A/N: Hello again! Before reading, I highly encourage you to read RubberSoles19's "Bitter, Bile, and Cold" as this story is directly connected to it. It is also a direct parallel to "Safe and Sound."

Amelia challenged me to write a story with Negaduck and Gosalyn that took place between the two years when "A Very Merry Geronimo Christmas" took place (so in between "The Bells of Christmas" and "Meet Me Under the Mistletoe"). She also gave me four quotes to use throughout the story (which came from The Princess Bride):

1. "You've made your decision, then?"

2. "I wasn't nervous. Maybe I was a little concerned, but that's not the same thing."

3. "I told you I would always come for you."

4. "I can cope with torture."

This is the result! I hope you enjoy :)

~Rebel

When Negaduck came downstairs in the early light of sunrise, Gosalyn was standing near the kitchen table. Her arrows were splayed out across its surface and she was meticulously checking each one before either packing it into her quiver or returning it to her arsenal bag.

Negaduck blinked in surprise. He had been sure that he'd have to wake her before it was time to leave. As it was, she didn't even glance up when he shuffled into the kitchen.

Reaching for the refrigerator, he managed to curl his fingers around the door handle before Gosalyn said, "It's empty."

He glanced back at her, but she was still focused on choosing arrows. As he moved towards his cupboards instead, she said, "They're empty, too."

Scowling and not nearly awake enough for this, Negaduck ripped one of the cabinets open anyway. His annoyance spiked when nothing but bare shelves stared back at him.

He must've growled under his breath because Gosalyn said, "Told you," as she slipped a burgundy feathered arrow into her quiver.

Negaduck snarled, loud enough to be heard this time, and rounded on Gosalyn. "Really appreciate the commentary."

She shrugged, still not looking up from her task. "You're the one who decided to not stock your kitchen."

"I haven't had time."

"Right. Investigating the Negaverse's S.H.U.S.H. organization on your own has really eaten into your schedule. I get it."

Negaduck swore, running his hands through his feathers. He considered fighting back, challenging why she was hanging onto her anger, but he didn't have the energy. Fighting with Gosalyn was always a marathon, and he hadn't prepared for that before stumbling down into the kitchen, so he stalked up to his room to throw on his suit instead.

Good thing Gosalyn was already awake, they'd have to leave early and scrounge up something to eat before heading over to St. Canard University. Maybe the walk would cool her temper and clear his head enough for them to be rational and talk this out.

Although Gosalyn was already being rational. Which was the most frustrating part. Her anger was righteous.

And Negaduck hated that.

After tucking his usual weaponry into the hidden pockets and pouches of his costume, Negaduck stomped back downstairs. Gosalyn was standing next to the front door, fully costumed herself, with her quiver strapped across her back. She still wouldn't look directly at him and he'd never realized how much he depended on those endless green eyes until he was denied them. Green was the color which the eye could see the most shades in. It symbolized life, renewal, and energy.

And he currently didn't have access to any of that.

Frustration mounting, Negaduck trudged out of the house and started walking down the street, not bothering to wait for Gosalyn. She caught up anyway, not even winded as she tucked away her keys into the pouches at her waist. Which was even more annoying; he was suffering under the ice of her anger, why wasn't she withering under the heat of his?

They walked in silence for two blocks before Negaduck cracked.

"No pithy comments or follow up questions before we head in there?" he asked. More like growled.

Gosalyn glanced over to him, her gaze cool. And that's when her realized that receiving her attention was much worse than being ignored. "I figured you would tell me anything I needed to know when it was convenient for you."

Negaduck ground his teeth and balled his hands into fists to avoid rubbing his face in exasperation. They were out in public, he needed to look composed and intimidating. "I didn't want to get you involved."

"That's not how this," she gestured between the two of them, "works. Because newsflash, I'm involved now."

"After I neutralized the threat!"

"After you nearly got yourself killed doing it!" Gosalyn rounded on Negaduck, hands on her hips and radiating cold fury. Negaduck stopped in his tracks, curling his beak into a sneer as he stared her down.

"You need to trust me," she said.

Negaduck balked, taking a step back. "After everything we've been through, how can you think that I don't trust you?"

"Not like that," Gosalyn said, waving away his words. "Trust me to fight and protect myself. To protect you if I have to."

