Here we go!

A little warning because some scenes can be a trigger.

~~~~~

"Love."

Gusion? She called him mentally.

"Love, I'm here."

Where are you, Gusion?

"I love you, Lesley."

Lesley's eyes shot opened with a gasp. She was breathing heavily as she stared at the ceiling.

It's only a dream. She thought. Maybe she was just hallucinating that she was hearing his voice in her sleep.

She took a deep breath to calm herself. It wasn't the first time that it happened to her. Every night– she was being haunted by her dreams.

She badly missed Gusion. And that longing she was feeling for him and her little brother increased everyday, to the point that she couldn't bear the pain anymore.

But I have to save them. I need to be strong.

But that wasn't enough. She was holding on barely– and her hold from surviving was already slipping out of her grasp.

Her eyes roamed and it stopped on her pistol beside her table. The squad must thought that she was already okay since Silvanna visited her– but the back of her mind was telling her to grab it and pull the trigger towards her head.

Lesley didn't know, but when she blinked her eyes, she was already holding the gun in her hands and was staring at it.

Her grip on it tightened as she could feel her tears brimming in her eyes. She was torn between ending her misery in an instant or surviving it to save her loved ones.

She closed her eyes and sighed and was about to bring down the pistol on the table when she heard rustles on the trees outside her room.

She whipped her head towards the window and since she couldn't find her rifle, her only weapon was the pistol she was holding.

What was that? I'm here inside the SABER's squad headquarters. There will be no intruders right? The alarm should have rang if there is.

She carefully took her steps towards the side of the window and carefully peeked on the window but she saw nothing.

Lesley sighed. Must be birds.

She frowned when she remembered something. It was the time when she took a bath on the river in the forest before. Birds were also disturbed that time.

She brought her hands to her chest, as if she was protecting it.

No one was there right? I was naked that time!

The thought of someone seeing her naked state gave her goosebumps and irritation. But as far as she remembered, she sensed no one.

Yes, no one.

Except for Gusion who appeared out of nowhere that time.

She blushed with that thought and quickly shaking her head.

That must only be coincidence.

She kept on chanting it was only a coincidence as she hid her pistol in the drawer of the bedside table and while lying on the bed.

She was still trying to convince herself that it was only a coincidence, "Yeah, it's only a coincidence. He didn't tell me about it."

"I must ask him then once I save him..." Was the last thought of Lesley before she went into slumber again.

=====

"Hmm..." Lesley trailed while looking awkwardly at the squad, "Good morning?"

She was standing at the entrance of the dining room with the tray of her breakfast that the android assistant brought her to her room while the SABER squad were waiting for breakfast.

The squad was looking at her with wide eyes and mouths hanging open for seconds before Layla stood up and jumped to her to hug her– almost spilling the food on the tray.

"Lesley!" Layla cried, "I miss you Les!"

That made Lesley smiled a little and the rest of the squad walked towards her. Johnson got the tray from and she mumbled 'thanks' so she could hugged Layla back.

"I'm sorry." Lesley whispered.

She felt Layla shook her head, "It's not your fault. It's our fault that we are not strong enough to match them."

"That's not true." She contradicted, "I am thankful that you helped me and took care of me when I am a mess."

Rafaela joined the hug, "I'm glad that you're back, Lesley."

That made Lesley smiled and caressed Cyclops' head while she nodded to Saber and Johnson.

=====

"Her Highness' visit must be a great help." Layla said while they were having breakfast.

"I think so." Lesley agreed, "Though I feel bad for her seeing me in that state. We haven't seen each other for a long time and–" She let out a sigh.

"It's not your fault Lesley." Rafaela said then held her hand, "Thank you for being strong, thank you for not giving up."

Lesley smiled a little. It might looked like she was okay, but she was barely holding on her pieces not to crumble inside.

She realized she couldn't do anything if she would continue being weak and depressed.

She needed to save Gusion and Harley.

"After this, can you all accompany me?" Lesley asked after damping the table napkin to her lips.

The squad looked at her, questioning her.

"I want to go to Dr. Rooney." She said firmly.

=====

"You know I won't allow you, right my daughter?" King Silver– the king of Moniyan Empire– calmly said.

"Please Father, let me travel to the Cardia Riverlands. With the state of our army, we couldn't take down the Dark Abyss." Silvanna pleaded her father.

