"This was bigger then I expected so one more chapter remains before the end of CHAPTER 2 RACE, but this is one of the most important chapters if not THE most important. So please enjoy this chapter and prepare to say goodbye...

Chapter 151: Howling Wolf

-World Between Worlds-

"WAKE UP!" Punished Wolf jolted awake gasping for air hearing Big Boss's voice and he quickly sat up continuing to gasp for air, his body felt like his soul was pulled out of him. He was sweating and his body tingled all over as his senses finally came back. But thats when he realized that he was no longer at Megalith.

Slowly turning his head he could hear seagulls and sounds of waves hitting the shore and thats when he realized where he was, he was on a beach and not just any beach but the one where MSF originally was stationed. Ever so slowly he stood up looking out to the ocean and once he stood up he realized something was different about him, he looked down at himself and confirmed his suspicions.

Wolf was back in his original MSF Gear he wore back at Peace Walker and to his shock his left arm was back, the cybernetic arm was gone. His heart raced as he ran his right hand over it and he could actually feel everything that was once gone. Confusion still flooded his mind as he slowly looked out to the sun starting to set over the ocean, he was drawn to it and he took a few slow steps towards the shore and came to a stop with the shore just looking out to it.

"Do you remember this place Leon, where both our lives began?" A sweet familier voice echoed in Wolf's ears and all he could do was close his eyes hearing that one voice he missed, every so slowly behind him while opening his eyes and right there standing before him in the white dress, with her long hair resting on her shoulders and with a loving smile was the one woman he ever loved. Standing right there was Flaming Buffalo, Sarah Strahovski.

"I remember..." Wolf could only whisper seeing her again. "The place we were enemies in MSF..until that night here on this beach".

No more words were spoken and the two marched to each other and tightly embraced while their lips connected missing the touch of the other, Wolf hand his arms around her waist while Buffalo had one arm over his shoulder and her other hand in his hair as their tongues duelled. For the first time since death pulled them apart they finally had this moment once again.

They continued to kiss for a few more seconds before they pulled apart taking a few breaths while they gently connected their foreheads with each shedding a tear. "I've missed that touch" Buffalo whispered just loving the comfort she was in.

"So have I..." Wolf whispered back and thats when they slowly opened their eyes and looked deep into the others.

It was a comfortable silence and soon Buffalo placed her hand over Wolf's heart feeling its strong beat. "So strong..yet still broken".

Wolf and Buffalo slowly pulled their foreheads back and continued to look into each other's eyes until Wolf looked down the beach they were standing on. "Why are we here?...".

He then slowly looked back to Buffalo with realization hitting him. "Is this?...".

Buffalo's smile slowly dropped to one of sadness as she gently placed her hand in his cheek. "Yes...this is my Outer Heaven".

"Outer Heaven?" Wolf questioned and Buffalo gave a slow nod. "The one I dreamed of, I always dreamed of a beach nearby us...a beach near where soldiers were free. The same one where we become something more".

"So I was brought here because of it?" Wolf asked and Buffalo gave a tiny smile. "Walk with me Leon".

The sun slowly continued to set and the sky was filled with a beautiful orange light as Wolf with his hand in Buffalo's as they watched the sun set while walking across the beach but soon they slowly came to a stop as Wolf looked to Buffalo and saw her thinking something over.

"Sarah whats the matter?" Wolf questioned as he turned to her and Sarah just lowered her head. "I never thought this would be hard".

"What are you talking about?" Wolf frowned and Buffalo gently took her hand off Wolf's then slowly walked towards the shore line looking out to the sun feeling its warmth on her skin and slowly taking a deep breath it gave her strength to finally speak.

"There is a reason why I brought you hear" Sarah revealed as she slowly turned to Wolf and Wolf blinked in confusion. "Brought me here?".

Buffalo lowered her head looking to her side seeing the wind blow sand from the ground, she needed to tell Wolf the real reason why she brought him here.

"I tried so hard to tell you in the past, all those times after I died...but I needed to see you in person to make you see sense" Buffalo whispered.

"Whats that supposed to mean?" Wolf questioned still unclear and Buffalo looked up to him.

"I'll tell you, there is no time for questions" Buffalo slowly came close and put her hands on his cheeks. "Listen. Just listen" She whispered as their eyes met again.

"That explosion didnt kill you Leon, you were pulled here because I asked for it. To speak to you one more time" Buffalo whispered and she then placed her finger on Wolf's lips as he was about to speak.

Every so slowly she took her hands off Wolf still looking into his eyes. "You only have a few minutes before you cant return, so please just let me speak".

