Chapter Sixteen
God, You Were Too Late to Save Me
DivineAngel
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Humans. Terrenes. Species of matter of life define their sense of reality through misery, and emotion that is no more tangible then it is understandable.
What fact of life, or wrong decision is it that would throw, or allow the souls of innocent and young to a hell that is anything but merciful with death. To a battered vast wasteland of blood and light. Chaotic noise that washes over the eyes and ears of the observer, and blinds them to all understanding of just what danger they had been presented with. Just what bullets are whizzing past their skull killing their team mates and captains, missing them by only an inch. A power and chaos so great, one can only stare in horrified amazement. To look back and think. That humans, have created this.
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"GO GO GO Hawking! Get your ass out there!" And to think. All these years. He never thought he was a good shot.
"Yes sir! Fall back! Red flank follow my direction and STAY doWN!" He felt his voice give a little as he shot his last order. The swarming deaf sting ringing in his ears from the explosions that surrounded him with a loving warmth that threatened to swallow him up. Warm smile leaking blood of absent nothing. All to willing to give in and let everything go for the relief death would grant. "Oh Jesus." He felt himself stutter, his hand silently dropping the radio he picked up as his right hand man fell dead. Blank whitened eyes staring up at him before sinking to the ground with a sick wet thump. The soul sat souping into the soil from the large hole of reddened flesh ripped through the mans chest. His blue eyes turned around, looking at the rest of his three men. Their eyes, like his staring wide at the crumpled figure that was their second in command. "Well" He choked lightly, watching them all look up to him for directions. "Don't just stand there. Your in charge now." He pointed to the closest one. "Second in command. GraB the Radio!" The tall gangly figure of young skin stumbled forward to their bleeding comrade, ripping the electronic equipment off fast. "Griffin! Take Thomas and..." He swallowed hard. His sentence stopping dead as he watched the gangly figure almost fully covered with the radio sink to the ground with a second wet defeat of death. His throat swallowing hard, as he tried to think through this. Light strong hands that were his own, though he did not recognize them ripping at the radio. Tearing it off the second dead twisted figure and up to himself. "I Said! Take THOMAS AND BACK ME UP!" He screamed loud. "Now! Blast it! What are you WaITHING FOR!" He frowned in desperation, throwing the radio forward into the hands of the sixteen year old he was leading. The second eighteen year old in his command staring silently at the falling crumpled figure that was a best friend.
He started running, his heart choking off his mind with the slamming numb sensation it sent through his chest. Blonde hair seeping into his eyes from where it kept growing back as he ducked below the blinking thin lines that said bullets were whizzing through the air. Each one teasing him with the fact that it just might hit him but stopped last minute, and swerved that small inch. His hand, squeezing the wet slippery gun white knuckled as he tore across the disgusting ground. The gun wasn't his. It was that guys, what his name? I don't know. I pulled it from the dead fingers of my fallen man when mine ran out of ammunition. Tell his family what? KIA? What family, I told you I don't know who he was. He was like the others. Coated in blood, leaking through tears that brought clear wet lines of skin on a dirty face. Did I tell you they are bombing us round the clock now? Did I tell you I haven't had a chance to complain to the system. For making me a commander when I am not even a very good shot. When I threw up after I killed for the first time. I was nine then, my partner showed me how. No, I don't have a picture of him. Only memories. What's that? Yes we need reinforcements, why do you ask me stupid questions. There are only two men left to my regiment now. Two from twenty. Why am I still alive? Because that bullet hit Samson in the head while he was standing in front of me. It just missed me, but his brain still splattered all over my face. Because the next two bullets took down Garcia and McGregor, and the next four blew up our barrel of fuel. Our tanks our worthless, leave them behind. Too slow and heavy, get out and run. Carry your weapon. You don't have one? Look down. If you need one, there are plenty of them just lying in the blood.
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"Don't leave me." He closed his eyes, his throat shutting, cutting off air as he choked. The wet slippery neck he held in his hands jerking a few times. Gagging up blood as he looked back down at it. "Griffin come on." He frowned, he didn't have any men left now, he was alone. His eyes turning up to the fiery explosion of red and orange in front of him. Flames swirling up into the night sky like fireworks to the sizzling pop sound that destroyed the rest of their medical supplies. "Behind enemy lines." his face tensed, bloody neck slipping from his palms dead. Just a ttwisted, agonized, sixteen year old face sinking down in the mud with the blood leaking from it. Ragged. Blood stained. His own muddy blonde hair looking down at it, pulling its gun up in front of himself for protection. In response to shear terror as he looked around. Behind enemy lines that's where he was. That's where they are were. They had no perimeters, those had gone first. Perhaps the first month, first two. No one knew now. All they knew was that there were none. That everywhere they stood was fair game to anyone. That everywhere they stood they were lost. To a map. To each other. To themselves.
Blue eyes staring up over the thin black line of the gun aiming his weapon. His chest moving the gun backwards and forward slowly as he controlled his breathing in hopes to help his hearing. Visions of home running back to him as he watched the bodies crumpling up. His now thin exhausted form crouched into the small ditch a bomb had made. Aiming out as he remembered, all the things he missed. Melfina's warm smile, he could see it in his mind. Offering love from thousands and thousands of miles away, where he wished he was. His hand streaming into the side of his shirt, ripping out the crumpled defaced piece of paper, now muddy and torn slightly.
