Full Metal Panic Fan Fiction ❯ Bulletproof ❯ The eye of the cyclone ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Bulletproof

Chapter three

Disclaimer: I don't own FMC, nor the song `Bulletproof'. Actually, I don't own much, so please, don't sue me... Anyway, if you have a thing for bad, sad endings, particularly in an ironic way like in the previous chapter, I would advise not to read this new chapter, or to consider it as an alternative story maybe... ^^

* ... So pay the money and take a shot!

Lead-fill the hole in me,

I could burst in a million bubbles,

All surrogate... And bulletproof... And bulletproof... And bulletproof... And bulletproof.... *

It was strange how hospital rooms, in whichever part of the world, managed to project this atmosphere of coldness, of uneasiness... As if between those sterile walls, you were stripped of your personality. It was probably the case, after all. Here, people tried to forget that you were a person with a history, joys, pains, hopes... It was easier when you were only a patient, a number, they did their best for you, then moved on with their life. That, or the misery they saw day by day crushed them...

Only a number...

It was the same for soldiers, after all. The enemy didn't have a face. He wasn't another human being, made of blood and flesh, just like you... You were there to accomplish your duty. Period. Giving them a face, aknowledging the fact that, under other circumstances, you might have been friends... was dangerous...

But for their families...

For their lovers...

It was a slow agony. It was as if the world had just come to a brutal end. It was as if darkness had covered the world in a cold blanket, when their love ones didn't come back.

Thessa had rarely left the intensive care room where Melissa had been brought after having been finally found, barely breathing, in the jungle. Her plane had had to change its original course and head in emergency for the closest hospital, here, in Lima, when it had been made obvious that she wouldn't survive the long flight back to the Thuata De Danaan. So, unable to wait longer, Thessa had decided to join her, with a small security squad. Now she was there, just sitting for hours in the uncomfortable chair. Waiting for any other sign of life than the constant beeps of the electrocardiogramme and encephalopathogramme. When she wasn't here, she was in her quarters, replaying the video over and over. She wasn't crying though, she was past this... It had been days now. Physically stationary, had said the doctors, but few hopes for the sergent to ever awaken of her deep coma...

Circumstances... What made people become what they were, what made them chose some path rather than others... Why?

Screw them! Screw the doctors! Screw her, goddammit!!! Why in the world did she have to follow these assholes in this forsaken jungle? How could she tell her she loved her like that? How could she leave her like that?

Thessa thightened her hold on the hem of her skirt. Always the same questions. Always the same answers. Because she was stupid! ... Okay, she was committed and honourable too. Things that she had always admired in her... How could she tell her? How could she not? And it had made her so incredibly happy, as well as desesperatly sad, to discover that her feelings were returned. And she was still alive. She would return. She had to have faith in her!

She sighed. Days spent in the exact same limbo. Waiting while listening to Melissa's mechanical, hypnotic breathing. Dancing from raging anger to flying hopes, from hope to abysses of despair, from despair to fond memories. A maelstrom of feelings and emotions like she had never experienced before.

She suspected she was going insane. How much more could she take of this? She had no idea.

A sudden shrill rang in the quiet room, making her jump in surprise. Her eyes shot open and swiftly darted from one machine to another, panick squizzing her throat.

No! Where was the doctor! She frantically searched the room. It didn't come from any machine. She was about to burst out of the room to call for help when she finally noticed that the ring came from her coat. `Goddamn *#@#*&# mobile phone!!!' She silently swore, her heart rate just one step away from a cardiac attack. She took a slow, calming breath. She sat back, straightening her back and opened the line.

"Moshi moshi?" She inwardly cursed the treacherous quiver in her voice.

"Captain? Are you alright?"

"Ha, major Karirin. Yes, I'm fine. How can I help you?"

"... New informations about the man called Silent have been found. Corporal Olafson is categorical. It is him. I'll have a full report ready in one hour and I'll transmit it to you on your secured line."

Thessa's lips curled up in a frightening smile, her eyes hardened to a steel quality. Anyone who would have witnessed it would have shuddered. "Good work, as always, major. How is corporal Olafson recovering?"

"Pretty well, considering the gravity of his injuries. I'm afraid that he will never regain complete use of his left leg, though. We are going to send him home for his recovery. He will probably heal faster with his family around."

Thessa's features softened. "He certainly deserves it."

"... Hum, captain?"

"Yes?"

"Would you consider coming back on the ship? This hospital isn't safe at all for you. We can't afford to lose you."

Her voice was ice when she answered. "I thank you for your concern, major, but I will not leave the sergent major alone, especially if you consider that this place isn't safe enough! And you know we can't move her to the ship yet."

Thessa could sense him suppressing a sigh of exasperation.

"Very well, ma'am. But please, follow the recommendations of the security chief, at least..." He knew he wouldn't deter her if her mind was set.

"I will. Captain Testarossa out."

Her gaze fell back on the peaceful woman lying on the bed, wishing they were in her personal quarters and that the tall woman was just sleeping. Thessa shook her head. She was more and more unfocused, irrational. That wasn't like her at all and she knew that Karirin and Mardukas were extremely worried about her. She had to grab a hold on herself if she wanted to be there for Melissa...

She reached out, softly stroking Melissa's wild strands of hair away from her face. She then slowly leaned down, stopping mere inches from the sergent's face, studying every cures, every lines, every nuances of colour... Finally, she closed the distance. Smiling softly, she placed the lightest of kisses on Melissa's forehead and hastily retreated before giving in the temptation to kiss those luscious lips too. This would wait until the sergent woke up... It had become a habit over the last few days, but she couldn't even begin to explain what had possessed her when she first did it, but it had immediately developped in an addiction. She sighed, she was really hopeless.

She got up and slowly walked out of the room, softly closing the door behind her. Then she turned to her security chief, a fake smile on her face. "I'm ready to go, sergent Weber..."

He gravely saluted and followed her out, leaving to other guards at Melissa's door.

---------------------------------------------------------------- --

For a long time, hellish pain seemed to be the only thing her brain was able to process, the rest was mostly irrelevent. She finally decided to open her eyes. Dark. Really dark. Were her eyes open or still closed? She tiredly blinked several time, slowly adjusting her eyesight to the darkness. Her gaze swept around her somehow familiar surroundings. `Oh yeah... Hospital room... That's why it's familiar...' She surprised herself thinking. She noticed a digital clock. Three a.m. The where, who, what, why and how would have to wait, though. Now, all she wanted was some painkiller, or at least, something to finish her off. Oh, and if she could have a beer before, it was all the better...

`kay, the little nurse call device should normally be under her reach. She felt blindly for a moment, ignoring the heaviness of her arms. She finally found it and pressed the button with a sigh of satisfaction...

End of chapter three

AN: I have the huge pleasure to write a continuation to this story, thanks to enthusiastic rewiewers, some of them having even threatened me if I didn't do anything about that... Now, now, it doesn't mean that those methods necessarilly work with me... Well, okay, that worked since I wrote it, BUT it had to be said, for the principle! Yeah! For the principle! I have a lot of principles (sweatdrop)... Hum, by the way, I've now seen FMP Fumuffu. Although it was enjoyable, I definitly prefer the darker atmosphere of the first serie, so don't be surprised that I chose to follow in this line. And I guess I'm in for several new chapters now... This one was relatively short, but it's mainly because it is a transition...