"Gracie...are you awake?" I heard a soft voice ask me and I nodded slowly and sat up.
"You fainted...how are you feeling?" dad asked me and I looked at him.
"I'm fine...honest" I promised and dad began to help me stand up.
"You had us worried for a moment" grandfather said and he kissed the top of my head. I smiled shakily and began to follow them. Dad remained by my side with his hand in mine.
"Who was that boy?" he asked me and I looked at the floor.
"He's just someone I know" I said and dad groaned.
"I know that Gracie. But how do you know him? He was a Nazi for God's sake. And his mouth was on yours" dad pushed me and I told him the story of how we met.
"I'll kill Donovan...giving someone permission to rape my own daughter. I'll murder him with my own hands" dad complained and I remained silent.
...
He's dead. A Turkish soldier died just like that. We were inside the mountain temple and watching as Donovan and Elsa called forward another Turk to be murdered. I hardly noticed that we were being surrounded by Nazi soldiers. There were many of them and they bought the five of us to Donovan and Elsa.
"I never expected to see you again" Elsa spoke coldly to dad and he smirked.
"I'm like a bad penny. I always turn up." Dad replied.
"Step back now, Doctor Schneider. Give Doctor Jones some room. He's going to recover the Grail for us" Donovan spoke cockily and dad laughed.
"Impossible? What do you say, Jones. Ready to go down in history?" Donovan asked.
"As what? A Nazi stooge like you?" Dad asked "And besides...I want to kill you myself for allowing someone else permission to rape my daughter"
"She needed to be taught manners. It seems your parenting has been despicable" Donovan spat.
"I doubt that" dad spat "you are more like a Nazi than I thought."
"Nazi? - - Is that the limit of your vision? The Nazis want to write themselves into Grail legend and take on the world. Well, they're welcome. But I want the Grail itself. The cup that gives everlasting life. Hitler can have the world, but he can't take it with him. I'm going to be drinking my own health when he's gone the way of the Dodo. The Grail is mine, and you're going to get it for me" Donovan concluded and he drew out his pistol.
"Shooting me won't get you anywhere" dad said.
"You know something, Doctor Jones? You're absolutely right" he laughed and he pointed his gun somewhere else. The next thing I felt was something penetrate my skin.
"Gracie!" Dad yelled.
"Grace..." grandfather gasped.
I couldn't stand anymore. I fell to the floor and then felt dad kneel down beside me and his arm went around my waist and he lifted me up so that I could lean on him. He brushed my hair from my face and pressed his hand onto the blood.
"Dad..." I croaked.
"It's alright Gracie..." dad whispered and he turned to look at Donovan.
"I'll kill you!" he roared.
"You can't save her when you're dead. The healing power of the Grail is the only think that can save your daughter now. It's time to ask yourself what you believe." Donovan said.
I remained laid there...I don't remember grandfather replacing dad.
"Dad...I want dad..." I croaked and grandfather nodded.
"I know Gracie...he will be back soon..." he promised me. I began to feel cold. I could see the pool of blood I had let out but I couldn't feel its wetness through my clothes. I felt numb. Maybe death would be welcome if it was like this...feeling nothing...no pain. At that moment in time I welcomed death a little. I did feel my eyes close.
"Gracie...stay with us" he urged me but I didn't open my eyes. I didn't want to. It was like I was refusing to wake up to go to college. But I didn't want to wake up. I wanted to sleep.
...
"Hey Grace" I heard someone say my name and my eyes adjusted to the sunlight. I was being thrown around on something and I wondered if I had died.
"Is this heaven?" I asked and the person I was leant against chuckled.
"If that is what you want to call it...then yes" the person told me and I nodded and shut my eyes again.