The Journey there

-Gabriel POV-

While Gabriel hadn't been in the compound of the Night Hawk's for quite a while, he still knew where the wall of honor was exactly.

The path which led there had been engraved in his soul. It was a path he wouldn't forget until the day he died.

Feeling the guilt surging inside of him, Gabriel didn't slow his steps down and kept striding forwards with solid determination.

Even when Maritsu was left behind, he didn't stop. Figuring that if he stopped his steps now, he probably never would be able to gather his courage, to face his comrades and his own guilt again.

Besides that, he knew Maritsu wouldn't abandon him in this difficult time and would be there to support him all the way. Like they had supported each other these years, so he kept striding forward without stopping.

When he finally walked through the compound for twenty minutes, he arrived at the building which held the wall of honor.

Gabriel had hoped that the walk there would be longer, but it hadn't been. The walk had flown by so fast, that he hadn't even registered his surroundings or the things that had changed over the years.

That was just how lost in thought he had been. If he hadn't been lost in thought, he would have noticed there had been an entire group of new recruits near the flag on the training grounds.

They had been rather loud and obnoxious, worried for some reason even, but he never noticed a thing. If he needed to describe the road he had just walked, he wouldn't be able to. Simply, because he didn't register anything in his surroundings at all.

The entire journey would be a big blank, and for a soldier, as high up the ranks as him, who received death threats and attempts made on his life very regularly that was a big no no...

He was used to always being alert, because if he wasn't the result would be death… but he didn't notice a thing at all. Luckily he didn't have to think about it, so he didn't have to worry, that he was getting old and starting to slip.

Besides that, even if his life had been endangered in this brief journey, Maritsu would have been by his side, and Maritsu would have watched his back and protected him from any incoming threats.

They would die to protect each other, that was how close their brotherly bond had gotten over the years.

So, maybe if he would recall it he didn't need to be so worried after all, maybe his subconsciousness had given him a mental break knowing he was safe and under Maritsu's protection.

When he arrived at the building where the wall was placed, his determined strides came to a complete stop.

He didn't dare to go in, and he could not set one foot in front of the other. Not having the courage to step into the building where the wall was placed, so how could he face them?

Gabriel was once again unable to suppress the raging emotions inside of him.

The guilt he had all those years, and had covered his heart in its entirety, couldn't be suppressed any longer, when so close to their final resting place.

But he was also worried, worried that his comrades would blame him for not showing up all these years.

Worried that his comrades finally had found peace and him showing up would break that peace they had finally found.

Was he selfish for wanting to face them, and honor them?

Was it wrong for him to come here?

Could he take those last few steps and face them?

-Maritsu POV-

Maritsu had a hard time catching up to Gabriel the entire way to the building. He had never been here, so he followed closely on Gabriel's heels.

He had tried speaking to Gabriel, but Gabriel had ignored him and only kept striding forward with determined steps.

When Gabriel didn't answer his inquiries and almost tripped over a threshold once and then continued walking like it never happened, Maritsu got worried.

He knew Gabriel wasn't in a right state of mind right now, but the Watchers had only just been established.

Normally, a military compound should be one of the safest places in the world for army personnel. That rule however didn't apply to them.

They had sent a lot of "little kings" which ruled in the army to jail all these years, changed rules and regulations and cut into the power of others by establishing the Watchers.

Therefore, they hadn't made themselves popular to those higher ups who had to hand in power and would need to accept supervision in the future. Besides that, those "little kings" which went to jail for crimes for some reason had loyal followers.

Followers who had profited from the "Little kings", but whose crimes wasn't big enough to be sentenced or discharged. Some of these followers had tried to kill them before, and since he had never been here, he didn't know if this compound held people who had ill will towards them and who would want to make an attempt on their life.

Therefore, Maritsu stayed close on Gabriel's heel, and kept vigilant about their surroundings. Gabriel and him had become a real family and now Gabriel was going through something, clearly, he would make sure to watch Gabriel's back.

Nothing bad would befall Gabriel with him watching. He swore that before when, Gabriel had pulled him back on the right path and offered him to join him, and to this day he kept that promise close to his heart.

After all, without Gabriel, he wouldn't have become the person he was now. So, he would give everything to keep Gabriel safe. It was a debt he never could repay.

Especially since they had been able to get justice for his brother together. Gabriel had become family and nothing could ever change that.

Maritsu was surveilling the surroundings with such an intensity and following Gabriel so closely that when Gabriel suddenly came to a death stop, Maritsu almost bumped into him.

Luckily he had been in combat mode, ready to counter any attacks which would come in, which had driven his response time to a minimum.

Maritsu waited next to Gabriel, he knew which thoughts Gabriel was struggling with most likely, but it was time that Gabriel faced his demons and his past.

He hoped Gabriel would be able to take the step himself, so he waited quietly next to him.

However, when he noticed that Gabriel still didn't take a step forward, after almost thirty minutes, and stood there like time had been frozen, he figured Gabriel might just need a nudge in the right direction.

Therefore, Maritsu walked forward and put a hand on his shoulder, which finally got a reaction from Gabriel.

Not a reaction he wanted, however, Gabriel seemed to almost jump out of his skin and seemed startled that someone touched him.

It proved how right he was, Gabriel's state of mind was messed up, and it worried Maritsu to no end.

He didn't know what thoughts Gabriel must have entertained, but they probably wouldn't have been pretty.

Where he hoped before that Gabriel would be able to take the first step by himself, he was now glad he had taken the step to interrupt whatever thoughts Gabriel had.

If he had waited any longer, before he interrupted Gabriel's thoughts, Gabriel might have been overwhelmed by his negative emotions, which would have resulted in Gabriel turning around and leaving. And Maritsu didn't know if Gabriel would ever be strong enough to come back to the Night Hawk's again if he left.

After all, it had taken quite a bit of courage to come here this time.

Maritsu might have been glad he interrupted his thoughts before he was too late, but he was also scolding himself. Why did he think it would be good for Gabriel to take the first step alone?

Gabriel didn't have to make this step alone, after all he was here, to guide him, support him and help him. Like Gabriel always did for him. If he had failed here, he would never have forgiven himself.

Luckily, the action he finally took wasn't too late. Maritsu had interrupted Gabriel's thoughts just in time.

When Gabriel almost jumped out his skin, he pretended it didn't happen. He kept pretending like her never noticed the emotions which gripped Gabriel's heart in a vice.

What Gabriel needed now was a calm person around him who would not ask about his emotions, but would just guide him to where he needed to go without any pressure.

Therefore, Maritsu decided to ask casually: "Are you ready to introduce me to your brothers?"

"After all, I have always wanted to meet them, I am so glad I am finally able too."

Hoping this question was the right one and wouldn't send Gabriel running.