Hey guys! Sorry I've been gone for a year. Don't really know why I'm so unreliable with this story. I'm sure you all hate me and don't even want to get back into the story so I apologize for that but it's not going to stop me from continuing to write it! So here's chapter 10!

WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS EXTREMELY GRAPHIC. THERE IS A SCENE WHERE THERE IS AN ATTACK THAT INDUCES A MISCARRIAGE. IF YOU WISH TO SKIP THIS PARAGRAPH, ONCE YOU READ "****** WAITED PATIENTLY AS HER HUSBAND FUMBLED WITH THE OLD, RUSTY LOCK TO THEIR FRONT DOOR."

For those of you who are still faithfully reading this fanfic I would like to thank you, and just know that you are awesome!

Jill could hear the soothing music of rain pattering on the rooftop. The smell of petrichor, a sweet musky smell, surrounded her senses. It was comforting, the kind of smell that is only achieved when it rains after a dry spell. Her body ached; her eyes unwilling to open and her limbs exhausted. Darkness filled her vision and she couldn't help but wonder where her friends were. She felt alone; her inability to sense anyone else only adding to her solitude. Jill did her best to focus on the soothing sound of rain, as she willed herself to push through the pain; pleads for death to end her suffering invading her thoughts. She tried to open her eyes but to no avail.

The group split up; Boone and Cass ran off to scavenge for some food and firewood while Ringo stood behind with Jill. He pressed his lips against the bottle of vodka he stole from Boone and threw his head back, taking an enormous gulp. His senses were distorted and he couldn't tell if it was from the vodka or the sudden downpour that hit the Mojave; he didn't quite care. Jill was going to die. He knew it; they all did. He tried talking to her after they left, telling her she was strong and he couldn't wait for her to wake up. He told her she was beautiful while cracking jokes in hopes that it would, at the very least, make her smile, he told her that he still needed to give her that mini dinosaur he bought her back in Novac. When nothing seemed to be working he decided to give it a break and go outside.

The sky began to rumble, a monstrous clap echoed throughout the Mojave, followed by a thunderous boom, vigorous enough to send vibrations throughout his body. Ringo tried his best to balance himself as he stumbled backwards. He poked his head inside of the tent and Jill was sound asleep still. He had hoped the thunder would have jolted her awake. He couldn't stop thinking about her. They were all worried about her. They all wanted to protect her and when she needed them most, they had all failed her. He couldn't help but blame himself for not stopping her from taking point.

If only I noticed that damn mine sooner. That traffic cone was odd… I should have known it was a trap! It's my fault Jill got hurt. I should have been in front. It should have been me who got blown up. I can't deal with this shit.

Ringo looked down at the half empty bottle of vodka in his hand and chugged the rest. He was falling apart even though he needed to stay strong for everyone else. He hid it well, keeping his composure when Boone and Cass were around. Boone didn't seem phased by it at all. If Jill dies he'll just go back to Novac and live out the rest of his life watching over that town. Cass will go on to start a new caravan and he'll have nothing. He could go to the strip, maybe, but he wouldn't have anything to do there or anyone to go to. She saved his life and gave him a second chance when those Powder Gangers were going to kill him. At least with Jill around he had a purpose and something to do: repay that favor and protect the woman who he's come to look at as his little sister.

Ringo never could handle the death of someone dear. Cass was a mess. She spent most of the time trying to hide the fact that she was crying. She was extra bossy, yelling at everyone to hurry the fuck up, but it was only a front. She was channeling her fear into anger but Ringo could see right through her act.

Tears welled up behind Ringo's eyes and he fought the urge to blink. He knew once he blinked he would have to admit that things really were as bad as they were. He continued to fight the urge until the burning sensation overpowered his will. He closed his eyes and tears began falling. He fell to his knees burying his face in his hands and began to sob.

