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Post by Skyfire on Dec 26, 2009 7:55:42 GMT -5
((Named it after a Star Wars Anakin-redemption fanfic. *shrugs* It kinda fits: this is the second time Erin has been hospitalized for similar wounds and circumstances.))
Buzz lightly stroked his sister’s cheek, kissed it, then stood and left the room. Erin hadn’t woken up yet. The doctors said that the blow left her with a concussion, a broken left cheekbone, a burn on the right side of her face… but nothing was life-threatening. Buzz was grateful for that.
On the other hand… she could very well have died tonight. On her wedding night, no less.
Just thinking about it… Buzz’s chest constricted, and he had difficulty breathing. He had been that close to losing his sister again…
That was why he had knocked Hellboy down like that, that first time. He hadn’t cared if it was “honorable” or not – all he had been thinking about was his sister.
Maybe he was obsessed with protecting her. If he was, he wasn’t the least bit ashamed of it.
He loved Erin. She was an amazing girl who had opened his heart in a wonderful way. He loved her smile, her laugh, her beautiful voice, her intense look when she was concentrating, her incorrigible childlikeness, her big heart.
Love. It was a tricky thing. Powerful, too. Just about the most powerful thing in the universe, love. For one thing, love could make you run the whole gamut of emotions, something nothing else could do.
Right now, though, the one emotion Buzz was really feeling above all others was anger. He really couldn’t decide who he was angrier at, either: Hellboy for his deeds, or Zurg for putting Hellboy up to it in the first place – all for the sake of a stupid vendetta with Warp.
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Post by Warp Darkmatter on Dec 26, 2009 8:24:06 GMT -5
Warp had his eye's locked on Erin's vitals now that he'd finally decided which room he wanted to be in. When the team had first arrived back the MedBay, he'd insisted on stay in her room, but the LGMs had made him leave. Since they'd done their work and left, he had been in an out of the room at least three times. That was until Mira had finally yelled at him to make up his mind.
Nothing had changed in her vital signs and Buzz as in the room, he Warp had opted to simply plant himself in a chair and sit. He had two things to think of, one being Erin and the other being, How did it ever come this far?
He imagined that this was remotely what it was like for Erin and the rest of the team when she'd first arrived in their world. But it should be like this NOW. He heaved a deep sigh. And it's my doing. I should've gotten her out of there right after Hellboy showed up. Warp fumed, squeezing the chair's armrests. It wasn't just the feeling of guilt that made him upset, it was the fact that his ex-boss was trying to kill innocence. Yep, he more than a few words for Zurg now.
But there was one more thought that had crossed his mind.
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Post by Skyfire on Dec 26, 2009 8:49:00 GMT -5
Buzz’s eyes wandered and found Warp sitting in a corner and watching Erin’s vitals. He felt a surge of empathy – after all, Erin was now Warp’s wife. Oh man, this had to be hurting so badly.
Buzz sank into the chair beside his partner. “Hey,” he said quietly. “Unibuck for your thoughts.”
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Post by Warp Darkmatter on Dec 26, 2009 8:53:57 GMT -5
Warp almost visibly jolted at the sound of Buzz's voice. "Hey. I'm okay. How about you?" He knew that wasn't what Buzz had meant but he was still wrapping his mind around something.
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Post by Skyfire on Dec 26, 2009 9:06:11 GMT -5
Buzz gave Warp a frank look. “Mad,” he admitted. “Right about now, I think I could cheerfully strangle Zurg, and don’t tell me that you’re not thinking somewhere along the same lines. So what’s going on in that head of yours?”
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Post by Warp Darkmatter on Dec 26, 2009 9:11:22 GMT -5
Warp nodded. "I'm feeling about the same. A little worse maybe. Given the chance, I'd make it as painful as possible, and make sure you save me some of Zurg's throat." He sighed again as he looked at Erin. "It's my fault, Buzz. I should've put an end to this the day I left Planet Z. Better yet, never left at all. If I had known he was going to do this....."
"And a I had a dream, Buzz."
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Post by Skyfire on Dec 27, 2009 6:35:18 GMT -5
Buzz smirked humorlessly. “Will do.” The scary thing was that he meant it.
