The first bomb back in their hut across the way blew up in an engulfing inferno.

The guards started to scramble and scream in Farsi.

In a matter of seconds all of the five hostages, plus Auggie and Parker, started to run out the back way.

Annie and Jai followed suite after knocking out the two guards at their door.

"Stu, got those images? We need to make sure everyone's accounted for," Jai yelled into his piece to be heard over the exploding buildings as a domino of explosions took place.

"I'm on it. They're entering the building now. They are about half way. You're less than twenty yards away." Stu then noticed movement on the monitors.

"Guys! You got company on your six! More is coming at the hostages' 3 o'clock!"

"Jai! Head over there! I'll cover the back!" Jai then dashed his way to cut off the guards. Annie turned and shot a few rounds as she entered the building. Releasing another flurry of their bombs she heard more scrambling from the terrorists. Hearing them screaming over a radio she stole, Annie listened in on them.

(Farsi: Translated)

Where are they?

Those journalists are fakes! They have the prisoners!

Boss, I-aahhh! Boss! Maljeet is dead!

We got fire from the choppers! They got snipers!

Get those hostages! If you can't, then SHOOT THEM!

Auggie had Parker lead the whole way. He could feel his heart pounding in his ears as he heard Parker give him commands on when to dodge or when to jump. The sound of the gunfire and explosions around him reminded him of Tikrit. His only link to maintaining his sanity was Parker's hand in his and her voice as she called out to him. He could feel the adrenaline as he ran. Soon the echoes softened as he heard his own footsteps in a building.

"We must be in the kitchen building." They made it halfway. But then He felt Parker slow a bit as she spoke.

"I don't see Annie or the other one," she panted.

"His name is Jai. Don't stop. And don't worry, if I know Annie, she's not that far behind us. We got to keep moving." So they pressed on with a burst of fresh energy. Parker kept her grip tight. Soon he heard Parker yell.

"I see the choppers! We just have to get passed the wall an-" an explosion busted right behind them as they jumped over the wall. What Auggie did plan on was to get up and keep going. What he didn't plan on was a sudden searing pain in his ankle.

Sliding over a counter into the kitchen, Annie threw a few gas switches, taped her grenade onto a fire extinguisher and, pulling the pin, tossed it back in. Seconds later a big explosion was heard behind her and the screams of their pursuers.

"Annie! Jai! The choppers have landed. I got five on the chopper now."

"Who's left?" Annie could hear Jai asking.

"It looks like Auggie and a woman with him."

"It's Parker," Annie replied, "How close are they?" She released out another two rounds into a nearby goon.

"They're at the wall under fire. The team on the one chopper is pulling the others out. Annie, Jai, you got to get Auggie on the second one or-"

"I know!" Annie screamed.

"Annie! I see you at my nine, I'll cover you. Get them moving!" Jai barked.

"Then move your ass Jai! Stu, how close am I?" Annie pumped her legs. She had to get Auggie out, even if it was the last thing she'd ever do.

"They should be at your ten in a few yards along the wall. You'll need to get those goons off of you. Better hurry too, I'm seeing another six heading your way."

"Got it!" Annie then throws a flash grenade behind her as she jumps over the wall. In a second of checking her bearings, she sees Auggie and Parker low on the ground. But she notices something. A look on Auggie's face.

"Jai!"

"What is it?" Jai didn't need anymore problems. He let off a few more rounds as he headed her way.

"Auggie's hurt! He's got a leg injury! I need you to move him!"

"On my way. Just hang on!" In a matter of seconds he found himself under fire with Annie, Auggie, and the girl he surmised was Parker.

"Stu! You got to stall the chopper a bit longer! Annie will try to buy us time as I get Auggie to the chopper!"

"Got it! Stu hit's a switch Chopper Alpha I need you to wait I still got four pieces of cargo trapped in heavy fire. You got to wait a bit more!"

This is Alpha, we can't wait much longer! You got to tell your team to move!

"An agent is injured, we're moving as quickly as possible!"

