This was so sloppy (haven't written in foreverrrr) but I had to get it out of my head! I’ve been dreaming about this kind of situation on/off for about a week. I know that I’ll write one more chapter at least…and maybe depending on reader interest I’ll try for more. Not sure about the title yet either. Also, should it be longer? FFFFFF. Well thanks for reading anyway, and constructive criticism is encouraged! =)
- OWD
EDIT: Decided to make this a prologue because it's so damn short.
Prologue
The first thing Fate heard when she regained consciousness was the sound of her own breathing – it was unusually slow and heavy. The first thing she saw was darkness; it wasn’t a pitch black type of darkness you might encounter in the latest hours of the night, but a warm darkness that let her know she had her eyes closed to a very bright light. The first thing she felt were her eyelids, or more specifically how much of a struggle it was to open them. But that feeling, along with all the other slow re-awakenings of her senses, was quickly dwarfed by the odd sensation of what felt like wires resting against her skin and chest. Her thoughts resounded weakly in her mind.
Am I...in a hospital?
She slowly opened her eyes, but immediately shut them again once hazy crimson came into contact with the blinding light just above her. Then, she heard voices – they were excited and loud, but somehow distant. Fate then heard the dull beeps of multiple machines next to her, and when she opened her eyes again slightly she saw the weight on her face was due to a mask that was helping her breathe. Her suspicions were correct - she was in a hospital bed.
She couldn’t move her legs. She could barely raise the fingers on her left hand. She had fallen during her last mission. She hadn’t made it home to her family. She had to call them. She had to get up. The thoughts one after another hit her at a blazing speed that just intensified the massive headache brought on by the hospital’s lights. But then, the pain hit her from what felt like all sides. The battle had taken its toll on her body...how many wounds did she sustain before she brought down that damned criminal? What would be the price of completing her mission?
The voices around her became deafening. Fate could feel herself losing consciousness, but before she did she strained herself to try and speak the name that she had so effortlessly called out many times before. She had to reach her.
“Na…no…”
Her voice died in her dry throat, and once again the Enforcer only saw darkness.
---
“Damnit, she’s out!”
“BP’s dropping! Heart rate’s dropping! We’re losing her!”
The emergency room in the Time-Space Administration Bureau Headquarters Hospital was in a complete state of chaos; nurses and doctors were rushing to help over thirty patients who had just been admitted all at once from an undisclosed disaster on an unregistered planet. Medical staff were practically tripping over each other to treat burns, cuts, broken limbs, concussions...the list went on and on. And yet out of this terrible incident and its victims there was only one patient, albeit a very famous one, who was in critical condition.
Fate T. Harlaown’s bed was surrounded by medical staff who had been trying to stabilize her for the last twenty panic-inducing minutes. There had been very little information given about the nature of her mission, and the only other witness to the fight that had landed her in the hospital bed was suffering from a concussion herself a few beds over. The senior doctor who assumed charge barked out orders at her nurses and fellow doctors across the ER, but her eye was trained carefully to Fate's bunk. And she was wise to, as suddenly, without warning, the Enforcer flat-lined.
Frantic shouts were coming from every direction around her fragile body.
“Shock her now!”
The blonde’s bloodied barrier jacket was ripped open by a nurse as a doctor pressed the defibrillator paddles down onto her pale chest.
“Clear!”
The first shock caused Fate’s limp body to jump off the bed. The line on the monitor didn’t so much as budge; the single tone of the flat-line was agonizing to the staff surrounding the bed. The young doctor holding paddles paused, almost in fright...but reacted instantly to the commanding tone behind him.
“Again!”
“Clear!”
The second shock saw a similar reaction…but this time, a small beep fluttered on the screen. And then another. And another. Relieved sighs escaped from more than a few nurses as the Enforcer came back into the world. They had revived her, but Fate’s heartbeat was far from a strong one. And thus the shouts resumed.
“Get her more oxygen, now! Keep that rate up!”
“Doctor, she’s losing too much blood! We need a transfusion!”
“Then do it! We are -not- losing the best Enforcer in the Bureau! Get a blood sample and get her hooked up, stat!”
“Yes ma’am!”
“Someone needs to contact the family!”
A nurse grabbed the blonde’s charts at the head of the bed, flipping through the pages quickly as her co-worker drew blood from Fate's arm, namely the one that wasn’t broken in several places.
“Captain Takamachi Nanoha is listed as next of kin!”
Much alike when Fate’s identity was made known, curious whispers and murmurings began circulating amongst nurses and doctors alike.
“-The- Takamachi Nanoha?”
“The Ace of Aces?”
“The instructor from-?”
“Enough! Get Captain Takamachi on the phone!”
“Y-yes ma’am!”
The head doctor looked over the bruised, beaten and bleeding Enforcer before her as one of her interns rushed past. She narrowed her eyes as she studied a particularly nasty gash on the patient’s abdomen, as well as a deep magical burn that extended from her left shoulder down to her chest. She grabbed the nearest nurse and lowered her voice to speak to him.
“Get Doctor Shamal on the phone too. Her sheet said that she's her primary care physician, and the family would probably feel better if she was brought up to speed. Plus...I don't like the looks of those magical burns. We need her expertise.”
“Right away, ma’am!”
As the nurse took off running, the doctor ran a hand through her moist, sweaty black hair. She sighed deeply as she watched another doctor bring in a bag of blood that matched Fate's type, hang it on a rack beside the bed and slip an IV into the blonde’s arm. It had been quite some time since she'd seen such insanity in the usually fairly quiet hospital. Her gaze fell once more on her patient, and she wondered how in the world she was going to explain things to the Captain once she arrived…especially if Fate took a turn for the worse. Aside from the rumors and stories about the wrath of Captain Takamachi Nanoha, this wasn’t the type of news that anyone would handle even remotely well. Fate had a slim chance of making it through the night - a lesser mage would have been dead already.
“You’re an Ace too, Harlaown. Don’t die on us now,” the doctor murmured as the machine amplifying Fate's heartbeat continued to beep quietly, but steadily, in the background of the chaotic hospital ward.
Truth be told, it is short yet adequate for me. Honestly, it's always the quality of the story, not the quantity. But yes, to me, it's impeccable, I love it! <33 And seriously? Where's Nanoha? What hapened to Fate before all this? You can't make us wait, you know. =P
This was a good read. Thank you!
I thought the length was certainly good enough. It was concise and powerful. (poor Fate D:)
I'm looking forward to the next chapter! NO PRESSURE
You need somewhere to start? I will be here!
For a short chapter it was certainly very interesting, how you described the scene was really great, drama and everything !
How will Nanoha react !?
How will Fate get through this !?
Looking forward to next part !
Auuuuuh T_T Fate ... T_T uuuuuh T_T don't dieee T___________T what is going to happend T_T Tell us with next chapter pleaaase T__T.
Thanks for the comments all! I posted the prologue on FFdotnet, and I'm almost done with the real first chapter. Look forward to it!
I give you...chapter one! Happy New Year, all! Gonna use that nifty spoiler thing, because this chapter is indeed much longer. I've posted this story on FFdotnet btw, so here's the url: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7705520/1/Invincible
Thanks for reading!
Takamachi Nanoha was not known for her patience when she was worried, and that worry usually showed on her face to those who knew her well. To others, including the students she had been training with that morning, she was the perfect picture of calm; but in reality, she had been checking her messages almost constantly since the night before when she had expected Fate to come home. When she didn’t show, nor send word of her delayed arrival, the Ace of Aces had grown steadily more concerned as the night had worn on…and that uneasy feeling had carried into the next day. She had barely been able to reassure Vivio, whom she had found curled up on the couch by the door that morning. The six-year-old had put up such a fuss that she had to bribe her with sweets just to get her off to school on time.
Nanoha sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, fighting off the headache she’d been nursing for quite some time now. It was only due to her sheer exhaustion of both work and raising a child that she had gotten any sleep at all.
“Nanoha-san?”
The brunette blinked and smiled at one of her rookies, although it didn’t reach her eyes.
“Mmm…good job everyone. We’ll meet up after breakfast, so make sure you stretch well and get something to eat.”
The group saluted her and made their way towards the cafeteria, leaving the captain to be alone in her thoughts. She touched the device around her neck, seeking comfort from the familiar gesture.
“Raising Heart, store the data collected from this morning’s exercise please.”
“Yes Master.”
Nanoha paused, opening a screen in front of her to check messages she may have received while training. As she feared, she saw nothing – though as they were in the military service, sometimes not hearing anything was a blessing in disguise.
Ironically, despite having no real capacity for emotion, her mechanical companion was the first one that day to pick up on her master’s uncertainty.
“Master? Do you wish for me to contact the Time-Space Administration Bureau Headquarters?”
The instructor suddenly felt foolish, shaking her head. It wasn’t as though Fate hadn’t come home a day late before with little or no notice; Nanoha knew what her job entailed, and she had done her best not to let her fears rule her when it came to letting the one she loved do her job. The blonde was important to many more people than just their small family.
“No, that’s alright. I’m sure she’s just been tied up and hasn’t had time to call me.”
“Yes Master.”
Nanoha opened a screen and glanced over the contents of the exercise she had planned for later, and began to review it with a renewed vigor. When all else failed, she could bury herself in her work to distract her from moreso worrisome thoughts.
She's fine, she rationalized in her mind. She'd never break her promise.