Cass didn't find much and the same could be said for Boone. Overall they found some prewar shit that could be used as a base for their campfire, the only problem being that all the wood they found was drenched. They found a metal trashcan in the little hut when they returned, tossing whatever papers they found into the makeshift fire pit. Cass went through the drawers of the decrepit dressers and turned up some socks, a tie and a t-shirt. She threw those in the trashcan and poured some of her whiskey on top. Boone struck a match and dropped it inside and they watched the fire roar to life. Boone went over to his pack and pulled out a small frying pan and Cass decided he was a smart man.

Of course he would be prepared. I mean after all, I'm sure he's used to being on his own…. Must have been rough and I can definitely relate.

Cass shook the thought from her head as they all gathered around the makeshift campfire and Boone began to grill their Salisbury Steak. They ate in silence; not a single word uttered. Instead they listened to the soothing melody the rain played for them. Cass noticed Boone glancing at Jill every couple of minutes, determining he was just as worried as they were even if he didn't show it. Boone finished his steak quickly and walked over to Jill's side. Cass watched him as he lifted her head gently, pouring purified water in her mouth. She took shallow sips but was otherwise unresponsive.

"This damn storm complicated things." Boone started. "We're stuck until it passes."

"It's just rain, we could still make it to a doctor." Ringo stated.

"I'm with Boone on this one." Cass sighed. "It's not just rain. We saw some lightning earlier and it's still thundering. We would be putting ourselves and Jill at risk, and I swear to fucking god if this bitch dies, there will be hell to fucking pay." Cass took a deep breathe, continuing. "I've been to a lot of shitty fucking places; I haven't lived in the Mojave my whole life. Back in Boston there were some really bad fucking storms. Radiation used to blow in randomly from The Glowing Sea and holy shit was that fucking bad. The only place you were safe was inside a goddamn house or some shit like that. The thunderstorms out there were just like this, and I know about two people who were struck by lightning and died. It's a small chance that we would get struck but I'm not risking that shit. Jill is too fucking important, to all of us."

"You're fucking kidding right?" Ringo slammed his hands down on the ground. "There's no fucking way I'm going to let rain get in the way of us saving Jill!"

"Calm down." The anger in Boone's voice was clear. "Or I'll knock you out. We don't need to be fighting. She might be unconscious but she can still hear us. So sit the fuck down and relax."

"Ringo!" Cass yelled before he could say anything else. "I don't like this shit either but we need to think about all the risks. Let's get some rest. This shit should pass in a couple of hours."

"Agreed." Boone replied. "Let's rest up while we can."

Ringo didn't bother to argue any longer; instead he grabbed his pack and turned it into a makeshift pillow. Boone followed his lead and they both proceeded to lie down on the floor. Cass took one last swig of her whiskey before joining them. She lied there with her eyes open, staring at the ceiling. She occasionally shifted her focus to Jill; making sure she was still breathing.

The others fell asleep quickly but Cass was wide awake. She was too worried about Jill to sleep and decided to get up and check on her. She pulled up the single chair they had next to Jill's bed and sat down. Jill looked terrible. Her body bruised and cut; blood seeping through her bandages. It pained Cass to see Jill like this. She missed her upbeat attitude and optimism; they could really use some of that right now. Cass reached out and grabbed Jill's hand and quickly withdrew. Jill's temperature was dropping; she was freezing cold. Cass hastily scanned the room in search of a blanket or some kind of jacket. She spotted an old tattered curtain. She ran over and grabbed it, noting that it was thicker than it looked. She quickly draped it over Jill and sat back down.

"Don't you fucking die on me, you hear?" Cass threatened. "I'll kick your fucking ass Jill."

Cass grabbed Jill's hand and held it tight. She closed her eyes and for the first time in her life; she prayed.

Jill had been slipping in and out of consciousness, trying to focus on the rainfall whenever she heard it. She felt as if she had been hit in the face by a Power Fist. Occasionally she would hear a loud boom and followed by a vibration.

I can feel something, that's gotta be a good sign!