Jim
Living without you has been the hardest thing I have ever tried to do. I love you so much. Promise me you won't be a hero, please Jim. I don't want anything from you. Just your love, and you ass drug back to me. I don't know what I would do with out you, I don't know how I will make it. I haven't received any letters from you in a month. I don't know why I am still writing. Everyday I hide from the windows and I broke down the last time the doorbell rang. I am so afraid the next person to show here will only tell me that you are dead. That I will never see you again. Never forget how much I love you Jim. I will never forget you, and I will never stop writing, even if you don't answer. Forever with you and your love....
His eyes snapped up. Glaring up at the dirty black bottomed helicopters that suddenly blocked out his senses with the incredible wind and noise they threw down at him. Pressing his thin mutilated form deeper into the cold moist mud of red blood. "EV's?" He frowned, standing up oblivious to the snapping bits of light threatening him . Swallowed up for only a moment in the swirling blades and tremendous black angles the government had issued. "It's over." His eyes widened, watching the gyrating noise circle over the terrain miles in front of him. The government was blasting them. Everything was gong to be bombed. He choked, light hands snapping into the wet ground of muddy blood water. Digging widely, frantically for the radio and ripping it from the soup he was waist deep in. "WE'VE GOT EV'S! EVERYONE! PULL OUT! PULL OUT!" He felt himself screaming into the small square that was supposed to transmit his voice back to some sort of civilized something. To the green tent or fuel, medical do-dads, their long lunch table he was on the other day. The one Griffin had started singing on until eventually they were all a little drunk dancing on top to what music they had. It didn't really matter. Now Griffin was dead, the tent most likely burning or destroyed. But still he tried to warn who ever could hear him. His hands searching desperately into the small pond of blood and mud for his weapon. Thin fingers running over the barrel ripping it out into his arms as he turned around to the rocks that suddenly slid into his ditch. Some gun aiming down at him. Strong figure standing above him. Hard voice, hard firm movements. He snapped the barrel of his gun up to kill them. Kill them before they killed him. His finger racing to the trigger, pulling.. TOO FAST NO! His mind screamed frantically to stop himself, shaking his hand and making him falter. No bullet being fired, just his weapon jerking around slightly with the jolt of his body.
Am I dead? Am I? Dead?
He was dead?
No.
No he felt the blood on his leg from the gash.
The pounding in his head, the aching in his stomach.
"GENE!" Was it a scream? A cry for help? His tense distraught face grinning up at the unruly hair that was frowning at him from where it had suddenly appeared. Strong reckless figure battered and scratched, drafted two months after him. Bleeding from new scars, and bleeding from old ones. Standing above him where it had quickly just stood up to pull him out of the ditch. Didn't Jim now EV'S had come and they were going to be bombed? The system willing to kill more enemy if some of their own had to go for it. Gene stopped moving as his gun barrel suddenly snapped up aiming. Easing only after the familiar voice and smile. A small response grin running over its face too before the pain from behind. Before the blinking snap of light whizzing through the air caught it off guard. Ripping into its chest, snapping right threw its back. Splattering out pieces of itself onto the blue eyes and blonde hair in front. Jim's face scrunching up confused at what warm sticky drops had just flicked at it before Gene's strong figure stumbled forward into the ditch. "What? Gene!?" He felt himself blink hard, his body choking at the scarred neck that was suddenly in his hands. Gene's body on top of Griffin, the ditch was too small. Unruly red hair coughing hard as he looked up into the night sky. There were no stars. Only bullets, long streams of smoke that separated the black vast stretch into divisions of explosions and fireworks of napalm. "Oh God GENE! You.." He stopped watching the dark eyes look up at him for a minute before tearing at its shirt and vest. Pulling everything away to look at the bullet hole. "WHY WERE YOU STANDING UP!" He growled mad this happened, watching Gene frown up at him as they both started calming down. Warm red trickles of the outlaw's blood streaming down his arm into the mud as he pulled the strong chest up. Planes whizzing over head, bringing the bombs. "GET UP!" He screamed widely, yanking Gene with him. Gene was so heavy. "UP NOW! WALK GOD DAMNT!" He screamed jerking the outlaw out of the ditch with him. Scarred arm draping around his neck for support as he started running as hard as he could. Unruly red hair trying hard to carry its weight and run as fast possible. The war was falling apart. Everything was breaking. Their command, their men, their ammunition. What are we fighting for? A good cause. What is the cause you ask? I don't know. They tell me its good. I sure hope it is. My name is James, everyone calls me Jim because I hate my real name. Jim. Jim Hawking. My men call me Hawking, I am commander of the red flank. Twenty men to each of my four regiments. They are all dead. I have been here for two years and nine months.
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"GENE THEY ARE BLOWING US UP!" He was glaring at the ground as he tried to run with Jim's fast pace, and yelling that was killing his head. Cringing with each step he took, with each pull that made him run faster. The blonde hair of his partner unwilling to let him slow down as he bled. "DAMNT! COME ON GENE COME ON!" Strong light hands yanking at his body as he started giving out. Jim's stressed, frantic tones becoming less important. Calmer somehow.