Buffalo then slowly turned away looking back to the ocean before them as she explained on. "Ever since you lost me you became broken, no longer caring about life or what it had to offer. Everyday I watched you fight and struggle against taking your own life, or rushing into battle hoping for one enemy to take that shot that will kill you.".

Wolf slowly took a few steps forward and stopped just beside her as she went on. "All you wanted was to end it all just to be with me once again". She then slowly looked down to the water covering her bare feet feeling the warmth cover her feet before looking back to Wolf.

"But that is not the fate I want for you, to have you break down to the point where you will pull that trigger on yourself." That was then Buffalo turned taking his hand in her's and smiled. "You deserve to live Leon, with the people who still care about you".

"You kept saying that before" Wolf whispered squeezing her hand while never leaving her gaze.

"Because I meant it, I knew once I was gone you would change...that is why I made Stefanie promise to protect you. Because deep down I knew she loved you just as much as I did and I knew out of everyone we know, she would be the one to watch you closer then anyone else". Buffalo revealed.

This revelation shocked Wolf most. "You knew..at that time and yet you didnt say anything to her? tell her to back off?".

"I didnt need to Leon, I could tell she loved you but I knew she wouldn't take advantage of it. All the times she saved you, when we rescued you in Africa and the way her eyes lit up at the mention of you" Buffalo stated.

"I knew because how she adored you was the exact same way I loved you, even when you pushed her away when I died...the real reason why you did it just makes me love you more then life and death" Buffalo whispered.

Wolf then slowly lowered his head. "So...you know of the mistake that happened after that".

Buffalo then suddenly went to Wolf and embraced him. "Dont you dare Leon...that was not a mistake. If anything...I'm glad it happened".

Wolf was surprised by this as he kept his arms to his side as Buffalo wrapped her arms around him while resting her head on his shoulder.

"You knew...you always knew it would happen" Wolf whispered.

"I did and I didnt, I had so many worries for your future. I didnt know which one to trust. Which is why I made her promise to look after you, to at least take you down a better path then the many you wanted" Buffalo's voice was full of emotion as she whispered.

"But to see you and her in a moment...a moment where you both lost the one thing important to you both, a moment where you came closer then ever" Buffalo took a slow breath before continuing.

"Pain is a sensation we all hate...but it doenst last forever Leon, to make sense of everything again..you need perspective and you need time" Wolf then slowly brought his arms around her waist and held her close as a tear of his own fell.

"Time may have been robbed from me Leon, but you..you still have decades ahead of you but the pain you have has made you forget that" Buffalo then held him tighter as she shed a tear.

"Which is why all I could was just give you another choice and let you decide" She placed a kiss on Wolf's cheek in comfort.

"Even in your final moments, you fought for my own survival?" Wolf whispered and Buffalo smiled and kissed him again and just held on to him.

"You became Punished Wolf, a darker and vicious side of the man I loved. A side I wanted dead the moment it was born, trying to avoid everything and even that cute little girl in the beginning...despite all the times you tried there was still one person I could depend on to pull you back".

"She was your lifeline, the connection to pull you back to safety and she did it time and time again. And despite all the times you pulled back, you slowly managed to live life one day at a time". Buffalo took a deep breath feeling Wolf's warmth against her body.

"Seeing you smile once again when you played with Stefanie in the rain, that told me everything I hoped for...a reason for you to live again. For both of you to live again" Buffalo whispered and she slowly pulled away from Wolf and gently took his left hand as he continued to look at her with teary eyes.

Slowly looking up to Leon she gently raised his hand and his eyes went to it seeing his Cybernetic Arm again and he just looked at it. "This pain you feel may want you to forget but the pain comes and goes just like your missing arm, the question is are you willing to fight through that pain in order to start again".

Wolf then slowly looked up to her eyes again as she held his hand close. "Your pain may be great...but your will is stronger. More then any man I know".

"People arnt meant to be alone, they are supposed to come together and connect. Its the bonds between people that makes life worth living, you have that chance to start again and she has that chance to live again as well" Buffalo took a deep breath as she took her hands of his Cybernetic arm and placed them on her man's cheeks.

"You matter more to me then anything this world can offer me, your life matters more to me then my own happiness. If that means I have to move on for you to live then I will shut myself in this place for you to move on" Buffalo's tears fell down her cheeks as she smiled with love.

Wolf shook his head and gently grabbed her shoulders. "Shut yourself in, no...".

He went to embrace her but she stopped him and gripped his shirt as she spoke in a broken voice. "Leon I cant allow you to just throw away your life for me...my only wish is for you to be happy but being shut here with me wont be what I want because I know a better life is waiting for you back out there".