Shaking his head and stepping around Gosalyn, Negaduck continued down the street. "That is not how this works," he said, echoing her words from before.

"It has to be!" Gosalyn caught up to him easily.

"No it doesn't," Negaduck snarled, stopping to stare at her. "And if you don't stop thinking like that, then this," he gestured between them, mocking what she'd done earlier, "is over."

Gosalyn's gaze hardened to ice and she crossed her arms over her chest. "Then tell me what this is."

Negaduck rolled his eyes and continued walking.

Until a tug at his cape had him stumbling backwards.

"Because last I checked," Gosalyn continued, her fingers twisted in the recesses of his cape, "we were partners. Equals. Don't you dare treat me like a second-rate heroine who can't defend herself and is just along for the ride."

Negaduck faced her fully, beak set in determination. "Either you let me take the lead and do as I say, or you go back to your own universe."

She studied him in silence before asking, "Why bring me? If all you're gonna do is go on cases alone, lie to me about them, and then not even let me fight if it comes down to it, why have me go at all?"

Because she grounded him. Because she was what he fought for no matter how dire the situation. Because when she was near, he felt stronger, smarter, and more capable.

But admitting that. The words stuck in his throat.

So instead, he snatched his cape free from her grip and said, "I've been asking myself that since we left the house."

Spinning on his heel, he stalked down the street. Wound down alleys and crossed intersections-turned-swamps without looking back. Either she was following or she'd called him on his bluff and returned home.

He told himself that he didn't care. That whatever decision she made, he would deal with it.

In reality, he was terrified. To look over his shoulder. Regardless if she was there or not.

If she was following him, he'd bullied her into tagging along. Had reduced her to the hapless heroine she was afraid of being taken for.

If she'd gone home, he'd driven her away. Had made her believe that she was useless and would be of better use elsewhere.

He hated himself for forcing her hand instead of letting her decide for herself.

But S.H.U.S.H. was dangerous. Especially in this universe. All secrets and politics with a dash of corruption and ruthlessness. Negaduck had barely escaped with his life last time and that was only because he'd killed most of the organization's members to get away. Bringing Gosalyn along to this investigation of their headquarters today was risky. But he couldn't face the organization alone. Not again.

And Negaduck needed to see their base of operations. Had to make sure the spy ring was dead once and for all. Look into the information they had on him. Find out how they knew his name — his real name — how they knew about Gosalyn. See if what they had claimed was true: that Stellar had founded the organization in the first place and they'd been keeping tabs on Negaduck his whole life long.

There was a lot at stake. Most of it personal. So, of course he'd wanted to bring Gosalyn. He wasn't strong enough to battle this on his own.

But the girl had focused on the past, on how close he'd come to dying in that warehouse by the Bay instead of on the threat they were going up against now. Gotten angry at him for venturing out on a case without her.

Coming to a stop, Negaduck tried to remember how to breathe. In and out was so much easier when his chest wasn't constricted. When he wasn't wondering if Gosalyn had followed him all this way.

Inhaling shakily, Negaduck glanced back over his shoulder.

And tried to push away the crushing loneliness.

Gosalyn was gone.

Of the two options, it was probably the better one. This way, she was safe. S.H.U.S.H. — if any of them remained — couldn't hurt her now.

But selfishly.

Negaduck allowed his gaze to rove over the city block just in case he'd missed her amongst the shadows cast by the overgrown trees.

He hadn't.

God, today would be so much easier if she was standing beside him.

However, what was good for him was not always good for her. He had to remember that.

It was better this way. No use dwelling on what wouldn't be. He had to focus on what was in front of him.

Something brushed his arm and he whipped around, reaching for his Glock.

"It's just me," came Gosalyn's voice and Negaduck's fingers froze on the gun. He turned around.

And there she was. Standing beside him.

"Where…?" he asked, unable to form much of a thought and keeping his eyes fixed on her. As if she were some type of phantom.

Or hallucination.

That wasn't helping.

"I came that way," she said, pointing in the opposite direction where Negaduck had approached from. She held up a paper bag and a small caddy with two travel cups filled with what smelled like coffee. "You didn't have anything in your kitchen. Do we have time to eat before heading in there?" she nodded towards the university campus that had acted as S.H.U.S.H.'s headquarters.

Negaduck glanced at the breakfast before transferring his gaze to her. "There's a working coffee shop in the Negaverse?"

