Disclaimer… I own nothing…

AN: this has been on my mind for a while. I started writing it before seeing season two. This is my first Falling Skies fanfic so please be gentle and enjoy..

Chapter One

Hal ran as fast as his tired legs would allow. His arms weighed down with the dead weight of his friend, he did everything he could to keep from falling. He wanted so badly to give up, to take a break but that was not an option. Maggie lay in his arms unmoving, blood dripping from her body.

"Dr. Glass!" He screamed hoping she was close. The onlookers parted as he passed. He needed to get help soon. He had already taken too long. The skitter following them had not given up very easily. The heat radiating from her body told him they had very little time.

"Dr. Glass!" He yelled again, crashing through the doors to her makeshift doctors office. The doctor quickly finished with her patient and rushed to the frantic teenager.

"Hal what happen?" She asked immediately going to work.

"You have to help her doc, I can't lose her. I can't." The doctor could see the shine in his eyes. She hadn't realized the two had gotten so close, but she understood the bond of combat. When your life is always in danger you tend to share a bond with the person that always has your back.

"I'll do my best Hal, tell me what happened."

"Captain Weaver wanted us to check 10 miles out, we were careful not to leave any tracks. We were getting ready to turn back when we noticed a hive of sleeping skitters.

"I don't know how but they woke and were on us. We took out 2 of them when one of them cut her. We lost the last one but it took a while. She passed out an hour later. It's getting worse Dr. Glass, you have to help her, please help her."

"Okay Hal I need you to go get..."

"I'm not leaving." He interrupted. He was determined to stay. He had to be at her side. "Hal I need a second set of hands, please get Lourdes." She cut him off before he could argue. "Hal, I can help Maggie better with Lourdes here to assist me." With a sigh he resigned and went in search of the young aspiring doctor.

Once Hal left the room Dr. Glass located the wound from the large amount of blood soaked around the abdomen. She gently cut the shirt that had begun to stick to the wound. She cringed internally at the sight of the red and yellow laceration. It looked to be infected already. She needed to work fast before the infection spread.

"Anne!" Lourdes ran in followed by Hal.

"Hal wait outside please."

"Don't argue with me Hal go." The doctor was not having it. She didn't have time to argue and did not want anyone in the way.

Hal stepped outside leaning against the wall his adrenaline fading. He realized for the first time how truly tired he was. He sank against the wall, his head in his hands.

"Hal?!" Tom Mason ran down the call worry written on his face. "Hal. Are you okay? They told me you were attacked."

"I'm fine dad. It's Maggie. It looks bad dad. I can't lose her, I can't." The tears he'd been fighting escaped. Tom kneeled next to his son engulfing him in his arms. Seeing his son in so much hurt broke his heart.

Hearing him sob made him feel helpless. His sons had been through so much already and there was nothing he could do about it.

"She's a fighter Hal, and so is Anne. Neither one is going to give up." He reassured.

He felt his son nod but the tears did not stop. "She means so much to me dad." He said after calming down. "I can't lose her. She's my best friend."

"What am I going to do dad?" The tears returned.

"Listen to me Hal Mason, that girl of yours has survived hell. She's come along to far to give up now. After all she's been through do you think a little skitter is going to stop her?"

Both Tom and Hal looked up at the source of the voice. They were shocked to see Pope standing before them.

"As much as I hate to say this, Pope is right. When have you known Maggie to give up?"

"You're right. I have to have faith that she will beat this." Hal felt a new sense of confidence. He said a quick thanks to Pope. All he could do now was wait for Anne and Lourdes.

..The wait felt excruciatingly long. Hal paced back and forth waiting on the doctor to come out with hopefully good news.

He jumped when he heard the door open. "How is she? Is she going to be okay? Can I see her?"

"She's stable. As I thought the wound is infected. I have her on antibiotics. She needs to rest. The next couple hours are going to be hard on her. The fever may play tricks on her mind so we have to watch her closely."

"Can I see her?" He needed to see for himself that she was alive. With the nod from the doctor Hal left the two and entered the room.

"I'm worried about him Anne. Losing her will destroy him." Tom was concerned for his eldest son. He had never seen him fall this hard for anyone.

"I have a feeling the feelings are mutual. He is the best medicine for her. He's a good reason to fight." Anne had seen the two grow, she hadn't realized how close until Hal had ran into her office begging for her to help save Maggie.

AN: That is it for chapter 1…let me know what do you think… I will post the next one soon.