---
Commander Yagami Hayate slammed her palms down on her desk and stood abruptly, staring at the monitor in front of her with an angry look unbecoming to her nature.
“Why wasn’t I informed of this sooner?”
The young soldier speaking to her stuttered in his response, not budging from his attention stance as he addressed the third most famous Ace in the TSAB.
“My superior officer sends his sincerest apologies for the delay, Commander Yagami! He will have the paperwork done and sent from the Main Office within the week!”
The brunette sighed and forced herself to relax, sitting back down and reclining in her chair. She ran a hand through her hair and tried to smile.
“No…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be getting angry with you, Private. I’m mostly angry with your superior officer, who couldn’t bother to contact me himself. Tell him we will be having words soon.”
“Y-yes ma’am!”
And with that, Hayate ended the transmission with a huff. She wasn’t the type to be short with people, especially those who didn’t deserve it, but she had become more and more agitated as of late with the stigma she was assigned by some of her peers in the military. They constantly questioned her judgment, despite the vast successes of Riot Force 6 that occurred only a year ago. Although the unit had been disbanded all of its members had gone on to bigger and better things, advancing quickly in the ranks. Hayate and her Wolkenritter were included in that list, but…they still faced prejudice for their involvement in the Book of Darkness case so many years ago, and it got to the point where out-of-line senior officials were interfering with the work of her new mobile investigations unit.
Rein was seated beside her Master, as always, at a not-so-miniature desk (to accommodate her growth in size) and immediately caught on to the young Commander’s bad mood. She was soon up and out of her chair, pacing around the room angrily. Hayate was suddenly amused as she thought back to when the small girl used to fly around her room in a similar fashion when she was agitated.
“How could he leave you out of the loop like that, Hayate-chan? And on top of things, he’s just making your job harder…that old geezer doesn’t know who he’s missing with!”
Hayate chuckled as she picked up the pitcher of ice water on her desk and poured herself a glass, drinking it down in a few gulps. She set the glass down and traced the rim with a finger contemplatively.
“Sometimes people get stuck in their ways, Rein. This guy knows he can stall the work we’re doing somewhat by delaying our request for supplies and reinforcements, even if my soldiers are putting their lives at risk every day out there in the field. He’ll do anything to tarnish my name…even if it means cutting off support to his brothers and sisters-in-arms,” the Commander said as she narrowed her eyes. “I’m just frustrated that my ‘reputation’ is still getting in the way of all the good we can do.”
The unison device walked to her Master’s side and leaned her head on her shoulder, sensing her need for comfort.
“Don’t worry, Hayate-chan. You have WAY more support in the TSAB than people opposing you!”
The Mistress of the Night Sky chuckled at Rein’s enthusiasm. She knew her words were true, as her list of contacts within the Forces only grew exponentially since her work as a Commander the first time around. But still, politics was beginning to put the lives of her subordinates in danger – it was only a matter of time before these misguided power-plays took their toll.
If not with my soldiers, then...
The brunette was snapped out of her reverie when an incoming transmission broke the silence in her office. She blinked as she realized it was from Shamal and answered it promptly, greeted by her Knight who had panic written all over her face.
“Hayate-chan? Hayate-chan!”
“Shamal, what’s wrong?”
“Hayate-chan…I just got a call from the hospital at HQ. Fate-san’s been injured.”
Despite having just had a refreshing drink, Hayate’s throat went completely dry at Shamal’s words. She swallowed thickly, assessing the situation quickly in her mind while Rein immediately moved off her shoulder and cupped her hand over her mouth in surprise.
“What’s the status of her injuries? Has Nanoha-chan been notified?”
The doctor’s face fell, and she remained silent a moment too long for her Master.
“Shamal!”
The blonde winced apologetically, pulling up a few screens beside her to glance over what Hayate could only assume were Fate’s medical records.
“She’s in critical condition and currently in the ICU. Her injuries are listed as severe…and it seems Teana-san has been injured as well, although she’s not critical. They were on the same mission to Unregistered Planet #37.”
Hayate inhaled sharply at the mention of Fate’s critical state; the mention of Teana, another respected Enforcer and dear friend to her, being injured was even a further cause for concern. Her knowledge of planets outside the TSAB’s jurisdiction quickly told her that Unregistered Planet #37 was known for its housing of vicious criminals and being a general crime hub. The information was all too damning.
“Has Nanoha-chan been notified? What about Subaru-san?” she repeated, firmly.
“I was told that they were notifying her as they called me. They want me to get to HQ as soon as I can. Fate-san’s…suffered considerable magical damage.”
Although the Knight of the Lake was trying her best to be matter-of-fact in her reporting to Hayate, the brunette could tell she was in distress. The Wolkenritter had grown just as close to Nanoha and Fate as their Master had through the years, never once forgetting what the two had done for them when Hayate’s life had been in danger so many years ago. They considered them family.
“Hayate-chan…” Rein said softly.
The Commander stood and gathered her things, pushing her own sense of dread aside as she assumed control of the situation. She would not falter when her loved ones needed her the most.
“Shamal, contact Nanoha-chan on your way to HQ and make sure she knows what’s going on. Tell her to meet you at the hospital. Signum and I will be picking up Vivio from school. Rein, you will contact Subaru-san.”
Both Shamal and Rein could only nod at their Master’s crisp orders as the brunette donned her blue military jacket and made her way quickly out of her office.
---
Vita stretched her arms over her head as she walked outside the cafeteria, having just enjoyed a rather large breakfast with Signum. The small Knight wasn’t instructing until much later in the day, so she had some time to kill. Grumbling as she felt her skirt ride up slightly, she tugged the blue clothing down in agitation while wondering why in the world they were cut so short. She caught sight of a few tired recruits making their way into the building, slumped over as they trudged inside.
“Oi, rookies! Shape up!” she snapped, the soldiers immediately jumping and offering salutes to their superior.
“Yes Vita-san!”
The redhead was fuming as she yelled after them, annoyed that they addressed her so casually.
“That’s Lieutenant to you!”
Realizing they were out of earshot (probably because they had high-tailed it away from the notoriously harsh instructor), Vita grumbled loudly and stormed off towards the training grounds. The Knight never ceased to be annoyed when subordinates called her by her first name, and she attributed the behavior to a certain other instructor she was on her way to see. Once she caught sight of the brunette on a platform overlooking the state-of-the-art facilities they used for training, she immediately yelled out in frustration.
“Damnit, Nanoha! You’re spoiling these kids by being so familiar with them!”
The Captain hadn’t said anything in response to Vita as she approached, but the smaller girl was too busy being annoyed to notice as she continued.
“Next thing I know, these rookies will be calling me Vita-chan and patting me on the head! And when they do, so help me…Graf Eisen will make them…”
The redhead had looked up and frowned as she saw that the Ace of Aces hadn’t even acknowledged her presence yet. Her attention hadn’t left the screens opened in front of her.
“Oi, are you listening?”
Nothing. Now the little Wolkenritter was more than annoyed, and she reached forward to grab her friend’s wrist.
“Hey, pay attention to–”
The Knight of the Iron Hammer froze when she saw the look on Nanoha’s face. Her eyes were staring straight out at the ocean before them, her face devoid of all emotion. Vita knew this eerie calm well, and her voice shook slightly when she asked the inevitable question.
“Who is it?”
The brunette’s voice was surprisingly steady by comparison when she finally spoke up. She reached up to shut off the screens in front of her, where she had just been talking with Shamal.
“Fate-chan. She’s been injured during a mission…and she’s in critical condition at HQ. Shamal thinks she’ll pull through, but…”
Vita’s jaw tightened. No news of a comrade getting injured was welcomed by the small instructor, but she knew just what Fate meant to Nanoha. It would take a complete idiot not to see how close the two of them were, especially since the Jail Scaglietti incident had ended and they had officially adopted Vivio together. The redhead had never seen Nanoha as happy as she was when she was with her family – namely, with Fate and their daughter. And now, her happiness was being threatened.
The shorter of the two spoke up first.
“Nanoha.”
The Ace turned to look at her dear friend, her eyes shining with tears that wouldn’t be shed. She was in shock.
“Damnit, Nanoha…” Vita said for the second time that morning, gritting her teeth. She walked in front of the taller woman and shook her by her arms forcefully.
“Snap out of it! You need to get to her!”
Nanoha blinked as she stared down at her shorter companion, as if becoming aware again. The brunette had zoned out for the five or so minutes after Shamal had ended the call where she had told her that Fate had fallen during her last mission. Nanoha hadn’t wanted to believe that her intuition had been right, but as the blonde Wolkenritter had detailed Fate’s condition the fears she had experienced earlier became completely warranted. While she received the information with what seemed like a calm façade like always, the instructor wasn’t fooling anyone with her poker face this time around. The pain, the worry and the anguish she felt was clear in her eyes, even if her face was expressionless. In her mind, she only thought of the deep, wine-red eyes that she loved to see first thing in the morning; the haunting, lonely eyes that had entranced her since childhood; the beautiful, breath-taking eyes that were shut, and might not open again.
Fate-chan...
“NANOHA!”
She had lost herself in thought again, and was now being yanked down by her collar to Vita’s eye-level. The Knight was staring at her furiously, but Nanoha could see the concern behind angry blue.
“Vita-chan…it’s okay.”