"One I'm not telling you about," Gosalyn said, sitting down on the curb. "You'll probably blow it up or something if you know where it is." She set down the food and coffees on the sidewalk beside her. "I know you only feast on the souls of your victims and have a cup of their fear every morning for breakfast, so I went with black coffee and an egg sandwich with smoked cheese cause I figured that's pretty much the same thing."

His chest feeling normal again, Negaduck took a bracing breath before sitting beside her. "You've made your decision then?"

Gosalyn handed him his breakfast. "I'm still mad at you, but I figure that can wait until this scouting mission is over." She looked him in the eye, some of her ire gone. "No matter how I feel, I'll always come for you. I wouldn't leave you alone."

He knew that.

Here was the proof right beside him. Not only had she returned for this scouting mission, but she'd searched hundreds of parallel universes looking for him. Eventually even found him in Oblivion and brought him back home.

So he knew he wasn't ever really alone as long as Gosalyn was around.

But knowing something to be true and believing it were two separate things.

It wasn't Gosalyn's fault; she hadn't planted this seed of doubt in his mind.

Oblivion had.

It wasn't a question that Gosalyn would come for Negaduck if he needed her. It was a question if this was real. If he'd actually escaped that hell hole. If he wasn't hallucinating all of this.

Because he'd hallucinated in Oblivion. Hallucinated Gosalyn. A lot.

So he still hesitated. Still went off on missions without her, sometimes just because he forgot that he was back. Even for a few moments.

It was stupid. He'd been home for a year. You'd think he would have adjusted. Figured out what was real and what were remnants of that hellish nightmare.

But no.

Gosalyn balled her trash and tossed it into the paper bag that had carried their breakfast. She held it open for Negaduck where he discarded the empty coffee cup and mostly eaten sandwich. Standing and draining the rest of her coffee, Gosalyn walked over to a trash can and tossed the bag inside.

"This whole city is a garbage can," Negaduck pointed out, standing and smoothing out his suit. "You don't have to use trash cans. No one empties them."

She glanced back at the trash can before looking at Negaduck. "Someone must. That one's lined with a trash bag and it's only half full."

Feathers standing on end, Negaduck turned to face St. Canard University. S.H.U.S.H. would be the type to want a tidy work environment. "Stay close," he said.

They walked through the campus side by side, glancing around the academic buildings and keeping alert. Just because Negaduck had killed off most of S.H.U.S.H. during their previous meeting didn't mean there weren't survivors, probably clinging to hope that they would one day rise again.

Negaduck would kill them, too. Anyone who had escaped his previous attack. After getting the information he wanted, he would torch this place and spend the next few weeks hunting down any stray survivors. Because if J. Gander had been telling the truth, Stellar had created S.H.U.S.H.. Which meant it had to go. Every. Last. Bit of it.

"This place is huge," Gosalyn said, glancing around them. "There's no way to know which of these buildings has the information you're looking for."

"We're not splitting up," Negaduck said.

Gosalyn sighed. "I'm not saying we have to stray far from one another, but we could cover more ground apart. You said there were probably only a few rogue agents, right? That's nothing we can't handle on our own."

"No," Negaduck ground out, glancing down the cracked sidewalk that stretched between two buildings. There were no weeds or plants springing up from the rift in the concrete. Any other place in the Negaverse would be overgrown with vegetation. But this whole campus was strangely void of plant life aside from the cleanly cut grass, trimmed trees, and carefully cultivated flower beds.

Just like a normal city.

He didn't like it.

"Okay, okay, we won't split up," Gosalyn said. "Can we at least investigate different floors in the same building?"

They walked past a field, the grass a rich green despite the lack of rainfall lately. Studying the buildings that surrounded the knoll, Negaduck noticed they were in decent shape. Their facades weren't crumbling, the windows were still fitted with glass panes, nor were their foundations sinking.

Someone, or an agency of someone's, was taking care of this place.

"Cause this," Gosalyn gestured to the campus, "will take us weeks to search."

It was big. St. Canard University was the largest school this side of Duckburg.

Negaduck glanced at Gosalyn. "We can take different floors," he agreed. "But you run into anything, fire your gun three times and I'll come find you."

Gosalyn nodded as they walked towards the library. "Only if you do the same."

He sighed but didn't argue.

