Chapter 9

The exo jerks awake from a dreamless sleep by a soft whimpering sound. It takes him a moment as he looks around to figure out where he is and why. Last night Nax and he was having a night in. He orders two large pizzas and some sides, then during the movie, Nax has fallen asleep on him. While letting her sleep, he and the ghosts watch Ispy. Then he guesses he passes out on the couch with her. He looks down again as he hears another whimpering coming from the awoken.

The blue warlock begins to curl up into herself, clenching the blanket as she begins to have a nightmare.

The exo hunter gently strokes her ocean blue hair carefully, trying not to tangle up her hair up anymore. "Easy little warlock, you're alright. It's just a dream." He softly tells her, comforting her in her sleep.

The warlock settles back down and shifts herself off his lap, freeing him. Taking this chance, the vanguard gets off the couch and stretches. "Hm," He slightly groans as he stretches his back and shoulders, thankful that there are no aches and pains. 'Her couch is much more comfortable than mine, I should ask her where she gotten this one.' He looks back at her, still sound asleep.

The two ghosts appear as Cayde pulls the blanket up on Nax.

"Morning Cayde." Sundance greets their guardian as they fly close towards him.

Beeze floats over towards his that's still sound asleep. "I can't believe she's still sound asleep."

"It's harder to believe to see this guy awake." The red, white, and gold ghost comments looking his guardian up and down, making sure nothing is wrong.

"Hey now I can get up early if I want to." Cayde defends himself.

"Keyword wants." Sundance comments.

"What I mean is Nax could barely get to sleep as is, so for her to be still asleep is pretty amazing." The teal ghost explains.

"What can I say, I have a talent to put women to sleep." The orange light at the back of his throat flashes on and off as he chuckles.

The room falls to silence, and as the two ghosts look at each other and then Sundance looks back at his guardian. "Um Cayde, I don't think you meant what you said."

The hunter vanguard replays the last thing he said and lets out a loud groan. "Damn it! I didn't mean it like that!" He tries to explain.

"Hm," Nax shifts in her sleep, getting disturbed by his yelling.

He quickly covered his mouth and waited for her to settle back down.

"Smooth Cayde." The multicolor ghost says with a chuckling as they float away.

"Oh, be quite." He whispers, this time making sure his voice didn't wake up the warlock.

"I'm surprise you're not trying to go back to sleep." Beeze says, turning to the two.

"Well once I'm up, I can't go back to sleep so quickly."

"Well, if you guys want to head out you can. I'll just tell her you guys left when she wakes." The teal ghost tells their guest.

"Nah." He shrugs and looks around the apartment; he realizes he didn't really look around Nax's place before. "I can wait until she wakes up. I don't have anywhere else to go."

Sundance sighs with annoyance. "Cayde you are schedule to be working today."

He approaches the locked bedroom door. "Like I said, I don't have any place I need to be today."

Sundance sinks a little as they sigh. "Zavala won't like it if you're blowing off work again."

The blue horn exo turns to his ghost with a surprising look on his face. "Who says I'm blowing it off? I'm sick." Cayde gives a fake cough.

"Uh huh." The multicolor says not convince.

"What? Is it wrong to hang out with my friend today?"

"I'm sure Nax will want to be alone today." Beeze says, flying towards Cayde and his ghost.

The hunter turns around and walks back to the couch, leaning over the back of it, to look down at the sleeping warlock. "I'm sure she does, but my question is, should she?"

"Cayde, I understand where you are coming from but," Beeze tries to convince him.

"Then there's no need to argue." He smiles a bit, turning towards the kitchen, and sees the small mountain of take-out boxes, a reminder of what they ate last night and that she doesn't have anything in the fridge. Snapping his fingers, he singles his ghost to follow him. "Hey Beeze, we'll be back." The hunter vanguard says, heading to the front door.

"Back? Where are you two going?"

"Well, even though I think pizza is a great breakfast food, I have something better in mind." A mischievous smile spreads on his face.

