Lightning peered on ahead through the trees to the wide open clearing where the hidden bunker lay in wait, quiet, patrolled by four roaming guards in the immediate vicinity. She scanned the area, expertly picking out two others on the far side under the cover of trees. Lightning ducked back down under the brush and trekked back into the forest.
"How's it look?" Snow asked, voice hushed to keep from being overheard. He needn't have bothered. Short of screaming out their plans, they were relatively safe from sound travel.
"There's four on the door, and more hidden in the trees. At least two, but possibly an army." Lightning considered her fighters seriously. "They're armed." She waited a beat to let that register and sink in. "If anyone wants to leave-"
"We're not going anywhere." Cid interrupted gravely.
"Yeah, man," Gadot punched Cid in the arm amiably, missing the dark look he received for it. "Our brother's in there! No way we're gonna leave Fang to get all body-adjusted when looking like that!" Gadot caught Lightning's eyebrow. "Dude, come on! Fang's pretty hot. I thought so even before she claimed womanhood."
"Fang's physique has started to grow on me..." Rygdea agreed.
"See?" Gadot shouldered his support, tossing an arm around Rygdea. "Rygdea knows too, man! Fang's a hottie!"
Serah shook her head dismissively, wondering how she'd never noticed Gadot's pubescent maturity before. "So what's the plan, Claire?"
"They have guns," Lightning reiterated. "We can't stick together, we'd be too easy to target. We need some kind of distraction..." Lightning's eyes roved over the group and paused when they reached Vanille, considering.
"So we'll split," Snow nodded. "You said some of 'em are in the trees? Two of us should flank 'em."
Lightning agreed. "Cid and Rygdea, that one's yours. You're quieter than these two."
"Snow and I can charge whatever you want, Light! We'll boulder a way through for you!"
Lightning batted an eye, gaze returning to Vanille once more.
"Where can I help?"
Lightning turned to her sister, scanning Serah before flicking to Vanille and the weakened Rafford, leaning heavily on a tree. Lightning felt guilty about the necessity of bringing him, but there hadn't been time to nurse Rafford back to health. "I need you to take Rafford home, Serah." Serah opened her mouth to protest, but Lightning beat her to the punch. She put her hands on Serah's shoulders, eyes softening. "You're not a fighter. I don't want you to get hurt."
Serah's eyes watered. "I can help. I want to help."
Lightning nodded in Rafford's direction. "Rafford needs your help. He hasn't eaten anything beside that apple and bread you fetched him in two days. You can take care of him. And we still need to get in touch with Mom and Dad- I want you to go home, take care of Rafford, and keep trying to get through to them."
Serah swallowed. "Claire..."
"Please, Serah. One person I love is already at risk, and I'm putting four others in danger because of it. I can't let you get hurt too."
Serah's jaw trembled. She hugged Lightning tightly, squeezing her anxieties out on her sister. "I'm gonna kill you if you die out there." Serah mumbled, serious and frightened.
Lightning squeezed her back kindly and kissed Serah's forehead before pulling away. She gave her sister a brave smile, to which Serah lowered her eyes, doubt and worry burning through her with the aggravation that she couldn't be allowed to do more. Serah turned to Vanille defeated, shoulders slumped. "Van?"
Vanille was already on her way over, hugging Serah around the shoulders as they prepared to backtrack out.
"Vanille, wait." Lightning tilted her head towards Rafford. "Serah, take him. Vanille will follow in a minute." At Serah's half-horrified, half-astounded look, Lightning added. "She won't be in any danger. I promise."
Vanille leaned in and kissed her, doing her best to reassure Serah, who relented when Vanille touched her lips.
"Whoa! Dude, check it!" Gadot hit Snow to pay attention as Vanille soothed her girlfriend. "Your wannabe-girlfriend's into chicks, man!"
Snow gaped.
A heavy flush crept up Serah's cheeks as she pulled away. "Hey," Vanille's calming voice insisted, dragging Serah's self-conscious eyes back from the obnoxious boys. "I'll be right behind you, okay?"
Serah gulped, wrapping her arms around Vanille snugly, who held her tightly, whispering those reassuring nothings she wouldn't have the power to keep. Vanille brushed her cheek lightly and kissed the spot before helping both Serah and Rafford onto one of the horses they'd rode from the castle. Vanille gave her girl one last assuring look and slapped the beast's hind quarters to start it off.
"Vanille," Vanille turned at her name with Serah still staring back and gathered back to the group of them.
