#that's not even counting the ones in the metal box case thing. they're like fine in there

[straightyuri]

oauuu aauauuuuu...

[vexkader]

Solis Part 3

  I gasped, shooting up from the cold floor. My fur feeling sweaty and sticky. Wiping brow I was under the silver tree. Looking up to its purple leaves. The dream or vision, whatever it was. It was on Mars, this I knew for sure. 

  Looking back in front of me, the mysterious orb was gone now. The pedestal which it sat now empty. Shaking my head, I got up to my paws. Making my way back out of the cave, taking one last glance at the foreign structure. 

  The cave remained unchanged, only this time I followed the lava flow up. The dry heat turning back into the muggy soup like air of the jungle. 

  Catching my breath, letting out a few huffs at the base of the cave. I gazed into the jungle and sky. The yellow haze of sunset, casting steam off the tree tops. The forest floor being defined with a slight mist as everything began to cool. 

  "Ah shite!" I curse myself, with night falling is the worst time to be out here. Slashers ruled this time, their beady eyes peering through darkness as if it was nothing. 

  Dashing through the underbrush, leaves whipping at my face. I tried to raise BB, but communications through the thick jungle were hazy at best. As I got nothing but a load of static from the ship. 

  "Shite.. shite shite!" I stopped for a breather, looking around the jungle. I knew my way back for now, but my paws were sore from the sharp rocks. My chest raised and fell, my pupils wide and looking for danger. 

  My paw hovered above my gun, ready to snatch it from its holster at a moments notice.  As the jungle screamed and cawed its way to life at night, I still kept an eye out for this life.

  I still caught my breath, my comms came back in. BB doing his best to make contact with me. 

  "Vex?" His monotone voice came through. "What did you find?" 

  "We'll talk about it later, I'll reach the ship first then I'll go over it. Let me get out of this damn jungle first."

  "I see you're stalled, what is it?" 

  I didn't answer him, my ears darting to the back over a noise I heard. Something rustling in the bushes behind me. 

  "Vex?"

  "I'll get back to you."

  Turning around with my revolver drawn, the polymer and metal gleaming from the tiny shards of red sun poking through. I took a steady breath, stepping forward just once. Trying to draw out whatever creature made that noise. 

  Sure enough it revealed its ugly head. Shiny black scales dawned a thin dinosaur like head, two bright, tiny, crests protruded from its snout and chin. Facing me were four beady eyes, a sickly pale yellow stared right back at me. Sharp needle fangs sent shivers down my spine, as it stepped forward with three razor sharp claws on it hands. A dotted purple strip ran from its muzzle, eyes, back, and tail against the dark black scales. All leading up to why they're called Slashers. A protrusion of bone, like a blade, came from the tip of the tail. 

  If I wasnt careful it could go right through my armor, ignoring the shielding on it! Stepping back now, I took in the size of this animal. It wasnt large by any means, adult slashers could grow as tall as a man. This one was maybe half that, but that didn't matter as single one this size was well enough equipped to kill. 

 Out of instinct I shot at the creature. A bullet ripping through the air near its feet, sending bits of dust flying up and up! It screamed and hissed, mock charging me and waving its tail. The two of us circled, my own teeth baring out of aggression and partly fear. 

  With a wiggle of its rear, it went to leap on top of me! Quickly I raised an arm and tossed it to the side, letting another shot rip as I tried to hit it! Its claws leaving their mark in my armor. 

  Landing with a grunt, it quickly got back to its feet. Hissing and snarling, saliva dripping from its fanged jaw. The Slasher was furious with me, its prey, wanting nothing more to stab me and gut me. Clamp its jaws on my throat and feast on my innards. All things considered I preferred to keep my insides, INSIDE of me. 

  Though one mistake almost gave it its wish. Paying too close attention to its claws and maw, I soon felt the sharp sting of its tail pushing itself into a weak point in my armor, my arm being set a fire as muscle was cut. Letting out a yell I pushed the muzzle of my gun forward, letting out a few desperate shots hoping one would land. 