The library took up the rest of their morning and yielded nothing of use. Any books that were covered in less dust than others were glanced through, but they were just regular books in the end. Why anyone would want to read such thrilling sagas as Jane Eyewren was beyond him.

Negaduck and Gosalyn continued into the next building.

Then the next.

Each just as empty as the last and not in any form of disrepair. They were a little dusty, but otherwise in decent shape. Classrooms and lecture halls and offices and art studios and a theater all with nothing to reveal about the organization.

Which annoyed the hell out of Negaduck.

Gosalyn eventually suggested looking through the science buildings before calling it quits, and they trudged over to the conglomeration of halls and laboratories as the sun started to set. They'd wasted an entire day with nothing to show for it.

Negaduck glanced down a hallway and sighed when it was all clear. He stalked down the corridor, searching through each laboratory on the floor, his anger mounting with every empty room.

As he entered the last lab, a gunshot pierced through the silence.

Negaduck dropped to the ground, his arms coming up to protect his head.

No bullet whizzed past.

No footsteps thudded down the hall.

The shot hadn't even been loud enough to come from behind him.

So what in the hell…?

Another shot resonated through the building, Negaduck able to pinpoint the sound as coming from the floor below.

Where Gosalyn was.

Three shots for help. That had been their agreement.

He didn't wait for a third one before he had sprung to his feet and was hurtling down the hall looking for the stairwell he'd used earlier.

If he'd been in his right mind, he would have gone to Gosalyn on the first shot. Even though she carried a gun as part of her hero arsenal, she still didn't like to use it. Preferred her trick arrows.

There was also the possibility that she hadn't fired the weapon.

'Come on, Baby Girl,' he thought, running all the faster. 'One more shot. It was three. Three was the signal. You can do it. Just one more.'

Where was the damn stairwell? Had he passed it? Should he break through a window and repel down the building?

Negaduck was about to do just that, Glock in hand to shoot out the glass, when he found the door to the stairwell.

He ripped it open.

And came to an abrupt halt.

Large looming lugging Agent Gryzlikoff was on the other side, a satisfied smirk on his face. "Mr. Mallard," he purred, advancing into the hallway. "I knew you would not be far off."

Negaduck backed away, gripping his Glock all the tighter as he kept eye contact with the hulking bear. "I shot you. I shot you right between…." He trailed off, seeing the scar from a bullet wound in the center of Gryzlikoff's forehead.

Gryzlikoff's smile spread into a grin. "That you did. But our S.H.U.S.H. scientists are the best in the world." He continued to walk forward, each step measured and smooth as Negaduck tripped and stumbled backwards into a classroom, eventually backed up against the far wall. "They offered to fix the scar, but I said no. I wanted something to remind me of everything we lost to you. What I lost."

Negaduck had been so stupid. So very stupid to think S.H.U.S.H. wouldn't try to enact some sort of revenge for that warehouse meeting. And he'd led Gosalyn right to them.

Two gunshots. That was all he'd heard. His blood ran cold.

Aiming his gun, Negaduck shot Gryzlikoff in the head.

The bullet bounced off of the agent, a metallic ping echoing around the room. Negaduck ducked to avoid being hit by the rogue bullet.

Gryzlikoff laughed, the sound hollow in his metal chest. "You cannot hurt me anymore than you already have."

A monstrous paw grabbed Negaduck by his throat, lifting him off the floor. Negaduck struggled against the paw, but it was useless; the bear was made of steel.

Gryzlikoff brought Negaduck up to his eye level and peered at him. "But you can be hurt in so many ways. I have been thinking of nothing else."

Negaduck scoffed as well as he could with his throat restricted. "I can cope with torture."

Gryzlikoff grinned. "Then I look forward to being creative."

With that, Gryzlikoff threw Negaduck out of a nearby window.

The force of Gryzlikoff's fist shattered the glass, the shards lacerating Negaduck as he fell backwards through the air.

He hadn't been high up. Just on the second floor. So he didn't have time to twist into a position that would be best for impact. Stars sparked in front of his vision as he landed on his back. When he could catch his breath again, Negaduck groaned and tried to turn over, to curl in on himself, but his back was in utter agony no matter the position he tried to assume.

Gryzlikoff jumped out of the window, rage and satisfaction warring on his face.

