Disclaimer.
I own nothing of the amazing Metal Gear series. All the characters and stories belong to the amazing Hideo Kojima and Konami. Please don't sue me.

Julia: To be honest, I wasn't expecting an answer so soon. Thank you for your continued support. I'm really happy that people are interested in this fanfic. Thanks

Here goes the last chapter in this fanfic. I'm not all that pleased with how first part of this chapter came out, but I'm quite happy the way the story has developed so far. I'm proud of it, even if it's not that amazing.

Please, enjoy the finale.

Chapter 3 - Final Chapter

It has been a month since I arrived in America.
Nothing special has happened.
Why would something special happen? I'm alone now, I shouldn't expect anything to happen.
Then why do I feel like I'm missing something?
It does not matter. I already made my choice, no people near me, no one gets hurt, everyone lives happily ever after.
Everyone except me.

I have settled down on a small apartment in a nice neighbourhood. The first week was a bit awkward, I didn't know what to do so I just went around town, getting to know the place better.
There is this open restaurant I found just around the corner, I like it very much. I just sit down, feel the breeze on my skin, watch people go by. It's quiet,
I feel relaxed. It gives me time to think about what I'm going to do with my future.
I need a new set of clothes if I'm going to stay. I have artificial skin, so most of my shirts have long sleeves, and I don't wear shorts, a lot of people feel awkward when they notice that my skin is not real, so I try to hide it as much as possible.
I was finally able to get a job. I mostly work using my strength, I'm a bodyguard at a night club, nothing dangerous.

After I finish my work, I go back to my place. My apartment. One bedroom, one bathroom and a kitchen. Nothing else. I have no furniture, no pictures, no TV, nothing.
I only have what's necessary to live. A bed and a light. I have no need for a kitchen, I don't eat, nor do I need to use the bathroom, but this place is cheap and the landlord is a good person. I spend most of my evenings right here, reading a book, doing maintenance to my body, and sleeping when I want to.
That doesn't mean I don't go out. By morning, I leave and do small jobs for different people. Nothing big, I earn enough with my night job.

It's quiet here. I like quiet. After all I went through, it's a good change of pace. I could get used to it.
Today, I'll take my usual trip to the restaurant, as I always do. It's become one of my favourite places in this city. I sit down on an empty table, it's raining and I forgot my umbrella, not like it matters, I won't get sick. I haven't felt the rain on my skin in such a long time.
It's kind of nostalgic. I look up towards the falling rain. I don't like the sky right now, it is way too grey, it needs a bit more sunlight.
It makes me feel a bit lonely.

"Raiden"

That voice. I know who that is.

Rain is falling, small drops of water, like tears. I see a couple hand in hand under one umbrella, a guy in a rush, a child with her mother.
The day is so gloomy, so grey, so cold.
As I walk with my umbrella over my head, I approach the place where I'll find him.
This is his favourite restaurant, according to the surveillance cameras I hacked, he has been coming here everyday for the past two weeks.
It's surprisingly full, taking into account that it's raining.
I look for him, table by table, most guys are wearing winter clothes, they all look pretty similar.
I turn around, looking for him everywhere. Was I too late? Has he moved on? I started to get agitated, tears formed at the corner of my eyes and just when I thought I'd lost him again, I saw him. There he was, wearing a dark, long coat, black pants and a long gray scarf that covers his mouth. He is still covering most of his body, not a spot of skin is visible. Another face in the crowd, or at least that's what he wants. But I know better, I would recognize that spiky silver hair anywhere.
There he is, my mind stopped for a moment. Is this real? It has to be. Wake up brain, this what you wanted, don't freeze right now. Walk. Walk towards him.
Step by step, slowly.
As I get closer, my chest starts to pound harder. I start to sweat, I get nervous, but I keep going. Nothing is going to make me stop now. This is the chance I've been waiting for, I tell myself as I get ever closer.
I stop right next to him.
Speak.

"Raiden"

I stand up, I can't believe my eyes, a blonde, brown eyed girl is right in front of me.

"Sunny?"

Tears drop from the corner of her eyes.
"It's you, it's you Raiden, it's really you" Sunny says, and as soon as she hugs me with all her strength, her legs give up. I hug her back, supporting her weight.

Her cries get louder, and I don't blame her, I'm happy too, but everyone around starts to notice us.

"Sunny, let's go somewhere we can talk"

She doesn't want to let go, so we stay like that for a minute, until she finally agrees to go with me. I pick up the umbrella she dropped when she hugged me, we walk a bit and get into a park. There's no one here, it must be because it's raining.

"Hey" I say awkwardly. "Hey" She says, cleaning her tears.

We both laugh at this. I'm still surprised that she is here in front of me.

"You've grown, Sunny"
"Yeah, I have" She says while I notice a subtle blush on her face, strange. "You've not changed at all" she tells me with a grin.
"Well, being a cyborg has it's advantages" I laugh with her, we are both happy to see each other.

"How are you Raiden?"
"I'm fine" I try to be as vague as possible.
"Don't lie to me, I know everything that has happened to you"
"Huh, can't fool a genius"
"You must be lonely"
"I.., yeah"

Silence fell.

