gun again.
She let out a little laugh and looked up at him.
"Come on,", she got closer to him, touching his hand, "If you kill me do it the right way."
She pushed his hand closer to her, so the gun barrel was pressed against her forehead.
He started to tremble harder and she let go of him again.
"MISS!", someone from behind shouted.
"What is it? Don't want to kill me?", she asked.
The soldier started sobbing again.
"No..."
"Why?"
"I don't want to be a killer anymore.", he stuttered, shaking heavily.
"But you killed your comrade, my friend, your brother.", she corrected him, pointing at the soldier on the ground.
"I HAD TO!", he held the gun straight again, "He was a killer too! I saved a lot of lives like that!"
"Didn't he save a lot of lives out there on the battlefield by killing actual murderers?", she asked him.
He seemed to process for a moment.
"STOP LYING!", he finally shouted again, pushing the gun further against her.
"Alright. Okay. I'll stop. Kill me then.", she offered again.
"Why? Do you...want to die?", he asked, still confused.
"If it does make you feel better? If it means that the other ones can live on? Doing our work? Yes. Kill me then. Do it."
He hesitated, staring at her.
"COME ON.", she yelled, touching the gun with both hands now.
"You are a soldier, boy, Come on. Kill your angel, kill you fear, your boundaries, your responsibilities, everything you run away from and you'll never have to run again. Do it. Kill me. What holds you back?", she hissed.
"I..i..."
"Go Soldier. It will make you feel better, won't it? Do it. You'll be free. Free of agony and sorrow and grief. It will also free you from a meaning, a course. Do you want that? That is what you want, isn't it? To be free from all of this.", she gestured at the base., "Come on then. Be brave. Do what you have to do."
"I..."
He was shaking now. Starting to cry again. He was confused and scared.
"What?"
"I can't...", he whispered.
"Are you sure?"
"...yes..."
"You CAN kill me. Right now. Just one click soldier.", she whispered back.
"I..."
"Let go."
"I..."
"Decide. Now.", she pushed him, staring him right in the eye.

One click.
One click that ends a live.
She did not hear the click. But she felt the warm blood, splattering in her face.
Her eyes closed immediately and she twitched.

Before she could really realize what happened she was pulled in a tight hug.
Her heart was beating violently and even Snake could feel it, nearly jumping out of her chest.
"Are you okay?", he asked in a deep, protective voice.
She took a few long breaths.
"You asshole...", she stuttered, her face pushed against his throat.
She felt his gun pressed at her back.
"I had him. I HAD him. He wouldn't have shot. We could have arrested him. We could have saved him.", she continued.
"Shut up. He held a gun at your face. He killed a comrade. I would have killed him sooner or later.", Big Boss answered, pulling her even closer.
"CHECK ON HIM, IS HE STILL ALIVE?", Ocelot shouted from somewhere behind her, pointing at the bloody soldier who laid face down.
"Did you...", she whispered, looking pass him. The traitor lay on his back, his face unrecognizable.
"I shot him. He's dead. You are safe little one.", he still had that deep, rough voice. He always switched to that voice when he was nervous.
"I was safe the whole time. It was controlled."
"You scared the hell out of me! Don't do that again. Ever.", he hissed and pushed her back a bit to look at her. He seemed dead serious.
"That's my job, Boss.", she corrected him.
"If that is your job, then you are fired.", he mumbled, pulling her close again, resting his head on hers.
"Hey dove...you okay?", Ocelot asked her, touching her shoulder.
The Boss slowly let her go and she turned to face Ocelot, ruffling through her hair.
"I'm perfectly fine, yeah...it's just a shame that two of our men had to die...", she sighed.
Ocelot stared at her and suddenly started laughing.
"You are unbelievable. Truly our Angel.", he chuckled and carefully wiped some blood from her cheek, "I like your outfit by the way."
She looked down at herself, then back to Ocelot and blushed slightly. Still wearing the clothes she left the bed with, she suddenly felt kind of dumb.
Snake laughed and touched her shoulders. "No worries. We'll get you some nice tea and some other clothes and a nice breakfast and everything will be okay again.", he promised her.
She turned around to look at him, "How did you get here in the first place?"
"I woke up. Noticed SOMETHING was gone and started looking for it.", he explained, without mentioning their beloved movie-nights.
They'd watched THE THING last night and after that he didn't quite wanted to leave.

