Gon's POV.

"Don't worry, you'll be safe now."

I heard a gentle voice that soothed my ears, the warmth that I was feeling right now was so good. I felt someone patted my head, that made the pain lessen a little. This feeling was so comforting, it made me feel safe.

Then I felt something was put on top of my forehead, something wet and cold that soothed my body heat. It was really comforting, I felt like it is being changed very often...But by who?

"Oh no, my dear proxy, he deserves it. Being defeated by me, he should blame himself for not training enough! HE WAS WEAK!"

I am so angry of myself for being weak, unable to do anything.

I fell on my knees and cried alone in the darkness, that was when I realized that I was still unconscious. I haven't awoken yet, I was still asleep.

"I'm sorry for being so weak..." I cried, so frustrated.

Suddenly, someone appeared in front of me as I continued grieving alone.

"Does losing prove that you are weak? Isn't losing difficult for you? A challenge where, after ending up on your hands and knees, you must see if you can stand again? If you stay on your hands and knees, that proves that you're weak."

I looked up and saw a man standing in front of me, I was surprised to find the top hunter, my father, to be here.

"Gin?!" I exclaimed as tears continued to roll down my cheeks.

"How long are you going to cry? Stand up! Nothing good will come to you if you don't wipe those tears, you have to be strong! You need to be strong." he yelled at me.

I did what he told me to, standing up, but my legs wouldn't listen to me. I couldn't stand up. It's as if the gravity was pushing me down in my knees.

"You don't know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have left." he told me.

I know that...I know that! But...My legs wouldn't listen to me...

Tears of sorrow continued falling as I lie down on the cold floor, unable to move an inch. The pain was too unbearable, it's like my body became numb to everything.

"If you continue crawling in dirt like that, you won't become any stronger. The weak's fate is to lie down beneath the boots of the strong!" he yelled.

I don't want to be stepped on...

I don't want to be lying on the dirt...

I don't want to be weak!

My father's lips curved in a smile as he faced me with honesty and earnest expression. He acknowledged me.

"Live strong, Gon. Cherish your friends, don't ever abandon them."

I finally stood up on my own feet, the pain disappeared all of sudden. I feel so light weight, what a surprise.

"Yeah. I won't abandon my friends, I'll protect them even if it costs my own life!" I vowed.

He grinned as he patted my head. "Now, that's my child!"

After that, I woke up from my slumber as I saw the friends of my faces. Meeting my father in my dreams gave me a lesson learn.

"Gon!"

My eyes fluttered open to meet a pair pink eyes that gazed at me worriedly, then she smiled widely as she hugged me. I was startled in the way she hugged me so tightly.

"Alyssa...?" I said as she hugged me.

"Thank goodness your okay." she said as she embraced me.

I rested on her chest that all I could feel was warmth, it was the one thing that I've been yearning for while I was in the darkness of my weakness.

This is the warmth that saved me.

I spotted white. Killua stood outside the door with his hands inside his pockets, he turned to me with a worried expression.

"She was so worried for you, Gon." he told me as I nodded.

"I'm sorry for involving you into this Gon...I'm so sorry..." Alyssa said, apologizing to me.

"Don't cry...It's my fault that this happened to me, not yours." I said, patting her back.

"I'm really sorry..." she apologized.

Then someone unexpected came inside the room as my eyes felt like that it would gouge out from its sockets.

"Hey Gon, how are you feeling?"

"LEORIO?!" I was flabbergasted.

"It seems like your fine to me." he replied as he smiled at me.

Then he walked towards me and patted Alyssa's shoulder. "Alyssa, Gon needs more rest. His wounds aren't fully healed yet, so I suggest you wouldn't hug him that tightly. It may reopen instead."

"Oh, sorry..." she said as she lets go of me and wiped away her tears.

"Where am I? Why is Leorio here?" I asked them.

"We're already at Totori district, Gon. We brought you to the nearest hospital in the town. Surprisingly, Leorio was the head doctor of this place. You slept like a log." Killua answered.

"Eh? Really?! I didn't realized that..." I said, surprised.

"Well, you were asleep." Alyssa laughed as I felt my cheeks so hot.

My cheeks are burning...why? I thought as I touched it and felt myself got burnt from it.

My heart was beating rapidly unlike normal, I felt much more confused. This throbbing feeling made me lost, what was this feeling thumping on my chest?