"I know your wish is to be with me...but you will be throwing away a life I know will bring you joy" Buffalo moved her hand down to his Cybernetic's and held on to it gently as their teary eyes looked into each others.

Wolf's heart was breaking and the strength in his voice was breaking as another tear fell down his cheek as his world was being torn apart. "But...why do you want me to leave you...".

Buffalo looked into his blue eyes and just gave a tiny smile full of love for the man in front of her. "Leon...you never left me. And I never left you because I have been with you ever step of the way...through all the events you suffered up to this point".

"Up to this point?.." Wolf could only whisper heartbroken but Buffalo still smiled lovingly at him. "Thats what a spirit does Leon...".

All of a sudden she sighed and lowered her head just looking at his hand in her's. "If I had been more careful...none of this would have happened...but that was my fate" She then looked off to the side looking to the setting sun one more time as another tear fell while she took a deep breath.

"But..." Buffalo broke again and looked at Wolf again. "Just worrying about you on my death bed...I just couldn't take it anymore. I got so tired of worrying and I figured the only one who could help you was the woman you and I come to care about...so..thats what I did".

Wolf took a deep breath then slowly took her other hand in his and they both linked hands just hearing the sound of the ocean. "Sarah..." All Wolf could do was whisper after knowing all this time Buffalo had secretly hoped a connection would form between him and Stefanie, he never saw it and he just couldn't believe she would do that.

Buffalo smiled brighter as she looked down to her hands in his and she remembered back to their first night where their fists were connecting with each others faces only to hold each other moments later, the one night where she became a better person and now she wanted to make Wolf a better person. To remind him that there is a second chance for him, its all she ever wants for him.

Taking a deep breath she slowly looked up to him. "You and Stefanie came together, you connected. I know in battle you are living on borrowed time but you two still have hope".

Buffalo then took one of her hands out of Wolf's and placed it on his cheek removing a tear with her thumb as he just looked at her. "Before all this you still fought on, you lost your brother and she lost Kaiden but you fought back. Refused to accept defeat and you willed yourself on to survive".

"I know you think you lost me Leon...but death is not the end" Buffalo blinked a few times as tears fell but her smile never faded. "Its the beginning of a new path".

She then slowly looked down to her hand in his and just squeezed it gently before looking back up at him. "But death isnt ready for you yet, because I want you to live your life...a life with Stefanie".

Wolf's eyes were full of emotion and he tried to speak but no words came out as Buffalo whispered again. "Go back to Stefanie, she needs you...".

Ever so slowly Wolf looked down to his hand holding hers and his hand began to tremble. "Sarah...I cant just let you go...I dont know what to do".

Buffalo then slowly came close and placed her finger and thumb under his chin and gently lifted his face to look at her. "Yes you do Leon...you have to break some ties to forge others. You cant be tied to everything".

Wolf could only take a deep breath afraid to let go of her hand. "Leon...do you love me?". Buffalo questioned and Wolf came back to reality. "Of course I do...you know that".

"Then you have to let me go...time is running out" Buffalo whispered.

Letting out a sigh of defeat Wolf shed another tear. "Sarah...I cant".

Buffalo then came close and just embraced him tight as her emotions came to the surface. "You have to let me go...I love you too much to see you suffer".

In response Wolf held her tight. "You cant ask me to just let you go...I..." He couldn't finish his sentence and all he could do was lower his face on to her shoulder crying and she just continued to hold him tight.

"Leon...if you love me, if our years together meant anything to you then please...please make me a promise you will continue to live your life." Buffalo whispered closing her eyes as the two lovers just held each other.

Wolf could only take a few deep breaths as tears continued to fall and he took in the scent of her afraid to go, he could feel Buffalo's hand gently caress his back tying to calm him and just having this moment was just overpowering and he didnt want it to end.

"She is the only good thing you have in your life Leon...the good thing thats worth fighting for" Buffalo's voice was shaken. "The good thing I want you to fight for and to love".

Wolf took a deep breath as he raised his head from her shoulder looking out to the ocean seeing the sun now half set on the ocean, the light was fading and night was drawing closer. It was a beautiful sight and one that Wolf never wanted to end. But deep down he knew Buffalo didnt want this for him and all he could do was continue to look out to the ocean.

After a few moments Buffalo slowly pulled back placing her hands on his cheeks making him look to her, his face showed a broken man and she had one of strength and love as she smiled at him.

"Promise me...promise me you will leave Punished Wolf behind. Let him die here and go back to Stefanie...go back to her as Howling Wolf, be the man you were for me and continue to live for each other" Buffalo whispered and Wolf sighed closing his eyes as two more tears fell before opening them again and looking back into her eyes.