"Something else in mind? Where are you going?"

"I know this great bakery that makes amazing donuts, but they are always sold out by the time I wake up. But since I am wide awake this early, I figure I might have a chance to get some." Cayde explains. "I'll be back in an hour or so. If Nax wakes up before I come back, just let her know I won't be long." He looks at his ghost. "Come on, little buddy; I want to get there before a line form. Both left before Beeze could protest.

# # # # # # # # # # #

The morning air still has the night chill as the sun begins to peek over the horizon into the purplish-pink-painted sky. Shop owners are already out busy getting their business ready for the day. Some are clearing the debris from in front of their stores while others bring out shelves or carts of their merchandise. "So, you're missing work because of donuts? Tell me Cayde are you planning to go in at all or should I make up an excuse and send that to Zavala and Ikora?"

The hunter waves at one of the shop owners as they walk by before turning towards his ghost. "Yeah, go ahead and do that, I'm planning on hanging out with Nax today."

With a sigh of frustration, Sundance sends the excuse to Cayde's fireteam and looks around at the empty market. "I know I'm going to regret asking this but, why are you playing hooky with Nax, even though she will be fine waiting for you to get off from work?"

"Will she? I don't know about you two but what happen yesterday how she was, I think it's a wise idea to leave her alone today. Not only that but those two are still running around." Mentioning Nax's attackers, Cayde remembers something was off. "How can two civilians get a jump on a guardian?" He asks himself.

"Well, she didn't have any weapons."

"Yeah, but we have our supers, she tries to use it yesterday. But why she didn't use it on them?"

"That's something to ask her when we get back, I'm sure you have a ton of questions for her now."

"Yeah, a ton is an understatement, hey didn't Ikora mention her spies, heard a rumor about some citizens?"

"You mean the ones that aren't happy about the guardians getting priority and special treatment?"

"Yeah, that did she mention a faction being from."

Sundance looks forwards as they twirl around as they think. "Hm, Besides the dead orbit, future war cult, and the New Monarchy. But nothing new happening."

Cayde rubs his chin and tries to recall if Ikora or Zavala ever mentions a faction that's against the guardians.

"This might help, Beeze says one of the men mention getting her to go feral and leashing her out in the crowd."

The vanguard looks at his ghost, a bit stunned. "Why?"

Sundance bob up and down. "Beeze said, so they can make a name for themselves or something like that."

"I need to know those rumors that's going around about Nax." Cayde says. "It can't be her going nuts on the battlefield. That won't make a name for anyone."

"But putting down the feral warlock that attack citizens would." Sundance points out as they round the corner, and the smell of fresh baked goods hit Cayde's sensors. "Yeah, but what is up with the masks?"

"Maybe they don't want to identify as the ones that grab her. Oh, we're here." The ghost announces, turning to their guardian but realizes he's not paying attention. "Cayde! Tower to Cayde!" They call out, floating in front of him.

The exo stops snapping out of his thoughts. "What Sundance?"

"We're here. You were about to walk pass the bakery, unless there is another bakery you were thinking about going to."

The hunter vanguard looks over to his left to see the famous bakery shop. A large display counter blocks off the store's front entrance with many baked goods in the display case, including the legendary donuts. Behind the counter are the owners. An elderly couple is talking to each other as the husband kneads some dough, and the wife is placing some croissants in the display case.

Looking up after putting them away, she notices the famous hunter vanguard approaching him. "Is that the famous Cayde 6?" She asks to lean on the counter.

"The one and only." He chuckles, stopping in front of the counter placing his hands on his hips.

"What can I get for you this morning?" The grey hair woman asks, taking out her notepad and pen from her apron.

"Yeah, can I," He looks at the display case, drumming his fingers on his hips as he thinks. "Can I have a dozen of your donuts?"

She nods, writing down his order. "A dozen of donuts, any certain flavors you want?" "Nope, I trust your judgement." he smiles at her, pleases that he has gotten here earlier enough that there is a large selection of flavors.