Roger, you got two more minutes. Otherwise you're team is on their own.

"Damn! He hit's the switch Annie! Jai! You got to move now! They're not going to wait much more!"

"Jai! You and Parker get Auggie on that chopper now! I'll cover you!" Annie grabbed Jai's rifle and started shooting rounds. Jai had just finished checking Auggie's leg.

"It's just a sprain! Parker, you and I will hold him up and support him as we run for the chopper!" Parker nodded. Jai then grabbed Auggie at the waist and threw his arm around his neck. Parker mirrored him. Then they started to run.

Auggie felt like everything slowed down around him. He could hear the bullets zip past their heads, the ragged breathing of Parker and Jai as they pulled him along, the air pumping from the beating propellers, and the recoil of Annie's gun. He was lost in a sense of feeling. Maybe because, at that moment, he could feel those last moments from Tikrit. Those last moments of when he could see.

Suddenly, he felts four sets of hands as he was boosted up unto a smooth, cold, metal floor of the chopper. When he did he felt time start to speed up again. He felt Parker wrap her arms around him. A feeling of terror had swept over her. But she soon settled down next to him. Jai was nearby, but he still didn't smell Annie's perfume.

"Annie?" He started to look around from the direction he got in from. The pilot then yelled out.

"Alright, let's go! Let's go!" -Wait, Annie wasn't on yet.

"No! She's still out there! She's right behind us!" He leaned towards the pilot's voice. He heard Jai protest as well.

"Joseph! We're not leaving her behind!" And the two of them leaned out towards the gunfire.

"Annie!"

"Annie! Let's Go!" Auggie could still hear a sharp gunshot. But it wasn't from Annie.

"Jai! There's a sniper!" He heard Jai grab and load what he figured to be a sniper rifle. He handed it to another gunman who started to scour the nearby buildings. Jai then leaned out and called to Annie.

She was out of ammo. Taking a breath she sprinted the last ten yards to the chopper. Auggie was there looking towards her. Eight yards. Parker was next to him. And Jai was leaning out with his hand reaching for her. Six yards. She had to make it. She couldn't stop. She could hear Auggie and Jai calling out to her.

"Annie!"

"Come on Annie!"

Four yards.
A gunshot. The beating of the propellers.

Three yards.
A sudden pain searing through her side. She could feel her legs starting to collapse. She lets out a suppressed scream. She can hear Auggie yell as the team holds him back.

"ANNIE!"

Two yards.
She stumbles. But she doesn't stop. She can't. Danielle and the girls are waiting for her at home.

"It must be nice to have an Auggie in your life."

Auggie is waiting for her.

"Your voice sounds different when you talk with him."

She needs to talk to him. She needs to be with him. Even if he doesn't love her, she doesn't care.

"It must be nice to have an Auggie in your life."

It is nice. She needs to have Auggie in her life. And she doesn't need anyone else to tell her why.

She loved him.

She loved Auggie.

And she didn't care, as long as he was part of her life, that's all she would ever need.

Three feet.
She reaches her hand out. The chopper starts to move. Jai clasps it tight in his as he pulls her up. The chopper takes to the air.

She can feel the cold metal on her hot skin. Her lungs burn from the running. Her side burns more as she gasps for air. She hears Stu in her earpiece.

"Annie! Walker! Walker, do you copy? Jai, what's going on?" Even though it hurts she speaks softly into the mike. Her voice is weak.

"We got them out, Stu. It's over. We're coming home." She starts to feel dizzy. She feels herself being turned over. A few more words being said. A familiar voice calls to her.

"Annie? Annie! Talk to me Annie!" Auggie. She opens her eyes a bit to see a look of worry on his face. She can't help but smile.

"Didn't your mother tell you that worry lines were unattractive?" She joked. Her voice weaker. She could see a small smile cross his face.

"Really? You're joking at a time like this?"

"Wouldn't be the first time." She saw him chuckle. But for some reason, his eyes looked glassy. Like they were holding back something. She could see him struggle for words.