Gene's weight just sinking into his hands as Gene toppled over into the mud dragging him down too. Blue eyes breathing hard, looking down at the scarred face that only groaned pain as it hit the soggy, sticky mess they were running through. His eyes darting up and scrambling to his feet as he glared at the smoking jeep in front of them. Slamming its hood down and yanking wires out from below the steering wheel. Swearing fiercely until the car choked and hummed to life.
"AHH!" He groaned as Jim's hands suddenly shot back under his arms. Blonde hair pulling him up and dragging him at something. Bloody, ripped leather underneath him as he was shoved into a car. Blue eyes screaming stuff into a radio as it stepped on the gas. Throwing them into a small spin as the wheel puked up mud and blood. Dirty air whipping into their hair as the exploding started behind them. Strong blasts of no noise and clear white color destroying everything four miles from them. There wasn't much time. At least he didn't have to worry about his men. All four regiments. Twenty men each. They were all dead.
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"Gene you stupid Son of a Bitch." He growled, Mike's words running through his mouth as he twisted the steering wheel as far as it would go. "What the hell are you doing here!? GENE!?
"ALright Jiiiim! My head is killing me! Will you shut up!" He frowned as the outlaw finally said something. Scarred form slumped into the back seat. Sliding lightly in the moist, sticky, blood coating the seats with the bullet holes each time Jim swerved the Jeep. "And drive straight!"
"GEne! You got a radio!?" He screamed, leaning into the wheel harder, forcing the gas petal to the floor as he floored the jeep for all it's worth. "Is there fuel back there with yoU!?-Shit-" He swore at the sudden explosion ahead of them that sent debris flying back at the car. The wheels of the jeep sinking into the soggy earth it was tearing up as he forced it faster with his mind and beating heart. Focusing only on the upturned brown and red soil that would be the easiest to drive through, that held the least rubble. "Ahh." He moaned as he looked down, a sharp something stabbing him under his rib cage as some glass his the empty passenger side of bloody leather. Empty, hallow, ricocheting clinks pummeling the outside of the green jeep as the bullets hit it from the air, and the debris hit it from the ground. "Get the helL OUT OF MY WAY!" He screamed, glaring into the smoke they suddenly drove into. The nicest thing to drive in now that he couldn't see all the death. His mind at a neutral peace while his throat choked on the heavy dirt and smoke. His eyes were tearing over…but still it was nicer. "Without a view" he mumbled. A crooked smile running onto his face as he pulled at the steering wheel again. Listening to the motor, the metal, the tires, all groaning like he was, like his partner was. There wasn't much left now, to carry them, to make them go. "GENE!?" His blue eyes snapped at the back seat, squinting to see the outlaw in the smoke. "GEne?" He frowned, it was impossible now in this mess. His face scowling as he turned back around. Great, no fuel, no food, no…."We're going Back to the base!" He screamed as he slammed the gas petal down again. This jeep was going to take them there damnt.
He felt his lungs sigh, as his face fell to a dull ironic slump with the first choke the engine made. His anger welling up inside him as he struggled to make it go forward, to keep it driving straight. "God damnt! Cheap piece of crap go!" His anger slamming the gas petal as the frame choked harder. The small gas E being over run with the small arrow mocking him. Sitting so calm while he looked at it, and everything reflected behind him burned away. Tearing the ground from beneath his feet and stranding him. "Nooo, come on, come on!" He growled, feeling the wheels start to give out. The small slope of the ground the only thing pulling him now. Only five hours from the bombing, out of gas. His hard sigh dropping his hands from the wheel as he looked up, watching the night sky now be over run with a light hazy smoke. The same kind that they had driven through. That choked your eyes, your nose, and throat, but calmed your mind. Nothing but the smooth bouncing of the jeep rolling to a stop moving his body. Bouncing his vision of the blurred stars and protruding twisted metal that poked up into the sky from his surroundings. "Behind enemy lines." He sighed again, looking back down to the wheel as the jeep gave a small bounce and stop. That was it, it would all be on foot from now. Unless, they were lucky enough to maybe, *possibly* find some kinda car that *hadn't* been burned or blasted.
Great-he thought, his exhausted groan dragging himself through the empty passenger side and stepping out. A quick slip sending him sliding down into the small bomb hole the jeep had stopped right at the edge of. His blonde hair quietly sitting in dirt as he listened to the small, humored, -Idiot- the outlaw mumbled from the back of the jeep. Blue eyes looking up exhausted, still resting in the bottom, staring up at the abandoned weapon. "Well that's convenient." He let out a sly smile, standing up in the five foot deep pit and grinning at the jeep. A slumped over outlaw just painfully looking down at him.
"Climb out." The dark eyes grinned, wincing as they tried not to laugh. The god damn jeep parked right at the edge of a crater. "We rolled down a..ahh hill, and out of ….gas."
He looked up at the strained tone and bleeding outlaw as he pulled himself out of the hole. Up to more mud and puked earth before standing up next to the stupid jeep. His blue eyes just standing there, perfectly calm, flat, as they studied Gene. A scarred arm holding it's chest as it leaned into the back of the bloodly car. Breathing in small fast jumps to keep the pain down and stress off its ribs. "Gene" Dark eyes slowly turning to look at him. An impressive now 5'9 build of blonde hair and blue eyes, eighteen years old. Light skin coming at him, working around the hole and pushing his hands off his bleeding wound. Blue eyes frowning as they studied the trickle of blood that seemed so persistent as is drizzled from the outlaw's chest. His blue eyes snapping up as Gene suddenly gripped the back of his neck. Dark eyes grinning at him. Jim, that stupid shit, was still alive and kicking.