  Bellowing and yelping, it was unclear if I hit it as it scampered off into the jungle. Even if I did, it knew I was wounded as well. Smelling the blood that seeped from my arm, sticking to my fur. Now it was my time to run, as I stuck my gun back into its holster I took off. Grabbing my arm from the pain. 

  Dashing through the dense jungle, I started to hear calls behind me. The Slasher had run back to its pack, and they were hot on my trail. Calling and hooting like something from a dinosaur movie, fear struck my heart. I couldn't fight them all, no way I could, one small one nearly took me out. If it was just a bit higher.. no, do not think like that. Just run. 

  "BB!" I called into the comms desperately, pushing away palms and branches. Knowing I was close to the ship. 

  "Your heart rate is elevated, what did you piss off now?" 

  "Slashers! Get the ship ready now!" I yell out again, the clearing in which I landed getting closer. Pain in my arm dulling my mind as blood still seeped under my armor and in the tear.

  "You brilliant genius! What made you think fighting Slashers was a good idea!"

  "Now is not the bloody time!" 

  Dashing and almost tripping into the clearing, blades of grass danced back and forth from the power of the ship. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, leaping to the deck and climbing aboard. Looking behind me, I could see then running after me. Bounding over the field, wanting revenge. Quickly I closed the hatch and watched them come for me. Smiling just a bit knowing they wouldn't feast on me tonight. 

  "Maybe next time you scaley bastards." I said surprisingly calmly, panting and huffing as I was soon reminded of the pain once more. 

  "It appears one got you." BB chimes in now, as I tilt my head and smirk. "Just a bit, didn't even feel it at first. Thing got so scared it ran off after that." 

  "Hmph, I suppose it was full-grown too."

  "Damn right!" Slinking my way back up inside the main parts of the ship. I stripped off my armor to show blood and sweat soaked clothing. Tossing everything aside to be cleaned and washed, far enough away for me to not notice the smell.

  Heading to the bathroom, I look behind the mirror for my first aid kit. There in a bright red box, with a large cross plastered on the front of it. Using my thumbs I pop the case open with a click, all kinds of bandages, cleaners, and stitching before me. Picking up an alcohol pad, I tear open the casing and toss it into the garbage beside me. 

  Sitting down on the toilet, I begin to wipe at the wound. Wincing as the pain seared through, blood being pushed aside and out of my fur. Revealing a gross gash into my arm, the blood pretty much stopping at this point waiting to be cleaned. Which I did, cleaning and removing the blood, taking my time to carefully not re-open the wound. 

  Once the red was gone and my greyish blue fur back, I want to pick up a stitch pack. My head now pulsing and my paws getting shakey. Pain staying well overdue its welcome. I sighed and tried to get a grip of myself, but this itch would not go away now as long as pain existed. 

  Giving in, I grab the stitching pack and head back into my room. The the now dark jungle seen from the window, the Slashers nowhere to be seen in the black soup. Quickly I grabbed the orange bottle off my dresser, opening it up and taking out little white pills. 

  "Vex don't you do this again."

  I winced, leaning on the dresser as my tail started to swish. "My arm hurts, I need them." 

  "You don't need them you want them." His voice rang throughout the ship, trying to get me to reconsider my actions. 

  "BB don't start this, I wont be able to sleep with my arm like this."

  "You're killing yourself."

  "I'm not!" I snap facing his outlet in my room, angrily looking at the blue holographic ball. Turning back to the desk to stare at the bottle. I knew he was right, I just couldn't stop. Not when the pain was like this. 

  Tears forming in my eyes I dump a few out into my paw, not even counting them as I downed them. The tacky feeling being stuck in my throat for a moment, swallowing for a second time to get them down.

  "Why would you do that, you should've done at least one. The recommended amount if it was for the pain."

  "I'm fine! I'll just sleep it off."

  "How long before you don't wake up Vex."

  Growling just a tad, I close back up the lid and take out the stitching patch. Placing it on my arm and yanking the string, breaking it off unintentionally as I felt the stitching inside the pad close up my arm. 