The Ace rested her hands on top of the redhead’s clenched fingers, easing her grip on her clothing. Vita let go of her, almost embarrassed for how she had raised her voice. The little Wolkenritter turned her back to her friend, pausing.
“Does Vivio need to be picked up?”
Nanoha smiled slightly at her companion, touched by the care in her voice.
“Hayate and Signum are getting her. I’m supposed to meet Shamal at the hospital.”
Vita glanced over her shoulder at the Ace who had yet to move, noticing how her hands were grasped together tightly over her skirt.
“Let’s go, then.”
“Eh?”
“I’m going with you,” the Knight said with an uncompromising tone. She wouldn’t leave her, even if she knew that Nanoha always pushed people away when she needed help. Aside from Hayate and her fellow Wolkenritter, this girl was the one she had sworn to protect…and she would do so, without fail.
“Let’s go,” she repeated, grabbing Nanoha’s hand and pulling her towards the main building with urgency in her step.
Nanoha could only watch the small redhead in front of her as she was led to where they could transport to the TSAB Headquarters Hospital, closing her eyes briefly to smile in sincere gratitude. A single tear slid down her cheek as she wordlessly thanked her dearest friend for the simple act of holding her hand.
“Mmm…let’s go,” she affirmed.
---
Car tires screeched as a slick black car pulled into the parking lot of the St. Hilde Academy of Magic. Seconds after parking the driver stepped out onto the asphalt, tossing her pink ponytail over her shoulder as she glanced up at the school. Signum quickly shut the door and locked Fate’s car via the remote button attached to the keys, swiftly making her way up the steps. Hayate had sent her to fetch Vivio once she had told her the news – driving in the blonde Enforcer’s car had never felt so odd for the tall Knight, who was the only one besides Nanoha trusted to use the top-of-the-line vehicle. The thought of her once-rival, and now friend, being in such a severe state was more than distressing.
Signum sighed and rubbed her temple as she waited in the school’s main office. Her Master had called ahead and let the school know that she was picking up Vivio, although that didn’t stop the secretary at the front desk from staring at her with curiosity. The pink-haired woman met her eyes and quickly intimidated the young girl, who averted her eyes immediately.
“Signum!”
The Wolkenritter recognized the voice immediately and turned to see Vivio running towards her with a bright smile on her face. The six-year-old hugged the taller woman’s lower body, and Signum couldn’t help but smile and rest her hand on the small blonde’s head. She nodded at the teacher who had seen her out, taking the young girl’s hand and leading her outside. Vivio looked up at her Fate-mama’s good friend with her bright, curious heterochromatic eyes.
“Where are we going? Did Nanoha-mama send you to pick me up? Is Fate-mama home yet?”
Signum paused before they got to the car, looking down at the child who was grasping her hand with both of her much smaller ones. Vivio only kept smiling at her, not intimidated in the least by the tall Knight’s stare.
To be expected of your child, Testarossa...
The pink-haired woman sighed again, getting down on one knee to be more or less eye-level with the young girl in front of her. She rested her hand on Vivio’s shoulder, her voice softer than usual.
“Testa…your mothe…er, Fate-mama,” she said in a somewhat comical tone despite the situation, “is in the hospital. Your other mother sent me to come get you while she goes to visit her.”
Vivio’s happy expression quickly faded. Signum’s expression remained calm, however, as the child began to ask the questions she had anticipated on the drive over.
“F-Fate-mama’s in the hospital? Is she okay? Can I see her?”
“Not yet. Your other mother is with her,” she repeated gently.
“Nanoha-mama is going to see her? Alone?”
The girl’s voice broke and her eyes suddenly filled with tears. The Knight took no joy in seeing the child so upset, and she squeezed the tiny blonde’s shoulder.
“She’ll be with Shamal and Vita. They’ll make sure she’s okay.”
Vivio suddenly launched her small body at Signum again, wrapping her thin arms around the pink-haired woman’s neck. She clung to her desperately, and the Knight of the Sword resigned to the child’s need for physical reassurance; Signum patted Vivio’s back as she cried into the crook of her neck, allowing her to do so for a few minutes before she stood.
“Hayate’s waiting for us. She’s looking forward to seeing her favorite niece,” the tall woman said as she took the girl's hand once more, offering to take her backpack with the other.
The little blonde nodded, sniffling and wiping her eyes with her arm as she handed her backpack to Signum and walked with her to her mother’s car. She climbed into the passenger seat, letting the pink-haired swordsman buckle her in before starting up the powerful engine. Her little voice piped up once they had gotten on the highway, her fingers clutching her school uniform skirt.
“Signum?”
“Hmm?”
“Fate-mama’s strong, right? She’ll be okay, right?”
Signum smiled, her eyes fixed on the road before them. Her mind went briefly to the Testarossa she knew – the fierce, swift, skilled mage who was the only one to truly challenge her in combat. She answered Fate’s daughter with a conviction that she hoped would reassure her.
“Your mother’s the strongest person I know, little one. She will definitely pull through.”
---
“M-Miss! You’re still nursing a concussion! You need to stay in bed!”
“I’m fine! Let me see Fa– Harlaown-san!”
A middle-aged nurse was failing to restrain a rather pushy Teana Lanster, who was determined to see her superior. Once she had come to, she had overheard the nurses treating her talking about Fate’s condition…and it had been enough to propel her out of her bed as soon as she was able. Despite the blow to the head, she remembered the events leading up to their stay in the hospital perfectly. Neither of them could have predicted what was going to happen, and despite the number of people that were crowding the hospital, the mission had been completed without any casualties. Even the criminal that had almost killed both her and Fate had been spared – the blonde Enforcer had taken pains (quite literally) to make sure that he was captured.
Teana was honored to serve beside such an honorable and professional agent; the way Fate had conducted herself on this mission had been nothing short of admirable, comparable in the gunman’s eyes to her own brother. That was why she was shoving the meddling nurse away from her, desperately trying to check in on her critically-injured comrade.
“I’m fine, damnit! Let me GO!”
Acting on impulse, the young agent tripped the poor nurse and sent him tumbling into another member of the medical staff. The two crashed on the floor, knocking over a cart laden with medical supplies and giving Teana just the distraction she needed to slip away to the ICU. She had been moved to a different ward once she was treated, as had most, if not all, of the other victims. From what she could tell, a good chunk of them had already been released with minor injuries.
But not Fate...she put her life on the line.
Her thoughts only caused her to grow angrier at the situation, and as she pushed open the doors to the ICU she scanned the area for a certain blonde. She soon saw a gaggle of nurses and quickly snuck over to see what they were surrounding, and it was as she had feared.
Fate was still connected to a plethora of machines that looked to be the only thing keeping her alive; like her, she was still clad in her blood-spattered, battle-worn barrier jacket, but she was significantly more battered. One arm was put in a cast, a leg was being propped up in a sling and the orange-haired girl couldn’t see a piece of skin that wasn’t marred with either deep bruises or cuts. Teana peered at her through her one eye, as the other was covered by a bandage that wrapped around her head…but that was more than enough. The sight was enough to make her ill…or more accurately, dizzy.
The room started to spin. Teana suddenly lost her balance, her hand shooting out to try and grasp onto whatever surface she could. Medical tools were cleared off a countertop she was struggling to hold onto, and a doctor nearby rushed to her aid.
“Miss! Are you alright?”
“That’s one of the victims! She’s one of the Enforcers!”
The gunman growled as she stood shakily, her vision a little darker as she struggled to stay conscious. She pushed the well-meaning doctor away, swallowing hard and closing her eyes until she felt her head stop throbbing. When her eyes opened, she trained her stare on her fellow agent who was currently fighting for her life. Teana clenched her teeth and straightened, reaching up to tie the dirty, tattered bandage around her head tighter.
“D-damn right I am…and she’s one of the finest. And I’m not leaving her side, so you’d better get back to work making her better.”
The medical staff sighed in exasperation at the stubborn officer, a nurse offering her a chair which she graciously accepted. Teana sat herself down, crossing her arms over her chest. Glancing at the clock nearby, she wondered if Nanoha had been contacted yet – and suddenly, her heart was heavy. She had let her guard down during the battle, and ended up being knocked dead unconscious after receiving a rather hard blow to the head. When she had awoke, the only thing she saw was Fate collapsed on the ground nearby with Bardiche in Riot Zanber Form still gripped in her gauntleted hand. The rest had been a blur. Would Nanoha forgive her for letting Fate down in pursuit of a criminal, for letting Fate end up like this? Regardless of the answer, she made a silent promise to the senior Enforcer only a few feet away.
I won't leave you again to fight on your own.
Aaaargh the more I read the more I love this fanfic ! And it's only 2 chapters long !
The situation is so dramatic and no one is spared, the tension is palpable *__*
Very well written, the characters are reacting...accordingly to their personalities ? IMHO.
I can't help but beg for more, mooorrrreee !
*casts a spell to increase your typing* :3
This chapter is exellent, this make me want more.
As said Nyamo all character react according to their personality.
This is much more longer then the first chapter and I think this is well done to develop situations like you do.
Last Thing is I think you got a beautiful way of writing, but I beg you "second time" don't let Fate die >w<.
Glad to hear you're all enjoying it! =D And yeah, the one thing I try to do with my fics is to pay homage to the original characters. I want to make the story I write feel as realistic as possible. And ohohoho...will Fate die? I wonder! I generally hate killing off characters, and I've refused to kill off Fate before...but...you'll just have to see!