"What do you want me to do?" Vanille asked faithfully.
"You can call chocobos, right? I want you to call me a horde of chocobos. However many you can gather. We need a good distraction."
"You want me to… " Vanille bit her lip. Calling her chocobo friends would be deliberately putting the birds into danger. She had no doubt about what Lightning wanted her to order them to do, and it very well could be to their deaths on her command. Her ties with the fluffy animals were as strong as Lightning would feel about her own horse; the chocobos' trust in her would be shaken, even if she told them what she wished of them beforehand, of the danger involved. Chocobos didn't answer just any call, only those trusted and deemed worthy; she might very well sacrifice the sacred bond she held with them.
"Please, Vanille." Lightning begged, knowing the gravity of what she asked. Vanille could see the regret in her eyes at having to request at all. "It's for Fang." Vanille knew Lightning was right; to save her best friend, she would have to risk her friends and bond. It was just…difficult. She hated the thought of calling the chocobos and not being answered, or turning any of the beautiful beasts over to their probable graves. Guilt sat heavily in Vanille's belly. She paled, "Okay," Vanille agreed, trying not to feel queasy.
"Just… just a minute," Vanille turned, facing the opposite way of the forest, then glanced back at Lightning. "They'll be loud, but they'll be here quick." Lightning nodded, noting to hug and comfort Vanille for this later.
Vanille crossed to the chocobos she and Rygdea had ridden here; she spoke to the animal softly in her own tongue before starting to kweh in a manner that didn't echo as remotely human. Lightning was struck by the noise; she would have thought Vanille a full blooded chocobo, had she not been standing just there to see it happen. The chocobo listened for a moment, then bound off into the woods kwehing at a high pitch.
"Alright, Light." Gadot summoned her attention right back, "So you want me and Snow, the Bash Brothers to bust the door in?" Gadot nudged his friend. Snow didn't react, still staring off into the trees.
"Something like that," Lightning confirmed, "But wait so it's during the chocobo assault. I imagine the door is guarded with the highest technology, so we're going to have to get the hand scan or retina check or voiceover from the guard to get in. You two are the biggest here and visually the most intimidating. I need you to use that to find the way in. Snow, you should be the one to do the talking." Lightning looked to him for confirmation, but he didn't even appear to have heard her. "Snow," Lightning repeated, snapping her fingers in front of his face to break the trance.
Snow blinked, eyes turning back to her with slow recognition and confusion. "Sorry," Snow apologized, shaking his head. "What?"
Lightning huffed once. "Attack the front with the chocobos; intimidate the guard to find a way in. Cid and Rygdea are bringing up the rear. I'll take the Guards attention at the front. We'll meet at the door once they're all taken out. If we're swarmed by too many of them, just find a way through that door, signal for me, and fall back. Nobody's dying out here on my command."
"But-"
Lightning waved Cid off before the protests could start. "When the chocobos thin, fall back. That's an order. This'll all have to be quick; I don't know how they'll deal with the chocobos, but it stands a great possibility that they'll shoot them. If our cover breaks too thin, fall back and I will snake in alone- rescuing Fang is more important than anything else, even setting the charges. Be ready to listen for my commands on your earbuds. We'll play it by ear, but you know what to do if the birds thin too much. Does everyone know what they're doing?"
Rygdea shouldered his high-power laser gun confidently while Cid took out his staff. "We've got your back, Light." Lightning turned back to Snow, who'd lost all of his usual enthusiasm and merely nodded once. Lightning winced, even as Gadot nudged him again. Snow's melancholy going into the face of battle was enough to get him killed; she chanced one look Vanille's way to see the chocobos hadn't arrived yet before she cocked her head to the bigger man, signaling him.
Snow took the hint and stepped aside with her, not without his eyes falling on Vanille first momentarily. "Snow," Lightning dragged his attention back. "I'm sorry you found out this way," Lightning started, startling Snow with the genuine tone of apology. "It was only recent. She would've told you otherwise."
Snow lowered his head, giant paw rubbing at the back of his neck. "Light. You don't have to… soften for me." he winced.
"Don't dwell on it, Snow." Lightning advised. "Serah's a young teenager and you're her friend. That hasn't changed, and I'm pretty sure she'd be damned upset to hear that her gentleman first crush was killed in a rescue for my girlfriend because he couldn't stop being distracted by her relationship status." Snow bit his tongue, averting his eyes. Lightning's opinion on his interest had been made clear, of course. It was a sister's job to protect the younger from lustful older men, but he could barely help how he felt about her. Snow was happy to be her friend, but the shock of seeing her kiss Vanille like that, when she'd so clearly crushed on him… "She still cares about you, Snow. Looks up to you. I know she'd want to keep you as a friend, if you really care about her like that."