  "I told you I'll be fine."

  "You need help." BB said in a low voice, to which I brushed it off and flopped into the cold bedding. Closing my eyes and laying my face into the pillow.

  "Piss off, I'm tired of this every damn time." 

  "Fine, but don't think I wont do it again. You will break this habit."

  Ignoring him now, I closed my eyes with the room dimming around me. The pills kicking in, dulling my senses, the pain. All of it going away as the time passed, the sounds of the air rushing through the ship. BB taking off gently to find a nearby port. The jungle turning to sky as the dark took me to sleep. 

[fleetwoodmoth]

“I know it hurts to breathe but you have to stay with me, okay?” And “Come on, damn it, open your eyes!” For Luna and Jack, bc you gave me feels and it would be a shame if something happened to one of them on that mission they're planning ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

*inhales* B O I 

“That’s the target,” Jack passed the binoculars toLuna, both of them hidden quite well in the lush foliage of the Mexican jungle.

           Beforethem was a warehouse nearly a couple decades old, rusted and dilapidated butwell-fortified by its adopted owners. It was obvious that no one came out herebecause of Los Muertos, Luna and Jack having to hike nearly five miles in orderto go undetected on the one lane dirt road. Due to its isolation, the warehouseseemed to have limited guards, a few people milling about outside, most of themposted around a bonfire smoking and talking.

           “Whatexactly are we looking for?” Luna asked, the sound of the nocturnal wild lifeloud enough to drown them out from any of the guards.

           “Ametal weapons case, don’t think they know what exactly they got, it contains acube that could be used as a weapon.”

           “Acube… that can be used as a weapon… you have any other details than that?” Lunaasked, her voice flat.

           “Otherthan it should be taken out of the hands of dangerous criminals? What else isthere?”

           Lunasighed, rolling her eyes as she handed the binoculars back to him.

           “Fine,I’ve got a good idea for a perch, I’ll cover you if needed just like weplanned,” Luna said, adjusting the magma rifle over her shoulder.

           “I’llradio you when I’m in position.” Jack said.

           Therewas a moment of awkward silence, neither of them really knowing what to telleach other before they began.

           “Don’tmove unless I tell you or you’re being flushed out,” he finally said.

           “I’mcapable, Jack,” Luna replied quietly.

           Hegrunted a reply before turning to leave before Luna stopped him.

           “Becareful, Jack.”

           Hepaused, glancing at her over his shoulder “yeah, you too.”

           Lunawatched him meander off into the foliage before finding her way to theparticularly sturdy looking tree she had picked out earlier. Its branches werethicker than that of the generally small and skinnier trees of the forest.Climbing it was a breeze, like riding a bike it was easy enough for her to pickup again, tree and rock climbing one of her favorite pass times when she was akid. It took some getting used to, finding a spot amongst the branches that wasstable enough that she wouldn’t fall and workable enough that she could firefrom differing positions if needed. When she had finally settled she clicked onthe comms system.

           “Sirenin position.” She said quietly.

           Thiswas nothing like what missions used to be, at least not for her. She had heardplenty of stories from Jesse and his work with Blackwatch where one and twomaned teams were used often for stealth missions. Luna had always been underJack’s command, working primarily crisis situations which required large teams.After a moment of silence there was a soft click and Jack’s voice came over theradio.

           “76in position. Can you see me?”

           Lunascanned the outside of the warehouse with her scope until she finally foundJack on the Eastern side, back to the wall, rifle in hand. If it weren’t forthe absolute pitch darkness of the rainforest’s night he would have stuck outhorribly, it was probably why he hadn’t taken a run at the place on his own,Jack Morrison was a lot of things but stealthy was not one of them.

           “Ican see you. You’re clear for infiltration,” Luna said, watching the movementof the guardsmen.