As a side note, I might just post this on FFdotnet from now on. Having to go through the fic and separate paragraphs, redo the italics, bolds and such was kind of annoying. x_X But maybe not.
Thanks for the encouragement and compliments! It's definitely motivating me to start on the next chapter already. =3
LOL you just can't kill her you promised it to me on the Caht (Do you ? XD)
This chapter was definitely a lot longer than the Prologue. I also enjoyed both of them immensely. I'll definitely be looking forward to Chapter 2 (if you decide to continue it, which you should since it's quite good).
The cliffhanger, the drama, and the emotion! Keep it up!
You need somewhere to start? I will be here!
I finally get to read the first chapter. Well I said nothing here because I already tell you, Off-White Devil, what I think of this fic and the first chapter is not disappointing. The prologue is short and intense, the first chapter on the other hand is longer but we get also the emotions of all the people we see here. I always love the fact that Vita looks like a little girl despite she being older than almost everyone, is just that she talks like an adult but deep inside she is just a little girl. Aside that love the chapter, is a very good fic and I hope you will write more of this.
Seriously, you guys are making me blush. >>
Chapter two, part two...whatever you wanna call it...is done! I put it on FFdotnet, so go there to read it if you wish! Too tired to do all the silly formatting for posting it on here atm.
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7705520/1/Invincible
Enjooooyyyyy~
I actually liked reading it on Fanfiction more. It was easier on the eyes somehow.
Masterful. I'm really enjoying this fanfic (I'm a hard person to please when it comes to storylines and character continuity too); please, keep it up :]
I'm intrigued to see how this plays out; a dark, corrupt conspiracy, maybe? =o
You need somewhere to start? I will be here!
As Nanoha said, she and Fate are surrounded by the affection of many people, I hope those who hurted Fate will pay dearly for their treachery.
Part 3 is up on FFdotnet! Hope you guys enjoy! =D
(Link is below in fancy new sig)
That was an extremely touching chapter, it's been a while since a fic made me shed a few tears.
Here's Part 2 and 3 for those of you having trouble reading it on FFdotnet. Thanks for reading, and comments are loved!
Shamal hurriedly made her way into the Time-Space Administration Bureau Headquarters hospital soon after arriving, tugging on her long, white doctor's coat as she walked in the direction of the ICU. She had been off-duty when she received the disturbing call regarding Fate's condition, and her uniform was still a bit messy from her hasty departure from Mid-Childa. The Knight hardly cared for her appearance though as she opened the door to the aforementioned ward, searching for the head doctor who had overseen the blonde Enforcer's treatment upon arrival there.
She spotted a distinct head of short black hair, and smiled slightly as she saw Doctor Carmela Giordano making her way towards her. Her smile faded, however, when she saw her fellow medical professional dressed in scrubs.
"Carmela-san…is Fate-san being operated on?"
The doctor from Earth nodded firmly, taking a mask to protect her nose and mouth out of her pocket and hanging it around her neck.
"One of Harlaown-san's lungs collapsed, and she's suffering some internal bleeding. She's stable for the moment, so…"
Carmela sighed heavily, obviously exhausted. She had dark circles underneath her eyes…though the look on her face was determined and focused on the task at hand.
"I wanted to do anything for her that we can while we have the opportunity."
The Knight of the Lake smiled gratefully at her friend. Hospital protocol would have normally had her wait for the family's approval before any operations took place, but she knew the Italian woman was easily the best doctor at that hospital. Shamal would back any of her medical decisions without a single doubt in her mind.
"I trust your judgement, Carmela-san. I'll speak to Nanoha when she arrives and convince her of the same. Do you have an updated sheet for me to look at?"
Doctor Giordano nodded again, pulling out a portable holopad with all the information her friend would need to be up to speed. She then tugged on the mask and snapped on a pair of sterile gloves.
"Well, I need to get to the OR. You know…I assumed you'd want to get in your scrubs and get in there with us. We got the best surgeon on-call to come do the operation."
The Knight shook her head in response, already reading over some of the documents she was given. "I'll wait until Nanoha-san gets here, after I explain the procedure to her."
"Probably a good idea. Tell her she's in good hands."
Shamal smiled as her friend walked quickly to the doors of the operating room, her eyes not leaving the screens in front of her as she studied the diagnosis.
That'll be the first thing I tell her, she thought.
---
Hayate sat on a bench outside the main building of her unit while she waited for Signum to arrive with Vivio, speaking into her device that served as a communicator between herself and Rein.
"Subaru-san is on her way to the hospital as well?"
"Yes she is…and I'm afraid she didn't take the news very well. I tried to explain that Teana-san just suffered a concussion but that didn't stop her from…well, I just heard lots of crashing sounds and the sound of poor Ginga-san being knocked over."
The brunette chuckled lightly in spite of the situation. Subaru was such a brash yet kind-hearted girl, and it was obvious to everyone who knew her how she felt about the orange-haired Enforcer.
"It's not funny, Hayate-chan! Ginga-san got on and told me that her sister just ran out the door without so much as a word. She was very worried, and was even moreso when I told her that Teana-san and Fate-san are in the hospital."
"Alright, alright…I'll be sure to call her once Vivio's off to the hospital. Will you do me another favor and try to get ahold of Vita-chan? She's gone ahead with Nanoha."
"I'll do that right now! Please be safe, Hayate-chan…"
The Mistress of the Night Sky sighed, then tapped Schwertkreuz while clicking her tongue.
"That's the second time you've said that to me today, Rein. Don't worry about me, okay?"
The unison device's tone was crestfallen, and Hayate could just imagine her face with a matching look.
"It's just, with everything that's happened…and you're my Mistress, Hayate-chan. I'll always worry about you!"
Hayate paused, smiling genuinely as she looked upwards at the clear blue sky. Rein always knew how to make her smile…even if it wasn't on purpose.
"Mmm…then I'll do my best. We'll talk later, okay?"
"Okay!"
The brunette shook her head in amusement as she ended the call, standing up and stretching as she looked around at the trees that had blossomed with the spring. She loved Rein, Shamal, Signum, Vita and Zafira more than she could ever say…but the five of them worried over her like mother hens half the time. As silly as it sometimes was, however, she would never take that feeling of being loved for granted – the Wolkenritter had been there when she had been the most alone. They had filled her childhood home with laughter and warmth.
As she caught sight of Fate's car being driven towards the base, her mind went to Vivio…and how she must be feeling in that moment.
How did I feel when I thought my Knights had died? Or when I saw Zafira in the hospital, barely able to move?
The smile she had before faltered, but she did her best to keep it up as the car came to a stop and Signum got out, followed hesitantly by the child Hayate knew so well. The Commander walked over to meet her Knight and her niece, and once Vivio caught sight of the brunette her heterochromatic eyes welled up with tears once more.
"Hayate-chan!"
Hayate immediately knelt to the ground to catch the girl as she ran to her, holding her tightly. Her own eyes were moist. She lifted the child into her arms, albeit with slight difficulty (despite seeing Fate and Nanoha both do it so effortlessly before).
"There's my little future Ace…" she said soothingly, nodding to Signum before she carried the girl to the bench nearby.
The pink-haired Knight sighed in relief, leaning against Fate's car as she watched Vivio be consoled by her Mistress. She knew Hayate would be able to calm the girl, at least for now. Signum was admiring the brunette's way with the child quietly when suddenly, out of the corner of her eye she spotted a large blue wolf padding his way towards her. She chuckled.
"You were worried too, eh?"
Zafira said nothing at first, sitting by Signum's side as he joined her in watching their Mistress and Vivio talk beneath the cherry-blossom tree that Hayate had insisted on having planted her first week on the job. He finally spoke in his deep voice, quietly.
"Vivio's a good child…and when times like this arise, she must be around family."
"And we must always be with our Mistress."
He merely nodded his large head, the two Wolkenritter continuing to watch over the aunt and niece silently…but diligently.
---
Elsewhere, the Knight of the Iron Hammer was cursing under her breath as she kicked a waiting room vending machine that refused to drop the two cans of cold coffees she'd bought for herself and Nanoha. Although she was frustrated, a little bit of venting was a good thing for the angered redhead. Nanoha had barely said a word as they made their way to the hospital, and once Shamal had found them Vita had decided to give her some privacy while the blonde briefed her on Fate's condition. Plus, it wasn't as though the little instructor wanted to hear the gory details anyway. She hated everything about hospitals…to no one's surprise, given how frequently Hayate had to visit one back on Earth.
And I hate that Nanoha has to be here. I hate that I can't do anything to change the look on her face.
With one last swift punch to the machine, Vita finally heard the clang of the cans falling down into the tray. She smirked victoriously and grabbed them, jogging back to where the Ace of Aces was sitting with Shamal…though her smirk was immediately gone when she saw that same lifeless smile on the brunette's lips once their eyes met.
"Mou, Vita…" Nanoha said in a gentle, scolding voice as the redhead got close. "You scared the other people here away with all that noise."
Shamal laughed a little at her fellow Knight, the small girl scowling as she handed the other instructor the coffee and moved to sit by her side. Nanoha patted her head, much to Vita's chagrin, as she looked to the doctor again.
"Shamal-san…when can I see her?"
The question, spoken with such calm in the Captain's voice, hung in the air between the three sitting in the mostly empty waiting room. The redhead beside Nanoha averted her eyes, and Shamal offered her most reassuring tone to her friend.