"Geez it's good to see you again." He winced lightly as he sat there. "You look different." He grinned stating the obvious as he slowly started pulling himself up. Blue eyes frowning with disapproval, but they didn't tell him to stop or slow down. Silently watching the outlaw stumble to it's feet and breath a little harder, bleed a little more. "You stopped writing Danny?" The dark eyes gave him a confused frown through their eyes, but the scarred face only grinned practically nose to nose with him. Their foreheads leaning together as they looked down at the dirt, resting, just for a second.
"Don't have any paper." He chuckled, gently holding the metal in his chest as Gene squeezed his neck slightly. His face smiled. "You look absolutely ridiculous with your hair like that Gene." He grinned, but then again, he probably did too.
"Hey, take a look at yourself before you…ahstart insulting me." The outlaw stumbled slightly while still trying to laugh at his chopped hair. Leaning further and harder into his shoulder, and his green army uniform took a step back fast to the weight. Gripping Gene's arms a little tighter. "You got some…ahhbandages..or.."
"Gene!" The scarred form was heavier then he imagined. Shoving him back into the crater as it lost all use of it's legs. His lighter mud smeared face cringing as he fell back down into it. His back roughly hitting the ground almost the knocking the wind from him before sliding down into the soggy puddle on the bottom. On top of the gun he hadn't checked for bullets, in an area he hadn't checked for enemies. A next to unconscious old friend on top of him as he looked up at the blurred stars and protruding metal. His short, but stubborn, and quick to grow blonde hair wiggling out from under the familiar strong form. Ignoring the outlaw's cry of pain as he started ripping it's shirt open and smearing away the blood. His mouth still closed, his eyes still calm and flat as he scrambled back out of the ditch and to the jeep. His fingers tearing under the seats and flipping the cushions forward. Stopping for a second at the small first-aid kit that was there. Probably the only item still in it's proper place.
Gene's face coughing lightly as he came sliding back down, bringing dirt, dust and soggy mud with him. Opening the bandages and creams and rubbing them together with a practiced familiarity that only came from being able to bandage many guys right before they died. "Can you move?" Gene's eyes opened and looked up at him as he finally spoke. Blue eyes glancing to him and then back to the bandages streaming through its fingers before pressing into his chest with hard stings and tugs. "Gene? Can you move?" the simple question came again and he didn't answer. A more forceful and demanding tone coming with it as the short blonde hair started waking up to just what was happening.
The smooth numbing smoke and gentle ride the jeep provided wearing off to the miles upon miles of busted rubble they were in.
To the wet and soggy ditch they were hiding in.
One gun.
One man.
Him.
"Gene?!" Gene shook no slightly when he shot it's name fast and hard. His hands shifting the top of Gene's body up and into himself with the hard groaning and choking that ran to his shoulder. "Are you hit anywhere else?" He frowned slightly, wrapping the thin bandage around and around the outlaw's chest to lock it into place the best he could. His blue eyes closing to the broken…can't tell…that came back to him. "Maybe you breathed in too much smoke huh?" He grinned at the dark eyes that reappeared as Gene's form crumpled back into the mushy caving wall of dirt. Just a small -ugh- of pain as it slid back down and nothing more. "It always goes right to my he-did you hear that?" He watched the relaxed air snap away from the blue eyes that ripped the gun up from under them and started messing with it's amo. Watching him shake his head no, as the click of the gun echoed into his ears before smearing into nothing. Jim's form still caught in clothing that would always wear too loose because he was so thin, even now with all the muscles, standing up and peering over the dirt slightly. Silently standing there, gun ready to fire before snapping back down into him with the quick silent -zoot- of the enemy bullet hitting the dirt above their heard. "Just great." Blonde hair snapping off him, moving the weapon around in it's hands as it scrambled back out of the pit. His dark eyes inhaling to yell up to the crazed "Come here! Come here and I'll kill you!" That was running off into the rubble, as he cringed to a vacant choke of pain. He couldn't move anymore, couldn't feel all too much anymore.
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"WHERE ARE YOU!?" He screamed into the smoking piles of metal and ash, as he snapped the gun around widely. Aiming through the small black line at the end of his barrel as he slowly started crawling into a pile of junk. His rough breathing coming back to his chin as it hit the gun. His knees pushing himself into the mud more as his elbow held him up. A small click snapping his weapon to the side to wait as he aimed. Waiting for something, anything, who he was hunting. Adrenaline surging through his body, blocking out the small piece of metal imbedded in his chest, dripping beads of blood every few minutes as he waited. Slowly grinning at the rough pair of enemy boots that were climbing into the rubble where he was. Slow and cautions so it wouldn't give itself away, but it was beat. His finger tightened on the trigger, waiting for the small splat of weight to hit the soggy earth and tell him when to fire. When the guy was completely inside, and he would have a good shot at its head.
