Tempest

2 - Broken Bond

The Widow's side opened, allowing both Gates and KT to exit. The rest of the 6-4 had piloted the Malta a ways away, so their ship had returned to the main fleet, and landed aboard one of the frigates.

Others watched as the two made their way towards an open section of the hangar, and the Captain turned to the Titan. "Alright KT, pull him out."

Obliging, the Titan opened her hull and reached in to grab the still-silent Tobias. As soon as she set him on the ground, he made right for Gates.

Dodging his weak swing was easy enough, but she was also trying not to hurt him. "Four! Calm down, just listen-"

"It's not real, you're not real!" He managed to get a lucky blow on her stomach. It still wasn't nearly enough to cause any harm to her, and she felt a pang of sadness for the sad physical shape he was in. "I won't let you hurt me anymore, I won't let you hurt THEM-"

On his next throw, Gates caught his arms and brought them close to her chest before gently forcing him onto his back on the ground. "Tobias, it's me! I know you've been through a lot, but it's really us!"

He shut his eyes and looked away as though she were going to do something he couldn't bear to look at. She wasn't about to give up trying to get through to him.

"I was the one who saved you and KT on Nedar, I was here when you joined the Militia! I helped you on that raid on the Kraken, even after you nearly got yourself killed; I was the one who grieved when I thought you were dead on Erebus, and then had to relive it when you sacrificed yourself to let us escape!"

He shut his eyes tighter, but his resisting had stopped. He was listening to her now. It was new incentive for her to continue, and break through.

"I'm the one who just disobeyed orders to retrieve you, and I'm here talking to you now! Look!" She grabbed his hands and placed them flat against her chest, then her helmet so he could feel her. "It's really me, I'm right here! It's me!"

He opened his eyes as he shook from fear, and looked at her helmet where his hands were obviously meeting resistance. She could see that spark of hope light up again in his eyes.

"... Gates?" he whispered.

She grabbed his hand, and squeezed it comfortingly in her own. "Yes," she breathed back, "it's me. It's really me."

He stared at her for another moment before his eyes closed again, this time as tears came streaming down his cheeks as well. He reached around and grabbed her tightly as though she were a lifeline back to sanity. She hugged him back, and just held him as he cried into her shoulder. His pain had finally come to an end after so long, she couldn't blame him for reacting this way.

Others looked on in shock, confusion at what they'd just witnessed. Even KT, or rather the emotionless version of her, seemed indifferent to the spectacle. Gates didn't care; she had her friend back.

Suddenly, he went limp in her arms. She hurriedly checked him over, to make sure he was alright. He appeared to have fainted from stress.

She looked out at the bystanders watching. "We need a medic! Now!" Startling them with her abrupt change in demeanor, several riflemen hurried off to find someone who could help.

Gates looked back to him and muttered, "Don't worry, Tobias. I'm right here. We're all right here."

...

He opened his eyes.

Quickly he darted his gaze from the left side of the room to the right. He scanned for any threats, waiting to see who was coming in to torture him today-