As the bear — who looked much larger than he used to; what had those S.H.U.S.H. scientists done to him? — descended, his claws extended and fangs gleaming, Negaduck scrambled backwards, desperate to get away. But his battered body wouldn't allow much of an escape, his cuts screaming and his back an inferno of pain.

But still he tried. He'd lost his gun in the fall and he couldn't find it in him to draw another weapon, so he focused on fleeing.

Gryzlikoff landed on the sidewalk with an almighty thud, the tremors wracking Negaduck's body, dragging a groan from him. The bear smirked as he loomed over Negaduck.

Negaduck glared up at him.

As Gryzlikoff went rigid and toppled over.

Negaduck just managed to get out from under the bear, back exploding in a wave of pain, before he crashed to the ground. Gryzlikoff loosed a roar and clawed at his legs. A bola chord was securely wrapped around his legs and one of his arms, effectively trapping the lower half of his body.

Knowing that particular weapon, Negaduck looked up.

And saw Gosalyn. Disheveled with blood streaming down her face, but otherwise unharmed.

She ran around Gryzlikoff, giving him a wide berth, and crouched next to Negaduck. "Can you walk?" she asked, a gentle hand on his shoulders.

"You're bleeding," he pointed out.

"Probably," she said. "One of the agents had a knife. C'mon." She grabbed him around his chest and pulled him up to standing. He grit his teeth against the movement, but couldn't hold in his groan. Gosalyn studied his face for a moment. "Let's go."

"No!" Gryzlikoff reached for them, but he was still bound up to his waist and he couldn't do much more than slap the ground with his paw. "The Director will not have died in vain!"

Gosalyn tucked herself under Negaduck's arm and began to lead him away. Negaduck leaned into her more than he'd ever admit, his body too sore to have managed this alone. Hell, he'd barely been able to move away from Gryzlikoff; he never would have managed an escape.

A thundering roar caused the earth to tremble around them and stopped the pair in their tracks. Gosalyn glanced back and muttered a curse before gently lowering Negaduck to the ground.

"What the f—"

"Stay down," Gosalyn snapped, turning to face Gryzlikoff as her fingers danced over the feathers of her arrows. Finding the one she wanted, she yanked the arrow out and nocked it.

Gryzlikoff ripped through his bola restraint.

Negaduck dug through his pockets, gritting his teeth against the crippling back spasm and searched for some type of weapon. He wasn't sure what good he could do since his guns were useless against the bear, but rifle through his pockets he did, desperate to keep Gosalyn safe.

His fingers curled around the barrel of another pistol as Gosalyn fired her arrow. It hit Gryzlikoff square in the chest, sparks of the taser flickering brightly against the dying light of the setting sun.

Gryzlikoff looked down at the arrow then glanced back at Gosalyn. He gripped the shaft and tugged the arrow out of his chest, crushing it to splinters.

Gosalyn was feeling for her next arrow as Gryzlikoff started to advance.

Negaduck pulled out his pistol, rearranging his grip on the handle, saying, "Get the hell outta here."

"Shut up," Gosalyn said, pulling out another arrow, nocking, drawing, aiming, and firing.

The net deployed and wrapped around Gryzlikoff, dragging him backwards and then to the ground as anchors dug into the cement sidewalk, securing the ends. The bear roared and Gosalyn glanced back at Negaduck.

"I can handle this," she said.

Negaduck was distracted by movement in his peripheral vision and he focused on Gryzlikoff. Who was standing and ripping through the net, his expression furious. Negaduck sat up, then reclined back onto an elbow when his back protested at the movement. He released the safety on his pistol.

"Leave. Right now." He aimed at Gryzlikoff. "And don't look back."

Gosalyn spun to face Gryzlikoff who was now running towards them, teeth bared. She reached back for another arrow.

"Did I stutter?" Negaduck said, firing two rounds in quick succession. They bounced off Gryzlikoff harmlessly, not even slowing his progress.

Gosalyn felt the fletching of her arrows. After running her fingers over one, she withdrew her hand as if burned.

"Get out of here!" Negaduck shot three more rounds. Trying to distract. Trying to do anything.

Gryzlikoff started running on all fours, digging his front paws into the ground to pick up speed.

Gosalyn felt the fletching again, grabbing an arrow and withdrawing it.

She nocked, drew, aimed. And waited.