"Why did you leave?"
"You know why" Everyone does, the whole world turned it's back on me.
"I know that reason, what I want to know is why did you leave me? Why did you leave everyone?"
"...To protect you all"
"You must be a fool, did you really think everyone would be happy if you just disappeared to protect them?"
"There is no point in arguing if my choice was right or wrong, and you know that"

She smiled.

"I'm glad you are over your past" She closed her eyes while smiling, making the same face she does every time she is enjoying something.
"Heh, I had more than enough time to think about all this" I really did, seven years in fact. "You know, what are the chances of us meeting here by accident? Pretty crazy right?"
"That's because it was no chance. I was looking for you" She stopped smiling.
"Looking for me? Why?"
"There's...there is something I need to tell you" She looked at me.

"I, uhm..., I" She takes a deep breath and says "I love you"

My mind is blank. I'm...I...I...How..Why. I can't focus for several seconds. I finally regain my composure after several seconds of mental stutter.

I look at her in the eyes, and I understand what kind of love she is referring to.

"When, when did it start?" I ask her.
"Does it matter? If you must know, I've loved you for a long time"

Sunny, the little baby I carried in my arms.
The girl who made breakfast on the Nomad.
The genius that makes the world a better place.
She is right in front of me, telling me that she loves me. This is messed up.

"Sunny, please" Stop, don't go any further.
"I know what you are thinking. But I'm not a child anymore, I know what -I love you- means, and that's what I feel for you. I love you, and there is nothing that will change that"

"Sunny, I..." I don't know how to react.
"I'm a cyborg and a wanted man. There is nothing I can give you, there is no way I can make you happy. You are so young, so full of promise, there's a whole life ahead of you, don't waste your time with an old, crippled man like me"

"Raiden" Her eyes were filled with determination. "It's not about what I have, but what I want, and what I want is you. I know you saved me, I know that the injuries you got while saving me made you the cyborg you are now.
In some way, you gave me my life, and in return, I gave you your body.
We belong to each other. And don't give me that crap about age, we are both young adults, that's all that matters"

"You don't get it. The reason I left was to protect you, to protect everyone I cared about. Being with me will only cause you trouble" It always has.

"I never asked for your protection! Did you think I was happy that you sacrificed yourself so that everyone would be safe? I was so sad, so heartbroken.
I don't want to feel that way anymore. I don't care what kind of dangers we may face, I know you will be able to make them disappear.
You are my hero after all" She is almost shouting now, trying her hardest to make me see her point. "Raiden, you give all these physical reasons as to why we can't be together, but what are your reasons? Tell me how you truly feel about me"

I hesitate, I love her, but not in that way. The last woman I ever loved,
"Rose, she.."
"She left you, she doesn't love you anymore. But I do. I'm sorry about her, but you have to move on, can you look at me not as a child, but as the woman I am?"

"I carried you in my arms" I still remember it as clear as water.
"Then carry me again, hold me in your arms, and never let go of me"

With that, she came closer to me, every inch was like an eternity. I could have stepped back, turned around, deny her in some way, but I didn't.
I could feel every muscle in her body tense up. She put her arms around my neck slowly, but firmly, as if to lock me in her embrace. Her lips coming ever closer, her brown eyes closing at the same time as mine's.
Our lips touched slightly.
I stood there, like a statue, not moving an inch. Is this my way of accepting this situation? I don't push her away, because she is right. I have to move on.
On a bleak day she came to me, and like the sun she brightened not my day, but my life. Can I give her the love she deserves? Maybe not right now, but surely I'll love her as much as she loves me, or even more. I can already tell, as I have begun loving her already.

I put my arms around her waist, and return the kiss.
After what felt like hours, our lips parted ways. She opened her eyes.

"I must be messed up, laying my hands on you" I say, as I look into her eyes.
"That's where you are wrong, I was the one who laid my hands on you, and not the other way around"

I notice that her clothes are wet, and they are clinging to her skin. She notices that too, and blushes a deep red while turning around. We both feel embarrassed, but at the same happy.

"If we are going to be a couple, then.."I tell her. "I know" She says, shyly.

Thinking about it, we will never be able to have babies. I'm not physically able to. That saddens me to no end.

"I'm sorry, I can't give you a family"
"We only need a bit of DNA, from both of us, and science will take care of the rest" She is ever so optimistic, I like that about her.

"What will Hal say?"

"Don't worry about it"

"We are going to need his blessing sooner or later"

"We will work it out. Together"

That's it, the end. Writing sure is tiring. I have a new-found respect for authors in general. Please, if you liked it, review, leave a comment, tell me you enjoyed it. As always, feel free to point out any grammar mistakes I've made.

Also, I have plans for an extra chapter about their life 10 years in the future, but I'm not sure if it's worth doing it. The main story is over now. Should I do it? I'll leave it up to you. EDIT: I'm now working on it. Thanks to the people who showed interest in the extra chapter. EDIT 2: College exams have killed any inspiration I had for the extra chapter. I'm sorry.

This is the part where I shamelessly plug my content. I want to write a fanfic about a darker MGR, a possessive Sunny that wants to have Raiden all to herself. I also have plans for other fanfics, but you'll have to visit my profile to find out about what series. Told you it was shameless. If you like the idea, keep an eye out for it, as you'll be reading more from me in the future.

Thanks to anyone who leaves a review, I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.

That's all.

Bye