"Don't treat me like a kid. I'm a man now." –Ricardo Valenciano Libre/Chico (1974)

Location: Camp Omega/Cuba

Time/Day: Unknown

Final Part: Koi no Yokushiryoku/ Love's Deterrence

Big Boss's P.O.V.

"Boss, we've reached the extraction point," I heard the pilot of helicopter exclaim over the roar of the helicopter blades.

I nodded, "Alright." I took one last drag of the cigarette I had been smoking haphazardly for quite some time, as well as watching with slow eyes as the side door of the helicopter slowly began to open and placed the night-vision goggles over my eyes before flicking the cigarette into the endless sea below and jumping out. Recalling the information that Kaz and I went over earlier before embarking on my mission.

[Mother Base— 1 day earlier]

"All right. Ten days ago, we got reports that Paz was still alive." My eyes widened at the sudden news.

"She survived?"

"She was rescued by a Belizean fisherman who found her drifting in the Caribbean."

"So what's the plan? Silence her before we're compromised?" I questioned curious as to how Kaz was going to handle our current situation. "No, I've got something else in in mind. Our "friends" at Cipher suspect Paz could be a double agent. She's being held for interrogation at a camp on the southern tip of Cuba."

I was somewhat surprised at the measures that were being taken all for the sake of information. "Black site. Nice. A slice of American pie on Communist soil. And out of U.S. legal jurisdiction."

"Yeah. And the upcoming inspection of Mother Base has to be connected somehow. The timing's too perfect."

"The UN's nuclear inspection..." Kaz was right it did seem a little off now that I thought about it. "My guess is they're trying to corroborate Paz's leak." And that's when it hit me, if Kaz was right in this assumption, then we were screwed. "We're an army without a nation."

"Word of our capabilities gets out and we'll have the whole world out to shut us down. Having an American private intelligence agency involved is bad news. Cipher's the ones who sent Paz to us in the first place."

"She knows their true nature."

"Right. Paz is our only link to Cipher. If she's still alive we need her on our side."

Chico's P.O.V.

Rain; poured once again on tarp of the cage I resided in, just like when this whole journey through hell had started. Yet, now the glass that once seemed so clear, was shattered to pieces and beyond repair.

Paz... I'm sorry...

It was the only thing my mind could process; the only thing my lips would repeat over and over. We inevitably lost a battle, that I think we both knew we'd lost from the moment we'd been placed in this hell hole. And yet... we remained, why? He'd beaten us, toyed with us, and destroyed us mentally... and finally physically. I gave a sorrowful glance down at the screws bolted into my tendons. In the end, we we're nothing but toys that just so happened to hold secret information he could use for his benefit; nothing more, nothing less.

Soon, the sound of all too familiar footsteps sloshing in the mud seemed to be making their way closer to my cage, but I refused to react, I ultimately didn't care. I then heard the clicking of a gun, before the sound of something rattling the bars of the cage.

"She told us everything."

"..."

"Don't worry, I kept my word. She didn't suffer long..."

I felt my heart burning at this news. "..."

"Here—you earned it."

I heard something drop inside my cage... my tape recorder. I felt my body instinctively move forward to take it. It was now my only connection to any and all that I loved, my sister had brought for me as a present.

"How does it feel to play the traitor?"

For a split second, my eyes almost made contact with his, but I quickly looked away in hopes keeping intact whatever small thin of dignity I had inside me.

"No more war games – you're a real man, now, soldier."

I took the main headphone piece out of the little hole in my chest and placed inside the headphone jack. Before I could press play, Skull face said something that only managed justify even further how much Paz and I had only truly been pawns in a much bigger game. "Give my regards to your boss, when you get home."

I pressed play on my tape recorder, I could faintly hear his footsteps along with his soldiers began to fade away before being drowned out by the familiar tune of Here's to You...

I eventually dosed off...

Only to be woken up sometime later by someone flashing something bright in my face and whispering my name.

"Chico!"

I slowly, but surely lifted my head.

I could help but notice how gruff their voice sounded. "Chico! Can you hear me?" As I slowly opened my eyes, I was shocked and honestly borderline terrified and a part of me could help but wonder if the person I was seeing in front of me was real. No top of all that, though, after everything I've been through. Everything Paz has been through. Everything we've been through.

I watched as he inched closer toward me, only causing me to back away. "No, leave me alone!"

