I had once again let him down. Only this time instead of being left to his own devices as I walked into the school without him, he lay on the ground, wounded by gunshot. It was all my fault, I shouldn't have let time get away from me, no matter how much fun we were having, we should've been home before dark.

As I sat there powerless and sobbing, thinking I was going to lose him due to my own recklessness, Byte muttered to me with cloudy eyes “You're crying again, like before, except this time it's my fault.”

“Don’t say that” I whimpered between sobs “This wouldn't have happened if we had left sooner, it's too dangerous at night!”

Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Byte’s wound was starting to close in on itself. Shrinking smaller and smaller as the seconds went by, and Byte started to return to normal. Before I even had time to register it all, he was standing once more. I was filled with immediate happiness, and overjoyed.

“You're okay!” I exclaimed as I wiped what remained of my tears. But then the gears in my head started turning, “How did you recover from an injury like that?”

“I'm unsure myself, but I do know one thing” he replied as he looked at his torso.

“What's that?” I asked with a puzzled look on my face.

“I sure am low on energy after that ordeal, do you mind?” he asked as he pointed to his head.

I giggled softly as I laid my hand to rest on his head and rustled it around.

It didn't take much longer for the both of us to make it home, so we didn't say much to each other. Byte and I did agree before we entered that we wouldn't talk with my parents about the incident. First reason being we didn't want them to be worried about our safety everytime we left the house from then forward. And secondly, we had no way of explaining how Byte miraculously recovered from a gunshot wound within a matter of minutes. We of course had dinner together and we all discussed our individual days. I did most of the talking at the table about Byte and I’s day though, as he picked at his dinner and seemed to be lost in thought.

“You seem to be even quieter than usual tonight Biito, what's wrong, did Erika scold you?” my dad jokingly taunted me and Byte both.

“DAD” I responded with the rage of the devil himself.

“Actually Mr. and Mrs. Saito, I seem to have some kind of ailment, and am going to retire early for the evening, goodnight.” Byte responded before leaving the kitchen.

I knew it. ‘Somethings on his mind’ I thought to myself as I finished the rest of my food. I stayed up late with my parents watching TV and goofing off with them in their room since Byte was asleep on the couch and we didn't want to disturb him. At around midnight, they decided they were ready for bed and I went to my own room. I fell onto my bed, exhausted from the long day, but even with the stressful day ending with a peaceful night, the sandman wouldn't come. I couldn't rest. There was something that I needed to discuss with Byte.

I quietly made my way downstairs to the couch where Byte was sleeping, and lightly moved him around until he stirred. “Come upstairs with me, I want to talk to you about something” I whispered to him. He nodded his head as he followed me upstairs and into my bedroom.

As I sat on the bed next to him I tried to think of a way to introduce the topic. “I think this talk is long overdue” I said as I looked at him. “We never discussed where you came from, and why you came to earth.”

Suddenly the look on his face twisted from stoic to pained and confused, so I grabbed him by the shoulder.

“What's wrong?” I asked as I looked into his eyes.

“I, I don't know...I had no memory of anything before we had met.” he explained. “But I've started to see images flash in my mind, and each time they come, I feel sorrow filled, and afraid.”

“I'm sorry” I whispered as I lightly stroked his shoulder. “I know this must be scary for you, but no matter what happens, I will always be your friend, and be by your side.”

“I'll always put myself first” Byte retorted.

I couldn't believe my ears. After all the kindness I just spouted and he goes and says something like that.

“I'd be shattered into pieces before I let someone lay a hand on you, that's why I'll always put myself in front of you, and be your shield.” Byte explained as he went to push himself up off of the bed.

At that second I realized what he was trying to say, and how all this time he’s been guarding me. From the incident with the bullies at school, to the gunman just a few hours prior. I fell into Byte’s lap and wrapped my arms around his waist, hugging him.

“What a pain, don't you realize how heavy you are?” Byte sighed.

I was both angry due to the fact that he insinuated I weigh a lot (fat) and also sad at how cold his words were. As I lifted my head up to scold him I saw that he was beaming a smile at me, brighter than any smile I had ever seen from him before. In an instant all my other feelings and insecurities had washed away and I basked in a moment of happiness.