"GET AWAY!", a little voice yelled angrily and the three of them looked to the side, to see the source of said command.
A small, raging, blond boy came storming up to them, a red blanket in his hands.
"Leave her alone!", he hissed at Snake in particular and then looked up at her.
"Hey Mamba", she hummed sweetly, crouching down to face him.
"Are you alright? Did he hurt you?", Eli asked, nearly caring.
She softly shook her head and smiled at him.
He looked away, still angry and livid, before pushing the blanket in her face to rub some of the blood away.
"Clean that off. You look terrible.", he mumbled.
She chuckled. It was the blanket she gave him a while ago, on that tower.
Ocelot and Big Boss watched them, Ocelot seemed pleasantly surprised while Snake was still unsure what to think of it.
After a short while, Eli threw the blanket around her, covering her up a bit.
"Keep that for now...and...wash it before you give it back...", he tried to sound cocky but failed miserably.
She stood up and smiled at him.
"Thank you Mamba."
Eli blinked a few times, watched her, then turned around and hurried away just as fast as he appeared.

She turned around and sighted, still a small smile on her face.
"HOW.", was Ocelots only question.
She giggled. "I don't know...But he is my little friend now."
Ocelot sighted impressed and Snake just growled.
"Come on Angel. We'll get you something to eat."

"No. WAY.", Pequot stuttered, with a shocked expression.
They sat across each other at the table in the canteen and while she ate, Big Boss explained the situation to him.
After she'd been to her small flat and washed and dressed herself, she and the Boss left to get something to eat. He didn't left her for a single second. Even cancelled his mission for that day.
"Well, then she asked him to kill her.", Snake hissed, staring angrily at her.
She looked up from her noodle soup with puppy eyes and he sighted.
"WHaaT?!", Pequot didn't know if to laugh or to shout at her.
"It would have worked if the Boss here wouldn't have blasted his face.", she mumbled.
"You shot him?", Pequot asked and stared at Big Boss.
"He was threatening my men.", Snake growled.
"I'm totally on your side. You did the right thing. Good job Boss. As always.", the pilot smiled at him and then both men nodded as she sighted.
"Angel?", a soldier called, saluting next to the table, "Boss."
Big Boss nodded.
"What is it Soldier?", she asked with a small, weak smile.
"Miller wants to see you ASAP."
"She won't go anywhere today.", Snake stated protectively.
"He said it was important."
"And i said no."
"Of course Boss. I'll tell him.", the soldier saluted once again and turned to leave.
"Wait!", she called, "I'll come, but later. Give me an hour, yes?"
Big Boss stared at her, "No, means no. Even you will accept that."
They looked at each other for a moment.
"Jack...please...it's Kaz.", she smiled at him.
He took a deep breath. "If you think so...do what you want.", he muttered.

She spent another half hour with DD and Big Boss talking, before he excused himself and went.
He still had to pay Quiet the daily visit of his. She was probably waiting already.
"It's only us then, ey?", she asked the dog, caressing him, before laying down and sleeping a while.
The sun stood high when she woke up.
She left the bed, tumbled to the LZ and Pequot picked her up.
DD didn't leave her side as if he took Snakes part.
"Never saw him like that.", Peqout mumbled, turning around to look at her.
"Ya mean the Boss?"
"Yeah...all...worried n' stuff."
She huffed. "I guess it's just that he'd feel very lonely without me. He's just a grumpy old bear. Don't take it seriously."
He chuckled. "If you say so."

When she got out of the helicopter, she saw a soldier saluting in front of the LZ.
She looked up. The sky seemed grey and a chilly wind danced through the base.
"Hello Soldier.", she greeted quietly.
"Miss. Would you follow me please?"
"Kaz send you?"
"Yes, Miss. This way.", he started walking and with a small sight she followed him.