"Alyssa, why don't you get some rest? You ragged overnight after all and watched after Gon." Leorio said.

"B-But..." she said as he smiled at her.

"It's fine. Killua will watch over Gon now, go ahead and take a nap." Leorio said.

"Alright...if you further insist." she replied as she rubbed her eyes.

She bowed down for respect and left the room quietly, but before she could completely leave, she turned to me and smiled.

"Get well soon, okay?" she grinned at me as I nodded. Then she walked out of the room and closed the door.

"She's such a good girl, isn't she?" Leorio said. "Is she traveling with you two?"

"Yeah, ever since we received the Witch extermination mission, she has been with us all the time." Killua answered.

"Hmm, so how did the mission went? Have you finished it yet?" the older man asked.

"No, not yet. It will probably take a long time to finish it." I sighed.

"I see...well, I know everything will be fine when you guys have each other's backs." Leorio said.

He smiled. "As long as you three stick together, you're invincible!"

He's right. I thought as I smiled back.

"I have some patients that I need to tend wounds. Rest up until your fully healed, Gon." he told me as I nodded.

He turned to face Killua, "Watch over him, okay?" he said.

"Alright." Killua answered as Leorio exited the room, closing the door from behind.

Now, it's just me and Killua inside the room. He sat on the chair beside my bed. I broke the silence between us.

"Hey Killua, what about the old man who was our driver? Did you guys already paid him?" I asked him.

"Well, we did gave him the money. But for some reasons, he didn't took it. He just told us to use it for your treatment..." he answered.

"What? Seriously?! Where is he right now?" I asked.

"He already left the village, he was in a hurry though. Probably to mourn about her wife's death..." he said.

"Wife's death...? You mean Emily-san? What happened to her? Is she alright?! She did became a Witch, didn't she?" I asked again.

"Yeah. She became a witch, Alyssa defeated her for your sake so you can get healed...but strangely, you didn't got cured. So we suspected that she lied about the deal they made. With that, Alyssa killed her." he replied.

"No way...Alyssa wouldn't do that!" I fought back.

He adverted his eyes from mine, "The truth is...I'm not really sure if the person that I saw was really Alyssa..."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Sure it was Alyssa, but in the same time—it wasn't her...I got that kind of feeling. It was confusing..." he said.

It was Alyssa but in the same time, it wasn't her...? What does he mean? I thought.

"Don't you think she has something to do with the Witches?" he asked.

"Huh? Alyssa? No way!" I said.

"Yeah, I also had that thought at first...but right now I'm kind of doubtful. The Nen that Alyssa used that night was extraordinary, it was too strong that Emily-san was taken down." he stated.

"I understand that you have doubts for Alyssa, but I only wished that you don't lose any trust in her..." I said.

He didn't replied. So he really doubts her now, huh?

He stood up. "Killua? Where are you going?" I asked.

"I'll see what Alyssa is doing for a bit." he answered.

"Okay." then he exited the room, closing the door from behind.

✢✩✦✩✦✩✦✢

Normal POV.

Killua knocked on the door where Alyssa was assigned to rest at, he knocked at it three times.

"Alyssa? Are you asleep?" he asked.

No response.

"Hey! Can you hear me?" he stated.

Still no response.

Maybe she's asleep? he thought. He was about to turn his heel and go back to Gon's room when he heard something fell on the ground.

THUD!

He quickly opened the door and entered the room, his eyes widened to see Alyssa down on the floor. Hurriedly, he rushed towards her and lift her up.

"Alyssa! Hey...come back to your senses!" he said as he shook her lightly.

She didn't responded, her eyes were shut close as she was panting heavily, he put his palm on her forehead and felt it so hot.

She has a fever! he thought.

He lifted her up and laid her down on the bed, he grabbed a bucket of water and towel. He soaked the towel and put it on top of her forehead, letting it bled with her hot temperature. He changed his linens time to time.

"Mom...don't go..." she murmured.

She must be seeing a nightmare right now. he thought.

He leaned towards her and kissed her forehead gently, "Everything will be alright...don't worry, your safe."

He was so close to her, he patted her head gently. Then he spotted a black markings on her neck, his eyes widened as his fingers traveled on her neck that had markings.

"What is this...?"

Little did he know how deeply Alyssa was involved with their mission that was to exterminate the Witches.