"I do, Light." Snow insisted, exhaling nervously. "I just- ugh." Snow rubbed the back of his neck. "I won't let it distract me while out there, I promise."
Lightning still had her doubts. Snow needed more of a boost. "She still thinks you're cute, you know."
Snow's eyes lit up like firecrackers. "Really?"
"Not that you're to act on it," Lightning warned, "But yeah. She does."
Snow rubbed at his neck, something reflective of admonished, disappointment present, but shadowed with a dab of hope. "First cute crush, you said?" Lightning resisted the accompanying eyeroll. Snow half smiled, a little sheepish, still sad. "You'll… uhm, you'll let me be her friend still?"
"If Serah wants that, I will allow it, yeah. But first thing I'd do upon our return is apologize to her. She's probably scared of you, drunkenly coming on to her like that."
Snow's features twisted, half-guilty, half-fearful. "You heard about that?"
Lightning shook her head. "Be her friend, Snow. She'd appreciate one right now, if you gave the genuine effort."
Snow sighed, still affected, but Lightning could trust he wouldn't run headlong into a bullet now. "Thanks, Light. Just… thanks."
Kweh, Kwehh, kwweeh, kweeeh, kweeeeeehhh!
Lightning glanced back, finding an army of different types and color of chocobos arriving through the trees to Vanille's call. "Looks like we're ready." Snow observed.
Lightning steeled herself, "Come on, Snow. It's time to save Fang."
XXX
Asael hadn't winced when looking at her this time, but rather emanated a wave of sadness when he cut her out of her clothes. He'd paused at the sight of a bra, eyes flicking to Fang regretfully, and let her keep her underclothes for the moment, sparing Fang's dignity as long as he could. Fang still had tears in her eyes, despite her best effort to spare them both the additional heartbreak. She couldn't stop thinking of Lightning. I don't want it to be hard for her to adjust to my body. Fang steeled her jaw against more tears. I like the way we fit, perfectly with each other. What if… what if I don't mesh with her as a man?
Fang loved how aroused they could get together. She trusted that Lightning would stay with her; Lightning had more than proved she loved her enough that way, with all the adjustments she'd made thus far, but Fang didn't know how she'd be able to cope with a full-body change. Sexuality was internal, and Lightning was no bi. She found her fellow girls attractive. What if… What if she couldn't find Fang attractive? With every time they went to bed being an unpleasant, difficult experience for her, one she couldn't get excited about… Fang didn't want that for her. Their love shouldn't be a chore. Would she even be okay to look at her? Or would she always see what her father had done to her, being incapable of handling the change inflicted, and otherwise lose all passion in their relationship?
Fang's chest hurt, though Asael still drew on her lower stomach, markering in the lines she'd be cut upon. She felt a thumb then, brushing away a tear that leaked from the side of her eyes. Fang's vision focused on her father, who stood over her sorrowful. He lifted the marker and hesitated, almost asking for her permission. "Tell me about her, Fang." Asael requested softly, "Tell me about Lightning."
"She's incredible, Dad," Fang's eyes blurred again as the cold tip of the marker touched her cheek, "She's everything I never dreamed of; smart and beautiful, capable and…" Fang's throat dried up with the thought of those pretty eyes looking at her so fondly. "…and mine." More tears dripped down from Fang's eyes, blemishing the still-wet marker line with a stain of her tears. Fang closed her eyes to escape it. "I love her. I love her so much, I'd die for her in a heartbeat."
"You won't have to." Asael promised, lifting the marker from her face. Fang felt him fingering her bra. Her stomach pitched. She shut her eyes tighter against it.
A low rumble started padding the earth. Asael paused, brow furrowing enough to glance back and up at the ceiling from their basement location underground the bunker. Even Fang opened her eyes; the ceiling revealed nothing, but the rumble grew louder. They both stared for a long moment in coming as the stampede only slightly trembled the earth. Fang's heart jumped to her throat. She's here!
Asael seemed to have the same realization. He turned back to Fang, putting a hand on Fang's forehead. "I'm sorry, Fang."
Fang's bra snipped at the cut of a blade.
XXX
"Gadot!" Lightning's head shot up at the cry where Gadot, rounding the corner of the bunker with Snow, held his shoulder as Snow went to whaling on the guy. He winced, pulling something from the wound and looked at it in his palm.