           Therewere three who patrolled, flashlights obnoxiously bouncing off anything withinfive feet of them, making it obvious that this wasn’t a very professionalorganization. The rest of the gang members hung out around the fire mostly,their voices and laugher biting through the sounds of the forest every now andthen. Luna watched Jack move towards the congregation, he needed to get in theside door, the one most shrouded in darkness. As bright as a fire was in thedarkness it still struggled to shed any light past a certain radius, making thesmall group look like they were on an island in the middle of inky blackness,the guards with their flashlights like sharks in the water. In a moment Jackhad ducked inside, the scene in front of Luna not changing as if he hadn’t evenbeen there to begin with. Luna waited, the seconds feeling like years as shewaited for him to report in. They had a blueprint of the warehouse, it was old,nearly as old as the building itself so it was a sketchy plan to go off ofseeing as they had no idea what Los Muertos had done to it while they had it.Jack was basically going in blind and that was something Luna was the mostuncomfortable with, that and the fact that she had to sit outside and wait.

           “Theysure tore this place up,” Jack’s voice nearly made Luna jump as it came overthe communicator.

           “What’sit look like in there?”

           “Mostof the walls have been torn down, they just have stacks of crates and weaponscases. There’s a lot, much more than I anticipated, this might take a while.”

           “Ican reposition, come in and help you look.” Luna said, knowing what his replywould be.

           “No,I need you to keep an eye on our hosts.”

           Lunaadjusted amongst the branches, making herself as comfortable as possible. Shemade passes over the structure, watching the guardsmen, watching the camp fire,waiting for any sign of trouble. It wasn’t long before her shoulders began toache and her thighs were going numb.

           “Status,”Luna said, not wanting to sound impatient but the action of just watching wasmaking her stir crazy.

           Therewas no reply, only the soft crackle of the radio. Luna swallowed hard, makinganother pass over the perimeter. She waited another minute, unsure if maybe hewasn’t able to reply because of a nearby threat.

           “Soldier76, status.” She hailed again and once again the line was silent.

           “Jackif you don’t answer me I’m coming in there.”

           Shewaited, counting in her head to keep track of time, not wanting to remove hereyes from the men who had seemed to settle in around the fire. When there wasno reply Luna began her decent, once she hit the ground she clicked the magmarifle into combat configuration, allowing her to fire more rapidly in case ofconfrontation.

           “Morrisonyou better be dead on the ground when I find you,” she hissed, more to herselfthan to Jack in particular. Really she was nervous, and not just because if hewas downed she would have to find a way to extract him out of the jungle on herown.

           Lunafollowed Jack’s movements, remembering his part of the plan they had mapped outbeforehand. Being down nearly feet from the gang members was much worse thanwatching from the tree line and even her breathing seemed loud to her as sheclosed in on the door. Entering wasn’t difficult, but as she stepped inside shecould see what Jack had been talking about. Piles of crates, boxes and othervessels were stacked nearly to the ceiling, some of them laying open and empty.How many of these were full was a mystery which made Luna’s skin crawl. Shekept low, moving through the darkness as she searched for the mess of whitehair and that obnoxious motorcycle jacket amongst the cargo.

           “Status,”she hailed again.

           “Wellthis is a surprise.”

           Lunafroze, a voice coming from her communicator.

           “Ididn’t expect mister lone wolf to have a partner, probably how he grew theballs the actually move in on this place.”

           Thevoice was female with a Hispanic accent. Luna had heard this voice before, sheknew who it was.

           “Sombra.”She breathed, finding a spot to hunker down while she figured out her nextmove.

           “Where’s76. If you touch him I swear—“ “—relajate amiga, I’m miles away, your ‘hosts’not so much.”

           “Whatdo you want? Are you watching us?”

           “I’mnot watching you, I’m watching what you want, which is what I want too. Maybewe can come to an agreement?”

           Lunascoffed “if you think I’m going to give you the cube then you’re dumber than Ithought.”

           Alaugh came through the receiver.

           “Idon’t think you have much of a choice. The room that thing is kept in isimpenetrable without the right key. Luckily I have a copy.”

           “Why?”Luna asked.

           “BecauseI built it pendejo.”

