It's finally here! This is pretty different from my usual style and I'm not particularly used to writing Richard and Rachel, but it feels right somehow. I had a lot of fun writing this, and I'm pretty pleased with what I came up with.
1996
Even as he approached the hospital room, Richard wasn't quite sure why he was there. He had succeeded in his mission and submitted his report to the VSSE. He should have been heading off into the sunset, waiting until the VSSE called him in for a new assignment. Sticking around in the aftermath of missions simply wasn't his style.
Hesitating, Richard lingered outside the hospital room for a moment before gathering his courage and going in.
The young lady lying on the bed looked up, and her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh! You're the man who rescued me. I'm sorry, I'm afraid I didn't get your name."
"…Miller. Richard Miller," he replied. Inadvertently, his gaze was drawn to her right arm, which was heavily bandaged and in a sling.
"Thank you for saving me, Agent Miller." Rachel gave him a small smile.
A flash of guilt shot through him.
"Please don't thank me, Miss MacPherson," he muttered, averting his gaze. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop you from getting shot."
To his surprise, she laughed. "Please, just call me Rachel. And all things considered, I think getting shot in the arm is probably better than being killed. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have left that castle alive."
Richard didn't know what to say in response, so he changed the subject. "How long will you be staying here?"
"They'll probably let me leave at the end of the week. Aside from my arm, the doctors wanted to be sure my captors didn't do anything funny to me."
She hesitated for a moment, then asked, "What about you? Where will you go?"
Richard opened his mouth to answer, then realised he didn't know what he was going to say. Usually, he would be long gone by now, roaming the country as he pleased with nobody to dictate his path.
But the idea of leaving Rachel alone to recover from her injury (which he was partly at fault for, a treacherous voice at the back of his mind whispered) didn't sit well with him.
"I'm not sure," he finally replied.
"Well…" Rachel looked at him, a shy yet impish smile tugging at her lips. "If you don't have any other plans, perhaps you could keep me company while I'm here? The hospital isn't a particularly interesting place."
Richard gave her a contemplative look. Although he usually preferred his own company, he had never disliked people. Instead, he found it rather pleasant to be near other people but not with them, watching the flow and ebb of life around him from a distance.
Perhaps it was his lingering guilt, or perhaps he was just in a melancholic mood. Either way, the idea of actually spending some time with another person for once seemed oddly pleasant.
"Perhaps I will," Richard said at last, gracing Rachel with an awkward smile.
As her eyes lit up at his response, Richard found himself looking forward to the upcoming week.
Over the next week, Richard returned to the hospital every day to visit Rachel.
Aside from her father, Rachel had not had any other visitors besides Richard, since the VSSE and the Sercian government were hoping to keep the entire incident under wraps as much as possible. There was an underlying sadness to her gentle demeanour, and Richard would have to be completely blind to not realise she was lonely.
Though Richard was not particularly good at comforting others, his presence seemed to lift Rachel's spirits. He didn't speak much, but she didn't seem to mind, relishing in the quiet yet intense way Richard listened as she spoke.
On his part, Richard found listening to Rachel both enjoyable and refreshing. Despite her soft–spoken and seemingly shy demeanour, there was a fierce edge to her words, and her eyes shone with conviction. He learned that she was a Biochemistry major in an American university, that her roommate Sophie was her closest friend… and that even though she wasn't trained in combat, Rachel was a fighter in spirit.
"There's so much we could do if we tried to actually help people. I don't want to just work for a private firm that's going to prioritise making money," Rachel said in a soft but firm voice. "I may not be a fighter like you, but… I want to do what I can to make a difference."
Richard looked at her in surprise. Most people chose to just keep their heads down and go about their own business, leaving it to someone else to fix the world. Yet, even after she had been pulled into danger and barely escaped, Rachel still wanted to fight back in her own way.
"I wish there were more people like you," Richard said quietly. "If there were, people like me wouldn't be needed."
Rachel blushed slightly at Richard's words, giving him a small smile. "That's very kind of you, Agent Miller."
"I wouldn't say so if I didn't mean it," Richard replied. He hesitated for a moment, then added, "You can call me Richard, if you'd like."
Rachel's expression changed to surprised pleasure, and her smile grew wider. "Alright… Richard."
