M A K A Y L A

Proximo was a silent presence at the edge of the room. The best one. I would have fallen apart entirely without his solid hand and words at the time I needed them most. The lights had been dimmed for the night in the med bay. They would keep her under until morning to ensure her body was stable before waking.

It didn't make the hours move any faster.

The blue glow of his holo appeared against his face as he controlled the Division from his comm on the floor. It made a brief smirk take my lips seeing his dishevelled short hair and t-shirt as opposed to a fully equipped Vanguard and death hanging from his every limb. I preferred the short hair over the shaven cut.

"Stop staring at me." He muttered, swiping at his holo.

"That's the second time you've hugged me." I announced. 

"I have no idea what you mean." He answered calmly, keeping eyes on his work.

I rested my head on my hand with my other still on Alex's combats. Her steady beat on the heart monitor kept me sane. Half Proximo's face was shadowed and blue. Those stern yet square lines of his face skimmed over lines of communication. Then he lowered his wrist and met my gaze.

"What?" He demanded.

"Just trying to figure you out."

"There is nothing to figure." He retorted, resting his muscled forearms on his knees.

"I'm trying to decide how much of your personality is that serum, and how much is you."

He smirked darkly and flexed a hand. "I'm most myself in the mornings, Miss Xavier."

"But I never see you in the morn–"

"Exactly." He finished flatly, drawing his wrist back up.

"But you're not using it now..." I ventured.

He sighed and shook his head. "I am restricted from using it now." He grit out.

I scanned his irritation for a moment before a snort left me. "Oh, Prox... Did Art tell you no?"

"Do you want to join her on that bed?" He stated, looking like he was also ready to take the shot. I grinned back and trailed my fingers absently against her leg.

"I'm good right where I am."

This made him appraise me more closely.

"So... it is no harm done?" He raised an eyebrow.

I took his meaning and my hand stilled. I chewed my lip and averted my eyes to the machines again. He waited for my words but they seemed trapped now. A few moments passed and he decided to drop it.

"There's definitely harm." I finally murmured across to him. He acted like he hadn't heard me but I know he listened. "–I need her to be okay. Then we need to take some time to go over a lot of things..." I finally got out. "I can't run away from it."

"That's not the Xavier I once knew." He mused at his holo feed. 

The comfortable silence lay between us again and I resumed trailing my fingers against the dark fabric of her leg. "You know, in the beginning–I wanted to hate her so badly..." I murmured, scanning over her boots tied with military precision. "The way you two walked into my father's tower like it was nothing. Openly insulted him, made a scene and then smirked while it all went to hell around you..." I let out a small chuckle, "–I had never seen such arrogance outside of 1."

"We had new power and a new throne." He answered calmly. "–We had reason to show it off a bit."

"I barely even knew who Scorpion was." I admitted. "Let alone her sulking second–"

"I don't sulk, Makayla."

"Is he sulking again?" Art quipped from the doorway.

I smiled towards the dark eyed assassin that had three steaming cups in his hands.

"That is thoughtful." I noted, watching Proximo's glare and attention focus back on his feed.

I accepted whatever caffeine he offered with thanks. Proximo's grunt was as far as he went when it was placed against his boot but Art seemed unfazed and took a place beside him on the floor.

"There are chairs–"

"I know." They answered at the same time.

I covered my smirk with the coffee and turned back to Alex's peaceful expression. My thoughts wandered far and wide. The most prominent and painful ones lingered behind the most pressing. Like how many times can her body take this before it becomes the last...

I made a promise to her once that she wouldn't owe this city a thing and we would leave it all behind. But how far was that. Was it always an illusion? 

Did Proximo even know what she had planned to do before it all went to shit? Did he fathom that she would have passed the title to him and left the Empress to her games. It could all have been in the heat of the moment, I thought as I traced my eyes along the cloth covering her chest and the many scars crossing over the plains of her. It was like looking at them for the first time all over again.

Swords, dagger, fusion, plasma, shrapnel... It was written on her skin. I wanted to wipe away the marks with my lips and watch them fade into nothing. All the memory of pain gone with them.

Then I saw that bronze eyed woman standing before Alex in almost no clothing at all. Her hands on her thighs and her lips against her ear. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to burn the image away.

"The worst is over, Makayla." Art said quietly from the floor.

I snorted and shook my head at him.

"Me and her are just getting started..."

That made him smile. He raised his cup with a nod.

"To complicated relationships."

Proximo rolled his eyes and swiped more aggressively at his holo.

"Your coffee is getting cold, Prox." I said innocently. Only so I could divert the conversation well away from Empresses and complicated relationships... He met my gaze with a hard glare.

"Probably poisoned." He grunted.

"No I take poison for you remember..." Art drawled, drinking his own.

I stared at them from my seat against the bed as they got into some kind of low voiced argument. Like a god damn married couple that was stuck denying their feelings. But if Proximo was done with the combat agent... He was about to get a wave of long lost ones. I wondered vaguely what that would look like as they argued.