"When the surgery's over and she's in recovery. Doctor Giordano is taking good care of Fate-san."
Nanoha smiled only a little more convincingly, glancing down at the cold can in her fingers.
"I should call Lindy-san while I wait…and Hayate-chan, to make sure Vivio's okay."
"O-of course. Do you need me to show you where you can use the–"
"No, that's okay. I still remember where it is."
The brunette stood promptly, handing the can to Vita.
"Vita-chan…hold this for me, okay? I'll be right back."
The Knight nodded hesitantly, watching her friend's back as she walked down the hallway. Nanoha smiled genuinely, if only for a moment, when she heard Shamal's soft voice teasing the small instructor about "always looking out for her Nanoha-san". Although she had chastised Vita for making such a scene over something so small as a can of coffee, those small acts of kindness were keeping her grounded.
I'm surrounded with love.
The thought stuck with her as she walked into the room where she could make her call to the Harlaown residence. The Captain sat down in one of the chairs, collecting herself briefly before she reached up to dial the number she knew by heart. As the call was being placed, the Ace was getting more and more nervous. The news had been hard enough for her to bear…but Fate's adopted mother would be just as devastated, if not moreso. She loved the blonde with just as much intensity as she loved her own biological child.
Chrono…I have to call him too…or…
"Hi Nanoha-chan."
The brunette put her new concern aside as a familiar voice and face greeted her. Lindy Harlaown smiled gently at her daughter's significant other, her fondness for the girl obvious in her greeting.
"Hello Lindy-san," Nanoha said, returning the smile. "It's good to see you."
"It's good to see you too. I'm relieved you called, actually."
"Eh?"
The retired Admiral's smile lessened slightly, but didn't disappear entirely; Nanoha's cutely-tilted head, and surprised expression that reminded the aging woman so much of the girl's nine-year-old self, prevented that from happening.
"A friend of mine called me from HQ and told me about Fate-chan."
"Oh."
A heavy silence fell between them, as expected from the two women closest to Fate. Nanoha suddenly spoke, her voice small.
"Lindy-san, I'm so sorr–"
"Nanoha-chan," the mother of two, and grandmother of three, interjected with a commanding tone that even the Ace of Aces couldn't argue with. "You sit there and listen to me."
Lindy sighed deeply before she continued, unable to bear the devastation she could see clearly on the twenty-year-old's face. Even if both the brunette and her own daughter were both technically adults, she still didn't think that they deserved to have known such burdens at their age.
"Nanoha-chan…there was nothing you could have done. All of us know that."
"Mmm," was her only answer. Sunken, cobalt eyes fell downwards to look at her lap where she was wringing her hands.
"It won't be easy, but she's going to pull through. Fate-chan is a hardy girl."
"Mmm."
"And she wouldn't dream of leaving her beloved and their beautiful child behind, ne?"
Nanoha looked up at Lindy, the teal-haired woman smiling earnestly at her, though with her eyes closed. The brunette's lower lip trembled slightly, but she refused to cry…as much as she wanted to right then. All she could do was nod, and let Fate's mother know that she had heard her compassionate words.
"Mmm."
"Good. Now call me with an update after the procedure, and I'll head there as soon as I can. I'll let Chrono, Amy and Arf know too."
Nanoha sighed in relief, though she thought suddenly of the blonde's familiar...and how devastated she would be as well.
Arf...
"Okay, Lindy-san. Take care, and thank you."
"You too, Nanoha-chan. Say hi to my little Vivio-chan for me."
Once the call ended, the instructor rested her hands on the tabletop and found herself staring blankly at a screen for the second time that day. She was in quiet awe of Lindy's strength, and how she had put her own feelings of concern for her daughter aside to reassure her; little did Nanoha know that the decorated Admiral had been holding back her own tears during the entire call.
Fate-chan…we're both surrounded by so much love, she thought with a small smile.
---
Hayate laughed as she watched Vivio chase Zafira in a game of tag across the grass, calling out to the two as they got farther away.
"You've got him now, Vivio!"
The brunette was really touched by the way the guardian beast cared for her best friends' daughter. She could tell he was running much slower on purpose, just so the child could feel the satisfaction of tagging him on his white, furry mane. At least for now, the little girl was distracted from the fact that one of her mothers was seriously injured.
"He really has gone soft," Signum murmured from beside her Mistress. She had an amused smirk on her face from a little bit earlier that had yet to go away.
"You have too, Signum."
The pink-haired Knight snorted and was about to reply, but was cut off by yet another call to Hayate from Rein. The brunette answered it quickly.
"Yes Rein?"
"Hi Hayate-chan! I called Vita-chan! Nanoha-san's there and she's waiting with her and Shamal-chan for the surgery to be over."
"Surgery?" Signum interjected. Hayate noticed the flicker of fear on her face, presumably for her rival.
"Yes, I'll tell you the details later but…first, you need to hear something."
The beeps and sounds of Rein going through information on multiple screens could be heard through Hayate's device.
"I've been looking into the mission that resulted in Fate-san and Teana-san being injured…or at least, trying to. There's no record of it in the database."
Hayate paused, considering her unison device's words.
"Did you check in with the Interstellar Navigation Bureau?"
"Yes, but they said that I would need a higher security clearance to hear about the nature of the disaster. Meanwhile, every branch of the TSAB already knows that thirty civilians were injured on Unregistered Planet #37 while two of our Enforcers were present. There's not even a mention of them pursuing a criminal at all."
The Commander's eyes narrowed, her mind working behind her sapphire orbs.
"Rein, get me a list of the higher-ups who've been overseeing Fate-chan's missions since she left Riot Force Six. You can brief me on Fate-chan's surgery after."
"Right away, Hayate-chan!"
Signum watched her Mistress as she hung up with Rein, recognizing the look of intrigue on her face. She knew without asking that Hayate thought there was some foul play going on behind closed doors, and that it had indirectly, or possibly directly, caused Fate to end up in the hospital. The Knight of the Sword looked back in the direction of Zafira and Vivio, where the beast was now letting the little girl ride on his back.
"Want me to stay here and help Rein?"
"No, I want you to take Vivio-chan to the hospital once we hear from Nanoha-chan."
"Are you sure?" the pink-haired woman asked, somewhat surprised. The Commander turned to her Knight and smiled, resting a hand on her arm. She had a knowing look in her eyes.
"I know you want to check in on Fate-chan, so please do. Rein and I will handle this. And when you go, tell Nanoha-chan that I'll be there soon."
Signum opened her mouth to protest, but closed it when she saw the resolute look she was being given by her Mistress. Truthfully, she did want to go…so she accepted it with a huff.
"Alright, I'll take the little one to see Testarossa."
"Good girl," the brunette quipped.
---
"E-excuse me, Miss…you really should consider sitting down…"
Teana groaned in aggravation at the nurse who had been following her since Fate had been taken away for surgery. The gun-user hadn't been happy about the situation, but it seemed like the only thing she could do now was wait.
Nanoha-san's probably here now too…I should find her, she thought with a twinge of fear.
"Miss, at least let me re-wrap your bandage!"
"Ugh, fine!"
The Enforcer sat down on a stool, crossing her arms over her chest as the patient nurse fetched what she needed and began to work. The orange-haired girl frowned and winced as the dirty bandages were removed, catching sight of her own blood staining them.
"Well, at least you've stopped bleeding. And you seem to be aware enough…but I can't stress it enough that you should be resting."
Teana looked up at the nurse then winced as she felt her pulling small chunks of dirt, rock and whatever else out of her wound with a sharp pair of tweezers.
"I'll rest when I find out that Harlaown-san's pulled through surgery."
"I'll come get you when we hear word, I promise. So please…"
The young agent sighed, recognizing the kindness and genuine concern in the girl's words. She saw the nurse looking down at her with pleading green eyes, and she gave her an exasperated half-smile.
Guess I'm weak for green eyes and persistently-kind idiots.
"Fine, just make sure you do. I'll be in the waiting room."
The nurse smiled brightly and nodded, finishing wrapping up the Enforcer's head. She bid her farewell and gave her a bottle of water and a cup with some painkillers in them, dashing away before the gun-user could give them back. Teana sighed in frustration but shrugged, downing the pills and taking a swig of water as she pushed the double-doors open to the waiting room.
She was shocked to see Nanoha, Shamal and Vita standing and talking nearby, and her voice faltered once cobalt eyes met hers unexpectedly.
"Nanoha…san?"
"Teana?"
There was a feeling of palpable tension between the two of them, but Vita broke the silence as swiftly as she broke barriers with Graf Eisen on a daily basis.
"Oi, you're alive! Good job, rookie!"
The orange-haired girl stared dumb-foundedly at the smirking, hammer-using Wolkenritter as she stepped forward to greet her.
"W-wha…"
"Hah! Sounds like they hit you a little too hard! But not as hard as I used to, right?"
Teana continued to stare at her past instructor, not quite believing what she was hearing – but at the same time, it was to be expected of the little Knight. She managed a smile.
"Um…r-right. Good to see you too, Vita-san."
"Teana..."
The Enforcer's gaze shot back up to look at Nanoha, and her heart was immediately filled with guilt at the sight. She had thought she would know what to say to her when she saw her, but her mind went completely blank…which, to be fair, she could attribute to her head injury. But what happened next, she really hadn't expected.
Nanoha embraced her.
