Witch Hunter Robin Fan Fiction ❯ I Cannot Offer You Freedom ❯ Chapter 17 ( Chapter 17 )

I Cannot Offer You Freedom

~*~

When the Factory finally arrived to take Avi away, they found Robin sitting still as stone amidst a lake of blood. Amon's head was still cradled in her lap, and the dead hunter's cold hand was still clutched in hers.

Minutes later, Doujima, Karasuma, and Sakaki entered the walled city, their feet moving as fast as they could towards the place where Amon had fallen. The Factory had contacted them and informed them of their leader's death, but not one of them would believe it until they were able to see it with their own eyes.

Bursting into the open area where the hunt had taken place, the teens and the older women all rushed to the blood-covered hunters and fell to their knees, tears glittering in every eye.

"Amon…" Doujima whispered, her voice unnaturally high.

"Is he really-" Sakaki asked, biting off his last word before it could escape his mouth.

Robin didn't say anything, just continued to sit and stare down at her fallen partner with deadened eyes. Only the shallow rise and fall of her chest assured her friends she was still alive.

As Avi was taken away, more people came to remove Amon's body, their eyes emotionless as they draped a white cloth over his battered body. They were used to seeing death, as it was a part of their job everyday; so much so, in fact, that they had reached the point where it no longer affected them much. Gentle hands lifted Robin up as well, and carried her slowly out of the walled city, placing her in an ambulance that took her back to the very hospital she had just been released from a week ago.

As the siren faded into the distance, the others trudged away from the bloody battleground; Sakaki had his arm around Doujima's waist, and Karasuma walked beside them, her eyes tired and her tears silent. She looks so…old…

Leaning over, the one-armed hunter placed a brotherly kiss on his female partner's cheek and watched as her pained eyes met his.

Now, the burden on leader was solely hers to bear; no longer did the hope of Amon's return lighten her load, no longer did it life her spirit a little at the mere thought of his tall, dark form striding into the STN-J just like he used to.

Amon was dead, and the STN-J witch hunting team was falling apart.

***

"Damn!" The keyboard jumped as the hacker's fist smacked down on the table next to it. "DAMN!" Sakaki stood looking at him quietly, Doujima and Karasuma having gone home.

"She was hurt," he tried to explain to the anguished teen. "That Avi guy really beat her up bad! I'm only telling you what the doctors said!" His tone now had an underlying hint of pleading in it, as he was trying to cool the hacker's wrath.

"I don't care!" Michael shouted, misdirecting his anger at the rookie. "She promised she would come back!"

Lowering his eyes to the floor, Sakaki whispered, "I'm sorry," and turned on his heel. Moments later, Michael heard the ding of the elevator and knew Sakaki was gone.

Slumping into his chair, he pulled his arm to his chest, it was pure habit now, to support it so, and let his chin fall to his chest. Robin…you promised me you'd come back! How could you do this to me? To yourself?!

Sakaki had taken Miss Karasuma and Doujima home, then stopped by the hospital before retuning to the STN-J. He had spoken with the doctors and been informed that while they were almost certain Robin would recover, she might never be the same again. Glumly, the one-armed man had nodded and thanked them, dreading telling her hacker lover about her condition.

And now, as he sped home, driving a car now since his motorcycle couldn't be ridden with only one arm, he felt his eyes sting with exhaustion and his muscles ache with a draining sort of anguish, a physical pain that seemed to leech away his strength little by little. Tiredly, he parked the car and plodded up the steps to his small apartment.

"Sakaki."

Jumping, he noticed Doujima sitting, hunched over outside his door.

"Doujima?" he reached down and pulled her to her feet, bracing himself when she threw her arms around his neck.

Her lips brushed his ear. "I don't want to be alone…"

Sakaki felt the shudder that ran through her body with her words, then sighed as it transferred to his. Wrapping his arm solidly around her waist, he pulled her as close as he could and buried his nose in her hair, inhaling the sweet smell that was purely Yurika Doujima. Sighing also, she squeezed her eyes shut and rested her chin on his shoulder.

Minutes later, their grips loosened and the door to the apartment was opened, the two forms slipping inside without ever fully letting go of the other. They had found a sense of comfort in each other, and in their bond that would transcend time and space and ultimately join them together forever.

They had discovered the one place that would shelter them from the demons that were sure to plague their sleep, the one place that would offer a safe port in the storm. That place, was the other's arms.

***

Face hardened into a determined mask, Michael hovered over his computer, hitting a few last keys and watching, satisfied, as the screen finally went dark, and the humming and whirring stopped.

With a sneer, he crept silently into his boss's office; even though Zaizen had long since gone home, he still kept quiet out of habit. Reaching around his neck with one hand, he ripped off the damning links and set them on Zaizen's chair, knowing his boss would see them first thing when he came to work in the morning.

Grinning at the thought, he turned to the floor-length windows that lined the wall behind Zaizen's desk. Pressing the fingers of his good hand to the cool glass, he sighed and watched for several minutes as the stars wheeled overhead.

Finally, he roused his tired body and turned to leave the darkened room.

I'm coming Robin!

***

Well, I'm getting down to the wire here folks; after this one, there will only be one more chapter, two maybe AT THE MOST. I'm almost 100% sure now that I'm gonna do a sequel. I came up with the framework of a plot on the bus ride home today after school, and I should be able to make it work.

I hope you've enjoyed things so far, and I wanted to say thanks for stickin' with this story all the way to the end! (Even though I did kill Amon… ^_~ I'm so glad you all decided to let me live long enough to finish!!!)

Guess that's it for this chappie!

~SanoGirl