"God, Annie, why'd you have to go and…and…" She puts her hand on his cheek.

"It's okay, Auggie," she smiles again. Jai is on her other side, putting pressure on her wound. A medic from the crew was helping him.

"Annie, you got shot! How the hell is this okay?" Auggie was more flustered than a spring chicken. Annie chuckled lightly. It hurts for her to breath.

"You can yell at Stu if it makes you feel better,"

"You bet I will. I'll give him hell." Stu snorted into Annie's ear.

"I heard that. You can tell Auggie it was thanks to me you even got there and got out." Annie laughed again.

"Yeah, I'll tell him." Auggie could hear from Annie's statement that Stu was listening in on their conversation.

"Why won't he tell me himself? Or is he afraid to face me after today?" And there was what Annie wanted to see; Auggie's cocky smile, full of confidence. Seeing it made her smile. Looking over to Jai, she saw him glance at her. She smiled and gave him a nod as a way of telling him the good work he did. He nodded back. She began to feel dizzy again. She started to slowly close her eyes. The numbness and shock are getting to be too much for her. Jai looks at her and notices what's happening.

"Damn it, Annie-Joseph, we need that federal hospital now!" He leans back towards Annie. He calls Stu on the mike.

"Jai! What's going on? Jai fills him in on Annie's injuries Keep her alive as long as possible. I'll get a crew ready for her at the hospital." Jai then talks to Annie to keep her awake.

"Stay with us Annie! You still owe me a beer at Allen's!" Auggie leans over to Annie as her hands starts to slip. He hears what Jai says and ignores it.

"Annie! Talk to me! You have to stay awake!" Auggie pleads. Annie moans weakly, but she doesn't say anything. Jai checks her pulse and her breathing. Parker has been watching them the entire time. She can't believe what she's seeing. Seeing Jai checking for a pulse suddenly makes her blood run cold. But in a moment she crawls over and places pressure on the covered wound. Jai starts to administer CPR to keep Annie going. Joseph has them near the hospital.

"Come on, Annie!" Jai checks her pulse again. Auggie starts to feel his body shake. He pushes Jai and starts to administer CPR himself. He feels wave after wave of built up emotions and frustration. Thoughts start racing through his head.

"This isn't happening. It can't be happening. Not here. Not now. Come on, Annie!"

"Damn it, Annie! Don't you dare die on me now!"

"You can't do this to me! Annie, it's not the same without you."

Auggie doesn't stop except to check her pulse. He pumps her again.

"Who's going to bring me my 9 o'clock coffee, just the way I like it?"

"Who's going to guide me through the halls and laugh at my jokes?"

"Who's idea was it to send you here anyway?" Annie isn't responding. Auggie eyes start to sting. He starts to smell salt. The chopper is slowly getting closer.

"Who's going to spar with me?"

"Who's going to sit and have beers with me at Allen's after work?"

Auggie starts hearing her laugh in his head. He has her smiling face in his mind. All the while he feels like he's been hanging upside down and the blood is rushing to his head. The salty smell gets stronger. He needs to hear her again.

"'Auggie!' 'Here's your coffee, Aug'"

"Who's going to walk in with those cute kitten heels and a smile that radiates sunshine to everyone?"

"'…Auggie…'"

"Annie!" "Walker!" Auggie and Jai both shout out her name.

"Jai! A team's on the roof for Annie! Keep her going!"

"Joseph! We're losing her! Get us down now!" The chopper lands, and the medical staff come rushing in with a gurney.

"No one!"

"'…Auggie…'"

"No one can replace you! Annie! I need you!"

"'…Auggie…"

"I need you Annie Walker! You can't leave me!"

Auggie, just realizing he shouted out that last thought, feels Annie slip out from under his hands as she's rushed into the hospital.

Jai quickly holds him still before he interjects. Parker is watching Auggie.

Her eyes are slightly wide, but she has this knowing look. She can tell what it is. She knew what it all meant.