Duke groaned, finding himself unable to move with all the pain he felt. Normally he'd be able to do something, but not now. He had never felt quite this awful before...

"Duke!" A loud, ear-splitting screech tore through the semi-quiet.

"Shit! Duke!" This voice was deeper, manly.

It was mere seconds later that Duke could just barely make out the blurred forms of Roadblock, Flint, and Lady Jaye.

"Guh-guys?" He croaked out.

"Hey man, don't talk just yet. You're looking way too crispy for that." Flint joked weakly.

Roadblock lifted his burned up friend, wincing at the sight of the many injuries he sustained.

"Dog-T-tag." He forced out, resulting in a violent coughing fit.

"I've got it right here," Lady Jaye showed him, "Now enough talking. I won't hesitate to knock you unconscious if need be."

Duke just chuckled weakly, letting himself slip into the blackness that skirted around the edges of his vision as the sound of fire

crackled in the background.

"JUST LET ME SEE HIM!"

The high pitched shriek startled Duke from his slumber, almost giving him a heart attack.

"Don't get up," a voice snapped and a hand came down on his chest.

Turning his head to the side, Duke found Ripcord giving him a serious look.

"Wh-what?" He choked.

It wasn't often that the other man broke his smile to give Duke a serious glare.

"Nothing man, I'm just shaken up," he dropped his voice to a low tone, "we almost lost you with all the others."

Duke just nodded in understanding. "Outside?"

"Ana," Ripcord shrugged, "She somehow keeps escaping the lower holding cells. She wants to see you."

"Let her eh-in." Duke told him.

Ripcord raised a brow, "You sure about that man? I don't-." The aviator tried to protest.

"Rip-."

"Alright, alright," he relented, "But this goes on your record."

Ripcord jogged out of the room for a moment, leaving Duke to try and strain his ears to make out the yelling from outside.

Moments later, the door opened and low and behold it was Ana. Ripcord wasn't with her, but Duke hardly had time to think about that as Ana quickly rushed over to his side, hands poised in the air.

Her hands were frozen above him with the need to help but the knowledge that she shouldn't even be touching him in this state.

With a great reluctance, Ana pulled up a chair and folded her hands on the berth-side, resting her chin on them.

"Duke..." She mumbled, "when they came back with all those dog tags and you on the stretcher...I...I didn't."

"Okay Ana," he choked out and gently squeezed her wrist to tell her he understood.

Ana merely returned his gentle squeeze and buried her face in her arms, crying in relief.

"Damnit Conrad, never do that again." She growled through her tears, "I fucking kill you if you die."

Duke just laughed at the somewhat ironic sentence, especially because it was coming from Ana.

"Yes ma'am," he chuckled and the two fell into a comfortable silence, merely enjoying one another's presence.

But of course, it wasn't long before someone came by to take Ana back to her cell. But Ana left with the promise of returning soon.

And it was a promise that Duke was going to hold her to.