Jill smiled at the thought as she slowly drifted back out of consciousness. She felt something warm touch her hand and relaxed at the sensation as she slowly drifted back into her dream world.

Boone was jolted out of his slumber by Cass. The rain had stopped and she was ready to get moving again. He gathered their things and picked Jill up while Cass woke Ringo. As soon as they were ready, they headed out. Boone stuck to the back, holding Jill tight while Cass and Ringo took point, ready to fire at anything that moved. They hurried along the battered strip of highway, their surroundings turning into a blur.

"We're going to pass the 188 Trading Post in a little bit, let's restock there and continue on, okay?" Ringo called out.

"Roger that fucker." Cass replied, giving him a thumbs up.

Boone snarled at them. They didn't have time to stop and shop around; Jill needed a doctor and fast. As they neared the outpost a woman in robes gasped. She ran over to them and began to speak.

"Oh my god! Please, let me help you!" The woman pleaded.

"We're in a rush." Boone said. "We need to get her to The Followers of the Apocalypse in Freeside ASAP."

"That's fine. I can stabilize her condition. I have a decent amount of medical knowledge." She informed the group. "Lie her down on the ground and let's see what I can do. What happened to her?"

"A mine." Cass admitted.

"She's lucky she didn't lose any limbs." She began to examine Jill. "Alright, I have some good news and some bad news. Good news is that her wounds have begun to clot which is stopping the bleeding. The bad news is that she's lost a lot of blood and her chances of survival right now are low. Let me grab a couple things and I'll be right back."

The robed woman took off before anyone could interject, leaving them to wait in anticipation.

"You guys go stock up; I'm going to wait with Jill." Boon ordered.

Without missing a beat Ringo and Cass took off to do some trading. Boone spotted the woman running towards them with supplies in her hand.

"If you're squeamish then I suggest you look away." She stated.

She grabbed a needle and stuck it in Jill's arm, taking a couple tries before she found a vein. She then proceeded to connect a blood pack to it and squeezed it slowly. She handed it to Boone and instructed him to do the same as she did. He obliged and she continued her work. She had a medical brace and attached it to her right leg stating that it was most likely broken. She then injected her with three stimpacks, hoping that it would buy the group enough time to get Jill to Freeside. She also stated that it should help with any pain she might be feeling.

"That's about all I can do for her here. I'll help you guys get her to Freeside."

"Thank you but it's dangerous and we don't need more people slowing us down." Boone said coldly.

"What?!" The woman was annoyed. "I can handle my own. Just let me help you get her to Freeside!"

"Why do you care what happens to her? You've done enough already, we don't need another person to look after." Boone added.

"I wanted to help her, for two reasons if you must know. For one, she was injured and believe it or not I'm one of the few people in the wasteland that actually cares about others. And second, she has a Pip Boy 3000 and I want to ask her about it when she gets better." The woman admitted.

Cass and Ringo joined back up with them and caught the end of the conversation.

"So what do you say? I'm not a defenseless little girl." She whipped out a power fist and smiled.

"Just let her tag along Boone." Cass said casually. "The more the fucking merrier."

"Fine." Boone's tone flat. "What's your name?"

"Veronica! At your service." She smiled from ear to ear.

"Nice to meet ya, I'm Cass. That's Boone that you've been dealing with." She smiled. "And that fucker over there is Ringo."

"Howdy." Ringo shook Veronica's hand.

"It's so nice to formally meet you guys. But I think we've wasted enough time here, right Boone?" She tilted her head and smiled as she closed her eyes.

Boone grunted and picked Jill back up. He wasn't happy about yet another traveling companion but was sure Jill wouldn't mind when she woke up.

If she wakes up….

Ringo took point this time while Cass covered the rear. Veronica was keeping a steady pace next to Boone, changing blood packs as needed as they ran towards Freeside. If anyone got close Boone figured Veronica could fight them off while he fled with Jill and the others. Nothing was going to get in their way of saving her.