-Blast- The small weight of the gun jumped back pressing into his shoulder as he fired. Watching the man's weapon slip to the ground before the twisted form fallowed. "Got you." He sighed, his gun barrel leaning into the murky water as he relaxed his elbows, pushing himself back up with his knees. Slipping lightly on the wet soil as he made he way to the gray uniform. The soft patter of rain drops falling on the metal above him as it started raining again. Blue eyes ripping pockets and weapons open for anything useful. Shoving the knife, bullets, liquor and map into his own uniform before sliding back into the small puddle of cold water where he was and continuing to worm his way through. Reaching ahead slowly to the sharp metal when there was no light and moving fast when it was there. His fingers gently tracing along the sharp broken basement window that was down in the rubble with him before carefully looking through. Silently waiting for any noise as he surveyed the inside cement and wreckage before turning around and kicking the window in. With strong silent movements, and fast hard breaths that blew the small beads of sweat dripping from his face forward onto his weapon. Blue eyes watching the remaining glass and then wood frame shatter under his feet before he started worming to it. Pushing himself in and falling to the ground. Weapon aimed forward, waiting…it was deserted.
His gun slung back over his arm as he ripped open a cardboard box on the floor. "Food?…food?…Shit." He frowned at the books and garbage as he got up. His boots leaving only muddy, wet shoe prints and heavy sounds as he walked around the vacant shelves, and more boxes. Ripping each one open in fast exaggerated movements, that left him scowling at the contents. The door on the other side of the room blocked with junk from outside as he pushed on the thin wood and busted handle. His blue eyes turning around, back to the useless room he had dug through. "THIS CAN'T ALL BE JUNK!" He growled out his scream, slamming stuff to the floor and flipping the boxes over. Watching cooking pots and cake pans scatter. The next box dumping books and mixing beaters. "AHH! The ONE BUILDING LEFT! THE *ONE* *BUILDING* *LEFT! AND IT'S AHHH A KITCHEN!!!" He screamed slamming the box he held into the table before slamming it over. His lungs breathing hard, dropping him to his knees in exhaustion, pain, and lack of options. Blue eyes glaring at the items on the floor….the useless…items.
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"Ow. Damnt." He growled pushing his way back out of the debris with his small collection of accessories. Some books, a deep soup pot, wood, and the most wonderful package of beef jerky he had ever seen in his life. His frowning blue eyes standing back up from the pile putting the pot on his head, and the jerky into his pockets with the books. "Stupid fat books." He frowned shoving harder as they refused to cram into his biggest pocket before he looked up.
The silent, weaponless, pale faced partner of whoever he killed just standing there smoking. A defeated look of fear and death swamping over the guy as *he* came back out, instead of the gray uniform.
"Hey." He snapped his gun up, glaring at the guy from under the metal rim of the pot on his head, and thin black line at the end of his barrel. The soft patter of rain in his ear as it hit the metal and soaked into the ground around them. Blue eyes snapping around the guys uniform and hands…no weapon. "Give me that!" He frowned dropping his gun back to his side and snapping the guys cigarette away. "Got more?" He frowned nodding slightly, watching the paler mouth just raise it's hands. "Do you have more?" He frowned, ripping at the guys pockets and pulling the empty pack out. "Food? Got some?" he scowled at the pale face shaking no as he shoved it back. "Alright. Get out of here." He frowned motioning off into the smoking wet land with his hand. "Get out." His sigh of pain telling the guy to get lost. "I killed your buddy." He shrugged lightly, an apology. "….He shot at us." Pale baffled eyes watching him turn and leave. Strong, bleeding figure who spared his life, smoking his cigarette as it walked off into the rain with a soup pot on it's head.
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"AHh!" He screamed, and the blue eyes that crouched into his face grinned. His chest trying to control it's breathing now that he knew the loud sound and sudden form practically on top of him was… "Stupid bastard." He growled mad at Jim who smiled wider, wearing a…"Playing solider?" He grinned at the pot on his partner's head. His words slurring out through the small space in his lips, barely enough strength to talk. Jim didn't answer, quickly dumping books, the pot, and plastic package of something at his side in the dirt before pulling out a knife and climbing back out of the hole. His dark eyes closing again, shivering slightly as he sat in the water. His clothes wet, his chest bleeding, listening to the soothing sound of the rain, and constant shredding of something out on the dirt.
"Careful" Something fell on top of him with the small warning. Jim's weight sinking into the ground along side of him as it jumped back in. Pulling the shredded lining of the car and stuffing from the back and front seats off him and into a pile. His blurred vision barely making out the light hands that were covering part of the wall and ground with the leather before matting the stuffing onto it, almost like a nest. "Gene, get up." Light hands running back to his shoulders and tugging him lightly. "Here, move over and get out of the water." Blue eyes shaking him slightly as they studied his face and detached expression. "Gene?" There was a small pause before his tight -Ahhh- of pain as the light hands started dragging him onto it. Shoving into his side and groaning slightly at the stubborn weight of his body as it moved him onto the drier area. His dark eyes grinning every so slightly at the heavy sighs and pants as the blonde stopped moving him and sat back in the water before climbing back out. Footsteps moving through puddles and water as it moved back around the jeep. Pulling it from the edge of the hole half way, before blasting away at the trunk. Blowing the hinges and connecting metal to pieces before ripping the lid off and dragging it through the mud. Sighing and breathing hard as it dropped along side of the hole. Covering just a small portion, and blocking some rain. Jim's boot stomping into the part away from the hole so the rain would run back into the ground, rather then drizzle down on top of them.