The ground trembled with each bound Gryzlikoff took, cement shattering under his strength.

"Gosalyn Mallard!" Negaduck cried, emptying the rest of his pistol. He tossed the useless thing aside then reached for her. "Listen to me, dammit!"

Gryzlikoff took a flying leap, his jaws opening wide as he jumped straight at Gosalyn.

Unable to breathe, Negaduck feebly grabbed for her, but missed, his trembling hand unable to reach.

Gosalyn fired her arrow when Gryzlikoff was at the highest point in his arc.

Then she spun around and dropped to one knee, effectively shielding Negaduck.

He managed to grab onto her, trying to pull her down underneath him. But Gosalyn held her position.

Negaduck shut his eyes, digging his fingers into the fabric of her suit.

This wasn't how this was supposed to happen. Gosalyn couldn't sacrifice herself for him. He wasn't worth—

The world shuddered around them.

Negaduck held onto Gos all the tighter. If this was Gryzlikoff taking her away, then he was taking Negaduck, too. He wouldn't be separated from his girl for anything.

But there were no teeth. No claws. No roars. Just some distant — non-bear — yells.

Gosalyn tried to pull away, but Negaduck gripped her close.

"Hey, we're okay," Gosalyn said, her hands on his shoulders. "You gotta let me go."

That was asking the impossible of him.

"Negaduck. Come on." Gosalyn pushed at him. "Gryzlikoff's gone, but those S.H.U.S.H. agents aren't."

There were enough snippets of information in Gosalyn's statement that caught his attention. Broke through his tumultuous thoughts and brought him back to himself. Negaduck opened his eyes.

Gosalyn was staring at him. "You're okay. Now…." She gently pushed him away and he withdrew his arms from around her. "There you go," she encouraged before grabbing his discarded pistol and standing.

She turned around.

To where a handful of S.H.U.S.H. agents were advancing on them.

Instead of aiming the gun and trying to shoot at the agents, Gosalyn threw the pistol at the closest agent's knees. He dodged the projectile, but Gosalyn had used the distraction to its fullest and was on the move.

She spun into the agent, hitting him in the solar plexus. She simultaneously swung her bow out wide, hitting another agent in the face, causing him to collapse onto the ground.

Gosalyn elbowed the first agent in the nose before withdrawing an arrow and spinning away from him. She nocked, drew, aimed, and fired at the remaining handful of agents who were running toward her.

The net easily captured all of them, securing the group to the sidewalk with the deployed anchors.

She turned back to the first agent, firing another net arrow around him. A putty arrow surrounded and secured the second agent who was curled in the fetal position nursing his face from when Gosalyn had hit him with her bow.

Standing straight, she studied their surroundings for further threats as she wiped her forehead, smearing the trail of blood just above her eyebrow. She glanced back to Negaduck and asked, "You okay?"

He wasn't sure what he was.

Everything had happened so quickly that he was still catching up.

But one question kept circling in his mind.

"Where's Gryzlikoff?"

Gosalyn swallowed before thumbing over her shoulder to her quiver. "Exploding arrow."

"To the face?"

She hesitated. "Down his throat."

Negaduck blinked and she shrugged, shifting her weight onto one leg. Then the other. "Your bullets weren't working, so there wasn't anything that was gonna break through his metal exoskeleton or whatever it was. I went from the inside out. Which seems to have worked."

Unstringing her bow, Gosalyn slid it in its place along the side of her quiver and walked over to Negaduck.

She helped him stand and, once he could look her in the eye without straining his neck, he said, "Next time, you leave me behind and save yourself."

Gosalyn studied him before shaking her head. "I told you I would always come for you." She ducked under his arm and started leading him off the campus. "Besides, I'm practically a Duckvenger. Technically, I'm more qualified for this than you are."

"What the hell is a Duckvenger?" he groused.

Before she had time to explain, more shouts echoed around the buildings followed by the sound of car engines igniting.

Gripping Negaduck tighter, Gosalyn picked up the pace. He had to let her practically carry him along, too sore to go much faster than a hobble.

The science buildings were along the edges of the campus, and before too long, they were exiting out the front gates they'd stepped through earlier that morning.

Negaduck was panting and gasping as Gosalyn led them across the street into a long abandoned building. She eased Negaduck onto the ground and grabbed her bow once more, stringing it and looking out one of the broken windows towards the university. Reaching back, she pulled out an arrow that Negaduck recognized.