Richard felt an unexpected warmth inside him at the sight, and he fleetingly wished he had more opportunities to put a smile on Rachel's face. Cursing himself, he quickly banished the thought, reminding himself that such sentiments were inappropriate and probably unappreciated.
"Thank you for your company, Richard. I had fun this week." Rachel's voice broke through his thoughts, startling him slightly. "Will I… do you think there's a chance we might see each other again someday?"
The rational part of his mind wanted to say no. He had already lingered too long, and it was risky forming attachments in his line of work, especially with his nomadic lifestyle.
The selfish part of his mind hesitated, quietly noting that he had actually enjoyed spending time with Rachel, and it would be nice if he could do so again in the future.
"I don't know…" he finally responded. "But… I wouldn't be opposed to the idea."
"Well… as long as there's a chance, anything can happen, right?" There was a teasing lilt to Rachel's reply, and Richard blinked as she gave him a mischievous smile.
After a moment, he gave her a smile in return.
"I guess you're right."
Despite the tentative connection he'd formed with Rachel, Richard went back to his nomadic ways after Rachel was released from the hospital and returned to university. He soon got back into the swing of things, and the Sercia incident and its aftermath became just another footnote in his memory.
A part of him regretted losing the first genuine connection he'd had with another person in a while; but for the most part, Richard was the same free spirit he had always been.
Three months later…
Richard slipped through the crowd as he headed down the street, lost in his thoughts. Although he was allowed to operate with an unprecedented level of autonomy, the VSSE still required him to physically report in occasionally. After returning to HQ for the first time in months and briefly meeting with the Director, Richard was ready to put New York behind him and head out again.
Admittedly, his conversation with the Director had been interesting. In light of the Sercia incident, the Director was considering forming an elite division of VSSE agents to handle urgent large–scale threats. Although Richard had been able to handle the situation effectively by himself, he couldn't be everywhere at once. A task force for dealing with potentially world–ending crises would hopefully enable the VSSE to deal with any further incidents more smoothly.
It was a sound idea in theory, but Richard wondered if screening the regular agents would actually yield any candidates with potential.
I suppose there might be a few promising agents amongst them. It's not like I know any of them well enough to know for certain.
Still mulling over the discussion, Richard nearly collided with a young woman walking in the opposite direction from him.
"Sorry, Miss," he quickly apologised, stepping to the side.
"Richard?" The familiar voice caught his attention, and he turned to look at the woman in surprise.
"Rachel? What are you doing here?" Richard gave Rachel a quick glance over, relieved to see that she didn't appear to have suffered any lasting damage from her stint as a hostage.
"I just graduated last month," she replied. "My friends and I are taking a trip together, but everyone's doing their own thing for today. What about you? I guess you're doing something work–related at the moment?"
"Something like that," Richard sidestepped the question. "I'm done for now though."
Rachel's eyes lit up. "Really? If that's the case, would you like to grab some coffee?"
"Sorry?" Richard blinked at her in surprise.
Rachel gave him an impish smile. "It's been a while… It would be nice to catch up, if you're free."
Richard hesitated, looking carefully at Rachel. Her eyes gleamed with hope, and he could hear the unspoken invitation in her words.
"I… I'm sorry, I don't think that would be wise." The words spilled forth from his mouth before he could stop himself.
Rachel's face fell slightly. "I'm sorry, did… Did I say something wrong?"
Instantly regretting his hasty response, Richard shook his head.
"It's not that, I just…" He sighed. "Look, Rachel… You should forget about me. You deserve to be safe and happy. Getting involved with me in any way is only going to put you in danger again."
Rachel gave him a wry look as she let out a mirthless laugh. "Perhaps you've forgotten, but I was in danger before we even met. I'm not as fragile as you think I am, Agent Miller."
"Still, you deserve better," Richard insisted. "Someone younger and more stable; not someone who's constantly on the move…"
She held up a hand to stop him. "Look, Richard… If you're genuinely not interested, I'll respect that and back off. But if you're trying to scare me away, it's not going to work. I know it might not work out, but I'm willing to take the risk anyway."
Richard swallowed, looking Rachel in the eye. "I can't make any promises."
"And I'm not asking for any," she replied firmly. "We can take it slowly, see how things turn out. What do you say?"