           Lunahuffed.

           “Where’sJack?” Luna asked.

           “Checkyour fancy watch.”

           Lunaglanced down at the screen on her wrist, after a moment a skull flashed acrossthe screen, angular and purple before what looked like a video feed cropped up.Jack was crouched in some kind of room behind a stack of boxes, a handful ofmen sitting around what looked like a vault door. It was huge and brand newlooking, completely contrasted with the rest of the building.

           “Ican get you that cube,” Sombra spoke again, this time infuriatingly smugsounding.

           “Andwhat makes you think I want it so desperately?” Luna snapped.

           “Don’tyou want the famous Jack Morrison to return back to Overwatch? That’s why youcame right?”

           Lunafroze, how could she have known that?

           “Youget the cube, he accepts the mission is over and he goes home, you have yourlittle family back. That’s what you really want isn’t it?” Luna could hear thesmile in her voice, making her blood boil.

           “Howcome Ja—76 isn’t answering me.”

           “Theyhave com blockers.”

           Lunawas surprised by her answer, it seemed they had vastly under estimated LosMuertos. Luna chewed at her lip contemplating her options. Jack was pinned,either way this was going to go badly, and if they didn’t retrieve the cube hewouldn’t go with her. But to hand over a weapon like that to someone sodangerous, was she that desperate?

           “I’mnot gonna blow up the world with the cube, I promise.”

           Sombra’svoice chimed into her thoughts.

           “Ican’t trust you.”

           “Thendon’t. I don’t care really, this just saves me a trip to the Mexicanrainforest.”

           Shewas so casual, so frustratingly aloof. Luna huffed.

           “Fine.What do you want me to do?”

           “I’msending you updated blueprints and the code you’ll need.”

           Thecomms went silent again and Luna was left with her thoughts. After a moment herwrist lit up again, files downloading rapidly, what looked like 3D specs forsome high tech vault the first to open. She didn’t like that Sombra had sucheasy access to not only her tech but also her location. The map of thewarehouse was pretty simple, except there was an extended version that neitherLuna nor Jack had seen. A basement had been added only a few years ago, theblueprints themselves looked hand drawn, nothing like the original plans thatJack had gotten from the city. How Sombra had gotten her hands on it was amystery, much like everything else about the hacker.

           Lunamaneuvered through the darkness, guided by the plans until she found a smallmetal stairway that lead into an even deeper blackness. Descending as quietlyas possible Luna watched as a room could be seen as she was halfway down.Construction lamps lit up the space beyond the small front room that the stairsended in, what looked like four people stood around, guns at their sides,cigarette smoke clouding the air. So this was where the rest of the gang hadbeen hiding out. Luna thought back to the video feed she had seen earlier,judging by where the guards were Jack was somewhere behind a pile of emptycrates just inside the doorway. How in the world she was going to get theguards out without causing too much of a scene was beyond her. As if answeringher question all of the guard’s heads seemed to perk up, not necessarily in herdirection but it was enough of a movement to get her to find shelter behind awall of discarded cardboard boxes beneath the stairs.

           Theyall started saying something in Spanish, all too jumbled for her to understandas they began to run from the room, their voices angry.

           “Goodluck. You’ve got a minute.”

           Sombra’svoice nearly made Luna yelp from the unexpectedness. She wanted to argue, toprotest that she could have figured it out on her own, but if she really meantthey only had a minute there was no time. Luna entered the room, finding Jackwhere she had seen him, his visor just poking up from where he had been hiding.

           “Itold you to wait outside.” He growled, moving out from behind cover.

           “Yeahwell I’m here now,” she replied, beyond irritated.

           “Howdid you get them to leave?” He asked as he surveyed the door.

           “Ididn’t. They might be switching shifts which means we should hurry.”

           Jackglanced at her like he was taking her in and Luna wondered if he knew she waslying. Finally he turned back to the door, specifically the keypad in front ofit.

           “Theyhappen to leave a code lying around?” Jack asked sarcastically.

           Lunafroze, she needed an excuse.