"Chico!" He spat as, I could hear the other captives crying out to be saved. No, I wanted nothing to do with him... because of him, all the pain and suffering... "Chico!" his voice firm. I refused to back down either, my eyes staring hard into his laced with defiance and fear. "No, s-stay away!" I warned as I scooted back to the end of the cage. This little streak of rebellion seemed to be all Snake could take as I felt his skin suite brush up against my neck, as he began put me in a sleeper-hold.

'N-No, I won't let you!' I tried fighting his hold on me, but I felt the sleeper-hold taking affect.

"It's okay Chico, it's okay," his words while soft in trying sound comforting only sounded cold as the last of my consciousness faded away.

The sounds of her ragged filled the room as I sat in a chair beside her bed. Even sick, she still managed to look beautiful. Paz had gotten sick a couple days prior and was now confined to her bed. As far as I was aware I seemed to be her only constant visitor, one time I came to visit I saw Snake leaving the room, the other it was that doctor lady, I think her name was Dr. Strange Love, I think. But besides her and Snake though, it only really seemed to be me that bothered to come back. I'd always had this weird feeling in the back of my head that my sister and Ms. Cecil weren't very fond of Paz as they pretended to be.

Anyway, I felt I was holding off talking to Paz longer than I intended to.

"Hey Paz, it's me, Chico, again." I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly. "I know even though you're sick, you may be tired of hearing my voice, but I promise I won't be here long so you won't have to worry about me chewing your ear off, even though I pretty sure you can't hear me, I think..." I could feel an uncomfortable silence building up, even though I was the only one doing all the talking.

"So... uh... me and the other guys went fishing again... and guess what? I caught the biggest fish out of everyone there! It was bigger than my head! I wish you were there so you could've seen it... b-but that's okay what's important is that you get better, right?"

"Hey, maybe when you get better you and I can go, heck I'll even teach you how to fish if you want." I was basically rambling on to myself, but I liked to thing that even sick she was listening. "A-anyway, Nuke's been pretty sad lately, he probably waiting for you to get better, too..."

I continued to babel on for a couple minutes before ultimately deciding to leave as I knew dinner was about to start soon and I didn't need my sister wondering feverishly where I was.

"I'll see you tomorrow, alright Paz... I hope you get better!" I called as I shut the door softly behind me.

I gave a somewhat sharp gasp as I felt my lungs once again fill up with air. My vision was clouded with black spots for a moment or two before eventually clearing up to see Snake coming back with some of the other captured hostages. In seeing me, he placed the two hostages on the ground and made his way over to me.

"Chico are you alright now?"

I didn't respond right away, instead I just looked away from him.

"Chico, where's Paz?" In response to his question I pulled my earbuds out of my ear and handed them to him. Eventually, he handed them back to me.

"She's dead..." As those words left my lips, they sounded cold and worn. I wanted so hard to believe that the words that had left my mouth were nothing but a fabrication; a dream, that I would eventually wake up from. But in truth, I was living in reality.

"When was this recorded?"

Again, I didn't so much as reply as repeat something we both already knew, but had now a permanent scar lodged into the very depths of my core that would forever be a phantom I would have to suffer with. "She's dead..." I then took the tape and gave it to him before placing the earbuds back into my ears.

"No more war games – you're a real man, now, soldier."

Skull's faces words stuck to my brain like adhesive glue that refused to be washed away

Real man...

Soldier...

What did that even mean anymore? What did that even mean to begin with? Now that I thought about it, these were words I'd heard since my father died and I was old enough to walk around and carry a gun. It was the world I'd grown up in; a product of war. But now... after everything that had happened where did that leave me? Helpless; naked. No future to look forward to. I wasn't a man, I never was, I'd always was, and would be a boy pretending to be a solider and even more so a man... an undeniable truth that I could no longer run from...

"S-Snake..." I called, my voice broken and defeated. He looked at me. "I want..." I hesitated if only for a second, the words I so desperately wanted to say, wouldn't leave my mouth, if only for a second. "I-I want to go home," I cried. "I want to see Amanda, I want to see my sister! P-please, j-just take me home."

In that moment, the look Snake was giving me was something I'd rarely seen. A hodge podge of emotions, but the most prominent emotion of all was one I found I could identify with all too well; guilt. Even behind those guilt riddled eyes, I could see him fain a small semblance of a smile. Weither, it was his way of masking his guilt, or if this was his way of telling all my suffering had to come to an eventful end, I wasn't sure, but I truly wanted to believe in the latter.

The anger and spite I'd felt toward him waning ever so slightly. Eventually, a helicopter made its way to us as Boss loaded the other prisoner's on before loading me on.

