Normal POV:

Doon couldn't think of any word to describe the fear he was experiencing the minute he saw Lina collapse. He dove for her the minute the glass had been sizzled out.

"Lina! Talk to me! Lina! Please!" He fumbled his fingers until he found a pulse. She was alive. He sighed in tight relief. Doon felt a little better, but was still scared. "Lina?" He lay on his stomach and lifted her head up a bit with his dirty hands. "Lina?"

Her light brown hair was plastered to her neck, half out of her braid. Her cheeks were red while the rest of her body was pale. She looked like she was sleeping peacefully, but Doon knew better.

"Lina, if you can hear me, I'm going to get you out of Ember, alive, ok?" Doon licked his lips and kissed her forehead quickly. As if embarrassed, the dark-headed boy set her down and stood up quickly, looking around to see if Sul had seen that act of affection. Lina was his best friend, of course he would do that, right?

Doon forced those questions out of his mind as he focused on lifting Lina up. Because of the food shortages, she really didn't weigh much. He hoped that could be fixed when they got out of Ember, that they would never be hungry again.

The teenage boy stumbled toward the boat, grasping Lina tightly by her shoulders and her knees. Her legs dangled over his arm. Her head bounced lightly against his shoulder. Doon looked down at her face. She was so beautiful…

Suddenly, she began to stir.

"Lina?" Doon breathed, stopping in his tracks. Poppy looked up at him, childlike concern on her face.

Lina moaned and opened her eyes. "Doon? W-what happened?" She shivered.

Doon just gripped her tighter to his chest. "It's ok, it's ok, you're ok!" He pressed his lips together and squeezed his eyes shut.

"Doon, are you ok?" Lina mumbled, looking confused.

"Yes, I'm fine, now!" Doon smiled at her, resisting the urge to kiss her forehead again. "Do you think you can walk?"

"I-I think s-so," she stammered in reply. Doon nodded almost excitedly and set her down gently, feet first. She wavered, but held onto Doon's shoulder. He led her to the boat.

"Wait, you want me to get in that?" Lina exclaimed. "Did you see what happened to the first one?"

"We have to go now! We have no other choice!" Doon yelled back. Lina looked panicked, but complied, setting Poppy in the front of the boat and climbinb in behind her. Before boarding the little boat, Doon turned around to look back at Sul. The old man smiled and waved at Doon with one hand. Doon waved back, then got into the boat behind Lina. He released the lever and wrapped his arms around Lina and Poppy. Chewing his lip, Doon closed his eyes as the boat made contact with the rushing water.

Again, cliffhanger! I'm good at those aren't I? Please review!

Hearts! 3