Another Mark 3

*CHAPTER TEN*

Entering the cafeteria Icouldn't believe what I was hearing from some people. They were saying becauseI was friends with Raleigh, the socalled 'outcast' (Raleigh) and the bitch (Me) where the worst rangers in thewhole facility. As I got to the steps to enter the cafeteria I felt eyes on meand saw Raleigh in the middle of the cafeteria. The whole room was quite and weshared a look. He then came to me and I knew he wanted to be with just me. So Idecided to lead him to Gipsy. As we took our seats so we could over look Gispy he started tospeak.

"Look, I still want you to be my co-pilot. But I feel really bad forMako." Raleigh said.

"You're not the only one, Raleigh." I said. "Butyou should know, she feels really bad. She blames it on herself and because ofthat, I blame myself."

"Why would you do that?" he questioned, moving closer to me. I felttears rise in my eyes. I didn't want to talk about it now, but if he was askingfor it, I was going to have to tell him.

"She is much like my sister. She'salso the only sister I have left." I felt a tear fall down my cheek as my voicebroke while I spoke. I felt Raleigh place a hand on my back in a way of showingcomfort. Taking a sigh I balanced myself.

"What exactly happened to your sister?" he wondered. I looked to him and he looked, somehow pained. "I told you, she was taken the same way your brother was." I said, my voice breaking again. Raleigh looked at me a little confused.

"When Yancy was taken, we were still connected." Raleigh explained.

"Same with my sister, Josie." I sniffed. "I felt her fear."

"I felt his pain."

"Her helplessness, and then..."

"He/She was gone." We said together. He looked away and I could see tears in his eyes.

"You know, you live in someone else's head for so long the hardest part to deal with is the silence." Raleigh described. "To let someone else in, to really connect, and on more levels then one, you have to trust me if we ever go into a Drift together."

"Of course." I sighed. Raleigh then gave a weak smile and I returned one. Pushing my plate back I moved closer towards him and hugged him tightly. He returned it by wrapping his arms around my waist. "I trust you with my life, Raleigh." A thud then came from Gipsy and we broke apart, still sitting close together. "Her heart. When's the last time you saw it?"

"Not in a long time." He replied. We sat in silence for a while and watched as mechanics touched up on somethings and fixed others.

After Raleigh dropped me off at my room afteranother quick training session and a tight hug goodbye, I entered my room.Walking over to a mirror I had in my room. Looking myself in the mirror Inoticed a change in me. My cheeks seemed to be stained pink, my skin not as paleas what it used to be, once again full of colour. But the thing that caught myattention was my hazel eyes. Since Josie died, my eyes have been clouded andduller then a rainy day. Could this have something to do with my crush on Raleigh?A knock came from the door and my mind was pulled away from my eyes and themirror. I took some steps, not quite reaching the door and another knock camefrom the door, this one harder and louder than the last. Reaching the door, Iunhitched it and opened it. Pentecost then entered my room, his hands behindhis back. I was shocked to see him especially after what happened with Raleighat the elevator a couple of hours ago. He looked to me as I closed the door sonobody, especially Raleigh would see what was to occur. Once the door wasclosed I looked to Pentecost. He grunted and bowed. I bowed in return.

"Marshal, do Ihave permission to ask as to why you are here?" I questioned.

"Well, I'm here to give yousomething I should have given you 5 years ago, the day your sister died." Hethen pulled a piece of cloth from behind his back. I looked at it, confused. "Idon't blame you for blaming me for Josie's death. I shouldn't have sent herout. I shouldn't have made you two go either. That Kaiju that night was one ofthe toughest Category 3's we've ever faced. I have to admit, you did afantastic job of defeating it with Echo Hound before he was destroyed and usedto help fix and rebuild Gipsy Danger. Now," he unravelled the cloth to revealan old teddy bear. I gasped and felt tears instantly rush to my eyes. "this used to belong to-"

"Josie!" I chocked. I felt tears fall down my cheeks. Pentecost nodded.

"yes, it used to belong to Josie. Because of this I have made a decision, along with Mako. We-uh-she has decided to do secret training sessions with me to help improve her skills, so, this leads to Gipsy and Raleigh to not have a co-pilot. Mako and I have chose for the co-pilot to be you. Not only are you Drift compatible with Mr Becket and extremely close with him, you also need to get back out there. So, if Gipsy is needed in the next Kaiju attack you will be going with Mr Becket." I cried out of happiness as Pentecost finished. Chocking on my tears, he brought me into a hug.

"Thank you, father." I hadn't called him that in a long time. I still remember the first time I called him that and he fought harder against a Kaiju. As we held each other I couldn't wait for the next attack.