"Promise you will let me go Leon...keep me in your memory but live for her because all I want is for you to be happy. Start a new life...a new beginning...promise me". Buffalo looked into his eyes and the two were silent for a few seconds.

However Wolf soon found the strength to speak once again, he was about to do the hardest thing he ever did in his life. To do what his Sarah wants him to do.

Taking a deep breath he finally gave his answer. "...I promise...I promise". All he could do was whisper.

Smiling brighter at Wolf and still full of emotion Buffalo gently pulled him in and their lips connected in a soft passionate kiss as their arms wrapped around the other, enjoy the moment for one more time.

The kiss was sweet and passionate just as the millions they shared in the past, they made sure this one would be one to remember as they were about to say goodbye for the last time. The two lovers were now gonna go their separate ways.

Flaming Buffalo was ready to be let go and finally lay to rest and despite how hard this was for Wolf, he was going to keep his promise to her. To start a new life and be the man he once was.

The two lovers slowly pulled away and their foreheads gently rested against each other with their arms still around each other. "Even if we arnt together...I will always be with you Leon, never forget that".

"Close your eyes..." Buffalo whispered and Wolf continued to look at her for a few seconds, the pain was great but he soon did what he was told and slowly closed his eyes and just listened to her voice.

"Now you focus on what you have...focus on Stefanie" Buffalo whispered still looking at Wolf and she could see him focus on her words, she feel strength slowly return.

"You love her...just as you loved me" She whispered holding him tight and her words were gentle but also carried weight. "She needs you...".

"Wake up Howling Wolf.." She gripped him tight. "Get up...get up and fight!".

"Get up...fight and live...for me!" Buffalo commanded and all of a sudden everything went white and Wolf felt himself being pulled away back into darkness and he heard Flaming Buffalo's voice one more time.

"Goodbye Leon...I love you".

-The World Of The Living-

"FUCK SAKE! WOLF WAKE UP!" Big Boss shouted down from the upper level of the missile silo as he moved backwards shooting at Piethos stagger towards him but Wolf didnt move, he was dead and in that moment Martson aimed right at the head of Silent Butterfly who was on her back full of gun shot wounds and was just laying there unable to move.

Marston had his finger on the trigger of his shotgun ready to deliver the killing blow but suddenly a few steps away from Marston laying on his back, his sneaking suit burnt and the side of his face covered in his own blood Howling Wolf suddenly shot his eyes open and gasped for air as the life returned to his very being.

Adrenaline fueled his body, still on the ground snapping his head to his side he saw Marston aiming his shotgun down at the badly injured Silent Butterfly ready to kill her. His determination to protect her took over and he quickly rolled to his feet and charged down the platform.

Marston heard footsteps behind him and his eyes widened, he turned with his shotgun in hand but before he could pull the trigger Wolf was already up close gripping the shotgun with one hand pushing it away while delivering a huge punch to Marston's face.

Wolf made him stagger an in a split second he disarmed Marston and screaming with all his might he grabbed Marston and threw them both right over the guard rail and sent them both crashing to the platform below, Silent Butterfly remained motionless from her injuries but a single tear broke free.

The two rivals crashed hard to the lower level and both rolled away from each other with Wolf getting to his feet first removing his harness and throwing his equipment away, Marston had no weapons on him so Wolf decided the best way to make Marston suffer was to end it with his own hands.

He watched as Marston grunted with a chuckle as he staggered to his feet. "So Punished Wolf has some fight left in him".

Balling his fists Wolf remained focused and took a defensive stance as flames and debris from above rained down around them.

"I am Howling Wolf..." Wolf simply stated and Marston chuckled dusting himself off before taking a defensive stance himself.

"Ok then...no more Skulls, no more bullshit. Just a good old fashioned boss fight huh?" Marston mocked.

"Call it what you want Marston...its over" Wolf stated and Marston just smirked ready to fight. "Lets finish this then..."

All of a sudden alarms went off as the speakers stated the ventilation shafts were being opened leaving Damocles exposed to the fighter jets outside the base but Marston didnt care as all his attention was on his one true enemy.

"One more ending before the end, the final boss fight in the story...of Howling Wolf" Marston's smirk dropped and the two screamed and charged at each other ready to kill the other.

Only one will be standing, the question is how shall this day end.

"Flaming Buffalo wanted Quiet to be with Wolf after she died, she knew since the beginning how much Quiet loved him and even on her deathbed she knew Quiet would be the only woman who could heal him. So despite the pain of saying goodbye she made him promise to live and move on with the only woman she knows can look after him".

"Punished Wolf died in that explosion and Howling Wolf returned in his place, now Howling Wolf is about to take on Marston one more time but only one will walk away this time. Let the final battle begin...