Scars of Battle and Betrayal (Rated T for Teen for Violence and Blood plus some mild language)

"Well one minute I'm training while arguing with him about the fact that this partnership is fragile at best. The next we're attacked and having to fight this guy in a silver mask no doubt a pawn of the fal'cie from how he spoke to me." Natsume said. Her superficial wounds had already healed in the time she'd carried Kyle into the med center.

"Guy in a silver mask, he keeps popping up everywhere. Him and whoever he is serving is trying to ressurect some ancient Fal'Cie known as She, though I doubt that's her true name. Anyway a couple of months our Alpha Squad had a run in with the guy in the silver mask and they were wiped out, no one survived the encounter" Gabrielle said as she looked down.

A tear began to form in Gabrielle's eye.

"My brother was amongst I.C.R.S. Alpa Squad, he died in my arms as he was the only one still alive after the slaughter. Kyle was his mentor, and has vowed to avenge my brothers death" Gabrielle pointed to a katana above her desk.

Gabrielle walked over to it a pulled it off it stand.

"He was an excellant fighter, the only one that could match him in speed and strength was Kyle" Gabrielle said.

She replaced the katana and then sat down next to Kyle's bed.

"Anyway, enough talking about the past. Kyle is the best person to have on your side in the midst of battle. He's loyal, honest, and downright courageous. He's never backed down from a fight no matter how the odds are against him. Don't know how you feel about him, but Kyle has never let anyone down. If you need his help he'll be there for you" Gabrielle said.

"I don't know how I feel anymore...everything is so confusing...it was so simple when I escaped...Travel keeping a low profile and kill the fal'cie and their puppets...now I feel like I've just gotten free again..." natsume said. Her eyes told the story of how she felt out of place much like she did when she first escaped her prison.

"Well the Fal'Cie are getting what's exactly coming to them. Someone has to show those overcontrolling bastards that we can get along just fine without them" Gabrielle said.

Gabrielle checked Kyle's pulse and it returned to normal. She pulled a vile of blue liquid from her pocket. I have to go take care of something, if he wakes up before I return, can you give him this Elixor?" Gabrielle asked as she handed out the bottle for Natsume to take.

Kyle opened his eyes and tried to move, he wenced at the pain.

"Where am I?" Kyle asked.

"Looks like you can do it...You're in the med center now lie still or you're gonna hurt yourself." Natsume said. She was glad he was okay though still upset at him for wearing himself out. Not to mention now that she knew he was a samurai she didn't want anything bad to happen to him.

"I feel fine" Kyle said.

He pulled off his now torn shirt and rummaged in the closet pulling out an extra shirt that he kept in the medical room for emergencies.

Kyle then began to walk out the room before wencing in pain and then crashed to his knee.

"Damn it, that attack did more than I thought" Kyle said.

"Easy Kyle, we lose you we'll lose this war. Take this elixar" Gabrielle said.

She handed the elixar to Kyle.

Kyle took the elixar and downed it. Soon his strength and energy returned. He stood up and turned to Gabrielle.

"Thanks, I'd probably have been died a long time ago if hadn't been for you" Kyle said.

"You're welcome, can't have Bodhum's number bachelor dead before you're married. You're only twenty two Kyle, it's not your time yet" Gabrielle said.

Gabrielle left Natsume and Kyle alone.

"Hmph...marriage, the very last thing on my mind" Kyle said as he looked out the window at numerous fish swimming around.

Kyle sighed.

"Wish you hadn't heard that" Kyle said as he continued to look out the window.

"Why? Afraid I'll sneak into your room and seduce you into marriage?" Natsume said smiling a bit as she teased Kyle. She wondered why he said that since he said it so quickly.

"You would fail, just to let you know. Until this is all over, a relationship with someone it not anywhere on my priority list right now" Kyle said.

He turned to Natsume.

"You're probably wondering about my connection to the samurai"

"The thought has crossed my mind but I'd rather you rest and if I have to pin you to do it I will. Don't need you getting carried away on me here. You're the only one here who's endured a majority of what I have." Natsume said sitting comfortably. She was starting to get tired today had been rough on her both mentally and physically.

"I told you I'm fine" Kyle said as he started toward the door.

Kyle then stopped.

"Whenever you want to know, just find me. That shouldn't be too hard, right?" Kyle asked as he walked out the medical center.

"Well since I don't have an open space I guess I'll sleep here tonight..." Natsume said sitting in the same spot Kyle had been sitting. Her eyes were drooping something fierce.

"You don't have to do that. If you want to crash in my room, you're more than welcome to. Elite members of I.C.R.S. get massive rooms" Kyle said.

He then disappeared.

"Your choice" Kyle called back.

Natsume smiled popping up. She started to follow Kyle to his room. She used the same technique she used to find the med center. She soon found her way there yawning as she reached the door.

Kyle opened the door.

"Thought you'd come, who wants to sleep in the Med Center, it's downright freezing in there and the beds aren't that comfortable" Kyle said as he stood aside.

Natsume smiled at him. "So which one is the spare bed?" she asked rubbing her eyes trying to stay awake. It was barely working.

Kyle led her to the spare room which had a nice comfy bed. A single desk sat in the corner with a computer and a bathroom next to the desk with a full sized shower. A bookcase with books stood at the center of the room.

"Here, you can have this room for the time that you are here" Kyle said.

He went into his pocket and pulled out an spare key card and handed it to Natsume.

"In case I'm not here" Kyle said.

"Arigato Kyle-san..." Natsume said bowing a bit. She then walked to the bed and took off her boots. She then sat down and breathed a sigh of relief before laying back on the bed. "So many crazy events today...but at least it ended with me saving a cute boy's life." she said teasing kyle a bit.

"Um...thanks" Kyle said his face turning red.

Kyle turned to leave but before he did.

"I'll be in my room if you need me" Kyle said.

With that Kyle walked to his room and jumped on his computer and started searching apperances for the man in the silver mask.

"Who are you?" Kyle asked as he looked at a picture of him.

Natsume smiled seeing Kyle blush before he left the room. She soon found herself nodding off to sleep. Her dreams returned her to the world she'd lost to the Fal'cie.

After thirty minutes of searching Kyle called it a night as it was late. Kyle changed into his baggy pajama pants, threw his shirt and jumped in the bed and before he knew it he was out. Concerns of what the next day would bring heavy on his mind.