The Day We Met | #Wattys2019

Petrifying Memorys

That night Raleigh lay awake the memory replaying over and over again like a song on repeat. The only time he fell asleep was at 6 in the morning.

"Raleigh! Listen to me! AHHHH!"

He rolls over on top of something.

"Say happy New Years!"

He clings onto whatever's there in his grasp never letting go.

"One quick photo before you two go and fight... Knifehead!"

"RALEIGH!"

He's pulled away from his dreams to see Charlie, who had obviously flipped him over and had straddled him. "Breath Raleigh" She says and he takes deep breaths. He calms down and she laughs beside him. "Do you wanna know why I said yes to dating you" she whispers trying to change the topic. "Yeah sure" "1. Your drop dead handsome. 2. You are so sweet and thoughtful. 3. Your selfless and generous. I could carry on but there's on main thing." He turns to face her. "You made me realise  that I didn't need to block anyone from reaching my heart" she looks up at the ceiling. "I did that?" He asks. "Yeah. I've been so independent all my life. My parents always wanted to take more care of me because of my disability. And I thought if someone where to.. come along and I would fall in love with them I wouldn't get to experience what I have with you. Because they would over worry and over protect. And you don't do that. You make me happy every single day and that's why I love you" I say. "I love you too" we share a kiss and I smile. We break apart and he puts his arms around me. "Try to get some sleep for a couple of hours. I've gotta take you home"

Soon I'm pulling on my drivesuit and grabbing my rucksack that now has Raleigh's drivesuit inside with him carrying his helmet. He was wearing some clothes I had brought with me for him. "I can't thank you enough" I say shaking the mans hand. "It's nothing, you take care of yourself Raleigh." He says and Raleigh nods. Soon we are climbing up the ladder into Ebony Fury and he sits on the sofa bed thing and puts the harness on to keep him from sliding around. I pull on my helmet and connect myself. "Neural handshake starting" the AI says and I get pulled through memories. "I see your awake" I hear Tendo say. "Yo Tendo! We're on our way back now. Raleigh seems to be fine so all he needs are some fresh bandages and he can come stay with me in my room" I reply. I knew he wouldn't want to be in his and his brothers room. It would be too painful for him. "Rightyo" he replies and I grab Gypsy carefully and hold the remaining of her bridal style. "Looks who's being a gentlemen" Raleigh says and I smirk. I walk along the seabed's and soon the Shatterdome comes over the horizon. "Hey Tendo. Ebony needs a bit of a clean. Do you recon you can get the J-Techs to give her a bit of a clean and paint job?" "Will do Miss Everstone" he reply's and opens the massive doors where I walk inside holding Gypsy Danger in my arms. "Jesus Christ the Lord" I hear over the coms where Tendos muttering. I put her in her bay where she's strapped by her limbs so she doesn't fall. I go to my bag and stop the engine and climb out with Raleigh behind me. I grab my bag and he takes his own helmet and walks out and I take his hand. I pull of my own helmet and hold that in my other hand. We walk down to the medical bay where the give him checkups. "We are gonna keep him here for a while" I nod and kiss him on the head. "I'll be back in a minute" he hands me his helmet and I walk up to LOCCENT. Marshal Pentecost and Tendo are the only ones there. I place the bag down on the nearest table as well as the 2 helmets. "How is he?" "He's Fine. He had this crazy nightmare last night. Can't blame him" I sigh sitting down and running a hand through my hair.

"So what we gonna do?" I ask. "Well if he wants to resign I think he should. We can't keep him in a place where here he feels uncomfortable or traumatised" Stacker says. "Fair point, but where will he go?" "I don't actually know the answer to that question" he replies. "He could stay at my house in Sydney" I reply. "We want to keep him in the same country" Stacker says. "Well what about my apartment that I bought for my parents That's in anchorage?" I suggest. "He could go there if he wants to leave" Stacker says and I nod. Me and him soon walk down to the med bay where he's sat on a bed. "A word with Mr Becket, just me and him as well as Miss Everstone allowed in here please" all the nurses and doctors go out and I sit down on a chair. "Mr Becket we would like to give you a choice. You can either stay here and we will repair Gypsy and we can find you a new co pilot or you can leave and live a civilian life" Stacker says. "I've been thinking about this and I want to live a civilian life. I can't be in a place where I'm surrounded by Jaegers. The memories.." he says. "I have an apartment in anchorage you can stay in. It won't be home but it will help you" I say. "Thank you" he says and I nod at him and I stand up and hug him. "Promise you'll visit" he whispers. "I promise" "Miss Everstone you can stay with Mr Becket for a week at the apartment as a reward for getting him back" Stacker says and I nod. "Let's go pack your things" I say and we walk out. I link hands with him still in my Drive Suit. "The whole time I was on my way to find you I got so scared. If I ever lost you. I would never forgive myself" I say. "You'll never loose me" he says and I look up into his eyes. I smile slightly and he puts a hand on my cheek. "Thank you for patching me up" "least I could do"

"Is That Your last one?" I ask dumping the last jumper into his bag. "Think so" he replies as he puts an elastic band round his wad of photos. "Shall we get going?" I ask walking back over a couple of minutes later with a bag of clothes and my wallet with my money and credit card as well as my laptop, phone charger and my earpiece in. "Do you have to have that in the entire time?" He asks. "Yes but it doesn't show and plus no one can here me unless I press down on it" I reply. "I'm gonna go get my drivesuit off. I'll meet you here" I reply and quickly give him a kiss and run down to take of my suit. I'm soon back in my clothes from this morning and we get into my car that was shipped over a couple of days ago. "It was an honour sir" Raleigh says shaking Stackers hand. "Thank you for all you have done" he replies. I nod at him after putting all the bags in the boot. I climb in and so does Raleigh. Soon we are driving off. Off to Raleigh's new home and my current one.