The Death of a Lifesaver
Saving a life is no easy task. Crimson blood, viscera, the terrified looks of those in need.. It's not something the weak hearted are able to withstand. It takes skill to close the wounds, precision to avoid arteries, and most of all, a strong heart to stand seeing them die. The combat zone makes it all so much worse. Magnetic Gunfire screeching across the sky, Aliens and ADVENT on all sides slaughtering women and children, and the roaring blazes while trying to stitch a squadmate is probably the most stressful thing someone can deal with.
Aspen is not ready, he is not brave or strong, yet here he is, doing his best to bandage his squadmates' wounds amidst the hell that is this resistance camp. One.. two.. three.. three penetrations, three holes to fill, three bleedings to stop, and one life to save. The clock is already quickly moving towards its end as Aspen struggles to stitch the gunshot wounds of his companion. It makes it so much harder that this soldier happens to be his best friend, the one who's made it the last three years fighting ADVENT by his side, the one who now lays before him with her life on a thread. His fear is palpable, anxiety oozing from every pore on his skin as his shaking hands do their best to stem the inevitable.
Strangely, her eyes do not show fear, they do not show worry or terror, only regret. Regret that this is how it had to end, regret that her companion was about to break in front of her, after all the hell they'd been through together. Her voice is nearly gone from the shock of the injuries, her breath weakening. Her body is weak and dying with each passing second, yet she manages to squeak out some words to her friend.
"Aspen, please stay strong for me.. I know this doesn't look good.. and to be honest, it isn't.. but I need you to keep it together please.. I can't let my last moments be filled seeing you cry.."
Aspen was having none of it, desperately fighting the tears falling from his face like raindrops on a cold night. He wouldn't let her die like this, not yet, not now. The medics voice starts to crack as he replies, knowing what's coming, and knowing full well there's no stopping it.
"D-don't talk like that Valdiz, you're going to make it through this.. I-I promise! I just need some more time.. and we'll have you on the skyranger home.. you'll be okay.. I'm not going to lose you like this.."
Valdiz's breaths slowed more and more, crawling evermore towards their rest. Unable to take up the task of keeping things running any longer, her body began to shut down bit by bit. The silent night was upon them. As she neared her rest, Valdiz shed a few tears of her own, with what little strength remained. Despite her own strong words, she was not ready to leave either, nor was she ready to leave the one she cared for most in such a heartbreaking way. His fear was so real, so much more physical than she's ever seen. Not even a Super Mutant Behemoth instilled so much terror into the poor medic's eyes. She'd never say it to Aspen, but this was breaking her heart.
The fighting around the pair began to slow alongside Valdiz, with the gunfire lessening, and XCOM finishing off any attackers. The clock has nearly struck midnight, with her soft breaths becoming nearly indistinguishable from the background noise, all the while Aspens cries become more and more pronounced. He starts to crack, his body shakes harder and harder, his eyes can't stop flowing. Aspen compresses more and more, applies more gauze, holds her tighter. Nothing is working, but his denial refuses to quit.
"You're gonna be fine, r-really! It's only a couple mag wounds and some scrapes! Y-you've walked back to the Skyranger with worse w-wounds.. Y-you.. you.."
He breaks, unable to control himself anymore. His sobs pierce the heavens as his friend lay dying in front of him, the cold grasp clutching on to her tighter and tighter. He gives up on trying to stabilize her and just sits there sobbing into her shoulder. His feelings flowing out unabated, unedited from his heart. Just sheer, raw, emotion.
"Don't go Valdiz! I-I'm not ready goddamnit! You're t-the only one I have left! If you go, I have nothing, I'm meaningless! I can't do it, you've saved my life so much.. but I can't save yours.."
She looks up at him with the last of her strength, seeing the guilt and fear in Aspen's eyes, she makes one last effort for her companion, for her brother. Her mouth opens weakly and with her last breaths she speaks out.
"You have saved me Aspen. Y-you saved me.. when we met back in the Appalachians.. Thanks to you.. my life has m-meaning.. it has a purpose.. one worth.. dying for.. Even if I-I have to go.. I-I know that I died helping p-push forward your dream.. our.. dream.. Thank.. you.."
The clock strikes midnight without fanfare or climax. Sitting coldly at its pinnacle, unwavering in its totality. Valdiz is much the same. As the last bit of life has departed her body, all that remains is a cold reminder of what once was. Aspens sobbing grows ever louder, more and more unstable, as he desperately holds on to something lost. He was well aware of the irony present as well. While he was the medic, Valdiz was the one who saved him, and with her death, passes the death of a lifesaver.