Another Mark 3

*CHAPTER FOURTEEN*

A few hours later I decided to go back to Raleigh. I had just remembered I was going to tell him about why my backed played up. I was about to knock when I heard my name.

"Kristen?" I turned to see Mako.

"Oh, hey Mako. What are you doing?"

"What are you doing?" she giggled.

"You know that's not your room."

"Yeah, I know. I just need to talk to Raleigh." I explained.

"He's not there, he's at the cafeteria."

"Oh, thanks." I then pushed past her but I heard her following. "Mako."

"What?" she questioned.

"Why are you following me?" I asked.

"Is it against the law to follow my sister." She tested. I then stopped in my tracks and turned to her.

"Don't take this the wrong way, Mako. Because I love you and all but I just wanna talk to Raleigh." I clarified. Mako dropped her head. "I'm sorry. I promise I'll hang with you later." She then smiled again.

"Okay." She cried happily and then turned and walked off. I laughed to myself as she walked with a bounce in her step. The secret training sessions with Pentecost must get her pretty excited and must be bringing up her confidence. Walking to the cafeteria I looked at the time. It was 10:00, nobody would be in there until about 12:30. Perfect. I reached the corner and turned into the cafeteria and saw Raleigh sitting by himself. Walking up to him he kept his eyes focused on the glass of water in front of him. Coughing to get his attention he looked up, smiling.

"Hello."

"Hey." I smiled and took a seat next to him. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me so my head rested on his shoulder. He then kissed the top of my head.

"What's up?" he questioned. I took a deep breath and blinked slowly.

"Well, I told you that I would explain why my back got stuffed in Gipsy. So, I've come to tell you."

"You sure, cause you don't have to."

"No, it's okay...I want to." Raleigh nodded his head and I took a breath.

Josie and I had just reached the destination that we were given for Ragerippers whereabouts. Looking around my heart began to skip a few beats. I had to close my eyes so I wouldn't leave the Drift and chase the rabbit. As I was trying to focus I heard Josie yell, but I ignored her. When I opened my eyes I saw Ragerippers mouth fly towards the hull. Josie and I fought hard with Echo Hound but the Rageripper got my arm. I felt my arm shock with electricity and I felt my arm go slightly numb from the pain. We tried to keep fighting but then our chest was stabbed. As Rageripper went for the chest his hand went for the hull.

"He's gone through the hull!" Josie yelled. I then started to panic and I looked to my sister, a tear falling from my eye. Everything seemed to fall silent and go in slow motion as I spoke.

"Listen to me, Josie. Listen to me, I haven't told you enough how much I love you. I need you to do something for me." She had tears running down her cheeks.

"No, you listen to me, Kris! If I die right now, I need you to tell Chuck that I accept his proposal and...I love you Kristen!" Her screams followed after as Rageripper pulled her out of the hull.

"NOOOOO! Josie! No!" I yelled and screamed at the top of my lungs. Rageripper then fired an electric ball about the size of my hand into the hull and I watched it as it headed for the gear behind me. It shocked the circuits and I screamed out in pain. Rageripper then stuck his other hand into Echo's back and I screamed out in pain again, this time from the pain in my back. Pressing a button to activate some nuclear heat from the chest of Echo the beast cried out and released Echo. I felt some relief in my back but I still felt heavy from what just happened to Josie. Grabbing the controller for the right hemisphere off my hand and placing it on my left I punched Rageripper a few times so he was unstable. I then pulled the sword out and killed Rageripper.

I felt tears overflowing in my eyes. I think one or two even fell from my eyes. Raleigh's arm tightened around my shoulder and I turned into his chest. Letting tears fall, but not crying Raleigh brought me into a proper hug. We held each other for what felt like a couple of hours but it was really five minutes.

"I'm so sorry, Kristen." He apologised, rubbing my back softly. I sniffed and pulled my head back to see him. Wiping a tear away I took a breath.

"So that's why I was affected when Otachi dug his claws into Gipsy's back. That electrical ball that hit my circuits made me have this massive scar on my back so when the Jaeger is attacked by the back. I feel it all." I explained.

"That's unfortunate." He signed with a weak smile. I returned a weak smile and we both hugged again.

"Thank you." He pulled back again.

"For what?"

"Listening." I kissed him, softly and then he pulled me back into a hug. I felt relieved to have told someone about Josie, and who better then the person that may become my life after this wars over.