Richard was silent for a long moment. When he finally spoke, his voice was softer, with a hint of nervousness. "…There's a diner a few blocks from here. We could grab a bite there, unless you have someplace else in mind?"
Rachel's face lit up with a smile. "That sounds perfect."
Navigating a long–distance relationship was tricky at the best of times.
With Richard's nomadic lifestyle and his work as a VSSE agent, tricky became a massive understatement.
Despite the spark of mutual attraction between them, he and Rachel decided against jumping the gun and rushing into a relationship they were ill–prepared for. Instead, they agreed to just be friends for the time being and see whether their interest in each other remained alive, even after being tested by the circumstances involved.
Months passed, and life went on.
Two regular VSSE agents had been chosen to join the new Crisis Agent division after their exemplary performance on the screening test: A daredevil adrenaline junkie named Keith Martin, and a straight–laced agent named Robert Baxter.
Though they had potential, the agents could not hope to match Richard's skill, so deploying them in the same manner as Richard was out.
In theory, pairing them up was a logical and tactically sound decision.
In practice, the agents seemed to be constantly at each other's throats throughout training. Although they were competent individually, it seemed that their partnership was doomed to fail, and many of the other VSSE personnel were taking bets on how long it would take for them to kill each other.
Richard learned the basics of the situation when the Director contacted him for another mission.
The rest of the details were from office gossip… passed on by Rachel, who had been recruited by the VSSE as a scientist.
"You're working for us?" Richard had been surprised, to say the least.
"Why so surprised?" Even through the phone, he could hear the smirk in Rachel's voice. "I told you I wanted to do something meaningful. I can't fight, but I can still help in my own way."
Even after everything, she's still running toward danger…
"…You're not like most people, are you?" Richard let out a laugh. "Congratulations, Rachel. I'm sure you'll do great."
"Thanks, Richard." There was a small pause, then Rachel asked, "Are you… Will you be back anytime soon?"
"…I'm not sure," Richard admitted quietly.
There was a moment of silence, and Richard felt a pang of guilt as he imagined the disappointment Rachel was struggling to conceal at his lacklustre response.
"Alright," she finally answered in a would–be casual tone that fooled neither of them. "Hopefully I'll catch you the next time you report back here."
Richard swallowed painfully, torn between wanting to apologise and staying silent. In the end, he settled on telling Rachel to take care of herself before hanging up.
Though Richard roamed far and wide in between missions, never staying in the same place for long, there were a few constants in his life. One was his mission briefings from the VSSE. Another was his pride and joy, the red sports car which brought him all over the country. The last was his communication with Rachel.
He and Rachel emailed regularly, and they talked on the phone at the end of every month. Rachel always sounded eager to hear what Richard had been up to. Though he couldn't talk much about his assignments, he often spoke of the places he visited and the people he saw around him.
Almost without realising it, he had begun looking forward to his conversations with Rachel. They had become as much a part of his life as his nomadic ways.
Despite that, he found that he still couldn't bring himself to choose between the freedom he craved and the woman he was slowly beginning to fall for.
He cared about Rachel… but the thought of giving up his nomadic lifestyle and settling down in one place still filled him with a sense of dread.
Even as he continued to maintain a delicate balancing act between his conflicting desires, a small part of him knew that it couldn't last forever. Sooner or later, Richard would have to decide which was more important to him.
Time continued to march on.
Keith and Robert had apparently come to an understanding and settled into a solid partnership, albeit one with plenty of amicable bickering.
The VSSE had decided to add a residential wing to Headquarters, since the Crisis agents might have to be called in on a moment's notice if a situation broke out in the middle of the night.
Richard still couldn't bring himself to choose between Rachel and his desire for freedom. Though Rachel didn't press him on the issue, there was a palpable tension growing steadily between them with each conversation they had.
The uneasy equilibrium grew shakier with each passing day, but it somehow continued to hold.
Before he knew it, 1997 had arrived… and with it, an incident that changed everything.
1997
It should have been a simple assignment. The VSSE had uncovered some intel about Wild Dog's associates. A woman referred to as Kantaris was said to be Wild Dog's arms supplier, and the VSSE had managed to pinpoint her base of operations. Richard was ordered to infiltrate the hotel which served as a front for her weapons factory and shut down her business.