Vulpes couldn't stop thinking about that woman from Nipton. The way her tits bounced around as she fought ferociously. He made sure to assign some of his men to keep tabs on her. When one of them reported back that she had been injured and her friends were rushing to get her to Freeside he felt anger.

How dare they allow such a magnificent woman to be injured that severely! I have to do something! That woman can't die unless it's at my hands after I have my way with her.

Vulpes decided he needed to keep a closer eye on her personally. He grabbed his belongings and went to go see Caesar. He would ask for permission to go and spy on the dissolute that littered The Strip. Freeside was only two days away. It would take some persuading but Caesar always gave into him and let him do whatever he wanted. He would see that woman again and when he did, he was going to make her beg for it.

There was a little girl whose hand was intertwined with a man's. She giggled as they watched the sunset paint the sky a crisp orange. Sun shafts peeked through the trees as the setting sun reflected off a lake in the distance. A smile was all that could be seen on the little girls face. The man opened his mouth but his words were mute. The little girl giggled some more and clenched his hand tighter. The image shifted; it was the little girl again. She was sitting at a table with a bowl of noodles in front of her. She took a gulp of her Nuka Cola and continued to eat. A man patted her on the head gently, offering a smile. His face was rugged; wrinkled and weathered. He had a vertical scar on his face, starting above his eyebrow and ending a couple inches under his eye. Music played in the background; people flooding the tables all around them.

These scenes stirred up a feeling of warmth inside of Jill; she belonged here. The images changed once again..

There was blood everywhere; all that could be heard were the cries of a little girl. The man that was always smiling was lying on the floor dead; the man that brought her so much comfort. A gun was pressed up against the little girls temple. There were two men sporting extravagant suits. They demanded she come with them. When she refused, they insisted, dragging the little girl off; townsfolk hearing nothing but her wailing cry. She pleaded with the men, begging them to let her go; they had other plans for her.

The images changed several times now, depicting pictures of her going through vigorous training. Hand to hand combat, marksmanship, and stealth. They taught her how to lock pick, how to fight with a blade, and how to fight with a pole. Over the course of the next several years she honed her skills. She excelled at hand to hand combat and stealth. She was a decent shot, ranking 3rd in her class of kidnapped children. They did their best to brainwash her, but she was able to retain a portion of her true self. Her will was strong. When she didn't listen, they would beat her. They used fear to control all who opposed them. Jill quickly learned what the consequences of disobedience brought. She always did what she was told; then one day she snapped. She watched her only friend in that hellhole get beaten to death. She used her wit and skills over the following months to plan her revenge.

Armed with just a knife and bobby pin, Jill went to work. She picked the lock to her room door with ease; quickly dropping into a crouch and hugging the shadows. They trained her well; it was their biggest mistake. She disposed of the guards she came across with ease. They didn't see- or hear- her coming. As she made her way to their leader's quarters, all she could think about was slowly slitting his throat. She approached his door and held her knife close. She slowly slid the door open; careful not to make a sound. As she stepped through the doorway a hand grabbed her throat and shoved her against the wall. Her eyes widened as she saw the man kick her knife across the room after she accidentally dropped it. The man who killed her father and her only friend was staring in the face. His eyes were cold; his face riddled with scars. His jawline was strong, his hair short, and his nose defined. He was clean cut; the hair on his head maybe an inch long. He was trying to snuff the life out of her.

Her training kicked in. She grabbed his forearm, digging her chin down into his hand. She took her other hand and forcefully palmed his elbow upward. She was rewarded with the sound of a crack. She wasted no time; she raised her arms into a defensive stance and shot out a quick jab. It connected with his face and stunned him long enough for her to assess her surroundings. The only weapon she had access to were her surroundings, she just needed to find something she could utilize.

In a fit of rage, her captor charged at her. As he threw a punch at her, she quickly ducked and extended her leg, using his momentum against him, and connected her foot with his knee. He let out a scream of pain and his bones gave way, causing his knee to bend backwards. He fell to the ground and Jill wasted no time snatching her assailants knife out of his holster.

