[center]The following is a collaboration between myself and [@Dark Light][/center][hr]The door clicked as the latching mechanism was released, Amy only opened it an inch as she spoke but an inch was all Arex needed. Putting his full weight against the door he forcibly barged his way in. 

Quickly with his one arm he immediately slammed the door shut behind him locking it with a loud 'click'. Then with a deep breath he slowly turned around to face the blind woman that he inexplicably betrayed. She looked distressed and tired, understandably unhappy. Arex leaned back against the door clearly blocking her way. He waited patiently in silence, letting her finish speaking first. Waiting for the right words, waiting to read her emotions, speechless.

When Arex forced the door open, Amy found herself backing away from him until her back hit the wall. She knew that she wasn't able to avoid him now, not when he was between her and the only exit out of the room.

"What more do you want, Arex? Because if for some reason you don't know, my father didn't make it out alive...just like you wanted." Amy bit her bottom lip to stop herself from crying. Her eyes watered, but she didn't allow herself to shed any tears. No matter how may times she tried, Amy couldn't find a reasonable excuse as to why Arex would do such a thing to her. 

"Don't waste your time saying sorry. I don't want nor do I need your apology."

Arex remained quiet and motionless, letting Amy's words sink in while a silence and tension slowly filled the air between them and proceeded to engulf the room. Arex never found his target, so it was no surprise that Amy would assume it was her father that he had spoken about. Only now had Arex heard about his death. It seemed it would be easier to go along with Amy's assumptions then to unscramble some elaborate, unbelievable truth.

"Not all of us made it back, you did. None of them survived at all... If you got to him first what would you do? Help him defend his allies, his beliefs, his job, reputation, friends, livelihood? Or perhaps you could have organised a pardon for them while we continue to kill and destroy every one and thing they live for." he pauses to take a sigh-like breath. "They might be on the wrong side of the war, but everyone of those men probably had a daughter, son, wife, mother or father that will spend the rest of their life mourning them." 

Amy hears the slide of Arex's pistol as he removes it from its holster and clicks off the safety. Next the cold steel handle is pressed into her palm. His voice goes softer and quieter.

"Look, if you believe it's all my fault and without my intervention you would be sailing home now as a happy family for some quality bonding time and a home cooked meal, well then revenge is rightfully yours. If that is the case I have screwed up your wonderful life so you should take mine." With a soft touch, he lifts her hand and aims the gun for her and waits, letting the silent tension once again consume the room.

"Just remember we're all here because we are expendable, and yeah most of us will probably die out in the black before ever go back home, but you can fight that fight another day."

"I would have helped him escape, plain and simple. I didn't care about anyone else on that station, to be honest. I mean, my father didn't necessarily win a 'Father of the Year' award either, but I would have sent him off before that place was blown to hell."

Amy's body tensed when she recognized the all-too familiar sound of a weapon being unholstered, but she breathed a sigh of relief when Arex placed it on her hand. 

It was unlikely that they were going to become best friends after this encounter, but contrary to Arex's statement, she wasn't out for his blood. It's true that while he prevented her from getting to her father on time to warn him contributed to his death, Arex wasn't the one who pulled the trigger. She wouldn't be able to come to terms with herself if she ended Arex's life, at least in this very moment.

"Look, I just want to know why you betrayed me...that's all. What made you attack me without reason?" Amy had his weapon at her side, finger resting on the trigger guard but without the intent to actually fire a round. She waited for an answer but then, Stryker made an announcement to meet in the War Room.

"You at least owe me an answer," she added.

Arex waited a moment before replying "There was nothing you could do to save him. He was as good as dead before we even landed, wrong place wrong time. Get over it, people die..." He said sternly with a sense of frustration. 

He suddenly stepped closer to her almost pushing her body with his as his shadow fell over her, the warmth of his breath crawled over her skin as he whispered in her ear. "What have you told the others?" He asked coldly.

Amy didn't have to be able to see Arex to know that he was standing within an inch or two away from her, his sudden overwhelming presence nearly making her breath catch in her throat.

"I haven't told anyone anything..." she said, her body shaking. But it was in that moment that it finally clicked; why was she the one being questioned? ..."but I will," she went on as she tightened her grip on the gun, her voice now as cold as his. Amy didn't have to explain herself to Arex, and she definitely didn't have to feel threatened by him.

"And just what will you tell them?" Arex asks in his deep harsh whisper, just as cold and flatly as before as he inches even closer. Amy oblivious to the small smirk that had grown on his face. 

"The truth, Arex. Maybe you should have thought about the repercussions before you acted..." 

Amy maintained her poker face as she practically felt him get closer to her.

"Very well..."

And just like that he stopped pushing, his presence and shadow no longer looming over her. There was a click as the door suddenly unlocked and slid open. Just before leaving, Arex paused and looked back over his shoulder to speak his last words before disappearing into the hallway. 

"I did it so I wouldn't have to kill you," he said calmly.

There were no other sounds after those words, no heavy breaths, no fading footsteps. Just nothing. Amy was left unsure, still holding his gun in her hand.

"What do you mean kill me?" But she wasn't afforded a reply, and was instead met with complete silence, even after standing there like a fool for about half a minute. "Okay..." 

Amy used the palm of her hands to rub her eyes before she put the gun away. She would talk to Grayson about this later, when they had some alone time. 

After making sure her door was locked, Amy got ready to head down to meet the others.

[hr]
"Sorry I'm late," she whispered as she entered the room, unsure of how many eyes were currently on her. She hadn't meant to interrupt Stryker, but Arex was holding her back and she couldn't really do anything about it. Fortunately, the meeting didn't cover anything [i]too[/i] important, and they were shortly released after the message from Captain Dawson.  

Amy attempted to get Grayson alone to tell him everything that had occurred with Arex, but she couldn't get to him in time. Instead, she decided to just sit in the kitchen and wait, where she hopefully wouldn't have to be alone and cornered again.