At first, it seemed as though things were going smoothly. Well, as smoothly as his missions ever went, at any rate. Richard had made his way through the hotel, fighting off Kantaris' subordinates and chasing after her as she fled further into the factory, finally cornering her at the heliport on the roof.
Perhaps Richard was distracted by his subconscious worries about the situation with Rachel. Perhaps it was just plain bad luck. Either way, he was unable to shoot down Kantaris' gunship in time. She escaped with her surviving men, and Richard could do nothing but swear as the gunship flew out of range and vanished into the distance.
Given the circumstances, Richard returned to VSSE Headquarters to report his failure in person. The Director was displeased, to say the least.
"Agent Miller, I'm disappointed. It's not like you to make a mistake like this. What happened?"
Richard remained silent, averting his gaze. There was nothing he could say to defend himself. After all, the Director was right. He had messed up, and now Kantaris was at large.
"Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
"…I have no excuse for my failure, sir," Richard finally answered. "I take full responsibility for what happened, and I will accept whatever punishment you deem appropriate."
The Director looked at him for a long moment, then sighed.
"Richard, you've been a good agent up till now. You've been given a considerable amount of freedom to operate independently as a result. But I'm afraid that in light of what's happened, we're going to have to rein you in somewhat."
Richard swallowed, feeling a tendril of dread creep up his spine.
"You'll be on probation for a few months, during which point you'll be expected to stay in Headquarters with the other Crisis Agents to train and work. After that… I know you dislike being chained down, so I won't force you to stay here on a fulltime basis. However, you will stay in Headquarters for 6 months at a time. You can spend the remaining half of the year continuing to travel around between missions, as you have been doing until now."
Clamping down on the surge of panic that shot through him, Richard nodded, struggling to keep his expression blank. "Yes sir."
As he left the room, he could almost feel the walls closing in on him, mockingly reminding him that his freedom had finally slipped from his grasp.
Lost in thought, he barely noticed the whispers of other VSSE personnel as they spotted the legendary yet elusive Agent Richard Miller actually gracing the corridors of HQ for once.
"Richard?" A worried yet familiar voice broke through his thoughts. He turned, already knowing who he would see standing there.
"…Rachel. Shouldn't you be working right now?"
"It's my lunch break," she replied softly. "I heard about Kantaris."
"…I see." He dropped his gaze, too ashamed to meet her eyes.
Rachel gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "How are you holding up?"
Richard hesitated, not used to baring his soul to others. But this was Rachel; he trusted her to listen and not judge him.
"I'm furious at myself for messing up like this," Richard admitted. "I'm not usually this careless, I just… I don't know what was wrong with my head during the mission."
Rachel said nothing but squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. Richard swallowed, feeling a slight wetness to his eyes, accompanied by another surge of shame at his lapse of control.
"What's going to happen to you?" Rachel finally asked.
"…I'm on probation for the time being. And I'll have to spend more time staying around HQ in the future."
Rachel was kind enough not to comment on the bitter undertone to Richard's response. "When's the last time you ate?" She asked instead.
Richard blinked, nonplussed by the abrupt change of subject. "Why?"
"There's a cafe nearby that's pretty good. We could grab a bite there." She paused, giving him a look. "Unless you'd rather eat in the cafeteria, but I don't think you're in the mood to have people staring at you at the moment."
Richard felt a surge of gratitude at Rachel's perceptiveness. "I… I would like that, if you don't have other plans. Lead the way."
Over the next few weeks, Richard began to settle into VSSE Headquarters. He moved into an apartment in the Residential Wing, though it ended up being sparsely furnished since he didn't have much to fill it with.
At the same time, he finally met Keith and Robert, who seemed in awe of his reputation. In spite of his initial reservations, Richard found himself impressed. They were still inexperienced, but they clearly had potential to become exemplary Crisis Agents.
Richard spent his time working in the Crisis Agents' office, and his off–days honing his skills in the training room to guard against a repeat of the Kantaris incident. The novelty of seeing him around Headquarters eventually began to wear off, and the other VSSE personnel's whispers about him gradually lessened.
It took some time, but the sting of shame at his failure slowly began to fade, replaced by determination to do better in the future. Yet, at the same time, he grew steadily more frustrated by the restrictions being placed upon him. He longed to escape from the confines of Headquarters and return to the open road that still called to him.