Buzz wanted to tell Warp that it wasn’t his fault, but he couldn’t. It was true. Of course, it all began with Zurg, but Warp held his own share of the blame. However… “Yeah, right,” he snorted. “Where would you and Erin be now if you’d stayed with Zurg? Warp Darkmatter, that would’ve torn you two apart and you know it.”
Leaning forward, he rested his arms on his knees, clasped his hands, and sighed, staring into space. “You know, as Erin’s guardian, I shouldn’t be saying this; but as a guy who’s been friends with you for twenty years… Her life is not as important as your soul. Her soul is guaranteed, and if she’d died – then or tonight – she’d instantly be in Heaven. A month ago, you couldn’t say the same for yourself.”
He turned back to Warp, his eyes intense with blue fire. “If your soul was worth her life, it was a price she would have gladly paid. And… and I think that… that if she were to somehow know that… that she would have to die young, just to be with you… just for a short time…” His voice was breaking. “She’d do it, Warp. She loves you that much.”
There it was again. Love. It was a frightening thing. Frightening in its sheer intensity, frightening in its raw power.
It was enough to turn the universe upside-down. Craters, it already had turned the universe upside-down, long ago.
Buzz did a double-take. Erin was known to have significant dreams, and over time, Buzz had come to pay attention them. “What was it about?”
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Post by Warp Darkmatter on Dec 27, 2009 7:02:50 GMT -5
"Thanks." There were few times that Warp could remember that he'd had a wish to take a life, and usually it wasn't really personal. But this time, he wanted that almost more than anything.
Warp frowned, not looking at his old partner, looking away even. He knew Buzz was right but he still wished he had figured out a way to keep it from becoming an all out private war.
"No...I couldn't." He had to admit it. Buzz was going to be right as usual.
Warp almost bolted from his seat as he spoke."All this, just so that she'd end up in here...again. Why didn't you ever tell those things that only partners know of each other? And don't tell me she already knew. That TV show will never be able express such things." He paused. "It's far, Buzz, for her to be doing this for me, when there almost nothing I can give her back. I can only give my life and what good is that if one of us is dead." As if that wasn't enough.
"It was about..."Warp thought for moment before he somehow put two and two together. "It was about today actually."
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Post by Skyfire on Dec 27, 2009 16:59:37 GMT -5
Buzz stood, too, his face hard. “I’m not saying that she had any foreknowledge of this – I’m sure she didn’t. I am saying that if she had, she still would have gone through with it – all of it. You gave her your heart, just like she gave you hers. That is worth everything to her!
“Your love is not wrong. It was like Erin said in her vows: God created your love and gave it to you. He meant for you two to be together. Anything that tries to get in the way… isn’t a sign that you were wrong – it’s something very wrong trying to stop God’s plan for you. You can’t ever let that happen, Warp.”
Buzz sank back into his seat. “I think you’d better describe it then, as much as you can remember.”
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Post by Warp Darkmatter on Dec 27, 2009 17:41:20 GMT -5
Warp blinked a few times, opening his mouth to speak, but closed it again. He knew what he wanted to say, but that it would just be going around it circles.
"I know it's not wrong, and I don't want to stop anything." He returned to Buzz's gaze and held it, weighing his own words. "I don't know how exactly to say this to you, Buzz, but you don't have a past like mine. This love that you and Erin have....it's a shock to a person like me. God's love...I'm overwhelmed, Buzz! Have been for some time now." Warp paused. "And now I'm supposed to give that love back when I would happily go and tear as certain someone to pieces."
"Welp..."Warp rubbed his eyes wearily as he started to feel his three hours of sleep leaving in a hurry. "I was on a backstreet in Tradeworld, on my way to a meeting place. When I got there, I sat down with the supplier, but as soon as I spoke all the forms in the room started to change into those of people that I'd hurt in some way, shape or form. You were there, my mom was there. Tried to get out but my feet were too heavy." He took a deep breath. "And then I saw Erin on the other side of the room, with some one I couldn't see at first. It turned out to be Zurg, and he was holding Erin over the edge of a building. I couldn't do anything cause my feet were stuck in solid concrete and then he dropped her, laughed and disappeared. There was only a cross were they'd been. Best I can remember, anyways."