She smiles back. "One of each then." The shop owner reaches over, takes a thin cardboard sheet, and folds it into a long rectangle box. Then grabbing small cookie sheets, she quickly picks up one of each donut flavor and places them in it.

The hunter watches her, want to comment on how fast she is, but something else caught his attention. A small yellow cake with a reddish-purple glaze coating it and a slice of lemon crystalize in sugar resting on top. "I'll also take this one too." Cayde says, pressing his finger against the glass.

The shop wife nods, and once done with the donuts, she grabs a smaller sheet of cardboard and turns that into a small square box. She's a bit more careful when she retrieves the cake and places it in the smaller container. After taping the boxes close, she walks to the register and enters the prices. "Let me see here. One dozen doughnuts and one lemon cake with a raspberry glaze, that will be, twenty-nine glimmers."

The exo happily exchange the glimmer for the two white boxes and turn around to head back. "Thanks!" he calls out right before he almost collides with someone. "Woah!" The hunter gracefully steps aside, careful not to drop the boxes. "Sorry about that, I didn't see you there." He tells the person offering an apologetic smile. Getting a good look at who, he almost runs them over; he realizes that it's one of his hunters. "Evie? What are you doing here?" He looks around to see if her fireteam is around as well. "Are you alone?"

The young hunter looks up at their vanguard, her orange eyes wide in surprise as he almost runs her over. "I couldn't sleep?" The human answers are a bit unsure. "I'm hungry so I thought I'll come here to get something to eat. Why are you here?"

Cayde holds up the two white boxes proudly with another goofy smile on his face. "I'm getting breakfast for Nax and I." Examining his hunter a bit longer, his smile falters. Evie looks a bit disheveled. There were large dark bags under her eyes, her skin a bit paler, not to mention it. It looks like she didn't change out of her outfit in a few days. "You okay guardian?" The exo asks, tilting his head a bit.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She gives a tired wave as she walks past him to tell the shop owner what she wants. But the hunter stops as a leather glove is place gently on her shoulder. With a sigh, she turns around and looks at the concerned vanguard.

"Hey Eve, if something is bothering you, you can come to me. I am your vanguard after all."

The redhead gives a curt nod. "I will, but really I am fine. Just hungry and tired."

Still not believing her but knowing he shouldn't push it. "Alright." He reluctantly takes his hand off her shoulder. "Just be careful okay?" He watches her nod again and approaches the counter, and place her order. The vanguard slowly turns around and heads back to Nax's place.

# # # # # # #

Nax opens her eyes to find herself alone on the couch. Sitting up, she looks at the blanket figuring Cayde places it on her before he left. A surprise twang of sadness struck her at the thought of being alone. Shaking her head, she gets up from the couch and folds it. 'He must have headed out when I fallen asleep.' Putting it down, she looks for Beeze. 'Though it's embarrassing to fell asleep with someone hanging out with you. Way goes to Nax you freak out on him yesterday and fell asleep on the couch, what a great host you are.' She chastises herself as the teal ghost appears near her.

"Good morning Nax, how did you sleep?" He greets her warmly.

The warlock pauses for a moment, thinking about it. It had been a while since she really slept through the night. "Pretty well actually, usually after a freak out like yesterday, I would have nightmares. What time did they leave last night?" She asks, walking into the kitchen to clean up.

"He didn't."

The blue awoken's hand hover over one of the Styrofoam boxes. Hearing that Cayde didn't leave. She turns around and looks for them. "What do you mean he didn't? Is he still here? Did he leave this morning?"

"He stayed the whole night and head out this morning saying he will be back."

Knitting her brows together, confuse. "Why, when?"