"Snake..." the look in my eyes must have said it all as he gave a nod before closing the helicopter door. The ride in the helicopter was pretty calming. The other occupants on the helicopter were pretty quiet as some were still recovering from most likely being knocked out by Snake.

As I sat there, the movement of the helicopter providing some comfort.

"I'm almost at Mother Base... We're going to need medical attention," I heard the pilot say through the radio receiver.

"Understood." A reply came in.

Eventually, we had made our way to Mother Base and as expected not only were medics there to greet us, but I could also see an understandably pissed Commander Miller. I watched with slow eyes as one by one wounded and injured hostages were being extracted from the helicopter by one of the doctors until I was the last one left. As the medic got around to picking me up, there was call on the radio that made my heart practically beat out of my chest at a mile a minute.

"I've collected Paz, I need the helicopter back here asap!"

"W-wait, please... I have to go back..." my voice in somewhat of a panic I tried to pry myself out the medic's grip. "H-Hey kid calm down!" he said his grip only get tighter.

"And why is that?" I heard the familiar voice of Commander Miller ask as I could see him slowly making his way toward us. "I-I..."

"Why? Why had I said that? What did I have to gain? If anything, I had more to lose... so why was I so compelled to fly back to the place that had served to cause me endless amounts of suffering? It was downright idiotic to most sane people...

Sane...

Did sane even apply to me anymore?

During my time in hell my emotions felt like they had been stripped from me one by one, seemingly leaving only my sanity as crutch. Even so, a crutch will eventually have its breaking point...

It was in that moment, if only for an instant, but I swore I could see her broken, yet beautiful face smiling at me, if only for an instant. Even, now in the midst of my despair, she refused to give up on me...

"Please!" was all that would leave my lips and it was honestly all I had. I could felt my body shaking as my hair now obscured my vision. 'Please!' everything went for an unknown amount of time before I heard a sigh. "Fine. I've got to deal with this sudden inspection anyway. Theo, go with him, Snake might need you."

"Yes, sir."

I could feel the helicopter once again booting up its engines. "Are we ready back there?" The pilot called over the roar of the engine and helicopter blades.

I looked at Miller, who ultimately didn't seem too keen on the sudden turn this rather simple situation had taken, but he was already under enough stress and had bigger things on his plate than dealing with me. "Comeback in one piece alright?" Miller adjusted his shades as he gave a sharp turn made his trek back to the confines of Mother Base.

As the helicopter began its slow ascent into the sky, Theo decided to close the helicopter door before it ultimately took off back to the place I only knew as hell. 'We're coming Paz...'

As we we're making our way there, Theo decided give me as much medical attention as he could. "Ah!" I whimpered as I felt him tap the sides of the bolts embedded into the sides of my feet. I then felt him grab one of my feet and move it around ever so slightly to give it a further inspection, before letting it hang down from the edge of the seat.

"It's hopeless isn't..." I murmured. Theo did the only thing I knew he could do; he nodded.

"I'm sorry, kid. While, I'm not sure how much damage has been done internally without further medical examination. I can only wager that the chances of you walking again are most-likely slim at best."

Accept...

It was simple, nothing more.

Accept...

It helped keep the nightmares at bay.

Accept...

It gave me if only a sliver of my shattered sanity back.

Accept...

So, I did.

Forever trapped in an endless spiral staircase of 'acceptance' and this situation was no different. From that point on I remained silent, accepting my new reality. Before I realized it, I could feel the helicopter making its slow descent to ground. I then heard the familiar sound of the helicopter door sliding open. On instinct, I turned my head towards it. In that moment, I felt as if the motion of the whole world ceased to function. A dream, turned real. The hard sound of the door closing startled me somewhat as I was forced back into reality.

I watched with hesitant eyes as Snake lay Paz down on the small collection of connected seats. From what I could tell she seemed fine. And thankfully I could hear faint shallow breaths coming from her meaning she was thankfully still alive.

We'll be home free... and Paz she'll be... happy, free to live her life the way she wants. Who knows maybe I could convince her to come live with me and my sister, I was sure Nicaragua was pretty peaceful now after everything that happened. I know my sister would take the most convincing, but I was sure I could—I cut off my own train of thought as my eye caught a hold of something shining off of Paz's stomach. I hadn't noticed it before, but the front of the prisoner outfit was covered in crimson blood. I soon felt the blood in body began to speed up as the fear I thought was gone came back full force. 'Please don't—' I slowly began to pull up her top. I momentarily froze as I saw the reddened and stitched up 'V' shaped mark.

