"Mommy!" I repeatedly knocked on the door as I waited for my mother to open it.

I immediately went here the moment the firing of guns stopped. Tila ba nawala ang lahat ng sumasakit sa aking katawan nang maalala ko si Mommy. The door is locked but I'm still worried someone will barge inside.

I heard the locked of the door clinked as it opened. Bumungad sa akin si Mommy na agad na may nagtatanong na mga mata. I caught her scanning my body and her eyes stopped at my feet.

"Are you okay? Does anyone tried to--"

"Are you alright, Auriese?" She cutted my words. Marahang tanong niya ngunit naramdaman ko ang talim noon. I suddenly remember what I've told her awhile ago.

"Y-yes, Mommy," sambit ko kahit na ramdam ko ang bigat ng aking katawan. Kasabay ng pagkirot mula sa hindi ko matantong parte.

I caught her heaving a deep sigh. "What was that?" She asked as she squinted her eyes at me.

I blinked. "Huh?" Kunwaring hindi nakuha ang tanong niya.

"You're one of them?" Her almost inaudible tone made my insides clenched more. Tila may konklusyon na siya ngunit ayaw paniwalaan at gustong kumpirmahin mula sa akin.

"I-I killed, Mommy. I can't remember h-how many people died in my hands." Nahigit ko ang aking hininga habang pinagmamasdan ko ang pagbabago ng reaksyon niya. She lost her balance as her knees wobbled. Agad ko namang nahuli ang kanyang braso at inalalayan siya patungo sa kama upang maupo.

"M-mommy." My voice trembled as I saw a glint of tear in her eyes. I immediately encircled my arms around her waist as I leaned on her. That triggered her tears to rolled down her cheeks more.

"Don't cry, Mommy." I tried to hushed her down as I waited for her words. Tatanggapin ko ang lahat ng mga salitang sasabihin niya sa akin.

But I can't say sorry for what I did, for killing. Sorry is for the things we didn't mean. But I killed in my own will. Sorry is not the right words for it.

"W-what happened, Auriese? Why do you have to kill?" She asked in between her sobs.

"C-calm down, Mommy." I let my hand rest on her back as I caressed it. I can't tell everything in that state of her. Na sa tingin ko ay ilang salita na lang mula sa akin ay mawawalan na siya ng malay. Kapag nalaman niya kung paano pa lamang ako nakapasok sa Cosmos, sa tingin ko ay hindi na niya kakayanin. She'll immediately lose her consciousness or worst, baka pa atakihin siya sa puso.

"Mom, I'll explain it s-some other time if you won't calm down first." I reached for her hand as I slightly gripped it.

We're in that position when someone knocked on the door. Matapos ay bumukas ito at bumungad sa akin si Astrid.

Her eyes darted at my mom before she met mine. "Sorry, am I interrupting--"

I immediately cutted her words. "No, no, what is it?"

"Uhmm, Archer said you might have a bruise in your stomach."

I have? How did he know?

"Dasher will treat it and check you if you have other wounds or bruises aside from your stomach."

I glanced at my mother. "Will you be okay, Mommy?"

Agaran siyang tumango sa akin habang pinapalis ang mga luha sa pisngi. "Let them check if you have wounds."

"I'll look for you mother first," Astrid offered.

My lips tugged into a smile. "Thank you."

"Hmm, they're at Mirae's room."

I glanced at them once for the last time before finally getting out if the room.

I placed my hand at my nape as I craned my neck while walking towards the next room.

Nang tumapat sa pinto ng kabilang kwarto ay dalawang beses akong kumatok bago tuluyang binuksan iyon.

The first thing I saw is Mirae who's still unconscious in her bed. Nawalan ito ng malay ilang minuto matapos kaming tumilapon sa sahig. Isang beses rin siyang nabaril kaya't naparami ang nawalang dugo.

This woman! Hindi kasi marunong magkubli, baril lang ng baril!

I saw Dasher seating beside her bed. Mukhang tinitignan ang katawan ni Mirae sa iba pang posibleng sugat.