           “Let mesee if I can figure it out.”

           Jacklooked at her, a raised eyebrow over his mask before shrugging and turning awayto watch the door.

           Lunanodded, crouching in front of the keypad. Her wristwatch blinked, a series ofsymbols popping up corresponding with the pad.

           “Ithink I heard them talking, they uh, they change the code every other week.”

           “Thishelps us how?” Jack asked in a hush tone, Luna making sure his eyes weresecurely focused on the stairway.

           Lunawent silent, she could write it off later, they didn’t have much time now. Shepunched in the code, before hitting enter she made some dissatisfied noises,like she was testing something, playing up the unwitting code cracker for amoment.

           “Gotit!” She said as the door clicked several times before opening with a hiss.

           “Howin the world—“ “—we don’t have time c’mon.” She rushed into the safe.

           Therewere several containers within the sterile vault, a simple square room with noother features than the metal walls, floor and ceiling. Jack went straight to ahefty looking case, as Luna grew closer she realized she could recognize thesymbol on its top.

           “Wait,this was an Overwatch weapon?”

           “Wenever used it as a weapon, we kept it safe. Well, we tried.” Jack pulled itfrom the myriad of other cases.

           “Howcome you didn’t tell me?” Luna asked, halfway offended.

           “Itwasn’t important. Let’s go.”

           Hedidn’t look at her when he passed, set on a determined course forward. MaybeLuna wasn’t the only one hiding something. Luna followed him, tension thick asthey began to make their way back upstairs.

           “Theysaid someone had infiltrated us, find ‘em.”

           Theyboth froze, crouching on the stairs as heavy footsteps made their way throughthe mazes of cargo.

           “Whatdid you do?” Jack snapped.

           “Whatthe fuck do you mean what did I do?”She hissed, voice low but no less filled with venom.

           Jackwent silent as a pair of footsteps came dangerously close to them beforepassing by.

           “Ifyou had just stayed outside like I told you—“ “—you wouldn’t have gotten intothat vault and you wouldn’t have gotten the cube.”

           “It’snot going to matter if we don’t make it out of here alive.”

           “Areyou really that afraid to go home?” Luna retorted.

           Jackwent silent, the only sound was the yelling of the guards above as theysearched.

           “We’renot talking about this right now,” Jack finally said, Luna’s jaw setting as shelooked away from him.

           “Seethe end of that row of boxes? On my count we’re going to make a run for it.”

           “Rogerthat,” she said, her tone compliant but no less angry at him.

           “One—“Luna let out a breath she had been holding “two—“ they both readied themselves“three—“ Luna sprinted out first, her feet light across the cement flooring,Jack’s heavy boots a little louder than her own, but as they crouched down inthe shadows it didn’t seem like they had been caught.

           “Ionly came in because I was worried.” Luna mumbled.

           Jackwas surveying the warehouse floor around the corner, not turning to her but shecould see his shoulders tense.

           “Ifwe make a run for it they’ll see us, but there’s no other way for us to get outof here.”

           “Fine.”

           Jackturned to her and she made eye contact with his visor.

           “Let’sgo.”

           Hepaused, taking her in for a moment before nodding.

           “Yougo first, I’ll take up the back, get ready to lay down cover fire,” he said.

           Lunatook a deep breath, reading her magma rifle.

           “Go.”

           Luna’sstomach clenched, adrenaline kicking into high gear as she barreled forward outinto the open. The darkness was a good cover, but Jack had been right aboutthem being spotted. It took about five seconds before the yelling started, tenbefore someone started shooting.

           “Ceasefire! Cease fire! Not around the cargo!” Someone shouted but it was already toolate, gunshots blared, bouncing off of the metal surroundings, Luna wishing shehad turned down her hearing aids.

           Shewas nearly to the door, throwing a glance back at Jack who fired back at thegang members. This was extremely dangerous, live ammo in a place filled to thebrim with explosives, but they weren’t given much choice. Luna’s hands hit themetal door, Jack pausing to cover their exit when something bounced across thefloor at their feet.

