A/N: This has been a dark and sometimes difficult story to write. I'm happy to finally be posting the last chapter. Let me know what you think of it! Thank you all for taking the time to read, and for all of the feedback and support!

All they had to do was fly for about an hour and a half, and then they'd have crossed the border of the Empire. From there, they planned to take a train back to Berun and let Lieutenant Colonel Degurechaff rest for the remainder of the journey.

This was about half as much flight time as the way there, but it felt like triple for Colonel Rerugen. He'd been the one holding Degurechaff before, so he naturally found himself to be the one holding her now. He felt guilty about passing this duty off to anyone else - especially because he'd been the one so determined to bring her back - so he didn't.

There couldn't be anything too pleasant about being drenched in blood and then stuffed into an insulated jumpsuit, but Degurechaff didn't seem to care. In fact, she seemed quite relieved for that blue nightgown to be covered up, which was fair. It was in this close proximity that he could clearly see the bruising of her skin, and the way it was just slightly cut along the bone under her eyebrow, framing her eye.

Her body trembled. But it was such a rational reaction in Rerugen's mind that he didn't take it as any reflection of her strength. In fact, he found himself shocked that she wasn't shaking more. If not out of fear, then out of sheer adrenaline.

Lieutenant Colonel Degurechaff didn't speak until they were about halfway to the Imperial border. "Colonel Rerugen, I'll admit… I'm surprised."

He glanced down at her. "Hm? What are you surprised about?"

"I didn't even know you were a mage…"

"Yes, well… I don't have any need to wear a computation jewel as a strategist. It actually took me a bit of time to find mine for this mission. Maybe two hours of digging through old boxes of weapons and uniform materials. When I finally found it and brought it to the general, of course he told me I should be updated with the Elinium Type 97."

A glance down at Degurechaff revealed that that had made her smile a little.

Rerugen huffed and looked forward at the black sky in front of them. A couple of clouds hung low, and they shined silver by the light of the moon. It was almost full tonight - getting brighter and brighter as it made its way toward the shape of a perfect sterling sphere.

"By the way. While you were in that fit of hysteria, Neumann and Koenig found your Elinium Type 95."

"Really?"

He gave a slight nod. "A safe in the basement had everything of yours. Your computation jewel, your uniform, even your assault badge. It's all been recovered."

"Good."

Some silence between them. "...Are you alright?"

"Of course."

"You're not going to launch into any more episodes?"

"No."

"..."

"Thank you, colonel."

"For what?"

"For helping me. I was under the impression you hated me."

Rerugen sighed. "...I didn't trust you. But I've thought a lot about it, and I've realized that you've made some of the greatest sacrifices I've ever heard of. If not just for the sake of basic human ethics...you're every bit worth saving, lieutenant colonel."

She sighed quietly, then said again, "...Thank you, colonel."

-XXX-

He didn't let go of her until they'd all boarded the train.

"Sir, let me take her for the rest of the way," Viktoriya suggested, stepping forward. "You look sort of tired."

Rerugen hesitated at first, but then held out Tanya in his arms toward her. Viktoriya hooked her hands under Tanya and, with a huff of effort, managed to get the girl set sturdily in her arms.

"You got her?"

"Yes. Thank you."

Rerugen gave a nod and, with that, the battalion separated off into individual train car rooms.

Viktoriya stepped into one and managed to slide the door shut with her elbow before sitting down with Tanya in her lap. The nighttime world zipped past them through the window.

Tanya couldn't see city buildings yet, but knew that they'd come up on the horizon eventually.

"All this melodrama," she scoffed. "I can stand and sit up, you all should know." Despite her words, her eyes looked groggy and tired.

"That's okay," Viktoriya shook her head. "I'd rather you try and rest."

Tanya unzipped her jumpsuit slightly, but was suddenly reminded of what she had on underneath. The nightgown itself wasn't what caused her eyes to widen, it was all of the sticky, half-congealed blood. Lavrentiy Beria's half-congealed blood. She gritted her teeth and turned her head up toward the ceiling.

"What's wrong?"

"His blood."

"W-"

"It's all over me."

"Don't worry, we'll-"

"It's all over me." Tanya couldn't take it. She pushed herself out of Viktoriya's grip and jumped up from the seat.

Even as a headrush overtook her vision, causing her to see nothing but purple and hear nothing but the blood coursing through her skull, Tanya stumbled to do something. She pulled at the constraints of her jumpsuit until the zipper came down to about halfway down her body.

"His blood, S-Serebryakov...his blood."

"I know, I know." Viktoriya sprung up and took Tanya by the arms. "We can't do anything about it right now. Give us an hour to get you to the hospital. Then you can take a bath."

Tanya took a few deep breaths. There was no point in working herself into hysteria over something she couldn't control.

She nodded slightly, gazing off toward the window behind Viktoriya, where she could see her own disheveled face staring back. Her pupils looked microscopic in her eyes.

"A-...alright."

"Captain…listen." Viktoriya wrapped her arms around Tanya in a soothing embrace. "...Nothing matters anymore." She brought the girl over to the seats again and sat her down. "Lavrentiy Beria is dead."

Tanya gave her a nod. "Yes. You're right." She ignored the radio static that was seeping into her head. "What did I...miss in the Empire?"

"Well, you were only gone for about three days," Viktoriya said, giving a meek smile. "A building on the other side of Berun has been made into the New Strategic HQ until the old one is restored to proper condition. Other than that...well, you've become pretty famous, actually."

Tanya furrowed her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"I mean...you've become a symbol of nationalism. You've made a valiant sacrifice to become a prisoner of war for our country. You're the fallen ace who gave everything for the people of Berun." Viktoriya's smile widened. "You'll be a renewed hero when you get back."

Tanya scoffed slightly at that. "...Interesting. Don't you suppose this will be a short-lived victory, though? Imagine the conflict we've just created with the Russy Federation."

Viktoriya shrugged her shoulders. "I don't really know. As long as we make it to the date of the Parisii Peace Conference, the Rus won't be able to touch us."

"Oh, that's right. The treaty." Tanya sighed. "We may all lose our jobs in the Imperial military."

"We might," Viktoriya nodded. "But perhaps we'll be taken pity on by the Allies. Perhaps the Russy Federation will have to turn around and pay for the crimes they've committed against you."

"Viktoriya, I was just a hostage. Prisoners of war are not against international law."

"It will all be discussed. I'm sure it will." Viktoriya leaned back against the seat. "Everything will be okay, captain. If it wasn't going to be okay, we wouldn't have been able to save you."

Tanya leaned back as well, resting her head against Viktoriya's shoulder. "That's a rather fateful point of view."

"I've always had this belief that God particularly loves you, captain. I know he will do everything in his power to make sure you're okay."

"Heh…" Tanya shut her eyes slowly. She hadn't felt comfortable enough to get a decent amount of sleep ever since she was captured, and now that she was in the company of someone trustworthy, the world was dimming around her. "God… what a fault of man."

Viktoriya raised her eyebrows at that, but a glance down at Tanya revealed that she had already fallen asleep.

"Tanya von Degurechaff…" she sighed, turning to look out the window. The city of Berun was starting to appear over the horizon. A twinge of orange sunlight peeked out over the shadows of the buildings. "Truly unbreakable," she mumbled, as she too gave into sleep.

End.