Can't Smile Without You...

Chapter Nine: So very tired...

***3rd POV***

Christine woke up to the sound of fighting. She had changed into pajamas, consisting of a purple tank top and baggy grey sweatpants, her long auburn hair was down, her natural curls were fighting the come back, little messy ringlets were forming mostly around her bangs.

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes...she felt a tingle down her spine as she made her way back to the library. There were agents blocking the doorway. She heard a struggle.

The words "fuck it" came to mind...

She shoved her way through, shocked to see Nuada and Red fighting. Nuala had a cut on her face.

"Nuada...?" She thought out loud...she was still very drunk.

She walked toward Red. "Hey...stop..." She mumbled, on the verge of blacking out.

Red turned around to face his sister. Liz came in. "Red! Behind you!" Liz screamed...on an impulse of instinct, Christine shoved Red out of the way.

Red hit the glass of Abe's tank, cracking the glass. The room went silent when Christine cried out in pain. She stood, holding the end of the spear that pierced her chest, just below her left breast.

"C-christine...?" Nuada gasped, both were frozen, Christine hadn't looked up yet. He pulled his lance back. "Why did you do that?" He began to realize what he had just done.

She fell to her knees, gasping again as the broken spear tip in her chest moved, scraping between her ribs. Her eyes pricked with tears. Agents tried to move, but Nuada glared at them. "GET BACK!!!" He bellowed, his chest began to heave as panic filled him.

The Agents backed up, Nuada knelt in front of Christine. "What have I done...? Christine! Why have you done this!?" He asked, becoming more flustered by the second, he caught her before she completely collapsed to the cold floor, holding her in his arms.

It hurt him the most when she smiled...smiled at him, of all things to do in this moment. "Chris...?" Was all he could manage as his own eyes burned now.

Her eyes widened slightly and she cupped his cheek. "Chris, huh...? T-that's what all my friends call me..." She said sweetly. "I'm-...I'm so glad that you're my friend, Nuada." She chuckled, weakly smiling if only to hide the pain.

Nuada held her hand against his cheek. A single tear slipped down his cheek and Christine's smile turned sad. "Hey...I'll be-...I'll be fine, Nuada...I'm not mad...I'm so-...so very tired..." She wiped his tear away as her eyes began to close.

"No...no!" Nuada gasped as he picked her up in his arms, her hand fell from his cheek. "Where are your healers!? Doctors!? ANYONE!?!" He bellowed as he stood up, more tears falling...he hated himself for allowing such weakness to show.

Liz raised her hand from her place where she had been helping Red to his feet. "I'll take you there. Abe, Johan, let's go." She ordered and they all rushed Christine, as she was fading, to the infirmary.

***

Nuada grimaced as he pulled the spear tip from her ribs, allowing Abe and Johan to assess the damage.

"You know that we can't let you leave." Johan said darkly. "Not with those crown pieces." He added.

Nuada growled, beating back his pride with every fiber of his being. "I don't care!!!" He reached into his pocket and pulled out the two crown pieces, the ones that formed the circlet. "Take them!!! Melt them down!!! Just save her! Please, save Christine!?!" His newest outburst stunned everyone in the room.

"You love her...you really do, don't you?" Liz asked in disbelief. Nuada only nodded in reply.

"I do not know why-...why I care so much for her...but I do...and it hurts. I killed my own father for one of these pieces...but to save her...? I would take on the Golden Army itself. Die...if only for a chance to see her happy again." Nuada said with a dead serious expression. He gave the pieces to Liz and she smiled.

"You're a good person...I'll keep Red off your tail." She bowed her head and left.

Nuada stayed with Christine even after Abe and Johan were done. He sat by her side...waiting to see her blue eyes again...