He glanced up at her. "That one? You sure?"

"I know you wanted information from them, but they're not gonna stop coming after us, and—"

"I don't care about the information," he said. "There are agents in there. You're gonna hit them with that?"

Gosalyn studied the arrowhead. "I mean… it's them or us, yeah? Ultimately, this is the right choice."

His own words from all those years ago said back to him forced Negaduck into a decision. Pushing himself up so he was sitting straight, he gestured for the bow. "Hand 'em over."

Gosalyn glanced down at him, a frown on her beak. "You're in no condition to—"

"One arrow won't kill me." He groaned as he pushed himself onto his knees. Gosalyn kneeled down, weapons on the floor as she gripped his shoulders.

Negaduck glanced up at her, gently wiping away the blood on her forehead to stop it from streaming into her eyes. "I know you'll do whatever it takes to protect me. But you don't need to go that far. Not this time."

Gosalyn gave him a small smile. "I already killed Gryzlikoff."

"So let me take this one." Negaduck pushed himself to standing, Gosalyn's arms wrapped around him to keep him steady. Once he wasn't swaying, he nodded toward her bow and arrow.

She handed them over and Negaduck turned to the window.

Nocked.

And tried to draw, but his back was white hot agony and he had to lean against the wall to try and clear his head.

Gosalyn was there, her hands on his sides.

A fifty pound draw. That's all this was.

He stood straight and tried to draw again, but couldn't even get half way before he was trembling and biting back expletives.

Gosalyn gently took the bow and arrow from him.

"No, I can— I can do it." Negaduck breathed deeply to ease the pain away. It didn't fade as fast as he would have liked.

"You'll fire it," Gosalyn promised, drawing and pushing a button on the bow. The arrow held in place, fully drawn and she handed it back to him.

He chuckled as he gripped it. "Forgot about your one-handed bow."

"One-handed release," she corrected. "Push that button there when you're ready."

Aiming for the science buildings, his shoulder aching at the movement, Negaduck fired.

The rocket arrow sailed through the air, traveling faster and flying farther than any other arrow in Gosalyn's arsenal. The explosion that followed held a lot more firepower than a typical exploding arrow. In the smoke and flames that consumed the campus, any and all information Negaduck had been looking for went with it.

But what was a spy organization compared to this girl who gently took her bow back and caught him when he fell?

Nothing.

It was nothing.

—...—...—...—...—...—...—...—...—...—...—...—

"I'd really feel better if you went to a hospital," Gosalyn said, cutting some gauze as she surveyed Negaduck's injuries.

"And I'd feel better if you didn't have a standoff with a raging bear, but we can't always get what we want, can we?" Negaduck tried to roll up his sleeves to better access the cuts on his arms, but his back throbbed with every movement.

Getting back home had been an ordeal, the evening giving way to night by the time they'd reached Avian Way. As his pain had increased and the events of the day sunk in, Negaduck grew more and more angry and now, sitting at his mangled kitchen table, he was fuming.

Gosalyn had been ready to sacrifice herself. Had decided that he was more important alive than she was. She'd blatantly ignored Negaduck and her own safety, going toe-to-toe with an angry grizzly without a second thought.

"You're so dramatic," Gosalyn said, reaching out to roll up Negaduck's sleeves for him. He jerked his arm away, withholding the grunt of pain at the sudden movement.

"You stepped in front of a charging bear and I'm dramatic?" he asked.

Gosalyn sat back in her chair with a huff. "I had to do something. He was going to kill you."

"You let him!" Negaduck thundered, glaring at her. "You let him do whatever the hell he wants to me and you get yourself somewhere safe!"

Gosalyn studied him for a moment. "I can't ever promise that I'm going to be safe. But I'll always do my best to come home." She uncrossed her arms and leaned forward to look him in the eye. "That also means I'm going to do everything I can to bring you home with me."

Negaduck maintained eye contact with her, at war with himself.

He yearned to keep her locked away. To have her run from danger when he told her to. To stay at home when he went on the more dangerous missions.

But that wasn't who Gosalyn was. Or who she would ever be. His fearless headstrong girl would never be content on the sidelines. He'd always loved that about her. Just not when it meant she would put his safety above hers.