"S-Snake!" I choked out.

Thankfully this got his attention as he must have heard the distress in my voice. In seeing this shocking discovery, his eyes widened. The medic Theo quickly noticing our distress quickly began to take action. I watched with ease as he snapped on his gloves and started running his hands over Paz's stomach.

"She's rigged, damn it. We were set up!" Snake growled.

"We gotta get it out." I inwardly flinched as I heard Theo's ultimatum. "No time for anesthetic. We have to open her now."

I could only remain silent as I looked at Snake. He seem a bit hesitant before quickly snapping into action as well, leaving me to only follow orders. "Hold her down...!" I did what I was told and to the best of my ability held down her legs. Time seemed to stop once again as Theo slowly started to stitch apart Paz's wound. He then used a pair of tools to slightly pry open the wound. I wanted so badly to look away, run away.

Ultimately, though, I knew that my reason of anything I did up to this point was this girl lying down in front me. My breath hitched I watch Theo meticulously reached inside Paz's stomach. "Hold her gut in...!" Theo commanded. I continued to do what I was told, blood covered most of my hand. I flinched as I could feel Paz's intestines move around my fingers as she was forced to endure the immense pain that was being forced upon her. 'I know it hurts Paz, but just hold on...' her pain filling scream ringing in my ears.

Theo, missed the first time and begrudgingly had to go in a second time, thankfully this time he was able to successfully get the bomb out. "Boss...!" Snake then opened up the door and tossed the bomb into deep dark depths below. "Breathing's stable... No active bleeding. She's clean. I'm closing her up."

I mentally breathe a sigh of relief as it seemed as though the worst was over. "Hold her steady. It's gotta be a continuous suture." I nodded. While doing that I held onto her rather cold hand in hopes of providing her some comfort.

"Control tower, this is Morpho One. All hummingbirds are on the wing. We'll shake hands, then head back to the cage."

"Boss, you got a call." The pilot called over the noise.

My attention was being pulled back and forth as I would focus on trying to comfort Paz the best I could, while I also myself tuning in and out on Snakes conversation.

"What's up, Huey?

"Our "guests" are right on time."

What if Paz didn't want to come with me to Nicaragua? If she decided to go her own way? Would I ever see her again? I felt a small pain in my chest just thinking about it. I looked at her a look of content. A look I'd only seen one time before. I gave a tiny jump as I suddenly felt her hand give a slight squeeze back.

"Paz..." I mumbled.

"Document destruction and hangar decontamination are complete, AFVs have been stowed away, and ZEKE's on the seafloor along with the nuke. Everyone's got their story straight. The guided tour'll be wrapped up by the time you get home."

"Make me proud."

"By the time they leave, I'll have IAEA praising us as the poster boys for world peace. Out."

"Tower, this Morpho One. Do you copy? Can't get through. The link seems fine, but..."

As I heard the door to the helicopter open, the sound of crackling and the intoxicating burning smell soon followed. I couldn't really make head or tails of what was going on, but I only knew I didn't like it one bit. I watched with worried eyes as Paz's once content face faded and she continued to squirm. Was she still in pain? I then saw Snake standing firm next to me blocking from what I heard to be gunshots as he too began to fire back. He jumped full force off the helicopter.

The crackling of fire, smell, and sound of gunshots all became one continuous mixture. Suddenly, Commander Miller collapsed inside the helicopter with a loud 'thump' causing me to jump slightly. Snake following on soon afterward. The helicopter once again taking off.

"The inspection was nothing but a smokescreen. I heard explosions, then... They played us like a damn fiddle. Give it back! This isn't right! That was ours... We built it, damn it!"

I could only watch and listen in silence as Commander Miller vented his understanding frustrations. In the end, Skull Face had played all of us in his twisted game. I once again felt the fear building inside me as I Commander Miller, who still blinded by rage at having lost everything right in front of him, looked over toward where Paz lay. I couldn't make it out due to his shades, but knew for a fact that Miller's eyes were completely livid.

"You spying bitch...! C'mon, start talking, bitch! C'mon, get up and start talking!" Every word coming out his mouth laced with nothing but venom and spite.

Paz's P.O.V.

"Spying... Talking... Bitch...!" words she could also faintly make out, I could also feel a slight shaking. This shocked my system to life as I gave an abrupt cough. My hazy vision soon cleared as I felt my fight or flight kick in. I shot up, like I'd been giving a shot of caffeine, I began looking around wildly for any place to escape. The occupants who were also with me l looked at me just as shocked at my sudden awakening.

