"If I die, then you come down with me!"

Fabiola tightened her grip on her sword as she said those words and glared harshly at the guard in front of her. Her vision was swaying, and pain was pelting her in intense waves, but she didn't fall. Falling would be sure death.

Ezio had called them to help him clear out some guards stationed near a Borgia tower, but now it seemed every single one in the district had flocked over to join their comrades. Even after he called two more teams of recruits, it was still a difficult fight.

And he had heard her, she knew when he shouted and bashed down a hammer into a guard's helmet. "Leave her alone!" Then he looked up at her, as if trying to will her to run and spare her own life. But she wouldn't. And because she wouldn't, he was forced to stick close and defend her.

She took a heavy blow to her leg then, and stumbled forward, barely managing to catch herself and balance on her good one. "Maestro... please, tell Zaccaria that I'm sorry." And she was prepared to take the spearman's next blow, tears starting to escape. But a clash of steel made her open her eyes and watch as Ezio held onto the end of the spear, the guard shocked, and rip it out of his hands before plunging it's tip deep into his neck.

Shivering with cold relief, she fell to her knees and held her wounds with her hands. Heavy pants barely escaped as she saw the carnage all around. The aftermath of the battle. Her own teammate, Zaccaria rushed over and helped her back to her feet.

"Come," he told her softly, "we'll get these wounds seen to." And then he led her to the closest horse and assisted her in getting on before taking the reins and walking beside it to walk all the way back to Isola Tiberina.

It was soon after they were moving that she blacked out through the rest, and started to come back to in Zaccaria's arms as he carried her down the stairs of the hideout. She stared half consciously at his face. He had black hair, and a light goutee (you know, it's kinda like a beard but not connected to your hairline. Also the stash and goutee weren't connected), just above his eyebrow was a scar. Fabiola knew he was strong, more so since he was able to hold her bridal style with ease despite the fact that she was in metal armor.

She was laid down on the doctor's table and felt her teammate's hands pull out from under her back. Distantly, she heard him shout, "Get a doctore! Affrettatevi!" He held onto her hand, "Fabiola, stay with me, you're going to be alright!"

Too weak when a few coughs made her body convulse, she jolted like a doll being shaken about. Everything was so cold. The only warmth she could find was in Zaccaria's hand. She couldn't speak; her throat was closing up on her.

"Come on, talk to me, please," he pleaded, holding on a little tighter. "Let me know you're still here!"

Eyes half open, she looked to him with diolated pupils consuming most of her amber-flecked gray irises. Her hand returned his squeezing grip. "I-I..." She couldn't say any thing more, her voice just seemed to fail and she instead shuttered. The pain was starting to dull now, and her body was becoming warm with numb. Eyes darkening out.

"Let me see to this," another voice said.

She was only aware now of Zaccaria's hand around hers, the only thing keeping her tethered there. Maybe someone did get a doctor, she wasn't sure. And soon she let her failing eyes slip shut.

Fabiola woke up to see Zaccaria sitting at her bedside, his hand still holding hers. He was looking down at the floor with a blank stare, disconnected. Lightly, she gave his hand a squeeze, which was enough to snap his attention back to his surroundings.

He looked down at her and she gave him a weak smile. Sighing with relief, he smiled back and brushed some of her black hair from her face with a gentle thumb. "I thought you were done for."

She curtly nodded and let her head fall to the side as she closed her eyes again. "I wouldn't go without you..."

If you think about the timing of this, then this is more like a flashback story. Because this happened just before Marco and Zita were recruited.
Did anyone have that moment while playing where one of your recruits says something like that and then you defend them like no tomorrow so they don't die and you don't have to recruit another one? Because this happened to me and I thought I could make a short story out of this for you guys.