It was a lose-lose situation. Either he changed who she was and guaranteed her safety, or he put her at risk as the girl he'd fallen in love with.

At a standstill, Negaduck slumped in his chair.

Gosalyn smiled and nodded to his arms. "Can I help you patch yourself up?"

He tensed, breath getting caught in his throat. "I can do it."

"I know you can," Gosalyn said with a shake of her head, "but you don't have to."

"I…." Negaduck searched for something — anything — to say that would dissuade her.

But nothing would. She was stubborn and would see right through any of his lies.

What about the truth?

She'd probably appreciate that. And he trusted her with it.

Right.

The truth.

"I haven't let anyone do that since… since Mama."

Gosalyn's expression softened. "You can say no. I'll leave you alone if that's easier."

Negaduck swallowed. Easier, maybe. More comfortable, definitely. But lonely and leaving him with an empty ache deep in his gut that had never been soothed.

"No, I'd…. It's fine."

The firm nod, the way Gosalyn scooted her chair forward, brought the medical supplies closer, chased away his embarrassment.

Her fingers skimmed the cuff of his sleeve and she met his eyes. "If I do anything that hurts you, let me know."

Negaduck tried to swallow the sudden lump in his throat and he nodded.

Gosalyn unbuttoned his sleeve and gently rolled the fabric up to his elbow. Using cotton balls, rubbing alcohol, Neosporin, and gauze, she methodically and carefully cleaned all the cuts he'd sustained from his exit through the glass window.

It took about an hour, two doses of really good painkillers, and Negaduck stripping down to the ratty shirt he wore under his suit for Gosalyn to be satisfied.

"You'll need to clean the rest yourself," Gosalyn said, leaning back and clearing up the supplies. Negaduck grabbed her wrist and she turned back to look at him.

He nodded to her forehead. "Want me to clean that for you?"

Gosalyn reached up to her cut. "I'll just need to wash my face. I'll be fine."

Tightening his hold, he said, "Let's try that again. May I clean that for you?"

Her soft smile returned. "Sure."

Using small slow movements to avoid straining his back, Negaduck cleaned off the blood from her feathers, pleased to find the cut was shallow and short.

Smoothing a small bandage over the wound even though it had stopped bleeding long ago, Negaduck breathed easier. Pressing their foreheads together soothed whatever had still been lodged in his chest and he closed his eyes, reveling in the nearness of her.

After a few moments, he said, "I overreact. I'm protective. I know you can fight and keep yourself and everyone around you safe. But I don't think I'll ever tell you to stop running away to save yourself. I love you too damn much." He leaned back.

Gosalyn was smiling, her eyes bright. "I get it. Why you were so nervous. S.H.U.S.H. is pretty formidable."

"I wasn't nervous," Negaduck said right away, his defenses immediately mounting. At Gosalyn's raised eyebrow, he said, "Maybe I was a little bit concerned, but that's not the same thing."

She shook her head and kissed him lightly on the cheek before cleaning up the kitchen table. Negaduck slowly stood, leaning on his chair when his back spasmed.

"You should sleep in the living room," Gosalyn said, sliding the first aid kit into a drawer.

"On that sofa? My back would hurt less if it was actually broken."

"Maybe you should get a new one." She ducked under his arm.

"A back? Not a bad idea." Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, Negaduck allowed Gosalyn to slowly lead him up the stairs.

"Or a sofa. Which is more practical."

Negaduck would have shrugged if he'd had the range of motion. Or the strength.

At least his medication was finally kicking in. His back was feeling less sensitive, which made the trek upstairs easier. Even when he spread out on his bed, he didn't feel much more than a few uncomfortable twinges.

Maybe he'd be okay.

"You're gonna be fine," Gosalyn said, laughing lightly.

He must've spoken that last part out loud.

Burying his face into the musty pillow, he found that he didn't care. It was only Gosalyn. She'd take care of him.

"I always will," she said, her voice far away. "Get some rest, Papa Wolf. I'll see you in the morning."

A blanket was dragged up and over his shoulder.

He dropped off to sleep easily.

A/N: I will be writing another round of Christmas stories this year. If you would like to submit a prompt, or tell me about a Christmas song or tradition you'd like to see within this Geronimo universe, PM me, or come visit my Tumblr and submit an ask!

Thanks for reading!