"Shit!" Lightning shot away from where Rygdea and Cid expertly hacked the metal doorway. She came upon Gadot in a rush, hand lifting to probe the wound on his shoulder. Except there wasn't one. Rather, three little pinpricks marked a tiny triangle of holes in his shirt. Lightning glanced down to see a tri-needled dart in his hand.
She looked up to Gadot warily, tightening her hand on his shoulder to keep him upright. "Gadot?"
"They're using darts," Gadot observed, rolling the little carrier in his hand.
"Are you okay?" Lightning lifted her other hand to his forehead doubtfully.
Gadot rolled his shoulders, dropping the dart. "I feel fine."
"Agh!" Cid cried out from behind them, prompting Snow to leap at his attacker. Stopping to reach back, he yanked the dart from his shoulder.
"Love!" Rygdea sprung at him in alarm as Cid's eyes rolled up. He caught him before he fell and lowered him to the ground carefully, casting a frantic look back at Lightning, who gave Gadot's injury a sidelong glance.
Gadot shrugged. "Maybe it's the steroids?"
"Get him outta here," Lightning ordered about Cid, starting back to the metal door. Around them, chocobos warkked in a frenzy, running in all directions, which provided excellent cover for their operations at the door. "Rygdea!"
"Okay, okay!" Rygdea hurried back, punching commands into his pocketbook hacker. He cast a worried gaze at Cid as Gadot shouldered the big man and started back to the trees with him.
"He'll be okay," Lightning assured. She felt for him, but they were in the midst of battle here. Any pause could end them similarly; they had no time for doubt. Fang was inside.
Lightning waited impatiently, aiming her gunblade for an approaching soldier's leg in the meantime, who screamed when her shot hit true. Lightning doubted he'd even seen her, hidden in the cover of three dozen frantic chocobos.
The red light above the door bleeped then, turning green. The door began processing their entry. Lightning could barely stand the wait. "Set the charges," she ordered Rygdea, "Top to bottom. Do as best you can without Cid. Radio if you find Fang on the upper layers; I'm starting at the bottom."
XXX
Fang couldn't look at him, not bare like this, representing everything he found inadequate in her. With Claire, she'd felt good naked, valued and loved. Desired, even, to the point of feeling wanted and… maybe even pretty.
She felt none of that here. Rather, Asael's old disgust of her resonated through Fang. He'd politely averted his eyes after marking up her chest, but it'd been the most invasive thing Fang had ever felt done to her. She wished she'd asked for Skelts at that point, even now. Everything about her, so… exposed to this man, who didn't even feel like her father anymore, so much as her kidnapper.
Fang swallowed, eyes closed. She didn't want to see him preparing the needle to inject her, to numb her to everything. Had she really wanted this not so long ago? She pictured Claire, ignoring the notion that her love might be shot and bleeding out there, that she may not even want her after this had been completed, but instead focused on that face. Her gorgeous, stunning, irreplaceable face that softened so fondly when her eyes turned on Fang… will I ever see that again?
Asael pressured the needle, squirting a slip of sedative out the top. Turning back to his daughter on the table, he hardened himself. It's to save her, it hurt to look upon his girl, so withdrawn in her restraints. I'm saving her life. Stepping up to the table, Asael lowered the needle to a vein in her neck. Fang winced as he pushed the sharp needle into her skin.
Asael's hand touched her forehead one last feeble time. "I love you, my girl. Remember that."
Fang's features scrunched, fingers tightening into her palm as she stiffened for it.
Bnsh! "Get the fuck away from her!" Asael looked up in just enough time to see the gunblade leveled at him. A second later, glass splintered, spilling the un-punched, full sedative in a small puddle at Fang's neck. The second shot struck his hand in an explosion of pain that had him reeling before good sense brought him to his knees, ducking under the solid steel.
Fang's eyes shot open. She angled them towards the shout, catching the girl in her sleeveless, off-blush undershirt, red cape flowing behind her, Lightning came to her. "Claire."
Lightning's face, a mask of fury, softened at the sight of Fang. She lifted a hand to Fang's hairline, blanketing Fang in warmth at the slightest touch. "I'm here," Lightning assured, stroking down her cheek.
Asael hissed in pain, ripping off his sleeve to staunch the bloodflow from the back of his palm. "Lightning!"