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Post by Skyfire on Dec 28, 2009 7:29:30 GMT -5
Buzz smirked sadly. “It’s because you love that you want to go tear a certain someone to pieces.”
Buzz let out a low whistle and shook his head. “Wow.”
Beside his chair lay Erin’s duffel. Her wedding gown had been hastily crammed into it, and he now picked it up to smooth it out. His hands began to tremble as he did so, but he didn’t notice at first…
…“A girl’s wedding day is supposed to be the happiest day of her life – well, guess what. You successfully ruined it. Objective accomplished.”
“NNOO!! NONONO!”
“ERIN!! SNAP OUT OF IT!!”
“My dress.”
“NO! ERIN!!”…
…He was crying. He gripped the soft satin in his big hands and cried.
That now very-familiar fury blazed up again, frightening in its intensity. It raced through his veins, fiery and acidic. He had to vent, had to vent before… before…
He wasn’t sure what would happen. He only knew that he didn’t want it to.
He stood again. “Warp, are you going to be staying here with Erin?”
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Post by Warp Darkmatter on Dec 28, 2009 7:44:42 GMT -5
Warp just shook his head and looked away. He could feel himself tearing up and realized how long it had been since he'd allowed himself to show that kind of emotion.
He took a hard look at the dress that was in his partner's hands. It held a memory now that was less than pleasent, by a long shot.
Buzz is crying. The thought registered, but Warp didn't know what would be the best thing to do. He could do one of a number of things and, well...What the heck. He walked over a wrapped his own arm around his partner's shoulders. For all the times Buzz had done the same for someone else, it was about time someone returned the favor.
Warp felt Buzz's mood change in a moment causing him to let go and stand back a little.
"I guess that would be the best thing for me to do." He said after a moments pause. "But you know how much I want to be there."
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Post by Skyfire on Dec 28, 2009 7:58:33 GMT -5
Buzz registered Warp’s arm somewhere in his consciousness, but he was far past feeling awkward about it.
“I know. But Erin needs you.” His face took on a hint of a cold smile, eerily reminiscent of his evil double. “Besides, you may still get your chance.”
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Post by Warp Darkmatter on Dec 28, 2009 8:05:06 GMT -5
"I know." Warp smiled to himself as he noted Buzz's face. There was really nothing funny about the matter, he had just had one of his unappropriate for the moment thoughts and decided to keep it to himself for the time being.
"If you're implying that...well, never mind. Just be sure to save me a piece and make sure you get back." He gave Buzz a warning look. "If you don't I'll come after you personally."
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Post by Skyfire on Dec 28, 2009 8:22:35 GMT -5
Then Buzz was definitely himself again, and he nodded, holding up a hand like he was swearing an oath in court. “Got it.”
He moved over to Erin’s door and took one last, longing look inside. She was still asleep. “I love you, Sis,” he whispered.
His fist clenched, and he spun on his heel, striding down the hallway. “Booster, XR, saddle up,” he ordered. “We’re moving out.”
Moving out. They were finally going to do something, take the initiative, and go on the offensive for a change, instead of trying to guess and predict and defend. It felt so liberating.
Then he heard Commander Nebula’s voice, and froze. Turned.
The Commander limped up to him, and for a moment, tried to say something and couldn’t. He rested his left hand on Buzz’s shoulder, and with his right hand, he drew a piece of paper out of his uniform. Frowning in confusion, Buzz took the paper and scanned it.
It was his mother’s birth certificate. There was Nana’s name, and there was the name of his grand… Oh man…
Buzz looked up from the paper, azure eyes wide.
“You needed to know,” the Commander said softly, by way of explanation. “Before… something else happens.”
Buzz nodded automatically, dazed. “Sir…”
“Just come back to us, son.”
Buzz swallowed hard. “Will do… sir.”
“Go on.”
“Yes, sir.”
Buzz slowly moved away and strode on, two rather-confused former rookies in tow.
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