At first, Rachel, who had taken to eating lunch with him from time to time, stayed silent in the face of his obvious frustration. However, after a month of Richard growing more and more morose, she couldn't hold her tongue any longer.
"Richard." Rachel entered the Crisis Agent office, where Richard was finishing off some paperwork.
Without looking up, he replied, "Give me 5 minutes to finish up here."
"I need to speak with you," she said firmly, sounding more serious than he'd ever heard.
Richard looked up at her in surprise. "What is it?"
"We need to talk… about us."
Richard stared at her for a moment, then gestured to a nearby chair. Rachel took a seat, looking Richard in the eye.
"Richard… I know you've been unhappy recently, being stuck in Headquarters against your wishes. But… I was hoping that… Perhaps, despite the situation, you might find something worth staying for."
Richard's eyes widened and he swallowed, unsure of what to say in response.
Rachel clasped her hands together, looking as though she was steeling herself to say something unpleasant.
"Look, Richard… I care about you, and… I hope it's not too presumptuous to believe that you care about me too, in your own way. But… I need to know where we stand. I'm not asking you to change who you are. I won't ask you to stop leaving entirely. But if what we have isn't enough incentive for you to at least stay around for a while, then I… I think I deserve to know."
Richard was silent for a long moment. Finally, he sighed.
"I'm sorry."
Rachel's face fell and she stood up, blinking back the tears forming in her eyes. Hastily, she turned away, not wanting Richard to see her getting upset. "I guess I should have expected that. Thanks for being honest, at least."
"Wait." Richard got to his feet and placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. She tensed up but didn't push him away.
"That's not what I meant. I'm sorry that I've been taking you for granted."
Rachel turned to look at Richard, blinking in surprise.
Richard ran a hand through his hair, letting out a breath. "You're completely right. It isn't fair to expect you to keep waiting forever for someone who refuses to even make a compromise for your sake. If you're still willing… If it's not too late… I'd like to change that."
Rachel swallowed, looking at him uncertainly. "I don't want to pressure you into doing something you don't want to. I know you hate being chained down, and I won't force you to be stuck with me because you feel guilty."
Richard shook his head. "This is something I want. I'd been afraid of sacrificing my freedom for anything… but I'd forgotten that some things are worth the sacrifice."
The tears finally began to flow, but this time they were tears of relief. Rachel threw her arms around Richard and he slowly returned her hug, holding her as she tried to compose herself.
At length, she pulled away, wiping at her eyes. "I don't… I'm not expecting you to settle down completely. I know you're too restless for that, and I won't ask that of you. But… I'm just glad that I get to spend more time with you, at least for a while."
"…Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?" Richard asked.
Rachel blinked, then gave him a small smile. "I'd be delighted. Where are we going?"
"Are you alright with coming over to my apartment? I was thinking of cooking us something."
"Your apartment?" Rachel sounded surprised.
Richard smirked. "Don't worry, we'll just be having dinner. I wouldn't ask you to stay the night at this stage; it's still too early for that."
Rachel rolled her eyes, jokingly punching him on the shoulder. "That's not what I meant. I didn't realise you could cook."
"What, you thought I ate out all the time? I cook for myself quite often while on the move," Richard replied. "It's nice to eat a homecooked meal sometimes, after all."
"In that case, I wouldn't mind. Am I allowed to visit your apartment though?"
"What do you mean?" Richard frowned.
"Well, the Residential Wing is supposed to be for Crisis Agents only," she pointed out.
"It should be fine. You work for the VSSE; it's not like you're a complete outsider. I doubt anyone will mind."
"Alright, but if you get into even more trouble, don't say I didn't warn you," Rachel teased.
"I think the Director has bigger things to worry about than who I'm dating," Richard retorted sarcastically.
Rachel flushed slightly, feeling a sudden warmth inside at Richard's words. They had been dancing around the specifics of their relationship the whole time, and hearing him directly say they were dating sent a thrill of pleasure through her.
"I'm looking forward to tonight then," she responded, flashing him a huge smile.
It wasn't easy at first. Richard was still unused to staying in the same place for so long, and it took him some time to adjust to the idea. Despite his trepidation, he was adamant that he wanted to make their relationship work.