"I'm so glad you're okay," she whispered. "I don't know what I would've done if you had both been…"
The orange-haired girl's second past instructor didn't need to finish the thought. Teana felt her eyes watering before she could stop it, and she buried her face in the Ace's shoulder.
"Nanoha-san…I'm so sorry…"
The two Wolkenritter stood by as the two embraced, Shamal looking obviously moved by the display of affection between mentor and pupil as she dabbed at her eyes with her sleeve. Even Vita looked a little emotional, but she quickly shrugged it off with a wry smile.
"You'll never stop spoiling these kids, will you?"
"I'M COMING TEAAAAAA!"
The four past members of Riot Force 6 jumped at the sudden, loud…and to be honest, rather embarrassing exclamation (in more ways than one) that came from behind them. All four of them laid eyes on a rather frantic-looking, very familiar blue-haired girl who had just burst through the opposing door to the waiting room. They all watched in stunned silence as she ran at full speed to the front desk, slamming her palms down on the counter and scaring the daylights out of the poor nurse sitting there.
"I need to find Agent Teana Lanster! She's being treated here! My name's Subaru Nakajima, of the Coast Guard Disaster Prevention Department!"
"U-um…y-yes, I'll look her up right awa–"
"Please, I need to know if she's okay!"
"Subaru!"
Hearing enough, the oranged-haired girl surged forward. Her face was bright red, the Enforcer clearly mortified and possibly angry by the other girl's flamboyant, public display of concern for her. But when Subaru almost snapped her neck in how quickly she turned to see Teana, and how widely and brightly she smiled at her, it was clear as day how the gun-user actually felt about the rambunctious girl in front of her – the blush on her face increased tenfold.
"Tea!" Subaru shouted excitedly as she leapt forward, almost knocking the still-woozy Enforcer over with the force of her hug. The gun-user growled as she grappled with the clingy cyborg.
"S-Subaru! Calm down, idiot!"
"I was so worried! Rein told me what happened and I just…I had to see you!"
"T-that's fine but…just…don't be so careless about it!"
The Ace of Aces smiled happily at seeing her two favorite students reunited, and the look of love on both of their faces as they bickered warmed her heart. She stepped forward to greet Subaru, who just brightened up even more at seeing her idol (if that were possible).
"Nanoha-san!"
"Mmm, it's good to see you again too Subaru."
Shamal smiled as she watched the blue-haired girl give the Captain a hug as well, though it was much more modest than the bear-hug on steroids that she had given Teana. The two teenagers both looked at Nanoha with admiration and eagerly talked with her, the worrisome situation at hand temporarily set aside as they all sought comfort in each other's presence.
"They get along well, don't they Vita-chan?"
The small Knight chuckled, seeing the look of noticeable relief on the brunette's face while she conversed with her old students.
Guess you spoil them for a reason, eh?
"Yeah, they really do."
- Part III -
The waiting room of the Time-Space Administration Bureau hospital was for the most part empty and quiet by evening, most of the excitement from yesterday night's temporary panic having died down. In fact, the only source of noise could be traced to the television set mounted on the wall that nobody was watching, along with two of the waiting room patrons arguing quietly.
"Tea, Tea…hold still! I wanna see your battle-scar."
Despite her love for Subaru, Teana's already thin patience was stretched to its limit in dealing with the other girl's incessant questions and inane requests. She batted the cyborg's hands away.
"Don't unwrap it! I had to let a nurse do that twice already and I don't want to have to wait around for someone to do it again."
The blue-haired girl waggled her eyebrows at her best friend, her green eyes expressing the relief she felt that the gun-user hadn't sustained further injuries. Her fingers gently touched the baby soft orange hairs behind Teana's neck, masking the intimate gesture between them with a goofy grin.
"We're waiting here anyway to make sure Fate-san's okay, so what does it matter? Besides…I can be your nurse anytime and do it for you. I'll even dress up!"
The Enforcer's face became completely flushed at that comment, and she pushed the eager fist-fighter away by shoving her hand in her face. Sometimes, Teana had a hard time telling if Subaru was or wasn't really as naïve as she appeared to be – one had to wonder with a provocative comment like that. The gun-user's eyebrow twitched in agitation as she began to threaten the other girl in her embarrassment.
"Subaru, you—"
"If you two don't shut up, we're all going to be here longer because I will purposefully put both of you here for an extended stay."
The "two" Vita was referring to winced and sat in their respective places calmly, not wanting to further piss off the already annoyed Wolkenritter. Her mood had only gotten steadily more soul the longer they had to wait to hear the results of Fate's operation.
"Y-yes Vita-san…" they both mumbled.
Vita closed her eyes again and tried to get comfortable as she lay out on the couch, although she begrudgingly had to admit it was much easier to do so when Nanoha had forced her to use her lap as a pillow. The senior instructor had gone once more to phone a few people and let them know about the blonde Enforcer's condition, most notably Erio and Caro who were stationed the furthest away.
Cracking an eye open once she heard footsteps in the hallway nearby, she saw the brunette approach them once more.
"Get ahold of the Lightning kids?" Vita inquired.
Nanoha smiled at the way the Knight referred to the lance-user and the dragon summoner who had become like younger siblings to Fate. She saw the perked up interest in the "Stars kids" as well at the mention of their old unit members.
"I talked to Caro. She wanted to make plans to come here immediately with Erio but I managed to calm her down a little…promised I'd update her tomorrow after Fate-chan's operation."
Vita only nodded, and moved so the captain could sit beside her again. The Ace looked to her past students who suddenly looked down at being reminded why they were all there – even the energetic and upbeat Subaru had a big frown on her face.
"Why don't you two go home and rest? Especially you, Teana. Fate-chan would be upset if she knew you weren't taking care of yourself after what happened."
The advice from Nanoha went on deaf ears as both teenagers immediately spoke up.
"We won't leave you Nanoha-san!"
"I'm not leaving until I know Har…Fate-san is okay! I promised I wouldn't!"
The brunette sighed at the outright refusal by Subaru and Teana, having known the answer before she even asked the question. That had always been the most defining attribute of her old team – dedication. And right now, the two formidable young soldiers were dedicated to staying by their mentor's side.
"Okay, okay. Then Tea, at least try to sleep some, ne?"
Subaru offered a wolfish smile at the other girl.
"Tea, you can sleep in my lap like Vita-chan was sleeping in Nano—"
The smile quickly disappeared from Subaru's face as the agent smacked the back of the cyborg's head, silencing any similar propositions. Nanoha and Vita both laughed a bit at the comic relief the young couple provided, cobalt blue eyes drifting once more to the doors of the OR.
---
"Vivio-chan, you haven't even touched your ice cream."
The small blonde looked with dismay at her bowl of ice cream, even though it was her favorite flavor with generous toppings. Hayate and Signum had taken her to her favorite café in town (that just so happened to have amazing deserts), and prior to that they had a home-cooked meal with Shamal and Zafira. The commander frowned a bit, realizing that it might not have been wise to take her to the spot where she'd often seen Vivio's mothers take her on their days off work; noticing her niece's sunken attitude, it was obvious that the young girl was thinking of just that. Hayate rested her hand on the little blonde's back and rubbed there comfortingly.
"You know, you'd be doing your Auntie Hayate a favor by eating it. Your Nanoha-mama and Fate-mama are gonna wring my neck if their precious little girl isn't well-fed."
The stoic Signum chuckled as she sat down next to them with two cups of coffee, handing Hayate a cup.
"Especially Testarossa. She's a protective one."
"See? So you gotta help me out, Vivio-chan!"
Vivio managed to crack a smile and giggle at her aunt's silly words, finally digging into her ice cream.
"Fate-mama could take you any day Auntie Hayate."
The Mistress of the Night Sky feigned hurt while her Knight smirked at her theatrical gestures.
"Mou, Vivio-chan…you're so brutally honest! Just like Nanoha-chan. But Fate-chan sure is strong! In fact, Signum here knows a whole bunch of stories about just how tough she is!"
"Really? Tell me, Signum! Please?"
The Wolkenritter sighed, knowing she couldn't put up a fight against the full-strength sad puppy looks being thrown her way. The swordsman lifted her cup to her lips to take a sip of her hot beverage before she muttered in agreement. Hayate and Vivio cheered, the six-year-old looking much happier.
"Hey, tell her about the one fight you had on that desert planet! Get this, Vivio…your Fate-mama beat Signum, and she was only nine! She took out ten giant centipede monsters before that too, right? The ones that were holding you hostage?"
Signum's eyebrow twitched at her Mistress' completely off-base summary of what had actually happened during that particular battle…but Vivio's look of pure awe was enough to make her pause. She wouldn't lie, but she did have enough of a story to keep the child in a state of wonder.
"I suppose she did save me…somewhat," the Knight said in resignation. "But the real story," Signum continued, "is indeed how much of a master swordsman she was at nine years old…"
Hayate smiled gratefully at her Knight as she told Vivio the story, the commander leaning back in her seat at their table in the back of the café. She sipped at her cup of coffee as well, though while glancing on the clock on the wall. She noted that it was close to the time that Fate should have been out of her operation.
Fate-chan…please be okay.
---
"Shouldn't we have heard word by now?"
The usually calm and level-headed Chrono was seated on the couch in his mother's living room, covering his face with his hand. He had driven over immediately after hearing about his sister being in the hospital from Lindy, and had originally demanded that they travel to the hospital ASAP. Only the gentle words of his mother and the blunt but true observations of his wife had convinced him otherwise.
