Chapter 28:

My eyes darted open, as if I was waking up from a nightmare. I'm staring at the top off a tree, watching as the sky peeks through its leaves. How long was I out? Better yet, where am I? I tried to sit up, but was met with an immense pain. I laid back against a tree root as the activities of yesterday replayed in my mind. Everything made sense, except for the part right before I blacked out. I surveyed my surroundings. Whoever saved me laid me down on a blanket under this tree, using the same blanket Alex put in my pack. I must have been out of it through the night, because whoever saved me built a fire; now a pile of burnt sticks. I tried to get up again, this time much slower. I must have a few broken ribs. Now that I'm sitting up I'm able to see a little better. My pack is three feet away from me; open, its contents visible. There are two medical kits lying next to it. Both are open and almost empty. That's when I notice something tight around my ribs. I put my hand under my shirt and found that someone wrapped my rib cage. The two bullet wounds on my arm have also been wrapped. I have a bandage across my left cheek bone and another one on the right side of my head, close to my hair line.

Someone fixed me up really well. And they even re-bandaged the cut, on my right arm, Bellamy had bandaged. Which reminds me, I need to find the others. Except… I don't know where I am. I used to tree as a brace to help me stand up. I walked around the tree very slowly, my hand never leaving it. But I stopped half way around the tree because I was overwhelmed by what I saw. All of the men that were chasing me are now lying dead in the middle of the woods. Okay, what happened? I continued around the tree and then stopped at my pack. Two medical kits. My pack only had one in it. My thoughts were broken by the sound of my name. I looked up from the ground and saw Caleb, holding a shotgun. He looked like he had been checking the perimeter. A look of relief flooded his face. He looked away as he exhaled and then started walking toward me. What is he doing all the way out here? The last I saw him was when he and Adonis left on some secret mission. He dropped his gun by the fire as he approached. For some reason, it brought tears to my eyes knowing that he wasn't dead and that he was okay. He wrapped his arms around me, hugging me without any amount of squeezing. We stood there in each other's embrace. When we finally broke apart, his concerned eyes scanned my face.

"It was you," I swallowed. "You saved me."

"Well… I had a little help." He replied. He helped me sit back down and then began telling me what happened. Caleb and Adonis had gone to investigate a rumor they'd heard about leftover food from before the nuclear war; some kind of food storage or something like that. They found the rumor to be true and then started making plans to get it all out. They loaded all of the food into something called a Helicopter. The plan is for them to fly over the Ark, dropping food as they go. Then they ran into some Mountain Men who claimed to be on our side. The men were going to help them leave when they heard on the radio that a team was sent after us. So instead of meeting up with everyone else, they came to help us. Apparently Adonis went with Bellamy's group and Caleb stayed to help me. The 'good' Mountain Men fought the 'bad' ones until all were dead.

"Right now they're keeping an eye out for any more Mountain Men."

"And you trust them?" I asked.

"No." Good. If he'd said yes I would've had to slap him. But it looks like someone already did. He had a bruise on his jaw and another one on his right cheek. "But, besides who their leader was they haven't given me a reason not to."

"Sounds like you're starting to think the way I do," I told him. "Nice plan by the way." He gave me a questioning look.

"Which one?"

"The one where you saved me. Then sent the others away, giving them something to do so they weren't hanging out around me; because if they tried something, you wouldn't have been able to stop them all by yourself and protect me at the same time. I thought you're enemies were supposed to be closer than your friends." He smiled.

"You really do have it all figured out, don't you?" he replied. "Besides… Who said we were friends?" He only acted like he was serious for about two seconds before he chuckled.

"I would laugh at you but I don't really feel like it, at the moment." I let that hang out there for a second before adding, "But seriously, Caleb." I looked straight at him, my eyes locking onto his. "Thank you. For everything. I'd be dead if it weren't for you."

"Anytime, Cara." He stood. "But don't sweet it; I'd always save you." He walked away with his rifle, leaving me speechless. 'I'd always save you'. Butterflies rose in my stomach as I thought of his words. I'm not completely sure as to why that always happens when I'm around him, but I don't care to know why. Every part of me is screaming for more. Every time I see him I release a breath I didn't know I was holding; the words that pass through his lips make me more nervous than I've ever been; and his skin on mine, my hand in his, is something that words couldn't even begin to explain. Eight years ago, after I learned of what Anya had done to my mom, every emotion that wasn't going to help me survive, I locked away. For eight years I've felt nothing but loss and pain and anger and betrayal; refusing to feel nothing but, for the chance that it could get me killed was too high. It's always been brain over heart. But ever since I met him… that's changed. And that scares me; following something I can't control, something that could get me killed. Which is really weird because being afraid of dying, isn't me. But things have changed, I've changed. He's changed me. Which is something Lincoln spent a lot of time trying to do. I'm tired of being alone. Let's face it, after all of this is over Jade and I will go our separate ways and Adonis and Alex probably will, too. Then I'll be alone. Again. Ugh, I don't know what to do.

I sat at the base of the tree for about twenty minutes, thinking about my dilemma as the woods slowly got darker. A twig snapped, startling me, followed by the click of a gun. Though injured, I was about to react when a few short words stopped me, "Don't even think about it." That is a voice I love to hate.