Si Creed ay nakatayo malapit sa pinto habang nakapamulsa ay nakasandal sa pader. He nodded at me the moment our eyes met.

Bumaling ako sa couch upang doon maupo nang makitang naroon si Archer. Nakatingin siya sa akin ngunit agad na nag-iwas at bumaling sa direksyon nila Mirae matapos magtama ang aming mga mata.

I bit my lower lip as I walked near the couch where Archer's seating. Marahan akong umupo sa pinakagilid noon, malayo sa kinauupuan ni Archer.

He's back at his stares. Earlier, he even help me and asked me if I'm alright. Worry is evident in his face awhile ago. But right now, after making sure I'm alright he immediately turned cold again. Nawala ang lambot sa mga mata, pati na rin ang ekspresyon.

Akmang tatawagin ko siya nang agarang bumukas ang pinto ng kwarto ni Mirae. A man whom I'm not expecting barged in.

"Where's my wife-- fuck!" Vynz cursed when he saw Mirae lying on her bed.

Dire-diretso itong nagtungo sa kinahihigaan ni Mirae. My lips parted a bit. I'm sure amusement is now evident in my face. I'm not expecting a Devaughne to come here with a worried face, looking for the Universe.

"What happened?" Tanong niya habang na kay Dasher ang mga mata na nasa tabi pa rin ng kama ni Mirae.

"Rozelli happened." Simpleng sagot ni Dash. Vynz cursed like that was enough to understand what happened.

"That was a warning from Ysmael," Creed spoke. Hindi ko naman makuha kung bakit kailangan ng warning mula kay Rozelli. "At hindi ngayon ang magiging huli kung mananatili sa atin ang babaeng iyon."

"Killing that woman will surely trigger the Rozelli--"

Kunot noong putol ni Dasher kay Arch. "That's not in the choices." Bahagyang tumaas ang kilay ko roon.

"Why don't you inject her something that can erase her memory then let her go back to Rozelli," Archer suggested. Nanatili akong nakikinig sa kanila habang paminsan minsang sumusulyap kay Vynz na marahang hinahagod ang buhok ng walang malay na si Mirae.

Agad na sinangayunan ni Creed ang suhestiyon ni Archer ngunit tila si Dasher ay hindi. "I'll think about it."

"Though there's no need for that. They knew it already," Creed muttered. Hindi ko naman maintindihan ang pinaguusapan nila.

But I caught Creed after a while. Tila may nakakuha ng atensyon nito o may naalala. "Think about it?" Nahihiwagaang tanong ni Creed habang ang mga mata ay diretso kay Dasher. "Is there something you're not telling us?"

"I can't still figure it out."

"What is it? Maybe we can't help?"

Dasher chuckled at Creed as he shook his head. "You can't."

Bumaling ang aking mga mata kay Archer nang magsalita siya. "There you go again, moving without us knowing. Look what happened the last time you did it."

He nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders off. "I did it for Milady. I'll do it again if needed."

"Why do it with only yourself when we can help you?"

Napahalakhak si Dasher. "Seriously, Archer, can you help me figure it out if I love someone?"

Nasupil ang aking bibig pati na rin ang ibang nasa loob ng silid. I caught Archer smirked at Dash.

"See? Really, you can't. Help me next time. But right now, I can figure it out myself."

"Woah, still Aislinn?" Arch asked. Wait, Aislinn Zaldivar? If I'm not mistaken she's Dasher's long time girlfriend. Sila pa rin?

I waited for his response and my lips parted when he shook his head. Really? I mean, Dasher looked so much in love with her back then. Noong nakapasok ako sa Cosmos ay girlfriend niya na si Aislinn. Hindi ko alam kung gaano na sila katagal noon ngunit natatandaan kong handa na si Dasher na pakasalan ito. I'm expecting them to be married by now but well... everything's changing.

"Is it--"

"I'm still figuring it out," Putol ni Dasher sa sasabihin ni Arch. Dasher met my eyes, tila may sinasabi ang mga mata niya habang nakangisi bago bumaling kay Archer. "How about you? Still Aurie or you'll go back on collecting..." Makahulugang tanong nito kay Archer.