Before Beeze could answer her, the front door swings open, and the exo and his ghost walk in. He was still expecting to see the warlock still sound asleep on the couch. But seeing the couch empty, he does a quick scan of the room, finding her in the kitchen with her eyes wide in another panic. He was hoping last night would help, but it seems like it didn't. "Hey Nax, morning." He greats her cheerfully as he closes the door with his foot. But he didn't move any closer towards her as he notices she's on edge. "Are you okay?" He asks, and when he sees the tension ease up, he moves closer but a bit slow like she's a cornered animal.

"Y-yeah." She stammers a bit, turning back around to go back to cleaning the kitchen. "Why did you come back? Don't you have work today?"

The vanguard places the boxes in a clear space on the counter. "I thought you would like something to eat for breakfast." He tells her taking the two pizza boxes, and with some moving around, Cayde puts the remaining pizza in one box and tossing the other one away. After putting the pizza in the fridge, he turns to her. "Since your fridge is still empty, I figure why not head out and get those legendary donuts." He takes his knife out and cuts the tape off the large box, and moves the smaller one off the top before opening the lid showing his bounty.

Nax looks at them, trying not to allow her mouth to water, but her stomach betrays her as it grumbles. She swallows and looks at the exo. "You stand in line for them? Why?"

Cayde shrugs. "Why not? I was up, and I wanted to try them."

"Was the line is long? Oh, let me give you some glimmer for them." She turns around to get some glimmer. But the hunter steps in front of her blocking her path.

"I don't want the glimmer. We still have that deal for meals."

"But that deal is for to keep you company for dinner."

The exo tries not to crack a terrible joke about how it makes her sound like a lady of the night. "It doesn't have to be just dinner.

"I don't understand."

"About what?"

"Why are you going out of your way for me? Getting up early to get donuts, staying here over night. Why?"

"Because we're friends."

"Still? After what happen yesterday," She hugs herself, trying to stop the trembling from coming. "I almost killed innocent people. People that can't come back like us. How can you still want to hang out with me? I'm a danger to you and others. If Ikora finds out, that you were involved you could get in so much trouble just by not telling her. It's best if you just go and we can forget about this friendship. You can avoid the backlash like everyone else."

"Everyone else?" Cayde just realizes this happen before, and she had these episodes in front of people she considered friends, and they ended it. "Nax, I'm not going to do that." He assures her, crossing his arms.

"Why? I'm too much of a risk."

"Have you not met me? I live for the risk, and what about Evie? I'm sure she didn't end your friendship, has she?"

"No, but she hasn't been around long enough so that's different."

Cayde sighs in frustration, shaking his head. "You warlocks are all the same, always over thinking on everything. We are." he gestures to both. "We are friends, friends stick together no matter what. Besides it's not the first time I would get into trouble and I'm sure it won't be the last. Besides what are they are going to do? Fire me?" He lets out loud, hardy laughter. "If they did, I would be in your debt for setting me free." He turns to the box of donuts. "Now let's eat before they go stale." He looks over the selections and picks up a glazed donut taking a napkin to hold it. Stepping aside so she can select her own.

Nax looks at the donuts again; there's a large array of them. Some glaze, some with varying types of icing with or without sprinkles, some powdered, some plain, but a large selection nonetheless. The awoken choose chocolate icing one with rainbow sprinkles. Taking the first bite. She enjoys the soft dough, and it breaks way to a chocolate cream filling that reminds her of an unbaked brownie. "Oh!" She covers her mouth quickly.

"What is it?" Cayde asks, a bit worry. "Did you choose one that's bad?"

She shakes her head as she finishes her bite and shows him the donut. "It's fill with brownie mix."

"Really?" The exo interest peeks as he leans over to look. "Oh man, you're lucky, I heard about them but never try it."

"You want to try some?"

"Um does the Fallen wear purple?" Before she could answer, he leans over and takes a bite. "Hmm." He closes his eyes, enjoying it.

Blush spread across her cheeks and the bridge over her nose. "Is it good?"

"Better than good, it tastes amazing, you think it's real brownie mix?"

