Chapter 14 - The Other Side of Truths

Jade had been lying on the hospital bed for a while now. Jephtah was at her bedside monitoring her current condition. He thought that she had gone through a lot since the Falrich incident. Creed was outside of her room due to his shame of facing her. He knew that he lied to her and he did not deserve her trust. All the things that Falrich said to her when she was captured, he worried that she might not have processed them thoroughly. Jephtah noticed now that Jade was regaining consciousness. She woke up and looked around and saw Jephtah's face.

"Ughhh.. What happened?" she asked him.

"You passed out on the bridge." Jephtah replied.

"How'd it happen?" Jade asked again.

Creed went in the room and interrupted the conversation.

"It happened after you stopped me from trying to kill Falrich." he said.

Jade did not speak a word when Creed went in. She still did not trust him due to the things that Falrich said to her while she was captured. Jephtah noticed the awkwardness between the two.

"I'm gonna go check if there's food outside." He said as he went out.

A sad aura was produced between the two of them in the room. Jade did not want to talk to him, but she felt something for him as well. She felt sorry for him because she knew that he had a lot of things going through his mind. For Creed's sake he wanted to explain himself to her. He wanted to tell her everything, even his regrets. The silence broke out after a while when Jade started talking to him.

"All that Falrich said...Is it all true?" she asked.

Creed looked at her when she heard her speak. He had never realized that she was this beautiful. Her long blonde hair, her blue eyes and everything. She resembled her sister a lot in his eyes. He got caught up staring at her so he wasn't able to comprehend her question.

"Uhh what?" Creed asked regaining composure.

"All that Falrich said Creed. Was all of it true?" She asked again.

Creed hesitated to answer but finally he did.

"Yes." he replied.

"So you really killed my sister?" Jade asked him with tears rolling down her face.

Creed remained silent.

"Why?" she asked softly.

"It was my mission." Creed replied.

"SO YOU KILLED HER IN COLD BLOOD???!! DID YOU NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO CARED FOR HER WHILE YOU DID IT?! How could you be so heartless...." Jade said in an outburst.

"I'm sorry...." Creed said as he went near her to wipe her tears.

"I just don't understand..." Jade replied.

"I didn't kill her in cold blood..." He said.

Jade's eyes widened when she heard Creed say that. She felt sincerity and sadness in his voice.

"I still regret that I did that, I wish I could take it all back but I couldn't. That's the reason I left the republic, I've seen enough killing." Creed continued.

She was listening to him now and her trust for him was slowly being returned. He looked at him, his eye, his left arm.

"I loved her at some point... She was like a mother to me because she took care of me, she was a master to me because she taught me everything I know in combat and a lover because we had feelings for each other even though it was forbidden by the republic." Creed told her. "I lost an arm for her..." he added.

"I....misjudged you...I'm sorry..." Jade replied.

"No. I'm the one who should be sorry. I should have told you earlier." Creed replied.

He now sat by her bedside to see if she was okay. She looked at him and saw not a damaged person but instead she saw a person who was willing to change his ways. She smiled because she knew deep inside Creed was a good person.

"And thank you..." Creed said out loud.

"For what?" Jade asked.

"If it wasn't for your scream, I would've gone back to my killing ways by killing Falrich." he replied and smiled at her.

"You're welcome." Jade replied as she took his prosthetic hand.

"Can you feel anything with this?" She asked.

"It's connected to my nerves so yes. Though the texture is different." He replied.

She held on to his hand for quite a while and Creed noticed this as well. He began to look away in order to hide his flustered face from her. Jade noticed that he looked away and just smiled. She did not let go of his hand for quite a while.

"Thank you for saving me." She said.

Creed felt his heart skip a beat when she heard her say that. He looked at her and then smiled at her afterwards. 

"No problem. Just call if you need me." Creed replied to her assuring her that he will never do anything to hurt her.

Again there was silence in the room but this time not because of awkwardness. Jade just looked at Creed and she knew that he will always protect her no matter what. Her trust to him was regained and she was happy. Then she remembered something that she was supposed to ask him.

"Falrich mentioned that you do not kill anymore. Is that true?" 

"Yeah. It's a promise I made to myself a while back. I haven't killed anyone since the last mission I had for the republic." Creed replied.

"Which was?" she continued to ask.

"The assassination of Vitali." Creed replied.

"The mob lord? Wow I didn't know that you were responsible for that." Jade said as she was amazed.

"Don't worry Jade. I'll make the promise again, but this time, i'll be for you." Creed said to her.

Jade flustered when she heard this. She was happy that Creed was going to assure her that he will not kill ever again. Creed faced her and raised his right hand mimicking an oath maker.

"I promise that I won't kill anyone anymore and if ever I break this promise you can shun me and forget about even knowing me." Creed said to her and he put his right hand down.

"Okay, now close your eyes." Creed said to her.

"Why?" Jade asked her.

"It's part 2 of the promise. Trust me." Creed said to her.

She closed her eyes and did not say a word. She did not know what was going to happen but she felt Creed getting closer to her. Jade did not move because she indeed trusted him. She felt that Creed was now very close to her and she tried not to open her eyes. She felt his lips on her forehead and she blushed without even her knowing. Creed had kissed her forehead as part 2 of his promise.

"Okay, now open your eyes." Creed said.

Jade opened her eyes and saw Creed. She blushed with a mere sight of him. Now she was certain that she had strong feelings for him. She was afraid to lose him and also she was afraid that he would go back to his killing ways, but she knew that the kiss on her forehead meant that he was going to keep his promise for a long time.

"Creed, I think I love you..."  Jade thought to herself as she flustered more.

Creed noticed her blushing and it made him smile. The two of them wanted to make the moment last forever but then Creed's phone rang. He took it out of his pocket and check who it is. It was Tanri from headquarters.

"Well...I guess I'll see you later." Creed said as he let go of her hand. "I have to take this call it's Tanri." he added

"It's okay." Jade said as she smiled at him. "It's not like we're not team mates or anything. I'll be here trying to recover." she added as Creed got out of the room.

Creed opened the door and got out. His phone kept ringing as he was about to answer he came across Jephtah on his way out. 

"I saw everything lover boy." Jephtah teased Creed.

"U-u-u-uhh yeah. I have to take this." The nervous Creed said as he walked out the door.

Jephtah walked in the room and saw that Jade was happy again. He noticed that she was drifting in her thoughts and he knew whom she was thinking about.

"You like him don't you?" Jephtah teased her.

Jade snapped out of her daydreaming and saw Jephtah with a childish expression on his face.

"I-I-I-I don't know what you're talking about." Jade replied.

"I saw everything." Jephtah said to her in a teasing way.

"Everything???" Jade replied.

"Don't worry, I'm sure he feels the same way about you." he said. "He's a good kid you know, he fights for what he believes in." he added as he got out of the room.

"Yeah..." Jade said to herself as she went to sleep to rest.