(Start the Music near the end, at the "**")

Tyler's P.O.V.

... Five Minutes Earlier...

"Jesus, Fox, you're here!" I sputter, before leaning back and looking into Fox's face."I've been worried sick about you~ I-I tried calling... How are you here, I thought you were transferred to California-" And it hits me, rather suddenlt, and I feel my cheeks flare up in a dark blush. "You're... hugging me, Colonel..."  I realize, blinking and then going darker red and smiling shyly, just hugging her back tightly. "I... I'm glad you're here though... I'm glad to see that you're okay..."

"You're stronger already." She chuckled lightly, just letting me hug her since I was seeming to enjoy it so much. "Sorry about not knocking. I like to surprise people." She smiled as she gazed at me. There was excitement, but a hint of sadness in her blue irises. "Tyler... I'm so sorry... I wish I could have talked to you... but things have been... complicated," She explained softly, shaking her head a bit. "I got your message... and I'd love to go on a date with you, but..."

My wide smile slightly fades. "What's wrong, Fox?"

"Well... I've got limited time here. Technically, it's illegal for me to be here..." 

"Illegal?... Hun, what do you mean by Illegal?... You're a Colonel in Sector 11, how is that illegal?..." I ask, head tilted to the side slightly, which made my hair fall over my right eye again. "Did something happen?..."

'God, he looks so adorable when he's looking like that...' Fox thought as she set a kiss on my cheek affectionately, causing my brain to momentarily shut down and reboot. I blink, then smile warmly and gently kiss her cheek, before chuckling. "I'd offer to let you use the shower... You look like you've been through Hell..."

She took a deep breath, checking her watch and sighing. "It's...complicated. And no...I'm no longer part of S-11..." she trailed off, tugging the collar of her jacket down to reveal a rather strange, yet pretty legit looking tattoo. "It's...it's best that you don't know for now. I just needed to talk to you... let you know that I'm okay... in person." Fox assured, gently brushing some hair behind my ear. Her eyes were filled with a sadness that was easy to spot. 

Something, folks, is really wrong here. I've never seen her so down and out. 

"I'm glad you're okay, Fox, sweetheart... I'm glad that you came to me..." He says soothingly, seeing the sadness in her eyes, and I gently touch her jaw. "How much time do you have?..." I whisper, realizing a moment later how close we were. Not that I had any mind against it... I just felt a lot more 'alive and free' than I had felt before. That tattoo on her neck, though... Something was bothering me about it. Something important, right on the tip of my tongue. Something about that Marking was giving me the bad heebee-jeebees.

"I wish I could stay, Tyler...I really do." She murmured, holding my hands and sighing softly. "I've only got two minutes left before I have to go. I have people expecting me to help them." Fox explained softly, slowly hugging me again and setting her head on my shoulder. "I'll call you...I got my phone back." She murmured, sniffling a bit. "This is so unfair... just..." she seemed quite serious now. "Don't die, okay? And don't trust this place either... It's not what it seems." 

I smile a little weakly and nod. "I know, hun... I know you do." He says quietly, gently squeezing her hands. "Two minutes, huh?..." I give a small chuckle, before hugging her tightly again and gently burying my head in her neck, taking in her scent as best I could. "I'll call you, too... Just have to make sure that the signal isn't tracked." I add the last part, biting my lower lip a bit.

"I won't get killed, babe... Don't trust this place?... Well, I'm certain that this place has a few kicks I don't know about..." I murmur, before gently pulling my head back and gently touching her cheek, looking into her eyes with a fierce loyalty towards her.

"I don't know what's going on... But whatever it is... Damn it... Please, stay safe..." I whisper gently, biting my lower lip more.

'Do I kiss her?....' I wonder, and then inwardly smirk at a response.

'I dunno... Do you think I've kissed Drako yet?... Don't answer that.' Saber comments with a smirk.