"What? No, it's not." Nax laughs a little. "If they did, then people can get sick."

"Exos can't get sick." Cayde says confidently.

"I mean normal people." She cracks a smile. They probably have the brownie mix and mix it with something else. Raw eggs can make humans and awoken sick. You know I could have found you one that doesn't have a bite taken out of."

"Meh why go through the hassle if I just want one bite. It's not like you're going to catch exo cooties." He teases as he finishes his glazed donut and turns around to get another one when he notices the small white box. "Oh, the traveler, I forgot about this."

"Hm?" Nax asks, looking over, watching him take his knife out again and cut the tape off the small box.

"I saw this at the bakery too and I thought you might like it." He opens the lid and turns to box towards her.

The small cake red glaze gleams in the kitchen light as the sugar on the crystalize lemon sparkle as Cayde moves the box to face her, a proud smile on his face.

"You've gotten this for me?" She asks, amazed at how pretty the cake is. '

"Yup." He says happily. Grabbing another donut. "I remember you trying that lemon and raspberry shave ice and how much you liked it, even though you pretend you didn't." He tells her, looking over at the guardian, and sees a smug of chocolate near her lips. "Here." Here reaches over and wipes it off, making her blush again.

"You noticed that?" She asks as to worry that she's coming down with something.

Cayde nods as he sucks the chocolate off his thumb. "Well yeah, I'm your friend, I admit I'm not a very good one but still a friend." he tells her, going to his fridge to get the water pitcher out.

"I don't think so." Nax moves the small cake away from the edge so she can lean against the counter. "I mean if you weren't a friend, then you wouldn't see the cake and thought of me. Plus, not to mention no matter how many times, I tell you to go and leave you don't."

Cayde lets out a chuckle as he goes in her cabinet and takes out two glasses, and pours water in both, "Nice of you to say that but if I'm a good enough friend, I should have seen the signs."

"The signs?" Nax raises a blue brow.

"Yeah, the sign of you being uncomfortable in crowds." He hands her a glass. "I'm a poor excuse of a hunter huh? The great hunter vanguard didn't notice his friend's discomfort, so he keeps dragging her around to all the crowded and small places." He says glumly, leaning against the counter as well. "Now look at me, feeling sorry for myself, when I was supposed to cheer you up."

The blue woman shakes her head and moves closer to him. "You're too hard on yourself. I was horrible for not telling you. I just thought I could handle it. I mean, it was manageable.

We arrive at the shop early enough that it wasn't too crowded, and when it does, we're either leaving or too busy drinking, or I'm focusing on you to notice. But I should have told you about it instead of lying and hiding it from you."

"Then why didn't you?"

"I guess, I was worried you didn't believe me." She put her glass down and focus on her hands. "Also, I'm a bit ashamed to admit I'm afraid of large crowds of people."

"There's nothing to be ashamed about that. By the traveler Nax. I've been around a lot longer than you, and I can tell you plenty of hunters and guardians that are afraid of something. So, what that large crowds makes you uneasy. I still know a ton of places to take you that has little to no people. I can even talk to Ikora and see to put you on scout missions, so you don't have to interact with the enemy."

"But the enemy doesn't bother me. Vex and Hive I'm fine with. But it's normal people and my fellow guardians that makes me uneasy. It's pathetic." She says the last line a bit softly, feeling a slight sting in her eyes as tears threatening to come. "That and the sad display of yesterday." She looks over to Cayde and sees the same look on his face that she saw yesterday, but it wasn't a look of pity as she thought it was. It's something else she couldn't figure out. Giving him a weak smile, she wipes away a rogue tear. "It's sad, this feral warlock scares of her own kind." His voices hitch a bit. "I'm sorry." She turns around, trying to hide the tear threatening to come. "You did all this for me and I'm making you uncomfortable."

"Nah, I'm," Sundance zooms in front of him before he could move closer to Nax.

"Um Cayde?" The multicolor ghost bobs up and down, sounding a bit worry.