On her part, Rachel was patient with him, understanding that he was trying his best. She didn't push him, allowing him to adjust at his own pace.
Dinner at Richard's apartment became a semi–regular affair. Rachel asked him about his cooking skills once, after jokingly admitting she'd nearly set the kitchen on fire trying to make toast back in university.
Richard went quiet for a moment before telling her about how his mother had raised him by herself. He had grown up eating her cooking, and she had taught him the basics. After she had fallen sick, Richard had cooked for both of them, until her illness worsened and she was hospitalised. She had passed away when Richard was 18, leaving him all alone.
Listening to Richard's story, Rachel understood all at once why he was constantly on the move. Having been alone for so long, Richard found stability an alien concept. He was more used to his own company than being around others, and the open road gave him the freedom to be away from them as he pleased.
She didn't say any of this out loud, merely gave Richard a hug and kissed him gently.
That night, she spent the night with him for the first time.
Time slipped by in the blink of an eye.
Richard slowly grew used to being around Headquarters during his mandatory stays. His apartment remained mostly bare, but he slowly added small touches to it for whenever he was back at Headquarters, and it almost started to look lived in.
Over time, he formed a tentative working relationship with Keith and Robert. Though the younger agents never quite stopped being in awe of him, they eventually began to interact with him on a mostly equal level. On his part, he found himself starting to grow fond of them in a distant way.
When VSSE intelligence officer Christy Ryan was captured during an undercover operation in 1998, Keith and Robert were sent to rescue her. It was apparent how far they'd come from their initial antagonistic relationship, with the partners working together smoothly to not only rescue Christy but also prevent the launch of a nuclear satellite. Richard secretly felt proud of their success, though he would never have admitted it to them.
Two new agents, Alan Dunaway and Wesley Lambert, joined the VSSE the following year.
Unlike Keith and Robert, Alan and Wesley were recruited directly as Crisis Agents, and they had already been friends beforehand. They seemed inseparable, with a much more lighthearted and easygoing relationship than Keith and Robert.
However, like Keith and Robert, they too held Richard in high regard on account of his reputation, seeming rather nervous around him as a result. Though they weren't particularly close to him, Richard found himself growing to care for them as well.
After the initial hiccups, his relationship with Rachel had blossomed. Though Rachel still had her own apartment outside of VSSE HQ, she ended up staying with him more often than not while he was back at Headquarters. Work came first for both of them, but they had agreed to try to make time for each other no matter how busy they became.
Richard had grown used to having a place to return to after months of travelling, especially with someone waiting there for him. Still, he would occasionally grow melancholic while staying at Headquarters. When that happened, Rachel simply held him tighter, wordlessly grounding him and letting her presence wash away his lingering restlessness.
For a time, it seemed as though nothing could ruin the happiness they had found. Then 2001 rolled around…
2001
Richard didn't know which deity was watching over him, but he was forever grateful that he had decided to turn on the television in his motel room and have a look that evening.
It was like a dream… or perhaps a nightmare. President Xavier Serrano of Caruba had been assassinated on live television… by someone who looked exactly like Richard.
Naturally, the VSSE was ordered to disavow Richard and hunt him down. Fortunately, the Director gave him the benefit of doubt, allowing him 48 hours to clear his name before the VSSE would have no choice but to send agents after him.
The VSSE couldn't officially give him any assistance. However, they did pass on the coordinates of a ship supposedly belonging to Kantaris, the arms dealer who he had failed to capture 4 years ago. An informant codenamed Abacus was being held captive on the ship, and she apparently had a possible lead about the real killer.
It was a long shot, but it was better than nothing. With nothing more the VSSE could offer him, Richard was cast adrift to fend for himself.
And so began the longest 48 hours of his life.
Richard managed to breach the cruise ship and find Abacus, who turned out to be a young woman named Marisa Soleil. Marisa told him that a Caruban mercenary named Ricardo Blanco had carried out the assassination disguised as Richard.
Unfortunately, Kantaris managed to escape again before Richard had a chance to subdue her. Although, admittedly, he had bigger problems to worry about than Kantaris at that moment.