The hours dragged like weights around my ankles. Every minute I was alert and ready for that heart monitor to plummet. For the doctors and medics to rush in with flashing lights and tell me that nothing could be done. But that steady low beep pulsed in the background.

Hours later when I heard the beginnings of Art's snore, I slipped my hand into Alex's open one.

I watched the calm face that looked so innocent in sleep. Those beautiful features that stole your breath and heart. "Come back to me." I whispered.

I carefully drew lines against her palm and the warmth reassured me.

"Come back Alex... We're not done yet. You need to talk to me–and I need to kick your ass for being such a god damn idiot." I breathed, trailing her skin. "I still love you too damn much."

I felt the tear on my cheek and didn't bother to wipe it away.

She remained peacefully unaware. Whatever drug in her system keeping her blissfully out of this room. I leaned forward and carefully pressed my lips against her hand. Inhaling her scent like it was the last thing left. Then I rose and leant back in my chair feeling the joints and bones crack.

Five hours. It would be another three at least.

I rolled my neck slowly in place and caught sight of Art's head slumped against Proximo's shoulder. I would have found it hilarious if it wasn't for the fact that Proximo was awake and watching him intently. He didn't care that I was awake. There was a fascination in his gaze as well as a softness I never thought I'd see.

Those dark and menacing tattoos down the side of his face painted the wrong idea about him. He was so invincible on the surface. A carefully constructed armour to keep those he cared for away. Yet now in the dead hours of the night he let the armour crack just for a moment. Just for a fleeting pass of time that the man on his shoulder wouldn't know about when morning came.

I was glad at least I got to see it once.

I tore my eyes off them and slumped back in my seat tracing the patterns on Alex's arm. 

I didn't want sleep if I couldn't guarantee she'd wake up with me.

* * * * *

I saw the gun in my hands. It didn't shake. Alex's face was calm before me as she wrapped her hands around mine and nodded at me.

"My life has been yours to take since the start." She whispered around me.

Those burning golden eyes were as calm as ever in the face of death. Ones that told me this was the time. I tried to pull my hands away but she was stronger–she always had been. Her face neared mine until I could make out every inch of her in all its sharp perfection.

"This was never going to end well for either of us." She smiled.

Then her hands squeezed my finger and the fusion round went through her again.

I bolted up right.

A pair of golden eyes watched me back. The real ones. 

Laid back on the same bed I hadn't meant to fall asleep against.

"How long have you been awake?" I blurted, pushing my hair off my face and scanning her body. The wires and blood line were gone and replaced with a dark t-shirt.

"Long enough." She said in a hoarse voice.

I shook my head and gripped her leg tightly in my hand.

"Alex, I'm so sorry." I whispered. 

"It's not you–that needs to say it." She breathed steadily out her nose and scanned my face. "What I did last night–is unforgivable. Being drunk doesn't excuse it–"

"I'm not here to blame you. I'm here to make sure nothing happens to you." My voice broke on the last word, but I kept my grip on her to steady myself.

She traced her eyes over my clothes that were Proximo's and then to the discarded coffee cups beyond. The men were gone. Probably trying to keep order or extract certain Sector 1 personnel quickly off base...

"I need to speak with Proximo." She stated, sounding more like herself.

I flinched and tightened my grip. "You're in no shape to start–"

"That's not it." She grit out, looking back over her torso and wincing. "I want him as interim leader of the Division immediately."

I stilled and scanned the steady look in her eyes. The drugs didn't cloud them now but how could that be a solid judgment call. She finally met my eyes and raised her hand to me slightly. I pushed my fingers through hers and pressed my forehead against her leg carefully. She shut her eyes.

"Why?" I mumbled against the fabric.

She thought about my answer and opened her eyes to watch me. I pushed the chair forward with my boots until I could lean down and watch her face closely. A strand of my hair fell loose but I couldn't care less. She was breathing. What else was there?

She brought her hand up and traced the side of my face with her fingers.

"I'm tired, Makayla. I'm tired of all of it. I want to know what it feels like–to be with you as all of me." She answered slowly. "That doesn't mean I expect you to forgive me." She added with a dark look.

I flickered between those molten eyes and a humourless laugh left me.

"Do you have any idea what it did to me–seeing you on the floor like that?" I answered low, watching the emotions cross her face. "I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move–" She gripped the edge of my jaw more tightly but I continued, "–what you did hurt me, Alex. But it is nothing in the face of that."

"Then let me do this. Let me give us time, Makayla." She answered with a burning desperation there. I swallowed and ran my other hand against her neck.

"I wanted to have this conversation when you didn't have a hole in you." I got out with a broken smile.

That classic dark smirk took her face. "It's not the only–"

"Just. Shut up." I interrupted moving my hand over her lips and scanning her eyes. "I want time with you, Alex. I do. But I also need to stop seeing your blood on my hands and the Empress before that."

She closed her eyes again with a pained look and nodded.