Fox hugged me back tightly, a bump on her hip able to be felt that was definitely a holstered gun. She'd come expecting trouble, that much is for sure. She smelled of vanilla and creme, the scent of the soap she'd used to wash herself that morning. She let out a soft sigh and nodded to me, gazing into my eyes. "Okay...you promise me that? That you'll stay alive?" She murmured earnestly, setting a hand on the hand on her cheek. Her eyes filled with a loving passion, and she nodded. "I'll see you again. I promise you that." Fox hesitated a bit, then answered the question in my thoughts. She leaned forward and kissed my lips lovingly, closing her eyes. 

I blink a bit, unsure how to exactly respond for a moment.

'KISS HER, TYLER~!' Saber sings, and I return to present, gently moving my other hand to her jaw, and I gently press my lips to hers in kind, closing my eyes. I felt my cheeks burning red, but for that moment, all that mattered was the girl kissing me.

Fox pulls away after a moment, both of us looking into each other's eyes in a new light. "I'll be back some time, Tyler, I promise... Please... Please, stay safe." She whispers gently, and I nod slightly, too shocked still to speak but to give a soft 'Uh-huh?...' and blush harder. She smiles softly and brushes her fingers over my cheek, before hugging me tightly one last time, then she moves away. All I could do was stand there, watching her as she sprints off into the darkening night like a ninja.

Damn, she was beautiful.

I sigh remorsefully, smiling softly as I think about what happened. Colonel Fox... She wanted to go out with me. She wanted to go on a date with me. She even kissed me! I blush again and slightly giggle to myself, before looking towards the clock. I wondered, as I finished up cleaning the kitchen, what she had gotten herself into. What was that mark on her neck? Why was she armed? Who was she here to help? Why wasn't she in California? What happened to her?

I rub my forehead as thoughts flash through my head. So many questions, so few answers. I smile a bit to myself, choosing to investigate things later. Maybe if I prod my father a little over Barbeque, I might learn one or two things. Speaking of that, I look at the time again, and tilt my head. He was a bit late. Not that I really figured too much into it. A General's life was pretty busy, for certain.

When he does show up, he was lugging a large wooden barrel and puffing up the sidewalk like a Uniformed Santa Claus. "Ho, ho, ho-hey, Tye, help me out here!" He calls, and I rush out, helping him carry the large barrel inside.

"Geeze, dad! I said just something small, not stealing an entire keg from the brewery!" I laugh, and General Landin laughs as well, grinning, and I blink at seeing fangs. "Aw, Mardu, good to see you, too!... Where's dad?"

Mardu chuckles a bit and scratches his neck a bit, as if embarrassed. "Well, about that, kid... He's having the kitchens cook up more barbeque... Kinda because I ate it all." He admits, and I raise both eyebrows.

"Mardu!" I laugh, before playfully punching his shoulder. "Was it good, at least?" I ask, and Mardu cocks his head to the side.

"It could have used a little more seasoning, but overall, it was delicious. Touch me again, and you'll replace the main course." He says with a chuckle, and I blanch. "Kidding, kid... Where's Saber, while we're on the topic of family and friends?"

"Oh, she went out for a flight. She'll be back around midnight." I say calmly, grinning. "She wanted me to have a nice night with my dad... I'm sure that she would have been here had she known you would be attending as well, General Mardu." I say with a chuckle, and Mardu shrugs a bit.

"She is strong, for her age. Far advanced beyond what the other Light Dragons could do at her stage in adolescence. She's pretty beautiful as well... Any suitors?" He asks, and I chuckle a bit.

"Corporal Drako? Dawnhunter?" I ask, and Mardu grins. "He and Saber are like two peas in a pod. Never seen two kids more in love."

"She'd do Corporal Dawnhunter a lot of good..." He starts, before looking at the door as it opens, and breaks into a wider grin. "Bobby! Glad you could join us!"

My father laughs a bit, followed by several people carrying platters of food. "Hey, kiddo, sorry that I'm late. Mardu ate the last BBQ food..." He says and I laugh a bit.