After a series of misadventures, Richard managed to make it to Ricardo Blanco's mansion and track down his doppelganger, subduing him after an intense firefight. Unfortunately, his relief was short–lived, as an apparently still alive Wild Dog gunned Blanco down before Richard's eyes, robbing his last chance at clearing his name. Furious at Wild Dog's treachery, Blanco told Richard to find Wild Dog at his lab on the island Rio Oro before bleeding out.
It took a long while for Richard to find the island and make his way there. All the while, he felt an uncharacteristic sense of dread enveloping him.
At first, he wasn't quite sure why. Sure, it was a grave situation, and he had a personal stake in it this time… But he had been in dangerous situations before, and he had always been able to keep his cool under pressure.
Then it occurred to him: He was afraid; not of dying, but of the consequences of failing.
He feared what would happen if he was unable to clear his name and return home. As much as he enjoyed his nomadic ways, the thought of spending the rest of his life being hunted by the authorities, constantly on the run and having to look over his shoulder wherever he went…
Even a lone wolf like him would find that to be a painfully lonely way to live.
Wild Dog's lab on Rio Oro was his only hope. If he couldn't find something there to prove his innocence, he would never be able to see Rachel again. He would be forced to break his promise to her and leave, never to return. The only woman he had ever been willing to put aside his freedom for would be separated from him forever.
Yet, he realised it wasn't just Rachel he would miss.
If he failed, he wouldn't be able to spend his days in VSSE HQ, quietly watching as Keith and Robert bickered while Alan and Wesley joked around. In spite of himself, he realised that he had grown to care for them all along, and the thought of never being able to see any of them again made his heart ache painfully.
With a maelstrom of thoughts swirling about his mind, Richard found himself counting down the hours until he reached Rio Oro, silently begging whatever deity might be listening to let there be some evidence in the lab.
Apparently, the gods were looking down upon him favourably after all.
Fighting his way through the lab, he unexpectedly came face to face with a very much alive President Serrano. Promising to contact the VSSE and clear Richard's name, Serrano warned him about Project Titan, Wild Dog's latest plan. The madman planned to unleash a titanium robot army upon the world, and he was on the verge of success.
With no time to waste, Richard headed off in pursuit of Wild Dog to put an end to his mad scheme. He managed to track down Wild Dog at the latter's lair after fighting his way through a horde of enemies.
Wild Dog was apparently smarter than Richard had given him credit for. After an intense shootout, he had attempted to make his escape via helicopter, while preparing to launch the robot army remotely.
Richard felt a surge of panic as the outcome of the Kantaris incident seemed to be repeating itself before his very eyes. Steeling himself, he took a deep breath and fired off two shots at Wild Dog's escaping helicopter.
As the sun rose on the second morning since Richard was framed, Wild Dog's helicopter careened out of control, crashing into the chamber containing his robot army. The subsequent explosion consumed Wild Dog and destroyed the robots, putting an end to Project Titan.
Richard privately doubted that Wild Dog was really dead, but he didn't have a chance to confirm his hunch as he was forced to flee the fortress before it collapsed and buried him under the rubble.
Once he made it safely to the speedboat, he almost collapsed in relief.
It was finally over. He could go home.
It wasn't quite the end, of course.
Richard managed to make it back to Rio Oro to retrieve President Serrano and bring him back to Caruba. The Caruban government's reaction to finding their supposedly dead President being escorted by his supposed assassin had been interesting, to say the least.
It took a while to sort everything out, but with President Serrano vouching for Richard and revealing what had really happened, Richard was finally in the clear. The Caruban government rescinded their demand for the VSSE to hunt him down and offered him an official apology. President Serrano invited him to an awards ceremony that evening, wanting to thank him for his actions.
However, Richard had been on the run for almost 2 days with no sleep. At this point, he was frankly exhausted, and all he really wanted was to go home.
Besides, he still had something important to take care of.
The halls of VSSE Headquarters were abuzz with gossip for the third day in a row. Everyone had heard about legendary agent Richard Miller supposedly assassinating the President of Caruba, and the rumours had been flying thick and fast. Now that Richard's name had been cleared, he had apparently vanished from Caruba without a trace, and everyone was wondering where he went.
At that moment, their answer came as the agent himself entered Headquarters, looking tired yet determined. Ignoring the whispers that broke out at his appearance, he made a beeline for the Director's office and entered without knocking, shutting the door behind him.