Snake, Miller, a guy I didn't recognize, and... No.

I'd already done so much to shatter his future, I couldn't ruin it even further when he at least had a future ahead of him. If this was the only way... I stood closer to the door of the helicopter.

"Paz..." his eyes desperately pleading with me. Trying his best to find the reason behind my sudden fear. He probably though he could help me like he did back at the camp, but no. This, this was different and I honestly think something deep down inside of him, whether he wanted to listen to it or not was telling him this would be the final time.

"You little..." Miller spat. Clearly wanting nothing but to rip me apart.

"Bomb!" I murmured. "There's a—" I spoke a little more clearly.

"It's alright. We got it out," Boss stated reassuringly.

N-no. Skull Face... he'd, he'd... I pressed the button that opened helicopter. I knew in this moment that if I looked in his eyes or general direction with what I was about do... If he came to loath like he did once that would be alright. And if he didn't... my heart would just have to take it as well as it could to my grave.

At this point, the door had fully opened, the hot wind nipping at my back and neck causing the scars hidden beneath my uniform to burn like mad. I held onto the edge of the door with the best of my ability. They still didn't get it.

"There's another... in my..."

Without any hesitate from this point on, I let go. My arms firmly crossed at my shoulders. Falling, my view of the helicopter diminishing every second, every moment. Even so I couldn't help but smile in knowing he was safe, free to live his life...

"Thank you Chico... for everything..."

Chico's P.O.V.

Accept...

The word refused to leave my head, eventually trying to take over take over all my senses, but I wouldn't let it. "No!" all I could do was watch as she fell. She'd come back to only disappear from me again, this time for good. I wasn't able to grief long as not only would her life come to an end, but mine as well.

Flames; bright as fireworks engulf the helicopter I couldn't make out anything due the continuous ringing in my ears and my vision being obscured. It was all so sudden. Water soon enveloped me, entering my lungs. The burning from the continuous amounts water entering my system hurt like all hell. I instinctively tried reaching out, foranyone to grab me and pull me up. But that salvation never came. The burning continued until all I could feel was numb. My heart, still continued to beat, but I could feel it slow down with every second, every beat. My vision was becoming nothing more than blurred lines.

'Amanda...' I knew I could be nothing but a brat a times. But I loved her unconditionally and even when I soon faded away I would. I'd cause her a lot of grief and pain, but there was anyone that would be able to make it through it would be her. I'm just sad I'm had to leave her like this.

'Swim!' but the words my mind produced were, in the end, nothing but words as swimming was no longer an option, the bolts in my feet made sure of that. The sea would ultimately become my grave.

I soon my felt my eyes close shut completely, my heart sounded as though it had two or three good beats in it left. Memories of Paz's smiling face were the last to envelope my mind completely.

Humming, so beautiful it sound almost like a hymn. My eyes slowly opening...

She was so beautiful... her baby blue eyes happy and bright, no longer dead and lifeless. She also had a genuine smile dancing on her lips. She looked as though she didn't have a care in the world. She was leaning against a tree, my head resting comfortably in her lap. She looked beautiful, she was wearing a white dress that made her beauty even more apparent.

"Paz?"

She looked down at me small smile, I could feel my cheeks heating up. "I'm sorry, Chico." Her voice soft. "What for?" I questioned. "That this is... is the final time, you'll—"

"It's okay." I said slowly sitting up. I then adjusted myself so that lying next to her. I then felt her lace her fingers with mine, her head resting comfortably on my shoulder. "It is?" her question genuine. "Yes, even though I know this is it for me, so getting to spend my last moments with you is all I can really ask for and I'm really grateful. I'm happy I met you, Paz."

Paz took a moment to reply, I felt her give my hand a warm squeeze.

"I'm happy too."

We stayed like that, content. A smile on my face. Listening to my heart tick down to its final moments.

Ba-thump...

...

Ba-thump...

...

Ba-thump...

As Chico's now lifeless body sunk to the endless ocean depths below, his face wasn't filled with despair and pain. He was smiling. A smile that was care free and endlessly happy...

—End

A/N: Well that's it. Honestly guys I had a blast writing this and I can't thanks you guys enough for all the positive support. Originally I wanted to have this out before Phantom Pain, but...yeah...anyway, I'm glad I could this to you all in the end. Oh, as a heads up I'll be making more Metal Gear related fics in the future so look out for those!