"Anya." I gritted my teeth. Something about that name leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. "Thought you'd be running back to daddy." There I go with my big mouth. She flipped the gun around in her hands and then hit me across the face with it. I fell to the side, landing on my injured arm. Again. Come on, Yachara. You'd like to see tomorrow, remember? "Well that was unexpected." Not really. I rolled onto my back and then wiped the blood from my cheek. "What do you want?" She starred at me for a minute.

"I'm just trying to figure out why it is that he wants you alive, so much." It can't be because of my good looks, can it? The 'he' in question here is Jacobsen. And I've been asking myself the same thing. But I think I know the answer and she's not going to like it. So do I lie or tell the truth? Right about now, any lie I come up with will be just as bad as the truth. But right now my life depends on whether or not she knows how to use that gun.

"Yeah, so have I." I wasn't concentrating on the tone of my voice, but instead trying to control my breathing. If I don't I'll feel like my chest will explode. I swallowed hard. "Maybe it's because he thought I was all that was left of my mother." It's a very good guess. But how am I supposed to know?

"How dare you continue to treat me like this." She hissed, "I took you in when you had nothing."

"Because you took everything from me!" I yelled. Adrenaline pumped through my veins as I stood, oblivious to the pain over taking my body. She quickly turned the gun around in her hands and pointed it at me. I took a couple steps forward. "You took me from my mother seconds before you killed her, then you separated me from my sister with the intent on killing her! Then as soon as I found out what you did, you tried to kill me and have been hunting me down ever since! Now here you stand, a gun in your hands, accusing me of mistreating you!" I wanted to keep going, but my body had had enough. My hand flew to my chest as I winced, my knees buckling beneath me. My knees slammed into the ground as my right arm shot forward, preventing me from falling any further. I wanted to take rapid, deep breaths but the pain was too great. My face was burning up and my head was pounding. All of it distracted me from her and what she was doing. But no matter how hard I tried, concentrating on her wasn't an option. Until something hard slammed into my side, shoving me into the tree. This time I heard and felt it; something broke inside of me when she kicked me. She pointed the gun at me again.

"Get up." Are you serious lady? You just kicked me when I was down, and now you want me to get up? I rolled my eyes and did as she said, even though it took five minutes. I was on my feet, gripping the tree, fearing if I let go I'd fall again. This is one of those times I wish I'd just pass out already. "I don't care what Daniel says, you are keeping me from a happy life. I'm ending this now." Her finger was pushing down on the trigger as something knocked her to the side. If the bullet did hit me, I wouldn't know. I looked down at Anya on the ground. She wasn't alone. Caleb was on top of her, holding her down. A couple of Mountain Men approached them, guns drawn. Caleb got off of her as two men took over. He stood up, brushing off his clothes, "And that, is how you do that." He said it like he was giving a demonstration. I closed my eyes and continued taking small breaths. A second later I felt someone touch my elbow.

"Yachara." I opened my eyes and saw Caleb. I suddenly felt light headed and lost some of my grip on the tree. Caleb caught me and then stood me back up. "You need to rest." Worry took over his voice as his eyes scanned me.

"You, need to stop doing that before it becomes a habit." I breathed.

"What, saving you? Never." My eyes darted to his. There are only two reasons why people risk their lives for someone else; because they don't care whether they live or die, or because they are in love and would rather die themselves than see the other die. What is it like, to love someone so much you'd die for them? I never knew such a thing existed; until now.

"How is it you always seem to know when I'm in danger?" Everything around me has disappeared; the Mountain Men taking Anya away, the birds chirping, the wind blowing through the trees, the pain in my chest.

"Call it a hunch." He replied. He wanted me to lie down and rest. But I had other plans. I grabbed a fist full of his shirt and pulled him into me. I pressed my lips to his before he could protest. His shoulders loosened as he gave in. Goose bumps rose on my arms as my heart beat faster. Caleb had one hand resting on my hip, keeping me up, and the other he pushed into the tree above my head. Sure, we've kissed before. But for me, it didn't mean anything. But this… this is real; something I never want to stop. The energy between us is the only thing keeping me standing. My grip on his shirt tightened and I pulled him closer. His chest bumped mine, sending a bolt of pain through my body. Reality came back faster than I thought it could.

"Ow." I winced as I pulled away.

"Are you okay?"

"Is this a trick question?" I was serious, but he didn't see it that way. He chuckled and then put an arm around my legs. He swept me off my feet in one quick move. Then he slowly got down on one knee and laid me down on the blanket.

"I hope you know I'll be watching to make sure you don't stop breathing."

"Welcome to the world without MHP." I replied. My eyes followed him as he walked around our camp. He gave the men orders I couldn't hear and then gathered wood. Just before night took over, he started the fire. I could see three more in the distance. Most likely from the men. He'd check on me every once in awhile, like he said. After we ate, he came over and laid down next to me. We used the top of the tent in my pack as a blanket. It didn't work as well, but it helped keep in some body heat. We laid there for an hour, Caleb determined to not fall asleep before I did. And eventually, sleep took over both of us; as I thought of my love for him.