Mystic Messenger OneShot

I Will Return

 I really didn't want to leave without Ray but the state V was in had me worried about not just him but Seven as well, there was no way that Seven would be able to carry V by himself let alone care for him along the drive. For the rest of the night in the safe house that Seven had brought us to I couldn't help feeling as though I had betrayed Ray, I had promised that I would never leave him, never betray him and yet here I was sitting peacefully with the RFA rather than him. When we first arrived at Seven's Safe house he introduced me to a tall man with long brown hair named Vanderwood, and since my arrival Vanderwood has been great company.

Vanderwood spent quite a while helping V get better, he somehow knew that I was feeling down and while treating the sick V he did his best to cheer me up with small talk. "So I know that it may be a bit of a touchy subject, but what was that Mint Eye place even like?" I looked up at Vanderwood as I sat in the chair beside V's bed while I thought of my time spent with Ray "Well it was different, but not all bad. The time I spent with Ray, the hacker there, was always nice and made me feel happy....I just wish that I could have taken him with us, though I doubt he would want to." Vanderwood looked at me a little puzzled by my words, then it hit him "So you have feelings for him do you."

With those words he finished up with V and left to start the task Seven had asked him to do, but I couldn't help but think 'is it that obvious? Or is Vanderwood just that good at reading me?' I couldn't sleep at all that night, I have such bad nightmares but when I was with Ray it was like they had completely disappeared.

The next morning I received a call from Ray, and it broke my heart hearing him cry and beg for me to return to him. Nobody could ever understand how I just wanted to go to him at that moment, but what was happening in Mint Eye was wrong and he was being used by Rikka to fulfil her sick idea of paradise. I couldn't say a word as he spoke to me with such a sad voice, it was all I could do just to prevent myself from breaking down into tears in that moment. I know he would only hurt more if he knew how much it hurt me to have left him there in that horrid place alone, but maybe soon I could convince him to leave that place and come with me.

Ray hung up before I could even say a word to him, and for the rest of the day I was hoping that he would call me back so that I could talk to him, maybe convince him of the wrongs Mint Eye was doing and get him out of there....But he never called back, I couldn't hear his sweet voice again for the whole day.

As I sat beside V in his bed I thought only of Ray, I hadn't even noticed that Vanderwood had come into the room I was so lost in thought. "Hey, would you like to join me outside for a bit of fresh air?" Vanderwood offered in a kind voice, all I did was nod in agreement as I stood and followed him out onto the porch. Once outside vanderwood lit himself a cigarette and took a long drag from it "Do you want one?" it had been a few months since I quit but at the moment one didn't sound half bad "Yeah, thank you Vanderwood." he carefully bent down to where I was sitting on the porch steps handing me his lit cigarette.

We sat there quiet for a short time before Vanderwood spoke up "You know Seven seems pretty worried about you right now, and frankly so am I....I do realize that you left someone you care for so deeply in a bad place, but a beautiful young lady such as yourself should not be as sad as you are for too long." he spoke calmly doing his best to make me feel better, but I couldn't help but think that perhaps he knows how I feel right now. "Vanderwood, Have you ever been in my situation?" He let out a quiet sigh and closed his eyes as if to remember something important. "Yes I have, a long time ago...Though it didn't end too well." That was all he said on the matter and I didn't wish to push the subject that was obviously too painful for him.

Once more it was quiet between us as we looked out at the stars, but once again Vanderwood broke that silence. "You know it is not good to hold in your feelings, you could always talk to me if you want. You never know it might help you decide what you need to do next." How was it that this man who I'd only known for just two days be so kind to me? It's not that I hated it but somehow he made me feel safe, as though I was talking with my own brother. I know it's impossible I haven't seen or heard from my brother since that day he left so long ago, but Vanderwood reminded me so much of that brother who left me alone.