His dark eyes opened, ever so slightly and looked up at the piece of metal protruding over him. Blocking the small beads of rain that had been falling into his hair and onto his face, soaking his clothes. Glancing at the blonde hair that was sliding down the dirt wall back to him. Almost ignoring his presence as it started ripping the pages out of the two fat cooking books it had brought back. Ripping them into pieces and dumping them into the pot before pulling out a lighter and setting some of the paper. Watching the fire start eating before pulling dry wood from the basement out of its pocket and throwing that in too. "We have to get you warmer or your going to go into shock…Gene." The blue eyes looked up at him as they said his name. Light hands wiping themselves onto their uniform before opening his shirt again and looking at the bandage. It was soaked with blood and rain, but the light face didn't hold any traces of what a disaster that was. "I have beef jerky." Jim moved back, quickly changing the subject. Grinning blue eyes pulling the package from the dirt with a smile an eyebrow that cocked at him for a moment. "An entire package." Light hands ripping it open as it spoke to him. Half open dark eyes that saw him in only a blur. Grinning ever so slightly at the "And your going to eat it too." That was suddenly spit at him. Blonde hair ripping the top open and pulling out a long piece of salty meat. Ripping it in half fast and shoving one piece into it's mouth quickly, while extending the second to him. Chewing hard on the tough dried meat that released salt and juice into its mouth. Feeling it slowly become softer, wearing out its jaw as he ate it, before glancing at the outlaw that let out a mumbled.
"I can't…"
He frowned. "Why not? Don't tell me your too busy Gene." Jim shift closer to him, watching his scarred fingers slowly close around the strip it was offering. Blonde hair moving back satisfied and pulling another small piece out of the bag and eating. Watching his hand slowly move it to his mouth in broken movements and slide a small piece in. Jim watching intently as he started chewing, ever so slightly. A light hand shoving his shoulder hard to a "See, you'll be alright." That came with a firm nod and false satisfied feeling of progression. His dark eyes watching the blonde, smiling more then he was chewing before catching the light left arm, bleeding from it's elbow. Blue eyes glancing at it as they saw his fast frown. "I got it cut, in a hunters trap." Grinning slightly, at the irony. "This must have been some kinda small town or…something." Jim pulled out the map it had crammed into it's pocket and opened it up. Light hands running through their short hair and brushing the rain drops back as it looked down at the small lines and pastel colors. "Gene eat." The blue eyes frowned and snapped up as he pulled the jerky back from his mouth. He didn't have the strength to chew the tough meat, no strength to even keep his eyes open. Saddened blue eyes just looking at him, they couldn't hide from the condition he was in. Sleep constantly taunting it as well, as it huddled in the muddy hole in the rain. The army wouldn't come looking for them, the place would just be blasted and then cleaned. "You know everyone's…probably dead now." He spoke to no one in particular, and Gene didn't open his eyes to acknowledge. "I tried to…keep thinking about what I would go back to…when Dan kept writing, after I stopped…it was something to hope for…I guess." He flashed a lop sided grin at the scarred face that didn't respond, but was listening. "Don't you think that's a good thing to hope for?…Gene?" He cringed at the scarred form that suddenly coughed some blood up before laying still. His blue eyes dropping to the ground and sitting. A numbing sting of pain coming from his side where the metal sat in his skin, his elbow dripping blood into the murky muddy water. "What do you have to hope for now?" He glanced back up, watching the scarred chest just rise and fall. Gene's eyes slowly opening to look at him. Saddened blue eyes and defeated face just staring back as he slowly ran his hand onto the light wrist that didn't move. How could Jim understand that his hope when he was drafted was to find his younger partner again. Not a worry for Melfina back home, not a wish to get back to her. For as much as he wanted to be back in the familiar building or be in her arms. The longing need to help the dirty blonde strands and blue eyes that had crept into his life, and attached to him with white knuckles left an empty hole in him when gone. "Don't try to talk." Jim cut him off as he opened his mouth to try and pronounce a u sound. Light hands pushing the bandages to his wounds to keep the blood inside as it moved the fire a little closer. The small yellow flames barely making it to the top of the pot. As Jim kept it burning just enough to release *some* heat. "Gene, you have to eat something. I don't think…" help is coming, his brain finished. Half open dark eyes watching the blonde hair slouch into the mud with exhaustion and defeat. "In a…maybe a day, when you're a little better. We'll start moving." the blue eyes turned to him, frowning firm. This *was* what was happening. "Tomorrow mourning I'll…go and get some…go and look for maybe…some gas or…another car." Blonde hair muttering its words out softly, as it nodded eyes closed, dead tired. "So you better be ready to walk cause I can't carry you!" He jumped as Jim sat up fast from where it had looked as though it was falling asleep. Light hands yanking the bag of beef jerky over and counting how much was inside. Carefully tearing a half off a piece so none would fall into the murky water and be lost, and eating. Blue eyes looking at him. "Did Mel…write to you?" the blue eyes looked back down below the blonde strands, out of sight. "Gene was…it a boy or girl?" There was an unfamiliar tone to the question. Running around happiness? Sadness? Regret? A longing