"Agent Miller. Welcome back." There was a hint of surprise in the Director's tone as Richard entered the room.
"Thank you, sir," Richard replied quietly.
"I believe President Serrano was rather disappointed by your absence," the Director added dryly.
To his credit, Richard looked somewhat contrite. "Please convey my apologies to him, but… After what's happened over the last few days, I honestly wasn't in the mood to deal with anything else requiring me in an official capacity."
"I gathered as much." There was a pause as the Director looked at Richard, taking in his exhausted countenance.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of your presence?" His calm voice carried an undertone of concern to it.
"I…" Richard swallowed, looking uncharacteristically nervous. "I had a request, actually."
"Is that so? Go on."
"Would it be possible for me to… move into Headquarters on a permanent basis?"
There was another pause. If he didn't know better, Richard would have said he'd managed to surprise the Director.
"This is certainly unexpected, Agent Miller, but not unwelcome. What brought this on?"
"After what's just happened… being on my own doesn't seem quite as appealing as it once did," Richard admitted quietly.
"If that's the case, then you're more than welcome to stay here," the Director responded, a slight smile gracing his face.
"Thank you, sir. There's one more thing…" Richard hesitated slightly, looking unsure of himself.
"What is it?"
"…Would it be possible for someone other than a Crisis Agent to take up residence in Headquarters as well?"
The Director gave him a long, contemplative look. Richard barely managed to refrain from fidgeting as he waited.
"I assume you're referring to Miss MacPherson," he replied at last. "Normally, such a request would be impossible. However, given her history with us and the fact that she now works for us, I'll allow it."
A surge of relief flooded through him. "Thank you very much, sir."
As he turned to leave, the Director stopped him. "Richard."
Richard turned back around. "Yes sir?"
There was an uncharacteristic softness to the Director's expression. "Welcome home."
Richard swallowed, feeling a slight wetness to his eyes. "Thank you, sir."
"Richard!"
Almost as soon as he left the Director's office, Richard heard the one voice he'd been longing to hear.
Turning, he lunged forward and enveloped Rachel in a tight hug, which she gladly returned.
"I was so worried… Everyone was talking about what happened, and I was afraid I would never see you again…" Her voice was trembling, and she sounded on the verge of tears.
"I… I missed you too," Richard said hoarsely, feeling something wet trickling down his cheeks. "I'm so glad… that I was able to come home."
They stayed like that for a few more minutes, basking in each other's presence.
Finally, Richard reluctantly pulled away. "I'm glad you're here. I wanted to talk to you about something."
"What is it?"
"I'm moving into HQ permanently."
Rachel's eyes widened. "What? But I thought you didn't want to settle down."
"…I think I already did, and just hadn't realised it," Richard admitted. "When I was on the run, I found myself missing the VSSE. I was afraid I'd never get to see any of the other agents again."
"Oh, Richard…" Rachel squeezed his hand gently, giving him a small smile.
"There's one other thing." Richard swallowed, then looked Rachel firmly in the eye. "I realised that… I can't bear to leave you again. Rachel… will you marry me?"
"What?" Rachel gasped in surprise.
"I want to wake up next to you every morning, and be by your side always. And I'm sorry… this was a spontaneous thing and I couldn't bear to wait, so I don't have a ring yet, but…"
Rachel interrupted Richard at that moment, giving him a long, sweet kiss.
When she finally pulled away, her eyes were shining, and the wide smile on her face could have put the Mona Lisa to shame.
"Yes, of course I'll marry you. I love you so much, Richard."
"I love you too, Rachel. I never want to lose you again." A dim part of his mind told him he was grinning like an idiot, but he was too deliriously happy to care.
"So, I guess we're stuck with each other then?" Rachel said teasingly.
As Richard took her hand, his heart felt lighter than it had ever been. "Nothing would make me happier than that."
As a sidenote, Richard's talent for cooking is a reference to the unfortunately obscure and now–defunct Namco High, which featured him as a character.
Also, while Richard and Rachel have an 11 year age gap between them, Rachel *is* a legal adult when they start dating, so there shouldn't be an issue there. Not to mention, it's hardly the largest age gap in fiction. Remus and Tonks from Harry Potter had 13 years between them.