On the other side of the table, Lightning's features darkened once more. Reaching back, Lightning freed her cape in one swoop, splaying the rich cloth over Fang's flawless body. She kissed Fang atop the brow, smoothing her hair back from her pretty features. "I'll be right back, Fang."
"Claire," Fang reached for her, but the restraints held her down. She grimaced, straining.
Lightning already chopped through the sensitive wiring of the great reconstruction machine, sending sparks everywhere, followed by a heartfelt "Nooooo!" from the control loft.
When Lightning rounded the operation table, it was to receive a bone-crushing kick to the knee. Her leg completely gave out with a harsh crunch of agony. Lightning yelped, falling to the ground, quickly roved over by a frenzied Asael who grabbed her arms with both of his, blatantly uncaring about the soaked gun-wound to his hand. "I don't want to hurt you."
"Claire!" Fang strained, unable to even see. The bindings cut into her skin with her pressure, but she kept straining to no avail. Lightning's breathless gasps only frustrated her further. "Claire!" Fang shouted, so agonizingly useless in her bindings. "Don't hurt her, Dad!"
"Too bad," Lightning growled, rage returned a tenthsome. This is how Fang is bound. The thought fueled her bloodlust. "I've been dying to hurt you." With all her strength, Lightning rammed her good knee up between his legs. Asael stiffened, face whitening in what would've been a comical manner in any other situation. To his credit, he didn't collapse on her. Lightning pushed his loosened grip off her, shoving him away.
She struggled to her knees, but the excruciating blaze of pain in so doing was so severe, Lightning fell with a blinding flash of white across her vision, unconsciousness threatening. Forgetting that plan, Lightning leveled the gunblade at him weakly, but determined, poking the sharp thing at his throat. "You'll pay for it. For all you've done to Fang."
She swiped at him, but even in ball-crushing anguish, Asael had the sense to roll back from it, honed reflexes over lifelong years of training taking over in his pain. Lightning could barely move her leg, ruthless agony threatening to undo her. "I'll kill you!" She snarled, dragging the busted thing along after, she stabbed at Asael's chest.
"Claire, no!" Fang strained, frantic, unable to even see. The hard edge of the metal cut gashes to her wrists.
Asael caught the blade in his injured hand and gripped it, metal slicing into his hand. He wrenched it towards him, dragging blade and Lightning a foot and a half to him where his good hand wrapped fingers around her throat. He loomed over her, pushing her to the ground under him again. Lightning choked on one last breathy inhale, trapped this time as he pinned her legs with his weight. "You don't understand," Asael's eyes were wild with fear; Lightning could see no room for reason in them. "It's a father's job to protect. I won't always be here. I have to protect Fang. Fang and you both." Lightning's eyes started to cloud. "You'll understand someday."
"Dad!" Fang cried, unable to see the conflict, but privy to all she could hear—which included someone choking. Since Asael was able to speak… "You'll kill her! You promised! You promised you wouldn't hurt her! Dad!" her trapezohedron braces held her. Fang wept. "Please!"
Lightning punched him, but her blows barely affected Asael, even the ones to the head. Her arm trembled against his grasp, vision blackening around the edges. Her eyes flicked to his hand, where he held her blade firmly against his palm as blood seeped from the cut. If she could just turn the edge of the blade…!
Driven with Fang's desperate screams, Lightning entered a place of absolute numbness where she could think crystal clear. It was as if the world paused to her for a heartbeat, where she could see Fang thrashing on the table, Asael looming over her with those determined, senseless eyes boring into her, hands at her throat. It was in that moment that Lightning came to the absolute certainty that this was her moment, that she was going to die here today. And it was true, too, as the current world left her, that last little glimpse of her life before passing.
Her parents came first, they who'd always loved her. Lightning wondered if she'd get to miss them where she went, if souls did exist. Would her new friends miss her? Would Vanille marry Serah in time? Half a thought passed her about how mad Serah would be, when Lightning'd promised she'd come back from this. I hope Fang won't be lonely.
Fang. She'd lost the two most important people in her life that day. Would Fang be taken in by her parents? Probably not, the stubborn thing. She'd probably avoid ever returning to the castle. Girl would run off, likely; it was foolish to think she'd stay. Fang will be alone.
Asael screamed suddenly as an unexpected surge of strength from the nearly-still girl twisted the blade in his hand and sliced through the base of his three rightmost fingers. He reeled back, holding his wrist, and Lightning gagged with the rush of air that came in too much too fast. Colors blinked before her eyes, threatening to undo her, but Lightning would not be won. Not while Fang sat still captive. Reaching up for the table's edge, Lightning hoisted herself up with her arms, which she leaned against heavily with all her weight on one leg. Lightning leveled her gunblade to Asael as the weapon flipped modes. Asael cradled the stump of his hand and looked down her barrel blankly. Only then did Lightning become aware of Fang's voice.
