Cure for a Nation

Chapter Twenty-Six

"Claire, wait!" Daniel called as he moved to follow her but Joan held him back.
"Let her go," Joan said sternly.
"I can't do that," Daniel replied, pushing past her.
"Daniel, you have to. We have to plan our journey to Alexandria."
Daniel looked down at Joan still clinging to his arm. Her expression was soft and she didn't back down until Daniel's stony expression made it clear that she needed to unhand him. I'll change that, Joan thought.
"Fine," Daniel grumbled, "I'll need a map.."

Claire ran and ran until she found herself back in the room she met Joan in. Orange shafts of morning sunlight poured through the broken windows above the center of the room and a cold breeze blew in. Claire rubbed her hands together as she began to walk around the room again. The paintings were so much more vibrant in the daylight and Claire wondered how long it took to paint them. She came to a pedestal with an old Imperium helmet resting upon it. It was a relic compared to Daniel' equipment and much clunkier. A solid plate of steel would have to be slapped down over a thin glass visor to protect the soldiers face with only two small holes for their eyes. She shivered as she imagined Daniel wearing the helmet and how ominous his eyes would look. She shook her head suddenly, trying to avoid thinking of him. The pedestal was labeled "First Contact," and the visor of the helmet was shattered and the guard was stained brownish red.
"Those helmets freak me out," said a voice behind Claire, making her jump. She whipped around and saw it was Daniel standing in the center of a shaft of sunlight.
"Go away," Claire said, backing away, "I don't want to freak you out."
Daniel's eyebrow cocked up but he chose not to comment. He began to walk around the room and inspect the exhibits himself.
"I served under him. Brilliant and ruthless," he commented as he passed a painting of an Imperium officer.
"Those Walkers are some of the hardest to pilot..They were brave soldiers..he was a dick.." Daniel had something to say about all of the paintings until he came to one of what Claire assumed to be the last Emperor. She watched him reach out to the painting but recoil just before touching it. What is he up to, Claire wondered. Daniel made his way back to the sunlight.
"Do you know what all of these people had in common?" He asked. Claire was silent.
"They did some screwed up things for what they believed was right. It was in the job description. Some adopted the 'whatever it takes' attitude while others never even noticed. I've seen and lived both cases, Claire. You don't scare me."
Claire tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and debated approaching him but stopped herself. She wrung her hands and looked nervously at Daniel.
"I..can't. You don't want me to," she said shakily.
"Claire.." Daniel replied gently.
"No. I'm..broken. Used up. The plague destroyed me, made me a shell of a person. I don't want you to think of me like that."
Daniel studied her intently, making her let her hands fall at her side.
"Claire," he said quietly, "you can't let something that happened to you define you. It's what you do that defines you. I've lost battle after battle, soldier after soldier, friend after friend. But I didn't let that break me. I gathered my courage and kept going. Even though the Warriors wanted the Imperium's extinction, I never let that define me. True, I still fought, but for unity. For their freedom. For what I believe in. That made me a weapon in the eyes of my superiors and a Reaper in the hearts of Warriors but I know what I am."
"What are you?" Claire asked uncertainly.
Daniel pointed at his scarred chest plate with his bandaged hand.
"A man," he said simply, "and I know what you are."
Claire was silent.
"My hero."
Claire took small steps toward him and stood before him.
"Do you mean that?" She asked.
"Of course."
She began to reach a hand out to him but pulled back at the last second.
"You're afraid," Daniel whispered. Claire didn't answer. Daniel suddenly began to remove his armor, tossing his gloves to the side along with with arm plates. His chest plate was so damaged he tore it from his torso and tossed it to the side, making Claire gasp when the armor began to leak.
"I'm not afraid. Not anymore," Daniel said quietly. He reached a hand slowly out for Claire's face, making her flinch. He waited and she eventually moved back. She looked into his eyes as his rough hand glanced across her skin and rested upon her cheek. Her hair swayed gently in the breeze and all was silent as Daniel gazed into her emerald eyes. Claire reached up and placed her slender hand against his and slid it down to her neck. Claire rested her own hand against his cheek. She moved his other hand and placed it against her side. They stood for a few intense moments, watching each other, daring the other to move. Claire notice Daniel gulp and she chuckled before pulling him in for a hug.
"Me neither," she whispered in his ear.