It had been years.

She was gone, yet, there she was.

There were a few things different. The braid was new, and her hat was gone. Her body armor looked just a bit different. But this was her.

Iris.

Zero had battled maverick after maverick. He threw himself into deadly situations all the time. He was fearless in the face of death. Yet, just the sight of her left him standing still, unable to move. All he could do was stare. Apart voice in his mind whispered to him that this was impossible. Iris was gone. She was on the final weapon when it blew up. This was impossible. Another voice kindly flipped the other the bird, and said to just shut up. But there was one thing they could both agree on.

"Apologize."

Right. He needed to apologize. For fighting her brother, for not listening to her, for everything. But no words came to him. What could he possibly say? There was no apology good enough for what he had done. But still, he wanted to beg her for the forgiveness he didn't deserve. He wanted to make things right- to make everything up to her. Somehow.

Iris stared right back at him. Those large, round aqua eyes blinked. She stared at him with confusion.

"Iris…"

"I'm sorry, but do I know you?"

That little sentence was enough to bring reality crashing down on him.

"What..?"

Neither of them had a chance to say anything else. Cries for help from survivors soon called their attention.

…..

The ambulances arrived quickly. Iris was thankful for that. She feared that a substantial number of humans would have died without swift medical attention. She, Alex, and the red Hunter did their best, but they weren't doctors. That green maverick… he just slashed so many. One woman would probably lose her leg. It was horrific. There was so much blood… Iris wished she would never have to see anything like this again.

But, apart of her was still grateful. She and Alex would both be okay. Of course, Alex would still be taken to see a doctor. While her injuries had been minor, they still bleed heavily. Her blood didn't clot properly. She looked like she just walked off the set of a horror film. At the moment, the human girl lay upon the stretcher. Both Reploid and human paramedics carted her away with the other injured.

"Don't worry, I'll call Justin and let him know what happened." Iris walked beside them.

"Oh man, he's not gonna be happy about this." Alex frowned. Iris frowned. No doubt, Justin would be very upset about this. It wasn't there fault, but he tended to be very protective of his daughter, and now Iris, too. She had the feeling that this would be their only city adventure for a long time. They loaded her in the ambulance. Iris moved to follow, but was stopped.

"Sorry Miss, but we can't take you with us."

"Why not?"

"Only a parent or guardian can accompany a child."

"Hey, I'm not a kid!" Alex sat up in protest, but was pushed back down.

"Can't you make an exception?" Iris pleaded. She didn't know where the hospital was. How was she going to get there on her own?

"I'm really sorry Miss, but we have to get going." And with that, the doors were shut, and the ambulance drove away.

Iris was left behind. The scene was less chaotic than it had been. The severely injured were taken first, and those with minor injuries, like Alex were being taken in. The media began to flood the scene. There were cameras and news reporters everywhere.

The red Hunter was still there. He stood several feet away from her. His gaze was fixed on the ground. He seemed to be thinking about something. Iris couldn't help but to wonder what was on his mind. He had said her name. He knew her. Despite all of the confusion and mayhem of today, that was one thing she was certain of. Then, he looked up at her as if he could sense her eyes on him. It occurred to her that she had been staring at him, so she quickly looked away. She felt a pink blush creep on her face. Talk about embarrassing.

But why should she be embarrassed? He knew something about her. He had to! How else would be know her name? Iris knew she ought to just walk right up to him, and get some answers. But she couldn't move. She knew his eyes were no longer on the ground, but on her. That gaze had cast a spell that left her frozen in place. His attention only made her blush deepen.

"And here we have a witness to this horrific most recent tragedy." A loud voice broke her thoughts. There was a reporter suddenly at her side, and a camera in her face. She blinked. "What..? When did-"

"How does it feel to know that there are still rouge Mavericks out there?"

Iris was taken aback by the question. "Um, I-"

"Do you think that being a Reploid affects your opinion at all?" Before she could even answer the first question, another was thrown in her face.

"W-what?"

"Do you think they didn't hurt you because you're a Reploid?"

"That had nothing to do with it! They were going t-"

"Do you think this will affect the relationship between humans and Reploids?"

More and more reporters surrounded her by the second. The sudden realization that she was the only one left to interview suddenly stuck her like a bolt of lightning. She took three steps away, but they only advanced further. Their microphones and cameras were all marked with single digit numbers. Like a rabbit caught by a pack of wolves she was surrounded.

Then there was a hand on her shoulder, and she was guided away from the crowd. "No comment."

"Oh, Maverick Hunter Zero! Can we just ask you a few questions."

"Sorry, but I don't do interviews."

There was an uproar of disappointment behind them, but they were ignored. Soon all noise faded away behind them. Relief flooded through Iris. She didn't know how much more she could take. Once they were a distance away from the crowd of reporters and their cameras, she turned to the other Reploid.

Just as she thought, it was the red Hunter. The one the reporters called Zero.

"Thanks. I didn't know how I was going to get out of there." She smiled in gratitude.

"I couldn't leave you to the sharks." He said with a slight shrug.

"No, really. Thank you for saving me not just once, but twice. If you hadn't shown up when you did, then I wouldn't be standing here."

He looked away from her. Iris leaned to the side ever so slightly to get a look at his face. He looked… well, she really couldn't exactly pinpoint that expression on his face. But he looked upset. "Was it something I said?" An uneasy silence passed between them. He kept his eyes focused on the ground, once again lost in thought.

"Your name is Zero, right?" That got his attention. Those blue eyes of his had widened slightly.