"This is for my father…and for Kaiden."

Those were the last words that man would ever hear as she slid his knife across his throat. Jill was showered in blood as it spewed out of the gash. She spat on his body as he bled out. She spotted his terminal and clicked it to life. She overrode the locking system, freeing all of the captives. She used this to her advantage as she made her way to the armory; the riot neutralizing any resistance she would have met. She grabbed enough C-4 from the armory to destroy a town. She planted the charges and made her way over to the intercom system. She advised anyone still living to evacuate immediately before she blew this prison to hell.

It only took her five minutes to get out of the building and far enough from the blast radius. Once she felt she was safe, she took cover and pushed the button on her detonator. She watched the night sky light up red, chunks of cement and metal flying in every direction. Her hair blew wildly as the shockwave reached her. Dancing flames began to fade as she ventured further away from whatever innocence she left behind. On that day, a killer was born.

Veronica did her best to keep Jill alive as they rushed to Freeside. She noticed Jill was stirring around, her body jolting every now and them. Jill's hand twitched randomly, as if she was having a nightmare. She examined Jill more carefully as best as she could while they ran, and noticed what she feared most.

"We gotta pick up the pace guys!" Veronica shouted. "She's begging to enter the REM state of her sleep, which isn't a good sign."

Cass grunted. "What the fuck is REM?"

"Rapid eye movement." Veronica explained.

"Isn't that good though? It means she's dreaming." Ringo questioned.

"Right, under normal circumstances it would be. This is just speculation but if I had to guess, I would have to say that her life is flashing before her eyes so to speak. It's the brains way of coping with impending death." Veronica sighed. "I could be wrong, and trust me, I hope I am but I've seen this before. Her body is twitching and I'm afraid she might go into shock. If she does, we'll most likely lose her."

Veronica hoped more than anything she was wrong. They picked up the pace as much as they could as they raced against the clock. If her calculations were correct they would reach The Followers of the Apocalypse in an hour if they kept this pace.

Jill was barely clinging to life. She had been wandering the desert for four days now with little water and no food. Her stomach was in knots and she felt as though she was going to pass out any second. She saw a figure in the distance and waved her arms as she called out for help.

Please don't let this be a mirage. I can't die out here. Not after finally breaking free.

The figure drew closer and she couldn't make out any of their features. It was just a black shadow.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" A voice called out. "If it isn't the woman who has been a thorn in my side. My scouts reported your headquarters blew up, how fortunate for you that you survived." The voice was cold, lacking any sympathy for her condition. "You took out more than half of my lieutenants while under Baldwins employ. I should kill you where you stand."

"I'd like to see you try, fucker." Jill spat. Her body was weak but she wasn't going down without a fight.

"See, that's the attitude I love." The figure chuckled. "I could kill you, but that would be a waste of talent. It's also not my style to off someone who is already on the brink of death. I have a proposition for you."

"You'd better kill me now." Jill's voice cold. "There's nothing you could say that I would agree too."

"That's a shame." The voice purred. "And to think, I could have helped you track down the people who murdered your mother if you would have just accepted to work for me."

"You liar!" Jill said aggressively, unable to control her emotions. "My mother died because she was sick!"

"That's not true." They claimed. "Your father, Marcus, only told you that to spare you the truth. She was kidnapped and murdered. I have it all recorded. I have eyes and ears everywhere in The Mojave, child."

They dropped a holotape on the ground, and a bag full of caps.

"The nearest town is three clicks northwest of here. Get yourself fixed up and a meal. Play the tape, and I'll be in contact with you in a couple days."

The figure disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. Jill stared at the ground for a moment. She swallowed hard and picked up the holotape and bag. She made her way northwest. She would at least find out what was on the tape.