to see what miniature version of itself was running around with Danny far far away somewhere safe. "Gene" The blue eyes looked back up, blinking before locking on him. Trying hard to ignore the reddened color of the mud, and white seat stuffing around the outlaw. "A boy?" He grinned watching the outlaw move slightly ,cringing at the light hand that appeared on it's face to a "open your mouth" Blue eyes holding a small piece of jerky over the fire. Watching it warm so it would be softer before pushing it into his mouth as he opened his eyes slightly. "Chew it." Jim was frowning mad. "NOW!" They screamed suddenly, watching his face, his jaw with a burning focus. Zeroing in for the slightest motion, or chew. "NOW!" Light hands grabbing his shoulders and shoving him, shaking him. Watching his jaw make a small movement, chewing ever so slightly before swallowing. "Good." Jim lit up, next to hysterical as they ripped another piece out of the bag and started heating it up. "Good…good." More strong taste and salt sliding into his mouth as Jim sat watching him. Nodding slightly each time his jaw moved before letting out a fast exhale and lop sided grin as he swallowed. "The trap I sent off, had a red light on it that started blinking. If anyone's alive around here, maybe they'll come for us." He grinned, nodding at the half open dark eyes that were having a hard time focusing on him now. "In fact, I know they will." Jim shrugged, giving him a casual -of course they will- nod. "Who would set a trap…a trap out here and then not check it?" The light shoulders shrugged again, looking down at the bloody thin piece of metal in it, but it'd bleed more if it was pulled out. "All we have to do is wait." Jim was nodding ever so slightly while heating more jerky. Jumping as one of his hands snapped at its jacket and squeezed. The fast movement made the jerky drop into the fire with surprise and worry. "Gene?" The blue eyes snapping to a hard confused look, watching his chest arch forward with a cringe. A small amount of blood dribbling from his chin and the exhaustion drooped his head forward. It was getting so hard to keep it up.
"Ahhhaa..hhaa." Growling out hard pain before making a strong "huuuu" sound with his inhale that sounded wet with blood. His head and eyes slowly looking back up to the wide blue pair that silently watched. Squeezing his arm so hard it would probably hurt if he could feel his body before leaning forward as he tugged.
Scarred hand patting his back as he leaned closer for a second. Gene's half open dark eyes giving him a broken nod, choking a "Ahha" with a twisted lop sided grin before smiling hard. So proud of him, happy to have met him. "I don't…have…"
"Shh don't try to talk!" He frowned, shaking his head with the small panicked scream.
"…don't have, anyahh regreeets." He choked out his words to the warm running trickle of blood on his chest. Grinning at the blue eyes that did a small swallow, frowning at him with a fierce, but powerless adrenaline rush. "You." His bloody scarred hand ran up to Jim's cheek and smeared some blood onto it as he nodded ever so slightly. "…good job." He closed his eyes leaning back into the mud, and relaxing as more blood ran down it's chin. "Good." His head nodding ever so slightly as he relaxed. A light hand squeezing his wrist watching him slip away.
"Gene…" He squeezed his eyes shut, his heart suddenly twisting into his rib cage, making it hurt so bad. "Geeeene." Blue eyes tearing up as the outlaw's hand became limp in his, nothing but weight. His hand squeezing it as hard as he could, with all the strength that was left in him holding his tears back…..His eyes burning into the scarred features, glaring at them with grit teeth. The hard hhhh,haaaa, hhhh, haaa, hhhh, haaa of his breathing the only sound until his hard "GEEEENE!" that screamed to the scarred face, willing it to still have a hard beat. His blonde hair and bleeding green uniform slumping into the mud and ripped leather on the side of the outlaw. His chest jumping, so hard it hurt as he forced himself to calm down. Without his head….without his head, he wouldn't survive. "AHHHH!" His hands dug into the side of the hole with hate and anger. Blue eyes jamming shut, as he shoved at nothing. Slamming his fist into the crumpling wall that simply slid down around it with soupy brown colors and sticky soil. His shoulder leaning deeper and deeper into the wet cool slush as he let out shaky exhales. His legs in the cold puddle of the pit, his shoulder mixed into the mud and leather as he leaned into the scarred shoulder. His cheek and closed eye leaning into the dirty wall as his breathing relaxed. The sharp burning stabbing from his beating chest and screams dying in his side as he slowly started to relax. He couldn't take this anymore, there was so much he wanted to get back for. So much he wanted to live for, and yet right now…he was ready to die. He was barely aware of how Gene's warm blood was smearing over him, how much mud was clumping onto the side of his face. The cold chills in his legs that sat in the water, the way his body was slowly slumping into the outlaws shoulder. It wasn't very lonely anymore. When he closed his eyes he could see the black form of death sitting across from him in the ditch. Silently patiently waiting, boned hands on its knees looking at him. Waiting for him to just let go, and join his partner. He squeezed his eyes tighter, his mind undecided, unaware of how many tears were streaming down his face as he started slipping into blackness. Listening to the soothing sound of the falling rain.
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"Gene?" He turned to the outlaw, looking at the calm and casual scarred features that stood along side of him looking ahead. His blonde hair making it just to his eyes, the way he used to always wear it before the war cut it on him. "…Are we dead?"
He watched the outlaw do a small nod, sighing slightly. "Yeah we're dead Jim."
