XXVII - Safe At Last

The day after that successful mission, Fang told his seniors everything that happened in the previous battle. He told them about her recent behavior. About how she brutally finished Alexander. With this, Commander Koko Ci and Admiral Tarung came up with one conclusion, Nerissa Dezastaria might be too vicious for TAPOPS. That's what they evaluated about her.

So, they asked her to reflect on herself. Indeed, that act was so unlike her. This is the second time she felt like this. She still remembered how Fang stared at her in blood. It's almost as if he's looking at... a monster. Just like how the guards looked at her when she was a little girl. That's a sight she never wanted to see ever again. The girl quietly takes a deep breath as she tries to reconcile with herself. Calming down the demons inside her.

After hours of reflection, she finally exits from her room. She sights everyone who walks in front of her door with sweat on their faces. It felt like everyone fears her. They all must hear all of it. Well, that made her a bit upset with herself.

She enters the medical room, found her lover's bed. Kaizo's still lying on his bed, not yet awakened. But, he's still stable. All those injuries did him bad. He just needs time to recover himself. Hopefully, he'll wake up soon. And she also saw Fang, sleeping right beside his bed. He holds his big brother's muscular hand as he sleeps.

She also sighted a small table beside his bed. There's a flower bouquet from Boboiboy and his friend, with a message written that hopefully, the captain will get better soon. Good thing Nut repaired the captain's mask for him. Fang placed it on the table.

Nerissa quietly drags a nearby chair and sits beside his bed. Staring at her lover and his little brother. They both sleep peacefully. She gently caresses Kaizo's sleeping face and kisses his cheek.

Couldn't wait to see him waking up, she tries to use her powers to quicken his recovery. She can feel him. Just him. A feeling she could feel after such a while.

"Nerissa? Are you healing him?"

She recognized that voice. Fang just woke up.

"Oh, Fang. Yes, I'm trying to give him a little help. Hopefully, he'll wake up soon."

She releases her powers from him and sits back on her chair. Fang just stares at her. He thinks she's alright by now, meaning that she has made peace with herself.

"I did try my best to save him, but he let himself go. That's a sin I must atone myself. Only with that, I hope you could forgive me."

Those words came across his mind. He remembered it perfectly. But, now that Kaizo is safe and sound. He must never forget his promise to her.

"H-Hey, Nerissa?" Fang calls out for her.

She glances her eyes to his, "Hm? What is it?"

Knowing that Fang had yelled and screamed at her for failing him, he felt so bad about that. He wanted to thank her, and at the same time, apologize to her. Yet, he felt hesitant about it.

"T-Thank you. For saving him."

With this, he can finally accept all her past apologies. Her eyes widen when he said that. All her worries paid off.

"A-And..." He stutters, "I'm sorry... for screaming at you, yelling at you-"

"No."

His eyes widen at the sudden answer, "W-Wha?"

"There's no need to apologize for that. I already accepted all those critics from you." She speaks, "Understood?"

"A-All right."

The door suddenly opens. Turns out it's Boboiboy, along with the Commander and the Admiral. They all come to visit him.

"Hello, Nerissa," Boboiboy says.

"Hi, Fang!" Yaya and Ying call him.

Nerissa stood up salutes for Commander Koko Ci and Admiral Tarung. They both come to see his condition.

"How is he, Vice-Captain?" Tarung asks her.

Nerissa replies, "He is stable, sir. I just gave him a little help for his recovery. Hopefully, he will wake up soon."

"I see..." says the Commander.

Yaya then questions, "Nerissa. Are you alright by now?"

"Yeah... I'm fine now." Nerissa replies.

Fang wanted to ask her something. About her recent behaviour. Yet, he's afraid that it would be inappropriate. He'll give it a try.

"Umm... Nerissa?"

"Yes, Fang?" Nerissa recognises.

"Can I ask you something?" Fang asks.

"Anything."

"I-It's about how you finished Alexander." He speaks. "Were you... always like that?"

Everyone heard his question. They remembered all the stories Fang told them. It's hard to imagine what they'll think if they witnessed her. They all looked at her, waiting for her answer.

"No... It was too unusual for me. This is the second I felt like that." Nerissa replies.

Commander then questions, "Eh? Then your first time?"

"When I was a little girl." She replies.

Suddenly, they all heard a soft grunt. Everyone glances at the sound source. It's Kaizo. He finally woke up. He slowly opens his eyes and the first thing he saw is his little brother, Fang.

"Pang..."

Fang sheds his tears and hugs his brother. Kaizo smiles and ruffles his hair. His brother finally came back. The next thing he saw is Nerissa, who just stares at him with a tear running down her cheeks. His hand gently holds her face and wipes her tears with his thumb.

"My princess..."

Her lips trembles. She felt his touches on her skin. He finally feels her again. She moves her head closer to him. They both felt their lips touching, with her tears falling on his face.

"Ahem..."

She quickly opens her eyes. She realizes what she's done might be inappropriate. She kissed him in front of the kids and her seniors. She releases her kiss from Kaizo and seats herself back.

