Bonded- A Divison 2 Fan-Fiction

"Cheesecake"

It's almost Christmas time.

Secretly, this has always been my favorite time of the year. Only people close enough can tell that, but I'm a pop tart, hard coating on the outside, all hot and gooey on the inside. As a young girl my mom would constantly remind me "Mijaaaa smile! You're too beautiful you look so mean! You're giving me heartburn".

It's a defense mechanism. Keeping people at arms length.Where I can see them better. Letting people too close can screw with your vision and make you blind to an obvious and impending assault. I learned at an early age everyone isn't to be trusted and what can happen if you're left vulnerable. It's something that's helped me to survive this far.

Still, I can't help myself . The warmth, joy, and love that bubbles to the surface. When people are caring and kind spreading the love all around. This time of the year always lifts my spirits. The Division, the city, the world could all use some holiday cheer right now.

Nessy and I have been on the run for the past two months chasing down bounty targets and cleaning up the streets. We secured some hostile points in the far reaches of the city and protected the civilian patrols as they gathered and stored supplies.

We've also grown closer over the past 9 months and I think we've proven to each other that we have each other's 6s and can lean on one another in these troubling times. Her laughter and presence has become a comfort and something I crave daily. I feel "off" without her.

She was benched for week after we shot our way out of the pouring rain when the Hyenas attacked. The chill in the air mixed with the rain must've taken its toll because she came down with a bad viral cold. Her usual rosy cheeks were pale and full. She lay in the infirmary cot hacking away. The bucket on the floor next to her wreaked of bleach. She had vomited a few times when she woke that morning and a nurse from the infirmary wing had cleaned it as thoroughly as possible. I watched over her from afar whenever possible when ISAC wasn't bugging me with new intel and missions.

I stepped closer to her cot. She looked up at me and smiled wryly.

"Agent Perez! Taking time off duty to check on lil ol me? I'm flattered"

I smiled back uncontrollably. "Someone has to make sure you're not faking, you know this could be another ploy to dodge work."!

She giggled and looked up at me with her big brown eyes and said wearily,. "I wish I was Roxi".

I felt a ping in my heart watching her lay there looking so weak. I wasn't used to seeing her in such a vulnerable position. She was my badass, fearless, youthful, and vibrant. Seeing her lay there so, sent a deeper ping through my chest as I remembered Analise, my baby sister..

She was 5 years old when she passed from pediatric influenza. This was before the world crumbled and chaos erupt around us. I was 15 when it happened. With 10 years between us, I was a second mother to her, and her loss left a permanent altercation to the fabric of my being. During that time I was more concerned with my Quinceañera.. My mother was determined to put me in a fluffy dress complete with crystal tiara and I wasn't having that shit.

I miss them both now dearly as holiday nostalgia settles in. There is never enough time to share with the people you love. Ironically, with the world in its present state, it is almost a mercy that most of mi familia are at rest. I may have some cousins, uncles, and aunts spread around, either in the Los Angelos Division sector or taking up arms in Mexico, but for the past 6 years it's been just me.

I was taking college classes when it happened, an art major. I had moved far away for school because things became strained between my mother and I after Ana's death and I needed to find myself and my place in the world. She never accepted that I didn't want to marry a man and give her grandchildren. I may have felt some extra guilt for that. Surprisingly, after Ana passed she at least was civil when my high school sweetheart Lexi would come over. Last I heard Lexi was in Atlanta kicking ass and helping the Division restore order as a General for a Division big shot down there.