"Claire," Fang whimpered, tears streaming from her eyes. She couldn't ask Lightning to spare him, not after he'd almost killed her. Fang half wanted him dead as well, but he was her father. No matter how demented, he'd loved her all her life, just how he knew to. Even now, he'd only gone after her half in desperation. But he'd almost killed her. Claire, love of her life. She wouldn't have gone on to live without her. Fang stuck frozen, unable to speak, to move, to decide anything she wanted. It was in Lightning's hands now.
Lightning looked to her then, splayed under her cape on the bed, eyes never showing such fear in her life. It hurt Lightning to see her there and solidified all will to shoot Asael down for his responsibility in this.
But…
There was a pleading in Fang's eyes, something she couldn't verbalize. Lightning understood it instantly and it grated on her heart.
It was her choice, with him right there to kill. It would be so easy to permanently remove his desperation from her life, to free Fang of this madman once and for all!
…to always be looked upon as the one who'd killed her father when she couldn't speak for it.
Lightning turned back to him, gun flicking to blade, where she staggered forth a step and held it just under his chin, tip stabbing into flesh. Her eyes read murder.
"Your life with Fang is over. Leave Pradda," she ordered, tongue so venomous it hurt. She twisting the blade to turn at a back stairway, "And never turn back."
Asael turned from her to gaze upon his daughter one last time. Lightning half suspected him to jump at her again, but after meeting the teary eyes of her bound daughter once, Asael dropped his head and backed up a few feet before he started pulling up. Half-unsteady on his own feet as well, he looked to Lightning one last time, the step-daughter he'd never know. "Take care of her." Asael heaved, broken breath shaking as he turned. Lightning kept the weapon pointed at him as Asael limped out, barely able to support himself. Only when he'd disappeared around the stairs did Lightning allow herself to relax.
She sagged against the steel, fatigue and pain taking her in a rush at the escape of her adrenaline. They were both quiet for a moment, gathering the time to breathe.
When Fang finally turned her head from the spot Asael'd occupied, it was to find a creepy old man over her, syringe dripping and ready. "Claire!" Fang yelped, reflex making her struggle. The little poisonous tube descended as Lightning whirled.
"No!" Lightning jumped, broken kneecap splintering off the propel as she jumped over Fang just as the syringe plunged, greedy fingers already pushing the stopper—
Which plunged into Lightning's bare shoulder instead of Fang's intended arm, unknown concoction slipping into her.
Skelts gasped, little eyes popping. "Noo! What hass you done? Youss taken the— " Lightning punched him. One good wallop to the jaw and he was out. She shuddered on Fang, muscles rolling in twitches.
"Claire!"
Lightning cringed, doing her best to stop the spasms, which occurred at random, spiraling out from her back. She reached up by Fang's head, where the letterpad sat on the table. "Do you know the code to this?"
Fang's heart stuck in her throat. She could see Lightning twitching, the spasms that rippled out from her shoulder. Lightning needed help, fast. "It's love," Fang told her, wanting nothing but to run with her.
"Ironic," Lightning grinned wryly, something that proved an effort with the strain in her face. She was sweating now, with the tics starting in her jaw. "Just what I wanted to tell you, if…"
"Shut up, Claire," Fang silenced as she shakily keyed in the nodes. "That's not going to happen."
Lightning grimaced more than smiled. "And I had planned to carry you out, all wrapped in my cape…" Lightning coughed, a choke taking her. Her hand trembled over the tiny E violently. They only had one shot. "Fang…" Lightning's eyes squeezed shut. Fang panicked. She plunged her finger blindly, having equal chance to hit it, now that her eyes had blurred as well.
The unbreakable steel slid back with a click. Fang grabbed her and hoisted her up, where Lightning curled to that warm body, blood feeling so very cold. She whimpered, cradled there as Fang hurriedly stood, slinging the cape over her shoulder. "Fang… " Lightning repeated, jostled as Fang ran. She shivered as various muscles, all over her body now, twitched horribly. "Don't… run alone."
"I'm not," Fang's heart quickened, ready to burst. "I'm running with you."
Lightning curled to her and shuddered, ice so very cold. Or were those veins? She couldn't tell.
Fang sped faster yet.