"Chrono," Lindy said softly after placing her teacup down in its saucer. She was sitting across from her son, and hated to see him so upset.
"You're a good big brother to Fate-chan…but we need to wait. Nanoha told us she'd let us know when she's out of surgery. We'll go then."
The blue-haired man sighed in frustration. He had finally taken some leave from his busy job, and not a week after he left his office at the TSAB…well, something like this happened. Beside him on the couch, Amy was rubbing his back soothingly while keeping an eye on their kids. They were playing on the deck with Arf, who was doing her best to keep a smile on her face for Fate's niece and nephew.
The smaller familiar could only think of her Master, and how she wasn't by her side. The blonde had trusted her to take care of Lindy when she graduated high school and officially joined the TSAB, but Arf had always feared that a day like this would come…and that she wouldn't be there.
Fate…
Noticing the familiar's drooped ears, Lindy stood and walked to where the little wolf-girl was keeping her grandchildren company. Kneeling down to join in on their board game, the ex-Admiral rested a hand on Arf's head and rubbed behind her ears…just the way Fate always did when she came to visit.
"We'll all go to see her in a little while, ne?"
---
Nanoha opened her eyes and looked once more at the doors to the OR. She had lost count of the number of times she had done that in the last six or eight hours, as sleep was something that wouldn't be possible until she knew that the blonde Enforcer had made it through her procedure.
Although sleeping hadn't been an issue for Vita, Teana or Subaru, who were all snoring softly around her…and part of her was glad of that. The brunette was grateful to be kept company at a time like this, but at the same time she felt guilty to have dragged them all into this painful waiting game with her.
Especially Teana, the Ace thought with a frown.
Though that frown turned into a small smile when she saw Subaru curled up against the Enforcer's side on one the waiting room benches – they were covered by one of the blankets that the nurses had brought for them. With Teana's arm wrapped around her and cheek resting on her thick head of blue hair, it seemed like she was getting some decent rest…or at least some quality snuggling time with the object of her very obvious affection.
The sweet sight reminded her of a picture she had hanging on the wall above the bed she shared with Fate back home, one that Lindy had taken of Fate and herself at the hospital where Amy and Chrono had their twins. Nanoha smiled even more as she remembered that evening clearly – or more specifically, the conversation that had taken place before the two of them had similarly dozed off after a long night.
...
"Fate-chan…"
"Mmm?"
The sixteen-year-old brunette smiled up at her best friend and girlfriend, squeezing the hand in hers gently. She was met with a small, but earnest smile in return.
"You still look anxious, even after seeing Chrono-kun and Amy-san."
Fate scratched her cheek a little, laughing nervously.
"Hah…I do?"
Nanoha nodded. She took their joined hands and rested them both in her lap, weaving their fingers together and running her thumb over the top of the young Enforcer's knuckles. The slight blush on Fate's cheeks from the subtle intimacy made the shorter of the two giggle. At this point in their relationship, Nanoha knew Fate could hide very little from her…and vice versa, of course.
"Something's on your mind…I can tell."
Crimson eyes averted themselves away from curious cobalt blue.
"I was just…it's really…it's nothing."
The instructor-in-training tugged on her girlfriend's black jacket sleeve lightly, forming a pout she knew the other couldn't refuse. Whether or not she had also intended for the blonde to catch a glance of a bit of cleavage peeking out from her pink dress, the reaction was inevitable; Fate coughed and glanced away again immediately, her cheeks stained a much deeper red than before.
"Just tell me!" Nanoha said while laughing and squeezing the other's arm. "Are you nervous about being an aunt?"
The agent-in-training sighed in resignation, chewing on the bottom of her lip for a moment as she seemed to consider her words.
"Well…no…it's more like…I just realized something."
"Like what?"
Nanoha waited, her curiosity growing by the minute. She didn't want to step all over the blonde while she was trying to admit something she was obviously embarrassed about…although she had a few ideas as to what it was. The brunette could only imagine how it would feel to have a niece or nephew while you were still a teenager, let alone two at once…it was bound to bring some pressure. Nanoha also knew there was a chance that seeing children born "normally" into her family might bring back painful memories for the blonde about her own birth as well.
But regardless of the reason, she was ready to be there for her. Truthfully, Nanoha had been both touched and thrilled when Fate asked her to join her and Lindy for the hospital visit; it made her feel like she was part of the Harlaown clan, she thought with a tiny blush of her own.
"When you were holding Onii-chan's daughter…"
"Eh?"
She hadn't expected that, and suddenly grew anxious. Had she done something wrong? The brunette had caught her girlfriend watching her while she held the baby girl but she hadn't thought anything of it at the time. Truth be told, Nanoha had been nervous when they walked into the hospital as well…as her experience with infants, babies and children amounted to just about nothing, being the youngest of three. Fate, by comparison, looked like a natural motherly figure when she held her brother's newborns.
"I realized that I wanted a child, with you," Fate said softly, immediately halting Nanoha's mental play-by-play of everything that had gone on just a half-an-hour earlier. The brunette blinked, somewhat unsure of what she just heard.
"Eh? I'm sorry Fate-chan, I was thinking about…er, nevermind. What did you say?"
The blonde cleared her throat quietly, the blush persistent on her cheeks as she leaned in to murmur in her girlfriend's ear.
"I want a child too…with you, Nanoha."
The tenderness in Fate's smooth, low voice was enough to make even the famously-resilient Ace of Aces melt. And although she was close to swooning, the subject matter of the sweet declaration didn't escape her – thus it was her turn to have a much more intense blush on her face.
"Fate-chan…b-but we're still in high-school…"
The Enforcer's eyes widened and she shook her head quickly, raising a hand up in her defense.
"N-no, no…I know…I just mean…later. S-someday, when we have the means to make a family of our own."
Nanoha looked surprised for a few moments more – but when Fate's words sank in she couldn't help but feel her eyes moisten a bit. She smiled lovingly, tugging on the blonde closer to her by the front of her jacket.
"Mou, Fate-chan…" she whispered, pressing a kiss to the corner of her lover's mouth – a spot she knew the blonde was weak for.
The young Enforcer's usual nervousness at public displays of affection was considerably diminished in the mostly empty waiting room, her arm wrapping around the other girl's lower back. Her face was completely flushed when Nanoha pulled away, and her voice was wavering slightly.
"You um…want to stay over tonight?"
"Mmm!" the brunette said affirmatively with another giggle as she leaned her head on Fate's shoulder. She played with the long, deft fingers threaded with her own somewhat sleepily, feeling completely relaxed in her girlfriend's arms.
"Wake me up when Lindy-san comes out, ne? Wouldn't want her to see me touching you like I was last week," the Ace said teasingly. She knew Fate would immediately think back to last Saturday morning when Lindy had walked into her room with a plate of fresh scones…only to see Nanoha groping her daughter in her sleep.
The ex-Admiral had promised she wouldn't let the blonde live it down, and her girlfriend was rewarded with a hushed, embarrassed whisper as a nurse walked by.
"N-Nanoha!"
…
"Nanoha-san?"
The twenty-year-old brunette looked up to see Shamal walking towards her, dressed in scrubs. The Knight of the Lake was smiling at her, holding a holopad against her chest. Nanoha immediately stood up to meet her, rousing a sleepy Vita next to her.
"Shamal-san…" the captain began.
"The operation's over, and it was a success. Fate-san's in recovery," the blonde said before she could finish, the Wolkenritter happy to share the good news.
Nanoha was so relieved she fell back in her seat, hand resting over her chest. She felt her heart beating a mile a minute through her rib cage, the captain almost feeling light-headed. Vita remained silent, but she had a smile on her face…knowing how relieved her dear friend was in that moment. Subaru and Teana stirred while their old teacher finally spoke up again after taking a breather.
"Can I see her now?"
"Normally I'd tell the family to wait a bit, but I think you've waited long enough."
Shamal had opened her mouth to reply, but Doctor Giordano came up from behind her and answered the concerned brunette's question instead. The Italian woman, also wearing scrubs and a kind smile, extended a hand to Nanoha.
"You must be Captain Takamachi. I'm Doctor Carmela Giordano…Fate's doctor."
Nanoha quickly took the offered hand, squeezing it.
"Thank you so much, Giordano-sensei…"
The black-haired woman shook her head, beginning to tell the captain not to thank her for doing her job…until the two younger members of the TSAB fully woke up.
"Fate-san's okay? That's so great, Nanoha-san!" Subaru blurted out.
The gun-user beside her just sighed in relief, running her hand through her hair and wincing when she irritated her head wound. The cyborg instantly changed her attention to her girlfriend, fussing over her a bit. Shamal stepped away from her doctor friend and Nanoha, giving them some space to talk.
"Teana-san, I really must insist that you let me look at your injuries before you go home. We can use one of the empty rooms on the ward."
Teana saw Subaru looking at her worriedly, so she agreed as much as she didn't want to…though she did growl as the cyborg tried to help her up.
"Alright alright…I'll visit Fate-san tomorrow."
The young Enforcer looked at her old mentor before she was dragged away by Subaru.
"Take care, Nanoha-san."
The Knight of the Lake grabbed Vita by the arm as well, tugging her along for the examination…much to her protest, of course. Nanoha smiled at her friends before she looked back at Doctor Giordano, who had waited for the others to leave before she gestured behind her.
