Andy laid on the ground, a large slash in her chest bleeding out into a puddle. She struggled to push herself up, facing the vampire again and starting to mutter spells. She swayed, almost collapsing but she managed to stay upright. The vampire noticed her and rushed to attack again. She weakly tried to block but she continued to try to say the spells.
"Dammit Andy!" Tet jumped on the vampire's back, trying to drag him off. He yelled as the vampire turned and grabbed him. Two slashes and he was thrown across the room, slamming into the wall and lying still.
The vampire turned back to her, slashing at her again. She fell to the ground but finished the spell. The vampire was soon vaporized. She dragged herself to Tet, blood trailing. She said healing spells on him until she finally passed out.
Kiba scowled, picking himself up. He radioed for porters and they were soon in the infirmary being treated by Akasa.
"Taka is unconscious, but stable. You need to take it easy, but you'll be alright."
Kiba looked over at Tet and Andy. "They okay?"
Akasa grimaced. "He'll be hurting awhile but she took care of most of the damage. She's going to need my full attention for a few hours."
Andy woke slowly, hearing the beeps of the machines. She finally opened her eyes and tried to look around.
"Of all the idiotic, stubborn, stupid assed things to do! Are you trying to shorten my life?" Tet's eyes were blazing, his face red as he yelled at her. "I told you to back off and regroup but you didn't listen!"
Andy stared at him a moment before pushing herself into a sitting position, "I took him out, didn't I? Wasn't that the goal?"
"It could have been done without you getting sliced to ribbons!" Tet was pacing at the end of the bed, his hands shaking. "He almost killed you! Why didn't you listen to me?"
"Taking him out was the best way to keep the rest of the team safe. You know that's always my goal."
"Does it always have to be at the possible cost of your own life? What would we do if you died?" Tet white knuckled the bed frame as he glared at her.
"I will always think the team is more important than myself. If I died, I'm sure you'd figure something out." She growled, "I'm not going to keep listening to you yelling at me." She pushed herself off the bed, ignoring how light headed she felt and left the infirmary.
Tet roared, then followed her. He slammed her against the wall. "Figure something out?! Listen to yourself.. If that's the way you feel.. I hope you're happy. You've finally managed to destroy my heart.." He whirled, stalking down the hall and disappearing around the corner.
Andy slid down the wall, curling into herself as she sobbed.
Tet snarled at Ryusei as he entered the computer room. "Find me someone to kill. Better yet, find me a lot of someones."
Ryusei shuddered, quickly looking for trouble. "Here.. You might want to calm down."
"You might want to mind your own business." Tet retorted before leaving.
Andy lost track of time, not having the energy or drive to push herself up. She just stayed on the floor crying.
Akasa came out and picked her up without a word. He carried her back into the infirmary, laying her down on a bed before muttering a sleep spell.
When Andy woke, she tried to remember what was happening. Their fight came back to her and she sat up, tears filling her eyes.
"Are you alright? I heard you and Tet got into it." Kiba gently asked.
"I don't really understand what I did wrong.. I mean, I understand I disobeyed orders but.."
"He's just scared. He spent so much time accepting he was going to die alone. Now you've saved him and all he can see is the possibility of losing you. It would kill him. I think you know that better than anyone." Kiba gently kissed her cheek.
Andy shook her head, "From the sound of it, he's done with me." Tears streaked her face.
Kiba sighed. "He's running. He thinks it will hurt less if he breaks his heart himself. Give him time."
Ryusei ran into the infirmary. "Please tell me Tet's marker just ran out of batteries.. Tell me he's in his room.."
"I don't know where he is," Andy wiped at her eyes.
Ryusei's face went white as he backed into a corner. "I killed him.." He slid down the wall, tears beginning to fall.
Andy pushed herself up and went over to him, crouching to his level, "Tell me what happened."
"He demanded I find a trouble spot. He wanted multiple targets. I suggested he calm down and he told me to mind my own business. He was so angry…"
Andy looked at him sadly, "This is my fault so don't blame yourself. I'll go find him."
"I gave him the location of a shifter gang… now his tracker's offline..his vitals were fluctuating.." The porter was shaking in horror. "I shouldn't have.."
"I made him mad in the first place. You were just following orders." She stood. "I'll find him." She focused on Tet and teleported to his location.