"I'm sorry."

"How long I have been out?" Kaizo questions.

Commander then replies, "You have been absent for 1 week, Captain. Vice-Captain Nerissa and Fang successfully rescued you from Alexander."

"I see..."

His thumb rubs Nerissa's soft hand. He must know what happened to her and how she saved him. He also wanted to tell her everything happened to him. It should Nerissa first to listen, then he'll tell everything to the Commander and Admiral. But, to ask that, he must ask for some privacy.

"Can I have some privacy with the Vice-Captain?" Kaizo requests.

"O-Of course, Captain."

They're starting to walk to the door. Kaizo suddenly had the urge to tell Fang something.

"Fang." He calls him.

"Y-Yes, Captain?"

Kaizo then smiles and tells him, "I'm proud of you."

He stood there for a second, not believing the words that came out of his mouth. He turns away and quickly runs out to the door. But, Nerissa can tell that he is very happy about it.

Now, it's just the two of them. Kaizo keeps rubbing her hand with his thumb. That makes her blushing and he simply smirks about it.

"Stop that." She says.

Kaizo asks, "Stop what?"

"Your hands... It tickles me." Nerissa whispers with a blush.

"I'm not allowed to flirt with my lover after I woke up?" He simply smirks.

She suddenly raises her voice to scold him, "Of course, you can't! You just recovered!"

He snickers, "I'm joking, I'm joking."

He gently kisses her hands. She finally sees his smiles. And he finally sees her angry face again, which he finds cute.

"Now, what is it that you want to talk about?"

"Tell me everything." He demands.

She says, "About what?"

"Everything during my absence."

She takes a deep breath before she explains the whole thing. He's all ears.

"I fell from that bridge, too. I drowned in the drainage deep under the factory. But then, I woke up on the beach, where all the metal junks were stranded. I thought I could find you there, turns out I'm wrong. You were gone, Kaizo. The only thing I found is... that thing."

She points at his repaired mask. Kaizo just noticed it, he thought it was long broken and lost.

"Thanks for taking care of it, Nerissa." He thanked without touching the mask.

"I accessed it. It showed all the final records before you were gone. Alexander took you away and for his experiments. I reported everything to the Commander and Admiral. You have announced MIA. News spread to the whole Tempur-A. And your brother... he blamed me for it. It was my fault, Kaizo."

Her lips shake, holding back tears remembering the whole thing. Kaizo quickly hugs her to comfort her.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you, Kaizo." She sniffles, "He hated me so much back then."

"Shh... It's alright, love. It's alright."

"I thought if I rescue you, he would forgive me. And it will atone my sins. It took one week for the Commander and the Admiral to gave me the search and rescue mission. And Fang insisted to come." She explains.

"I see..."

"We found way farther, deep under the factory. Alexander created this kind of city, made of glass and mirrors. He blabbered about his concepts of life and death. It irritates me. But, when I saw you, pinned on a crucifix, I was snapped. I killed him, Kaizo. But you could say I was...too vicious. It was so not like me. Fang witnessed the whole thing. He saw me drenched in blood. I still remembered his eyes, his terrified eyes. He saw me like... as if I was a monster."

Kaizo hears all of that and he keeps comforting her. It must be so horrifying for her.

"I'm scared, Kaizo. What if I went like that again? I don't want to see those kind eyes." She breathes and holds him tight.

"It's alright. Nerissa, if I saw you like that, I will comfort you, just like how I comfort you right now. I'll assure you that you'll be safe with me." Kaizo swore and caresses her hair.

"Will you?" She looked into his eyes.

He smiles gently, "I will."

They feel each other's warmth for a while. Now that Nerissa has told him everything, it's his turn to tell the whole thing.

"Nerissa?" He calls.

"Yeah?"

"He accesses all my memories. Just like how you did it to me. He keeps blabbering things like family and love. Like it's something he never had. That whole lecture goes on for a whole week. Until the moment he sensed that you and Fang came to me." He explains.

"I see..."

He gently kisses her forehead and holds her tight. He hasn't felt her scent like forever. They shared a kiss, wet kisses. The warm and gentle embrace. She saved him.

He calls her, "Nerissa?"

"Hm?" She responds.

"I missed you, so much." He kisses her.

She smiles and says, "I missed you, too. A lot."

"I missed your soul, your presence, your warmth, your kisses, your body, your everything. I missed you so much, Nerissa."

"I missed your whole being, Kaizo. Every night I long for your touch."

He feels her chest against his body as she said those sweet words.

"Nerissa?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you... for saving me." Kaizo thanked.

"You're welcome, my love."

Nerissa saved his life, a lot. Kaizo wanted to keep her safe. He wanted to protect her. So that she knows that he is her knight in shining armour.

"Nerissa, love. I swear to you. From now on, I will be the one to protect you."

BLOODY SHADOW

THE END

"Thank you for following our love journey and thank you for reading this story."

Love,Kaizo and Nerissa