I lowered my head as I bit my lower lip while fidgeting my fingers. It's better if I didn't know his answer.

Imagine him answering that he'll go back to his hobby will break me. Ngayon pa lamang ay nararamdaman ko na ang paninikip ng aking dibdib.

I heard Dasher tsked that made me look up on him. Dismadayo itong nakatingin kay Archer matapos ay mapapailing siya habang muling binalingan ang mga gamit. I don't know what's Arch's answer, hindi ko narinig ang mga salita niya ngunit sa reaksyon ni Dash ay alam kong sumagot siya.

Nahigit ko ang aking hininga nang maramdamang tumayo si Archer. Nilagpasan niya ang aking kinauupuan at walang salitang lumabas ng silid.

Dasher walked near me. Umupo siya sa tabi ko dala ang kanyang mga gamit.

"Let me treat your wounds."

Tumango ako at hinayaan siya habang lumilipad ang aking isip sa kung saan.

Does Ryker told Archer that he's my husband? How did he even know Archer's number? That fucker! Siya lang naiisip kong maaaring gumawa noon. Sa una pa lang, siya na ang nagiilusyon na anak niya si Rye, kahit na wala namang nangyari sa aming dalawa.

Creed left after Archer went out of the room, saying he'll go home to his wife. Mirae's still asleep while his husband's seating beside her, patiently waiting for her to wake up.

It took Dasher half an hour to treat all my bruises. I have no severe wounds. May sugat man ngunit hindi iyon malala at gasgas lang, dala ng pagtilapon ko at pagbagsak sa semento.

"Thank you," I muttered.

Dasher smiled at me as he nodded his head. "Archer loves you," biglang sambit niya sa akin.

I tugged the side of my lips for a smile. "I love him too."

He nodded, lalong lumaki ang ngiti sa mga labi. "I'm glad he found someone who loves him the way he does. Buti hindi nakarma." Bahagya siyang natatawa habang sinasambit ang huling mga salita. I chuckled too at his statement.

"I'm sorry," I said after the laughters died down.

Kunot ang kanyang noo. "For what?"

"For leaving Cosmos without telling anyone... my reason why."

A smirk formed in his lips as she slowly shook his head. "Don't think about it. Wala na 'yon."

"But swear, wala akong masamang intensyon sa Cosmos o kay Mirae."

Tumayo ito matapos ayusin ang mga gamit. "If you have, probably the whole world already know that Mirae's the Universe."

Ngiti lang ang naisagot ko roon bago tumayo. "Sige, uhmm, I'll go find Archer. Thank you ulit."

"Hmm, sabay na 'ko. Let's leave them here," he muttered as he glanced at Vynz and Mirae.

Kasabay noon ang pagbaling sa amin ni Vynz. "Labas muna kami," paalam ni Dasher na tinangguan naman ni Vynz.

He reached his cane as we walked out of the room.

"He's probably in his room. Kung wala, baka umalis," Dash muttered. Malapit lang ang kwarto ni Dasher sa silid ni Mirae kaya naman ako na lamang ang naiwan. Inalok niya ako upang samahan kat Arch na agad kong tinanggihan.

I know where his room is and I know Dasher needs to rest his legs.

I pressed my lips as I saw Archer's door. Walang pagaalinlanggang kumatok ako roon ngunit walang sumasagot mula sa loob. I turned the knob to opened it but was locked.

Akmang aalis ako upang hanapin siya sa ibang parte ng headquarters nang may humarang sa aking paningin.

"A-Archer." My voice trembled as I met his emotionless eyes.

He hummed. "Hmm?"

"Can we talk?" I tried to cheered my tone up, to cover my trembling voice.

"I have something to do. Some other time, Auriese."

A big lump immediately formed in my throat as I heard the name he used to address me. I forced the side of my lips to tugged up.

"Just lend me a few minutes, Arch. It won't take long--"

"I said I'm busy." He sighed as he continue, malamig pa rin ang titig ng kanyang mga mata. "Get ready, I'll drive you and your mother home."

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