           “Jack!”Luna grabbed his arm, shoving him outside, a surprising amount of strengthsurging through her.

           Hestumbled and she could hear the panicked shouts of the gang members behindthem. Someone had just made a very big mistake. Jack turned again, reaching outfor Luna as she hurtled herself against him, hitting him in his side, armsbarely coming to a close around his chest. The next moment happened in aninstant. There was a relatively small bang, the sound of a grenade going off,both of them halfway shielded by the doorway, but it was the explosion thatfollowed that would dwarf the first as a wave of hot air rushed over them. Lunadidn’t remember what happened after that, she remembered a searing pain thennothing, just darkness.

           Thefirst thing she could hear was a loud pounding, she couldn’t tell if it was herheart or her head. She felt like she was numb, completely out of her body, orrather completely trapped inside of it one of the two. The next instant camerushing in all at once, her chest hurt, damn it burned to inhale, andeverything went from silence to too loud. She could hear labored breathing andeven as her head spun she knew she was moving although slowly.

           “Comeon, damn it, open your eyes!” Jack’s voice was worn, broken and pleading.

           Theyhad stopped moving, at least she thought so, and she could feel something warm onher face. She breathed in, choking on the cool night air, a strangled yelpleaving her throat as she tried to will her eyes open. Her vision was blurry atfirst and it was too dark to see anything, she wondered for a moment if she hadgone blind. But slowly a figure appeared, a face in the darkness looking downon her, bright blue eyes that were watery at the edges. Luna couldn’t stiflethe pained sob that ripped through her, squirming as it felt like every breathor sound she made seared her lungs.

           “That’sit, wake up, look at me.” Luna squinted, even the involuntary tears hurt.

           “Ja—“she bit off his name, her throat was too raw.

           “Quiet,don’t try and talk, I know it hurts to breathe but you have to stay with me,okay?” he was messing with something that she couldn’t see. A bright yellowglow suddenly burst across Luna’s vision making her wince which only made herhurt even more.

           “Itburns,” she gasped, her chest felt like it was on fire, like someone had lit upa gasoline tank in her abdomen.

           “Whydid you do that? How could you be so stupid? How could you—why—?” Jack couldn’tfinish the sentence, the words tangling in his throat and choking him.

           Itwas better in the darkness, Luna’s body, but as the light from the biotic fieldwashed over both of them he couldn’t stomach it. His hands cupped her swollenface, a face that was so contorted in pain and covered in soot it was nearlyunrecognizable from the teenager that had been recruited to Overwatch all thoseyears ago.

           “Youcould have run, you could have saved yourself from this. I don’t deserve—I shouldhave—“ again he stopped, swallowing hard, his mouth suddenly too dry.

           “I’msorry. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry god dammit.”

           Thiswasn’t the time or the place to have this kind of break down, he knew that, heknew that the biotic field wasn’t enough, he knew he needed to get her out of thejungle and to a hospital before infection set in. But even as he screamed athis muscles to comply, to stand and pick her up he felt paralyzed. Instead heshook and cried, and begged for her forgiveness as he pressed his forehead tohers. He had been so selfish, so goddamned bull headed about revenge and truthand justice and whatever other bullshit he was so focused on, to face the factthat he was scared. Fuck, he was so scared.

           Amoment passed like this, the sound of residual ammo going off in the distancefrom where he had taken Luna deeper into the brush, the sound masking the ugly criesthat escaped him. It wasn’t until the biotic field shut down, having done allit could for now and they were left in darkness did he compose himself. He hadfailed so many times, but maybe for once he could succeed at protecting thosehe cared for. He removed his jacket, gently easing Luna into it, Luna’s body tensingand her muscle spasming as they tried to simultaneously react to his touch andstop the pain they caused themselves in the same action. When she was zippedin, having gone mostly quiet, her head bobbing as he pulled her close to hischest, he rose and turned towards the road that lead away from the smolderingwreck behind them.

           “Staywith me kid, we’ve got a long walk home.”