The blue exo looks annoyed and gives his ghost a 'not now look. "What is it, can it wait?"

"It can't, it's Zavala, he wants you and Ikora to meet in the hall of heros now."

"Tell him I'm not coming in."

"I did, but he said he doesn't care, and if you don't show up, he said he will come and get you himself."

"Damn it." The exo sighs in frustration. "Fine tell him, I will see him later tonight."

"Cayde," Sundance sighs. "He's not going to,"

"You should go." Nax interrupts as she turns towards him. "You know how he will get, and I prefer to not have my door kicked in."

The vanguard examines the warlock to see any crack in her mask. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah." She lets out a breath. "I'm just going to stay in my apartment all day so you will be bored out of your mind anyway."

"Alright, only if you're sure." He watches her nod and lets out another sigh. "Alright." He reaches over and grabs another donut. "I'll message you when I get out and we'll get something to eat."

She nods. "Yeah, sounds like a plan."

With a wave goodbye, the hunter and his ghost left.

Waiting for a few moments, Nax bolts from the kitchen to her bathroom.

Surprise to see the sudden movement, Beeze tries to keep up with her. "Nax?"

"We have to leave." She tells him to change into her warlock garb.

"What? Why?"

"They know. At least Zavala knows what happen." She grabs a satchel and begins to fill it with clothes and toiletries.

"Even, if they know what happen they would know that it's not your fault. Those men were the ones that attack you and send you into that state."

"But it's because of those damn rumors that they target me. Zavala will think that I'm too much of a liability to stay in the tower. We need to go before he banishes me. If I'm not here, he can't kick me out pf EDZ."

"Where are we going to go?"

"To Sanctuary. I need to go back to my research any way." As she told him, she stopped at the bedroom door, took a deep breath, and opened it. Very quickly, she rushes to her desk; feeling below it, she removes the false bottom. A few books and papers spill out to the ground. As she carefully puts them in her bag, Beeze looks over her shoulder.

"Ikora isn't going to like it that you left the tower." He tells her.

Nax looks around the room to make sure she's not missing anything. "She'll be fine once I send her my results."

"What about Cayde?"

"He will be fine, this is for the best anyway, you heard what he said. The exo is too stubborn to know I'm trouble. What if Zavala not only banish me but him as well? I can't have that. Even though he said he will be fine with it. He doesn't know what trouble it will bring."

"This is a terrible idea, Running away is never the answer."

"And me being a ticking time bomb isn't either Beeze. I need to leave."

"So, when Cayde comes back and finds you gone what do you think he will do what? I'll tell you what he's going to do. He's going to panic."

"Send him a message, tell him what I'm doing and why." She looks at her ghost with a defeated and panic look. "I just need to be in the sanctuary until everything calms down. I'll be back."

Seeing the pleading and the desperation in his blue guardian, he sighs. "Alright. He's disappointed that the attack yesterday set her progress back to square one.

"I've put my research on hold way too long." She tells her ghost as they leave the apartment.

# # # # # # # # # #

"Alright, big blue I'm here, so what's so important that you need to threaten to come and get me." Cayde asks, entering the Hall of Heroes and notice that it's only his fireteam and no one else. "Where is everyone?" Usually, it will be a few bots and humans working on the machines.

"I would like to know that as well." The warlock vanguard asks, approaching the table.

The Titan vanguard faces his fireteam with a look of despair. "This meeting is just the three of us. I don't want anything to get out before we figure out how to handle this."

Trying not to show any worry or concern. Cayde folds his arms over his chest and leans against the table. "Sounds ominous. What is it?" A chill runs down his back as Zavala show two images of Nax's attacker on the holoprojector.

"Two titans were found dead with their ghost destroyed." The awoken commander tells his team.

Ikora looks at the screen with a look of horror and worry. "Dead? You mean killed?"

Zavala nods his head grimly.

"Shit." Cayde says softly as he continues to stare at the image.