"Yeah." He nodded. "But how did you know that?" He sounded almost hopeful.

"I heard one of the reporters call you that."

"Oh." Poof, the hint of hope in his eyes vanished.

He knew something about her. He had to. For the first time ever Iris had a real chance to learn who she once was. A chance to know her past. She wanted to- no, she needed to know. But she hesitated. Apart of her was still afraid to know the truth. But what if this was her only chance? What if she never saw him again after this?

"Hey, do you need a ride?"

"Huh?" She blinked.

"That girl you were with was taken to the hospital. Do you need a ride there?"

"Oh! Sure, that would be great!" Iris had forgotten about Alex, and she still needed to give Justin a call.

"Follow me. My Ride Chaser isn't far from here." Iris nodded, and followed only a few steps behind Zero.

Iris had never seen a Ride Chaser in person, but she'd seen pictures of them in magazines. Alex used to point them out and go on about how awesome it would be to ride one of them. Iris was much more iffy on the matter. They looked difficult to drive, and there was always the risk of falling off. Even with Alex's reassurance that she would repair her, Iris still didn't want to get on a Ride Chaser.

Now here she was, with a Ride Chaser as her best option. Zero boarded the Ride Chaser with no hesitation. However, Iris stood there for a moment, and naturally this didn't go unnoticed. "Something wrong?" Zero asked. There was a hint of concern in his voice.

"Oh, it's just I've never been on a Ride Chaser before."

For some reason, he didn't look too surprised by her answer. "Relax, I've been riding this thing for years. We won't crash."

This put her mind at ease, sort of. There was still the issue of falling off the Chaser at speeds of eighty miles per hour. That mental image wasn't a pretty picture. Of course, there was a simple way to prevent that scenario.

Iris climbed onto the Ride Chaser behind Zero, and slid her arms around his waist. She was glad he couldn't see her face right now, because it was cherry red. She had never been this close to anyone, ever. The tickle of his long blond hair against her cheek didn't help the matter either.

"Hang on." And with that, they were off. Iris tightened her grip on him as the sped up. They out onto the city's many highways, and Iris found herself staring at the city's beauty again. So clean cut and shinning. It was hard to believe that something so horrific as what she had just witnessed. She closed her blue-green eyes, and tried not to think about how many people had just lost their lives.

Neither of them spoke a word. It was yet another silence that passed between them. It was broken when Zero informed her that they had arrived. She opened her eyes as they pulled to a stop, and soon slid off the Ride Chaser pleased that they had arrived in one piece. He followed suit, and both of them stood in the hospital parking lot.

"Thank you, again." She smiled.

"No problem." Zero nodded.

"I hope visiting hours aren't up yet." She murmured, and turned to head towards the front doors, but hesitated. Iris looked back at him. "Are you coming?"

"No, I can't. I have to report back to base."

"I see." Iris nodded. She understood. However, once he left she feared she might never see him again, and her chance to know her past. "Zero?"

"Yeah?"

"There are some questions I want you ask you. About how you knew my name." He was silent. "But I can't ask you right now. I have to make sure my friend is ok, and you have to go. So would it be possible for me to contact you later?"

He agreed.

…..

"Am I dreaming this?"

The thought constantly ran through his mind. From the first he spoke to her, to watching her walk through the hospital doors. Zero was left to wonder if all of that actually happened. Or maybe he had pulled an Axl and fallen asleep on his key board.

But this wasn't a dream, and he knew it. Iris was, somehow, alive. But she wasn't the Iris who had died on the Final Weapon. She didn't remember anything, that much he was certain of. If she had… and now she wants to know. What was he supposed to tell her? How could he tell her? Iris had every right to know about her past.

But would knowing any of it make her happy? Despite the attack she had witnessed, she seemed happy with her life. She had a new life. A life free of the pain the Maverick Hunter war with Repliforce put her through. Zero doubted she even remembered her brother.

Zero drove away on his Ride Chaser, heading for Maverick Hunter HQ. He parked it in it's usual spot, and left the garage. He walked passed X. His friend tried to reach out to him, but he just kept walking.

He sat down in front of that much loathed computer screen again. The report he had been writing earlier that day was still on his screen. He stared at the screen as his mind drifted back to those bright, innocent eyes.

"If you hadn't shown up when you did, then I wouldn't be standing here."

Her words echoed in his mind, and magnified his guilt. She praised him as if he were a hero If it weren't for him, she wouldn't have died at all. If he had listened to her, then maybe the fourth Maverick war wouldn't have gotten out of hand.

Zero removed his helmet, and let it fall to the floor beside him. It's clatter rung out in the room as he ran a frustrated hand through his hair. He wasn't a hero. He killed her. He killed Iris, and nothing could change that fact.

How the hell was he going to tell her that?

Once again, his computer 'pinged' and Layer's face appeared on his screen.

"Zero?"

"Hm? Is something wrong?"

"No, I just wanted to make sure you're alright. You didn't return to base after you completed you mission, and I was worried." The red blush on her cheeks went unnoticed.

"There's no need for you to worry, I'm fine." He didn't look up at the screen.

"…Alright." She paused for a moment. "But if you need to talk, I'm here." Layer vanished from the screen.

Zero was left alone with a faintly glowing screen, and his own thoughts.

…..

Author's notes!

I am terrible. I started this like, a week after I posted chapter six, and then it just sat on my computer collecting dust. I think I need to be punched for being so terrible at updating. On the upside, yay! Zero and Iris have met up in this story! Sure it was awkward for everyone involved, but still, yay!

Till next time, guys!