He dropped his eyes to the floor, in a way he guessed it might always happen. It wasn't really so much of a surprise. He looked back up from where he stood in the small aisle surrounded by the rows of wooden unfolding chairs. His own sigh admitting now as he looked ahead at the black coffin that was surrounded by bright and cheerful flowers. The people and chatter walking around them. Oblivious to him as started walking. They couldn't see him because he was dead. He brushed some of his hair away as he moved up to the coffin, looking down at himself. The healthy colors of his skin, and how peaceful he looked…he never had that much color to his skin when he was alive. Unless I was running laps, his head snickered, but his face remained flat. Slowly turning around to the collection of people that had come to see him buried. Faces he didn't really recognize moving around the small buffet table and his partner, who had slouched into one of the chairs as though bored.
"I knew when he left that would be the end."
He snapped at the sound of her voice, his heart skipping lightly as his eyes landed on her thin red hair and brilliant green eyes. Daniella! his head called to her but his mouth remained closed.
"Someone once said…95 percent or something. Of all guys who enter planet side wars die?" She looked lost, her eyes red and swollen with tears. Along side of her Cameron stood far too close. Trying to continually comfort her blank stare, and monotone voice that hardly noticed him. Hardly noticed anyone in the room. Iris was a few chairs away, looking basically the same. Her dress for once, wasn't so tight. It was simple, black, probably borrowed from someone. Her soft eyes worn, with thin lines that drew themselves along her skin as though the pain had aged her. Her hands on her lap, her face staring ahead, she was mourning two people. Two of the closest people to her, and still she had cried all her tears out before she had arrived. Some of the most important people in the room looked like she did, already dried. Crying for hours, never stopping after the phone rang, the news was spread, and the receiver dropped to the floor with a cry. Cidny was a foot away, offering Iris her space, but support at the same time. He could feel from here where Melfina was. Why he couldn't see her in the room, Cidny had just left her moments ago. In the bathroom trying to fix her face slightly from where she had burst into hard sobs…again. Cid's hand was over her face slightly, still crying without sound. Mike next to her, looking disgusted and bitter with the uniforms in the room. With all the stupid things he had ever done with Gene, they had managed to drag themselves out alive. He could sense that from Mike, the resent the man was feeling he should loose one of his best friends to someone else's command. "So…" His eyes flew back to Daniella with another monotone mumble that stared off. "Why would I have thought it would have been different for me." He watched Cameron slide his arm around her slowly, not caring she hardly noticed. His eyes wide as he watched, his body unable to move, unable to call to her like he wanted. It wasn't his fault! He had tried to live! He jammed his eyes for a moment when the pit flashed back at him. Gene's body next to him. His eyes slowly closing. Death patiently waiting in the mud with them before smiling as he let go. That wasn't HIS FAULT! He had wanted to GO HOMe! HE would have Done Anything TO GO HoME! Danny looked up at his General as he walked by. The man's firm slow walk, heading through the room and directly to his coffin. It had a million and one funerals it was required to attend. No matter families might not want it, it was required. He could feel the hatred, too exhausted to do anything hatred, leaking from Daniella's motionless body. Cameron's satisfaction, the soft murmur of her voice thinking about the baby. -He left me with the baby. What do I do if he left me with the baby?- He saw Daniella's eyes gently look up at Cameron. She couldn't abort it, it was him. It was all she had left of him. She couldn't kill it, couldn't support it herself. He shook his head, his chest picking up wild. Knowing what she would do! He could see it already in his mind! Flashes from the future! She would cave, she would give. In order to support the baby and keep that last little bit of him she would let Cameron have what he wanted! NO! His head was screaming. NOOO! His eyes closing as he saw Cameron's smile, the birth, the baby. HIS BABY! His! Cameron's greedy hands wrapping around the bundle, prizing it as its own. NO! IT WAS HIS! Daniella WAS HIS! HE WOULD KILL CAMERON! KILL HIM! That son of a bitch. He wanted to live now more than ever. Wrap his hands around that man's neck and tell him who Daniella belonged to. GOD! Why Couldn'T YOU HAVE SHOW ME THIS THEN! The pit flew back into his mind, death's slow smile marking the point in his life. The exact moment when he died, the exact moment he left. DANIELLA! PLEASE! Ironic he felt she was leaving him, when he was the one who was dead. PLEASE DANIELLA! He could hear his words screaming in his mind, but they didn't utter from his lips. -His entire patron- His generals voice was in his mind now too. -dead. Wasted. Too young- Oh god. He threw his eyes to Gene, but Gene felt sorry for him too. Dark eyes just looking at him from where they had slouched into a chair. Gene understood better than him there was nothing he could do. Nothing *they* could say or do that anyone in this room would see or hear. Gene. Gene could hear him, and he knew it, but the outlaw was silent as he called to it. It didn't have any words it could offer him. Geeene. He knew he was whining. Something he never would have allowed himself to do in real life, and its then that he realized. Gene was crying. Sitting there crying. Something Gene never would have done in real life.
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Hey! Thanks so much for reading! I know that was really sad, and I am not going to say anything nice to relieve if cause I always wanted to write a cliffhanger! HAHA! Everyone is always writing those and getting me all worked up so I figured-I'd get ya all back! If you have never written a cliffhanger, I apoligize, and will be posting the Finally chapter up real soon for you. THANKS! Please remember to review-DivineAngel