Jill managed to reach the town in a couple hours and found an inn. She ordered a hot meal and some refreshing water, heading to her room after she finished. There was an old terminal on a desk and she popped the tape in and began to watch it. Tears fell from her eyes as she watched her mother get beaten, gang raped, and murdered. Her heart broke all over again. As she lied down, she made up her mind; she was going to do whatever it took to avenge her mother's death, just like she did with her father and Kaiden.

Once again the scene changed. A tall, muscular man held her close, whispering sweet words into her ear. She blushed at his touch, his words melting her heart. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and smiled warmly. They exchanged the words 'I love you' and set off to their destination; their home. Jill was married, in love, and the happiest she had ever been in her life. This man swept her off her feet, accepting her, even her constant paranoia. Her past didn't scare him away; she told him everything.

Jill was having trouble piecing together the timeline of everything she's seen so far, but that was fine. She was enjoying this moment of her life. The last time she was truly this happy was before her father was murdered. Their fingers were intertwined as they made their way down the old, dusty highway.

Her memory changed again. She was three months pregnant, and *%&^#$ has given her time off from 'work' until she had the baby. Her husband was ecstatic when she told him the news. She wanted nothing more than to have a family, and her wish was finally coming true. Nothing in the world could ruin this feeling, it was pure bliss. Before she could enjoy the moment any longer, her brain fast forwarded once again.

Arcade was sitting in his tent reading when he heard a commotion outside. There was yelling, followed by a lot of profanity. Arcade decided to peek outside, instantly regretting it.

"Hey you!" A redheaded woman screamed. "She's fucking dying and these dickwads won't do anything to fucking help her."

"Quickly, get her in here!" Arcade yelled. "I assure you it's just a misunderstanding; we're here to help everyone."

"Well then help my fucking friend!" The red head spat.

Sheesh, I can already tell I'm going to have a hard time with this one.

"Calm down Cass." A man said. He sported a barrette with the NCR logo on it. "Yelling isn't going to make them help us."

"I need to know what happened to your friend, and then to examine her to properly assess the situation." Arcade said as he waved over a couple assistants.

A short woman wearing scribe robes and equipped with a Power Fist explained the situation and informed Arcade of her medical assessments, as well as informing him what she was able to do to prolong her survival.

"Put her down on the table." Arcade commanded. "Nurse, I need forceps, some medical braces, bandages, disinfectants, a scalpel, and a needle… Oh and some surgical suture."

Arcade removed her bandages and examined her injuries. They were worse than they looked. It's a miracle she's survived this long. This woman has a strong will to survive, that's for sure. He turned and addressed the group.

"I need all of you to wait outside. This is going to take a while and I'm going to do my best to save your friend. I'm not going to lie, it doesn't look good and it's a miracle she hasn't died yet. However, the fact that she has survived this long is a good sign, now if she can only hold out a little longer."

"I'm not leaving her side." The group said in harmony.

"I understand you're concerned about her, but the best thing you can do for her right now is to wait outside and let me do my job. I don't mean to sound harsh but you will only get in my way."

With a symphony of sighs, they reluctantly exited the tent. Arcade made a request for anesthesia, and began getting to work. It would take a lot of careful precision to get the shrapnel out of her.

Jill waited patiently as her husband fumbled with the old, rusty lock to their front door. The key finally turned and they were rewarded with a soft click. He turned the knob and they walked through their doorway. As Jill closed the door behind them, she heard footsteps and quickly turned to see four men inside their house. One had a metal baseball bat, another had a knife, and the remaining two pointed shotguns directly as them.

"It's nothing personal." One of the men announced. "Just doing our job."

Jill's husband quickly stepped in front of her to shield her when one of the men opened fire. The shotgun blast blowing out his kneecap, and he collapsed to the ground. Jill was nearing the end of her second trimester but that wasn't going to stop her from defending her family. She thanked her paranoia for making her carry a knife on her at all times. She quickly snapped the sheath on her belt off and grabbed her knife. She threw it as hard as she could and watched as the blade disappeared in the knife wielding thugs skull. His body dropped and in an instant, one of the gunmen smacked her knee with the barrel of his shotgun. She dropped to the ground and let out a cry. Her husband crawled towards her, fear in his eyes. The thug with the baseball bat brought it down on him, and a metal ping could be heard as it connected with his back. He grunted in pain as Jill watched it all unfold.

