*backdated to Febuary 26-Lipton and eventually Scorpion*

[lt_blade]

The first thing Sonya noticed when she woke up was that the other side of the bed was cold. She wasn't really into snuggling, but some mornings she just found herself curled up close to Hanzo when she woke up. That wasn't the case now, and her heart nearly leapt out of her throat when he wasn't there. It was only when she fully opened her eyes that she saw the real reason why she was alone in bed.

She was home. Back in her room at her parent's house, in the room she hadn't actually slept in for so long. It was all there: the pictures, the certificates she earned from school, the medals from athletics, and right on her dresser was her army fatigues, set up like she always had them.

Sonya reached over to get out of bed when the sight of her wedding ring brought her back to reality, along with the shorts and t-shirt that she'd slept in. This couldn't be real then, she thought. This was an island trick, or it could be. Besides, she hadn't been home in so long, and if the island were to send her back, it would send her back to the Outworld dungeon.

The phone on her desk rang and she hurriedly rushed over to answer it. When she heard Jax's voice on the other line, it was only her officer training that kept her voice steady as she listened to what he was saying-that he, Liu and Cage would be coming over soon.

She nodded stiffly and hung up, looking at the calender on the wall: if this meeting was for what she thought it was, she'd better get dressed quickly.

Comments

[get-over-here.livejournal.com]

"No," Scorpion replied. He had an impersonal tone.

"I was right when I told you that once we left Tabula Rasa, the marriage would be at an end. I am a being of the Netherealm once more, Sonya. You must remember this."

Hanzo had not wanted Sonya to be hurt too badly by this transformation. Scorpion did not desire to see Sonya Blade hurt either, but it was at an intellectual level.

[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

"You misunderstood me, Scorpion." She said, her demeanor sinking back into the army officer she was. "I already knew the terms when I realized where we were. I was simply curious if you still planned on keeping it."

She allowed herself a small smile. "Our time on the island was memorable, for me anyway."

[get-over-here.livejournal.com]

"I would prefer you did not question my honor, Sonya. This form has its limits, but my will is still my own, and I am not simply some beast from a pit. I can not understand everything that happened on Tabula Rasa, but I do remember."

Though he had started out strong, he finished with a slight change of tone. It was not affection as much of a lack of anger.

[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

She wasn't in the mood to argue: not now anyway.

"Keep it, with honor then." She felt a little better actually, if he chose to keep the ring. Hopefully, she would have the photo album if it happened that he left after she woke up-she wanted something to remember him by, something of his 'human self'.

She set the chain-and ring-back under her shirt. "In any case, we'll be starting off tomorrow. Nightwolf says they have an idea of where Kahn's fortress is, in what used to be Chicago. Of course, he probably expects an attack there." Actually, if anything she could count on it. "And it's going to be heavily guarded."

There was an audible amount of cynism in her voice. "These things only last a few days, and if not it's just us and a bunch of his squads."

Whether Scorpion would like to include himself or not was up to him. It was already acknowledge how little Nightwolf and the others trusted him.

[get-over-here.livejournal.com]

Scorpion also wanted to talk about the coming strategy.

"Do you have a plan yet? I will fight alongside you and Sub-Zero."

He had lived through this invasion once already and witnessed the victory of Earthrealm over Shao Khan's forces, but he thought it would be wise not to lead them along. Overconfidence could possibly change things.

[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

She nodded.

"We've actually decided against going all in one group. Nightwolf was able to find the location of his fortress, but's determined that it's in a city and will be heavily guarded." Of course, that part went without saying. "We'll split into two groups, one of us will hold off the guards while Liu and Kung Lao challenge Kahn in mortal kombat." She frowned. "If they fail, hopefully one of us will be able to defeat Kahn instead."

One could never be too cautious in these things.

[get-over-here.livejournal.com]

Scorpion merely nodded. It was a plan he was already familiar with. A plan that would, most likely, succeed just as it had done before. But, then again, this whole resetting of time could be sorcery designed to give Shao Khan another chance. One never knew with sorcery about.

"I am ready to go whenever you decide. But my time in this realm is short. I hope you are able to offer me some kind of information to help me avenge the deaths of my first wife and son."

He had added the word 'first' before wife. It was uncertain, but he thought his marriage on Tabula Rasa should count, even if his form had been an illusion.

[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

Hopefully, all of our time here is short, Sonya thought. Not that she was shirking in her duty, but she didn't like the thought of having to go through something and have it end up not real.

"We'll go early tomorrow." That was all there needed to be said on the subject. "As for information, I can always bug Raiden about it-use the 'favor card', since you helped us during the invasion." Let it never be said Sonya wasn't stubborn and annoying in that way. "Worst comes to worse, if things go the way I hope and we can made a defense apparentment for other realms, it should enable us to get a wider source of information and in areas we couldn't look before. It'll take a lot more time, but it would be better than nothing."

She was certain she could find a good computer hacker somewhere-the army hired all times.

[get-over-here.livejournal.com]

"Very well. I do not sleep. During the night, I will patrol around the borders of the protection unless this would make the others nervous."

This last thought had only occurred because he had spent time as a human. Normally, he would be more uninterested and puzzled over how others felt.