"Walk with me."
The captain nodded and followed the Italian down the hallway, looking at the considerably beautiful view of space through the floor-to-ceiling windows on their left. The brunette listened to the soft footsteps belonging to herself and the doctor, almost lost in thought – only the Italian's voice brought her out of it.
"We fixed her collapsed lung and stopped the internal bleeding, and Shamal was able to begin healing her magical burns substantially. She's completely stable…though she's weak, lost a lot of a blood, and is likely in a severe amount of pain."
Nanoha digested the much more difficult information slowly, crossing her arms over her chest. It hurt her greatly to know that the one she loved was in pain…though her relief at knowing she had made it through her operation was still fresh in her mind. Before the instructor could ask the question, Carmela answered her.
"She's on heavy painkillers and anesthesia for the pain, and she should be conscious soon. She'll be fully aware…though it might be hard for her to talk, at first."
The brunette nodded, noting that they were passing through double-doors to a somewhat removed, extra quiet ward for patients recovering from surgery. In a few short minutes, they arrived at Fate's room and Nanoha stopped alongside the doctor, taking note of the number of the room they were in front of. She lifted her head up to look at the other woman – Carmela couldn't help but notice how tired she looked.
"How long until I can take her home?" she asked, with a feeling of dread in her heart.
The Italian rested a hand on Nanoha's arm, squeezing it lightly.
"She's a fighter, Takamachi-san…but I won't lie to you, it will take some time. We'll have to take it day by day."
Carmela noticed the frown on her younger woman's face before continuing. "But for now, go be with her...and make sure she gets some rest."
Nanoha nodded a bit, offering her thanks again as the doctor left her. She had known she would get that answer since Shamal had first told her the extent of Fate's wounds – they far exceeded her own when she had been hospitalized, and she had been in and out of the hospital for a year. The captain tried to ignore the negative thoughts she had for the time being as she took a deep breath, smoothing her hair a bit before she opened the door to the Enforcer's room.
The brunette simply stood in the doorway for a few minutes, staring at Fate's limp form on the bed. She willed herself to eventually move, her eyes moving over the various wires, casts, slings and bandages that covered her beloved's body as she arrived by her bedside. The blonde hair she adored so much looked wiry and thin, almost lifeless as it was matted against her face…and the crimson eyes she longed to see were still shut, her eyelids looking particularly heavy and dark. Fate's lips were open slightly, though her mouth was still covered by an oxygen mask that helped her chest rise and fall steadily…though none of her breaths were considerably deep, as if it hurt for the blonde to breathe.
A shaking hand reached out to smooth the sweat-soaked bangs on the sleeping woman's face before retracting again, resting at Nanoha's side. She looked around and quickly found a chair, picking it up and setting it by the wounded soldier's bed. The captain sighed as she sat down, though her own breath was fairly shallow. She did her best to smile for her lover even if she wouldn't see it.
"Hi, Fate-chan."
The brunette took the Enforcer's bandaged hand that wasn't in a cast with both of hers, caressing it. She laughed a little in spite of the situation, thinking back to the words a nine-year-old Fate had told her once upon a time and echoed them in the quiet hospital room.
"Your hand's so warm…" she murmured.
It was then that she felt something warm and wet drop onto her hand; she bit her lower lip and hastily rubbed at her eyes with her wrist, trying to dry her eyes. She didn't want the sight of her crying to be the first thing that Fate would see when she woke up – she had to remain strong for her too.
Nanoha…
And suddenly Nanoha heard the sweet alto voice of her lover, though not in the air between them – she was communicating with her telepathically. The Ace's head snapped up, and that's when she saw lidded, weary crimson eyes looking at her…and the small smile that peeked out from the oxygen mask.
"Fate-chan…"
Her eyes watered again, but she forced herself to smile at the wounded Enforcer. She wanted to leap forward and embrace her, but given how fragile she looked she forced herself to remain in her chair. The hand beneath hers moved slightly though, and Nanoha realized that she was trying to lift it up. She immediately helped raise the blonde's hand, resting it against her cheek and covering it with her own. The twenty-year-old felt her lover's long fingers touch her hair, and she couldn't help but cling to that hand like a lifeline.
I'm sorry I didn't come home…
Even speaking this way, Fate's voice sounded a bit gravelly and exhausted. The captain closed her eyes and laughed a bit more, sniffling – the brunette loved how the Enforcer always thought of others first. She kissed the bottom of the agent's palm, just underneath the bandages.
"It doesn't matter now," she whispered against her skin. "All that matters is that you're okay."
The two of them stayed like that for some time, just looking at each other and taking comfort from the physical contact. Silence was never awkward between them.
Is Vivio here?
The blonde broke the silence first. The instructor shook her head, stroking Fate's arm – she had to be careful to avoid agitating any of her bruises.
"No, she's with Hayate-chan and Signum. I was going to bring her here once you woke up, but…"
The thought of their daughter seeing her mother in this state was almost more than Nanoha could handle. Fate gave her a grateful smile, stroking the brunette's cheek as best as she could.
Good…I don't want her to see me like this.
"Mmm…we'll just wait a little while then. Until you're…"
Her voice cracked, and her lover immediately picked up on it.
Nanoha…it's okay.
"Eh?"
Nanoha's eyes glanced up, meeting a deep red gaze that was tired, yet full of love. Her soft voice echoed in her mind once more.
You look like you're trying not to cry. It's okay.
The instructor smiled, shaking her head.
"I know…you're going to be okay."
Fate's thumb reached up to catch a tear that had stubbornly refused to fall from a moist cobalt eye. The blonde knew her beloved was putting on a brave front, like she always did for everyone around her in a time of crisis. But she wouldn't let Nanoha bottle it up when she knew that she was terrified deep down…just like she had been when Vivio had been taken from them. She wouldn't let her suffer alone.
I mean…it's okay to cry.
The captain blinked, a little confused by the injured agent's words. She shook her head again, a couple tears falling freely.
"Fate-chan…don't worry about me. You…you just need to get better…so you can come home…"
Then, Fate surprised her. She slowly moved her hand away from her lover's cheek, ignoring the shooting pain that went up her arm as her body protested every movement. The Enforcer tugged the oxygen mask off her face, resting it on her chest. She was definitely breathing with a bit more difficulty, but she kept a smile on her lips to let the other know she was alright.
"Come here," she said in a rough voice, moving her hand to beckon the other woman into her arms. The pain was great, but her need to comfort the love of her life was far greater.
It was then that Nanoha broke down. She moved forward, mindful of her lover's frailty, and buried her face in her neck; she openly cried, letting go of the emotional turmoil she had felt since receiving the news that the blonde, now consoling her, had been struck down. Fate responded by rubbing at the brunette's lower back, her breath warm against the other's forehead.
"You know…you don't have to hold it in…when you're with me, Nanoha."
She heard a muffled sob and felt a nod against her chest. The blonde was quietly grateful that the teary captain was snuggled into her "good" shoulder. The sniffling Ace spoke up after a few moments.
"W-what about Vivio? I have to—"
"We'll both…be strong for her. We're both…her parents, ne?"
"Mmm…"
Nanoha could hear the labored breathing coming from the Enforcer, and she lifted her head to press a soft kiss against Fate's dry lips. She then moved the oxygen mask back over her mouth, giving the agent a stern but adoring look when she protested weakly.
"I'll be here…as long as it takes," she said firmly, making her that promise.
It can't be too long, the blonde said telepathically, legitimate concern in her voice. I have to enjoy picking up Vivio while I can. She's growing up so fast…
Tucking a stray piece of hair behind her lover's ear, the instructor laughed a little at how cute Fate was when she acted so motherly. It really did come to the blonde naturally, all these years later.
"She needs her Fate-mama who's too soft on her…and I need my Fate-chan to keep me warm at night."
Nanoha laughed even more when she saw that adorable, trademark blush showing up on the Enforcer's pale cheeks – yet another thing that had truly stood the test of time. But as much as she wanted to tease her again, as if this brutal incident had never happened, the brunette recognized the exhaustion on Fate's features; recalling Doctor Giordano's words, the Ace of Aces knew she had to let the agent rest. She heard a soft voice in her mind, sounding apologetic.
Nanoha...my body is so tired...
"So go to sleep then, silly. I'm not going anywhere," the captain said as she leaned in to kiss Fate once more, this time on the corner of her beloved's lips. Nanoha took the wounded Enforcer's hand and smiled as she saw the other visibly relax at her touch, the instructor hoping that her presence would help Fate sleep through the night.
"Sleep well, Fate-chan…" she said softly, watching over the blonde as she closed her weary eyes.
This is so sweet that is raising my sugar levels far beyond healthy…
Read stuff like this make me feel bad about my own creations. Nice work there. Really cute, sweet, little funny. I wonder what happen back on Fate´s mission and I hope the culprits get a full Blaster 3 SLB on their heads.
Part 4 is on FFdotnet. For some odd reason, I've posted it here twice only to see it...disappear. O_o
Are you sure it got successfully posted in the thread? I checked the logs and I only see that you updated a couple of posts, the first post of this thread, and posted this last post. I turned off our old server just in case, I noticed that it was generating a minor conflict with the indexing but probably it has nothing to do with this.
Awwh, thanks for the kind words Heart! I'll get right on the second chapter!