"Take as much as you need. I won't be leading the Division." She stated simply.

"Is that what you need?" I asked carefully, watching the face of the woman responsible for so much good and bad. So much darkness and light in my life. It was like looking at the sun.

"I need to never hear what you said to me last night again. I'll do whatever you want to make that happen, Makayla..." She mumbled with her eyes still shut. Even without that beautiful gaze it cut my soul in half hearing the intensity of those words. How my own had hit her harder than any fusion round ever could.

We're done.

But we could have been. I could have made it to the lift. Alex could not have made it from the shot. But now she was lying before me with barely enough strength to reach up and touch me. The thought of walking away from her was impossible.

"You're hard to get rid of Scorpion." I murmured softly down to her. 

She met my eyes and smiled sadly.

"That's not my name."

"Alex..." I whispered, trailing my fingers against her cheek. "You didn't walk away when you found out what happened between me and Velron–" she stilled under me, "You held me closer and said you loved me all the same. It remains true for me." I grazed her chin with my thumb as she listened intently. "We just need to breathe a moment. I won't be going anywhere." I finished, watching her expression fly through grief to love in a heartbeat. 

"One day we won't owe this city a thing right?" She got out, painfully fragile.

I smiled at her. "You remember."

"And just about–every other thing you say..." She drawled with amusement that didn't quite touch her eyes.

I placed my head against the bed rail and she turned to watch me back. With the right course and the best nano seals she would be walking in days. But that didn't mean I was about to let her out of my sight.

"You can't have had a good night." She ventured, noticing the way I slumped beside her more prominently.

"Not the best." I agreed, "But I think Proximo did."

It finally broke a smile from her that took away some of the pain. I started trailing my fingers against her neck again without fully registering the move. 

"Those two are hopeless."

"We were worse..." I answered, watching the way she swallowed under my touch. I couldn't meet her eyes for too long. It brought too much to the surface.

"You're perfect." She stated, making me freeze briefly. I carefully met her eyes and she gazed into mine. "And I'm out of my mind for walking away from you in that bar."

She was many things.

Leader. Lover. Protector. Vengeful. Impulsive. But she was also still mine. She was warm under my touch and she had done everything to keep us together in this city of killers and manipulators. I could see that pain in her eyes as she watched me. I could feel the part of her that doubted. The one that told her she had broken something between us that couldn't be fixed.

But I was never one for giving up when it came to her.

I wouldn't when the Emperor sought to divide us and when the Division hunted me down. I still wouldn't when Alex herself didn't realise what we were becoming. I needed her to know that even if I wanted space to breathe I wouldn't let her go.

So I took the sides of her face in my hands and kissed her.

I kissed her like we had time. I kissed her like the past was nothing and the future was promised. She met the shape of my lips with the same answer and one that wanted to live in the present. I drew away for a simple breath before kissing her all the same and making an electronic beep mock us in the background. 

It didn't matter to me. For now I would kiss her and worry about tomorrow later.

When I finally drew away she inhaled heavily like it had been life to her veins. I pressed my palm against the bed near her head and watched her.

"That's my answer, Alex." I pushed back to separate some space between us and take in every detail of her. Real warmth touched her face this time and she nodded with another breath. I smirked and set my forearms back against the side of the bed.

"You're sleeping next to me tonight." She decided.

I sighed and shook my head, "The doctors–"

"The doctors won't tell me no even if I'm not the Division's leader." She finished cooly.

I smirked and nodded beside her. "I'm not going to move you with your injury."

"That's fine because I can move myself."

I glared at her when she tried and the pain was stark on her face.

"Stop." I pushed her back down. "Why are you so stubborn?"

"I'm not letting you sleep like that again." She answered without room to negotiate.

After several more minutes of debate I decided to give in. She didn't make a sound when I helped shift her body across the bed other than to grit her teeth–which I knew in Alex's language meant a lot of pain. But to her it was worth it. She released a long sigh when I finally lay down beside her on my side.

I pressed my palm against her chest and felt the warm beat of her heart. Then lay my head near her shoulder. I stared at the nano seal that was revealed under the base of her t-shirt.

Just above the hip. Too low for major damage, too high for a simple flesh wound. 

"I'm so so sorry–"

"Shhh..." She pressed her lips to my head. "Get some sleep."

"That's what I should be telling you." I grumbled, tapping a finger against the base of her neck. She smiled and drew back.

"Yes–well I wasn't sure if you'd still be here."

"You're stupid when you're injured." I answered, relaxing against her body more. 

I pushed her head back against the pillows and watched the side of her face. Her eyes were heavier, as if all her energy had gone into the last few moments. I smiled as she fought the sleep I knew was coming to her. I had only got a few hours myself but I wanted to be here with her like this until she was out.

"Stay with me..." She mumbled, closing her eyes.

I leaned in slowly and kissed the corner of her mouth. She smiled.

"I'm not going anywhere." I whispered, pressing my face to the pillow beside her and finally letting my body relax enough into a sleep.