King Silver shook his head lightly, "I didn't allow you to use that weapon to fight along. I just want you to protect yourself."

"I am maybe a girl, but I can fight, Father." Silvanna sighed, "Please stop discriminating us women. We can do just fine."

She stared at her father with full of determination. If they wanted to win against the Dark Abyss, they needed more alliance.

The dark force was no joke. They couldn't fight head to head with their current warriors.

King Silver sighed, "Fine, I'll allow you–" Silvanna beamed with happiness but King Silver spoke again, "–but Granger must go with you."

She frowned, "Why Granger? He is much more needed here. I want to take Kimmy with me."

"Kimmy will be left here for her chemicals. She's the only one who knows her inventions." King Silver answered, "While Alucard was accompanying Harith, Nana and Miya back to the Azrya Woodlands where Elvens and Leonins reside. Maybe we could make the Elvens our allies too."

"I can go alone." Silvanna whispered. "Only few will be left here like Tigreal, Natalia, Fanny, Kimmy and Rafaela."

"I know you can go alone, Sil." Her father said, "But I won't let you. We already lost your brother. Your mother and I wouldn't take it if we lose you too."

Silvanna sighed as she remembered her little brother once again.

With determination, she would definitely bring down the VENOM and bring back her brother.

=====

"I'm glad you're back to your own feet."

Lesley whipped her head to the direction where the voice was coming from and a genuine smile appeared in her lips.

"Claude!" She exclaimed before jumping unto her cousin with a hug.

"Easy cous. I know you missed me." Claude chuckled while gently bringing her feet back to the ground.

But it was just only for seconds as she saddened when she remembered what happened. "We failed Claude. And they even got Gusion."

Claude felt sympathy for his cousin and tapped on her shoulders, "You didn't fail. As long as the mission to save them wasn't accomplished, you didn't fail."

Lesley smiled a little to her cousin so he wouldn't worry anymore, "I know. And that's why I'm here."

"You're accepting it huh." He commented.

She wasn't surprised anymore. After all, Claude had that several information under his sleeves that he used for transaction– of course, for money and other things.

She looked to his long-range weapon while petting Dexter, "I heard you stole that from Dr. Rooney."

Claude faked his shock and even put a hand to his chest as if he was hurt, "Cous, I'm offended. I just borrowed this!"

"Yeah?" Lesley said and started walking towards the office of Dr. Rooney, "Yet you never returned it?"

"Well, he is still not telling me to give this back so nope. I'm gonna return it sooner."

"Never." She corrected.

Claude clutched his chest again as if he was hurt, "That's double kill, cous! How could you?"

Lesley just chuckled with her cousin's childish acts. She knew that he was just trying to make her feel better.

The fact that she had a cousin, comforted her.

She then remembered her Auntie Ashley. I wonder where she is right now. I miss her.

They arrived at Dr. Rooney's office and before she knocked, she looked at Claude.

"You made a right decision cous." Claude smiled at him.

"Thank you." She smiled to her cousin.

Claude patted her head before he left with Dexter. And that was when Lesley faced the door and knocked.

"Come in!" She heard Dr. Rooney said.

She took a deep breath before pushing the door opened. And she was welcomed by Dr. Rooney who was standing in front of a white high-tech suit, as if he was really expecting her to come.

Lesley was mesmerized by the suit, as if it was calling her.

"Coming here means you are accepting my offer." Dr. Rooney said before he pushed a button and the suit was gone– no, it went inside a chip-like circle.

She nodded.

Dr. Rooney handed her the chip-like circle which she accepted. She stared at it for a moment before she looked back to Dr. Rooney, who nodded to her.

She pushed the little button and now she was wearing the white high-tech suit. Her hair was also white and an eyeshield-like appeared to her face that was actually a scanner. She panicked a little when she saw her rifle. It wasn't the same anymore, it wasn't her father's rifle.

"Relax Lesley. It is still your rifle, the suit just enhanced it. It will be the same once you deactivated the suit." Dr. Rooney explained as if he noticed her panic upon seeing her rifle.

She expected that she would feel heavy with the suit but it was actually not. She felt light and she could move lightly.

"So?" Dr. Rooney asked as if waiting for her comment.

"This is great." Lesley said and pushed the button once again, and she was now back to her normal clothes, including the rifle, "What do I do in return?"

Dr. Rooney smirked, "Time to show them who Stellaris Ghost is."

~~~~~

I'm so sorry for the long wait fam! I can now focus in this book–

–Or so I thought XD