A run down building appeared, its double doors closed. Blood streaked footprints were bright in the sunlight.
Andy followed the prints, hoping it would lead her to Tet.
They led to an empty alley. The footprints disappeared, replaced by large pools of blood in irregular spots. Then a bright streak leading to a motionless body at the end of it.
Andy rushed toward the body, leaning down to check on it.
Tet was covered in blood. It pulsed sluggishly from numerous slashes and one large stab wound. His eyes were half opened, unfocused and dimming.
Her eyes filled with tears again as she moved him into her lap. She started saying healing spells, "Please stay with me."
"Dar..lin? I'm..sorry I yelled.." He struggled to look at her.
She shook her head, "It's alright, just stay with me." She said another spell to start closing the wounds.
"I..didn't mean it.. I love you so much.. I.." Tears began streaking his face as he shook from blood loss. "Forgive me.."
She wiped his tears away before running a hand through his hair, "I love you." She recited more spells, healing more of the damage.
He gave her a tiny smile before his eyes went out, going limp in her lap.
She let out a sob before focusing, gold light shining around him.
He lay still, his eyes reflecting the light before it faded away without revival.
Andy shook with sobs, finally wondering if a transfusion would help. She teleported him to the infirmary, her hands shaking as she tried to set it up.
Akasa took the equipment, setting it up silently. He started the flow of blood, then turned away with sad eyes.
Andy sat beside Tet, waiting for the blood bag to empty before trying to revive him again. The gold light shined once more as she focused, praying to any god that would listen to help bring him back.
There was no reaction, Tet lying motionless. His skin was cold and pale.
Andy cried, grabbing his hand and begging him to come back.
Akasa began to pull her away. "He's gone."
She shook her head rapidly refusing to believe it. "He can't be.."
The nurse fought his own tears. "Let him go. I'll clean him up."
"No! He can't be!" She sobbed.
Akasa softly muttered another sleep spell.
Tears continued to fall until she was completely unconscious.
She woke, once again confused, until she remembered Tet. Tears filled her eyes again as she looked around for him.
One bed lay covered in the corner, the infirmary empty though she heard raised voices in the lab. A small bit of smoke curled under the door as someone yelled.
Andy wondered what was going on but she decided to go over to the covered bed first. She uncovered it slowly.
Tet lay in a clean uniform, appearing asleep. His hair was slightly in his eyes, the bangs longer than usual.
She moved his bangs aside, trying not to lose it again. She gently kissed him before letting out another sob.
The lab door slid open, Kei emerging with a determined look. He stopped as he saw her. "You're awake.."
She nodded slowly.
"Get yourself together." He wiggled a vial. "If we have any good luck left, this will make you smile again." The witch moved to Tet's side unsteadily.
Uncapping it, he poured the contents down Tet's throat. Then he began a spell. He began to glow as he laid a hand on Tet's chest. He focused, the light flaring brightly, blinding Andy.
She watched in anticipation, wondering if it would work.
As the light died, she heard a cough from Tet.
Kei gave her a triumphant look before crumpling to the floor.
Andy bent down to check him over.
He wasn't breathing, the vine a tight noose around his throat.
Andy put him in a bed before grabbing the potion to help with the vine. She poured it into his throat before focusing her power, light surrounding him.
The vine resisted, growing tighter as he gasped in a small breath.
She continued to focus her power, this time a silver light surrounding him as she tried to give him a bit of her own energy to fight off the vine.
The vine shriveled, dissipating into smoke as he coughed repeatedly.
She watched him a moment before going back over to Tet and checking him over.
His eyes were open. "I'm sorry I lost it.."
"I'm sorry. I should have listened to you to fall back in the first place.. and I'm sorry I always put everyone else above myself."
"It's what makes you you. I should know better than to ask you to change your nature." He was fighting sleep as he spoke.
"Get some rest. We can talk more when you wake up again."
He blew her a weak kiss as he drifted off.
Akasa came out, one arm supporting Taka. "It worked...holy shit."
"What was it?" Andy asked quietly.
"The potion he made for you mixed with about a pint of birdboy here's blood." Akasa helped Taka to a bed, the phoenix laying back gratefully.
"Thank you."
"All for one, one for all. Much rather it go to you guys than the vamps."
Andy nodded, moving into a chair to keep an eye on everyone.