"Get her first." One thug called out.

Jill turned her focus on the closest thug as he made his way over to her. She scouted her surroundings and cursed herself for not having anything she could utilize as a weapon near her. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her stomach as the thug swiftly kicked her. She screamed out in fear.

Not my baby! I'll fucking kill all of them before I let them hurt my baby!

One of the shotgun thugs forced her husband to watch as they kicked and punched her in the stomach. The one with the bat swung hard, and she felt a warm liquid seeping out of her vagina as the blow connected with her stomach. Jill began screaming relentlessly as her husband watched her bleed as they began to lose their baby. She screamed at the top of her lungs, calling out for help. The thugs were laughing as she bled out, entering the premature labor of their most likely dead baby. Her white sundress now stained crimson red. She pleaded for them to stop, causing them to laugh harder. She watched as they shifted their attention to her husband, and her gaze met his. She whispered 'I love you' and he tearfully replied 'I love you too' before the thug pulled the trigger. His head exploded and blood and brain matter sprayed in every direction. Jill screamed out, her heart breaking as she loses the two things she cherished most in this world.

"This is just a warning. Tell *^&%$ not to fuck with us."

As the thugs left Jill began to crown. She pushed through the sobs, knowing all too well that her baby didn't survive. After what felt like forever, Jill was left crying, clinging onto their would be baby, in a pool of blood as she stared at her husband's headless body.

Just as Arcade was confident that the woman on his operating table would survive, she made a turn for the worse. Her body started convulsing and she began to bleed from her ears and nose. She was going into shock. The heart monitor began beeping rapidly, and seconds later her friends were running into the tent. Screams and curses were flying all around the room and Arcade was doing his best.

"I need 30 CC's stat!" Arcade yelled as the nurses fumbled to bring him the medicine hastily.

He quickly injected her with a liquid and watched as her body began to convulse violently, she was having a seizure. He counted the seconds, praying she would stabilize.

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven." Arcade continued to count.

At twelve seconds she flat lined and he quickly began to perform CPR.

"Get me the paddles A-S-A-P!" He commanded.

He applied pressure to her upper left side of her chest, pushing down heavily as he pumped her chest while counting to five. He pinched her nose shut and blew air into her mouth. He continued this process four more times before they brought the paddles. Screams and cries echoed though the tent as her friends panicked.

Arcade ripped her shirt open and placed the paddles on her bare chest. "Clear!" He yelled, and her body jolted, but to no avail. Once again, he pressed the paddles to her chest. "Clear!" But nothing happened. He repeated the process two more times, but her heart was still stopped. A nurse had an old fashioned breathing mechanism attached to Jill's mouth, squeezing the balloon shaped section repeatedly. Arcade pressed the paddles to her chest one last time. "Clear!"

He looked at his watch and opened his mouth. "Time of death: 13:45" He sighed.

The red head let out a shriek and began crying uncontrollably.

Just as Arcade was about to take off his surgical mask and gloves, Jill jolted upward and let out an ear piercing scream.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH! GAAAAAAAAAAHHHH! AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

Before Arcade could give her more anesthesia; her body fell limp on the operating table, and her heart faintly began beating again. He couldn't believe that her heart had started up again on its own, and that she stabilized so quickly. The room filled with a symphony of relieved sighs.

"She seems to have stabilized, it shouldn't be much longer. I've removed most of the shrapnel and stitched her up. Just a little bit longer and I'll be finished. Afterwards we'll need to keep an eye on her and make sure her condition doesn't worsen." Arcade offered them a smile as he shooed them out of the tent again.