"No worries, Mardu just got here~!" I say with a grin, and Mardu shrugs helpfully. Trust your dad's Dragon to be helpful in a situation like this. Wonderful teamwork, Mardy. The three of us start setting up the table, and I laugh along with Mardu at the jokes he makes about my father, talking about some of the good times with my families I lived with. The night was turning out to be a great idea! But, as we sit down to eat, I feel something strange. A panic begining to rise in my chest, like a pressure over my heart. I take a sip of water, slightly frowning.

'Saber, are you alright?' I call out, but I receive no answer. Yet, the feeling intensifies. I frown a bit and then shake my head slightly.

"Son, you alright?"

I blink and look up to Mardu as he asks the question, and I nod slightly. "Yes... Just thinking about Natasha..." I comment, and Mardu frowns faintly, before nodding and digging into his food. General Landin looks at me curiously, before he starts eating. I focus on the food, and the feeling goes away to the back of my mind...

And yet, I can't help but notice that the feeling turned to numbness and a dull void of emotions after several more moments. I frown a bit and take a breath. "Excuse me... I need to check on something real quick." I comment, and get up, going to the bathroom as the numbness grows. I close the door, turning on the light and lift up my shirt sleeve, looking to my dragon mark, which had become oddly cold. My eyes widen in confusion as they land on the marking. For some reason, it had turned jet black and has fallen still. I don't understand it. One moment, I feel Saber seeming worried, and then my Dragonmark is back and still?

I rub at it gently, braced for a small jolt that always comes, and I frown deeper as that said jolt never comes. "What the hell?... What happened to my mark..." I mutter, before tilting my head up.

'Saber, are you alright?' I call out with my mind, and for some reason, I curl inward mentally, a sudden cold void around my mind. Saber had only blocked me out a few times, but I could tell this was... different. My heart started to pound and my forehead started to sweat. Something wasn't right... Something was very wrong.

**  

I come out of the bathroom and frown even more as I peek around the corner. Mardu had vanished, and General Landin has his eyes closed, seeming to be focused on something. Whatever it was, it brought tears to his eyes. I move to the living room, and for some reason, I feel the urge to go outside. Looking at General Landin, so hyper-focused that he doesn't notice me walk in, I frown deeply and head to the door, opening it and stepping out.

The bitter wind outside whips past me, and I pull up a hood on my hoodie, heading out into the main roadway. Seeing three shapes, one glowing softly, I knew it was Mardu. I saw a dark red dragon, and I could tell it was Ember, my favorite Fire Dragon, and best friend. She had been rejected by her Rider, and ever since she had become a bit of an extraordinary dragon in my eyes. She worked to become better than ever, and I think it was to spite the one who rejected her. I wondered, as I moved towards the three, who that black-purple dragon was. He looked familiar...

I recognize him as I get closer, and I grin a bit. "Caedrienth! Jeeze, bud, haven't seen you since Flight School! How've you been?" I call out with a slight grin, Ember and Caedrienth pausing and looking back at me, and I slow to a stop at the looks in their eyes. The low crone I could now hear. A crone of pain that was so unbearable, of loss unimaginable. A crone that came out of Mardu. And now that I was closer, I could see something on Caedrienth's back. A large, German Shepard sized lump of goldish-white, unmoving as Caedrienth gently looks at the ground, Ember seeming to be trying to find something to say.

I stop in my tracks, eyes locked on the lump of goldish-white, a pit forming in my stomach. The void in my mind, the numbness. The black Dragonmark stilled and unmoving. It all connected inside my mind, and I fall to my knees, eyes locked on the dragoness on Caedrienth's back, my heart stopping cold as it came crashing down on me.

Saber, tears frozen against her maw and eyes closed gently, lies draped over Caed's back. Her natural glow having left her. Her chest neither rising nor falling. Her voice not singing out to me in greeting. Her laughter, silenced.

Saber, my beloved Dragon, lies dead on Caedrienth's back.

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Merry Christmas.... This is not the end.

With love,

Riley