They could already hear multiple voices, engaged in a conflict it seemed, from inside the room while they waited on the outside.
The Soldier stood straight, while she smiled at him once in a while before looking back at the door.
"Don't you...want to get in?", he asked friendly.
"I don't like rushing in on them...discussing like that.", she tried to explain and made him chuckle with her strange gestures.
When the bickering in the room had finally stopped for a short while, she finally opened the door to get in.
All three of the men suddenly turned to her.
While Snake seemed stressed and helpless, Miller seemed way more raging and Ocelot occasionally leaned back in a chair, greeting her with a warm smile.
"Well Hello.", he hummed.
"Thank god...", Snake grumbled and seemed relieved.
"You're late.", hissed Miller, "And by the way, what the fuck where you thinking? Are you insane? We will talk about this later, young lady."
"Young Lady...oh my.", she sighted and made her way up to stand next to Ocelot, who chuckled in delight.
"Where've you been s' long?", Miller didn't stop to stare her down angrily.
"I was waiting in front of the door. Didn't wanted to interrupt...this. Whatever it is. Why am i even here?", she asked kind of confused.
"To discuss with us.", was pointed out by Ocelot.
"We...can't quite get on the same page.", admitted Big Boss while he ruffled through his hair.
"Well...but...you're the Commander, and your Big Boss, and...you're...uhm...Ocelot. This is your thing. I shouldn't be here.", she said blankly.
"It's about the staff...", Miller started.
"Kaz thinks we got us some traitors.", was all Snake grumbled.
"Cipher?", she asked.
"Not necessarily. Could be anyone actually.", replied Miller.
"Well then what? We could check on them more often. But there is not much we can do.", she frowned.
"Told ya.", Ocelot sighted.
"Come on. Nothing? You've got to have any idea.", Miller pleaded.
She blinked a few times, thinking, until she turned to her side and gazed at the Boss, who looked back at her.
"Well. Him.", was all she answered.
"Big Boss can't take care of all of em'", Miller seemed a little pissed off by now.
"He doesn't have to. His plain existence does that.", she shrugged, "The men are Soldiers. What did Ocelot say? He's a legend for those who live on the battlefield. They don't just respect him, they fear him. Do some advertising. Spread some rumors. Like...Big boss is everywhere, sees everything. As long as they believe it. He's the Icon for control and fear. He's Big Boss Guys. Use that.", she tapped Snake on the shoulder.
"Well...we could at least try.", Ocelot turned to Miller and them to Snake.
Miller seemed to be lost in his thoughts.
"Okay...i'll figure something out...", he finally stated, "Another thing...we are saving and recruiting more and more kids, any ideas what to do with them? You are somehow closest to them and i figured that now, that a lot of them would actually like to stay..."
"Well...we could try to...ask a few of the lower ranked soldiers to play teacher for a while. Or actually let some real teachers work here. They need to learn writing and reading, at least.", she suggested.
"I like that. Me and the angel here could have an eye on it.", Ocelot nodded at her and she smiled.
"Okay then...that was pretty much all I needed of you today...you're free to go unless you've got anything else to add..? Maybe?", Kaz asked and watched every single one of them.
"No. I'm just hungry.", Snake replied and left the room first.
Judging his walk he was done for it, simply worn out.
Ocelot followed, simply waving goodbye without a word.
She wanted to follow but he held her back.
"Not You.", he sounded loud and pissed.
"Miller...listen-"
"No. First of all, it's COMMANDER. And we will have to discuss this. You acted inappropriate and without permission! This will have-", in that second Miller suddenly stopped, leaned to the side to look if the soldier still stood in front of the door.
He didn't. The hallway was empty.

Miller suddenly sighted relieved and then stared her down.
His expression softened and he touched his glasses, taking them off.
He placed them on the table next to them and stared out of the window for a while.
When he returned to her, still cloaked in silence, he put his hand on her shoulder and watched her for a while.

"Kaz?", she asked carefully, nearly a whisper.
This kind of behavior was strange. Even for Him.
"When...", he sighted, overthinking his words, "when one of the soldiers reported what happened this morning...i swear to god, i nearly got a heart attack."
They stared at each other and after a while she started to chuckle.
"I'm serious. You're trying to kill me.", he answered, smiling, before pulling her in a hug.
"I was just playing my part Kazuhira. I'm fine, everything's fine, I'm still here.".
He could still hear the amusement in her voice.
But he didn't care for now. The simply thought of her, laying dead on the metal ground with a bloody whole in her skull made him so sick that it seemed unbearable.
Being held now, feeling her hand on his back, drawing tiny circles made him feel safe and peaceful for a moment.
"Don't be angry at me for being an idiot and shouting at you...", he mumbled, his face pressed against her shoulder.
"I won't."
"Not even a little?"
"Never.", she hummed and he closed his eyes just to relax for this small moment of peace.

Kept you waiting, huh?
No worries Mes amis. I'm still alive...well...if anyone out there actually still reads this. If not, no big deal. The Mgs hype is just to hard right now so i felt like i had to type some words to get it out of my system. (NOT because of mgs survival... that sucks.)
Well...theres not much to say. I still hope you enjoy/ed the story, there will be more and yeah...keep it cool fellow soldiers!
Have a beautiful night/day/ whatevrrrr. ^^