I look at her in that paper dress.
I wonder why she won't burn.
She's just a paper doll, that's all, just a paper doll
I dress her up she knocks me down
They try her on for size, she fits nice
One size fits all
Now her soul is dead
Now her bodies raw
You can numb her pain
Watch the blood run down her face
But don't take notice
Watch the blood run down her arms
Please don't take notice
I know you have her soul
And I see it in your eyes
She knows you have her soul
And she sees it in your eyes
Now her soul is dead
Now her bodies raw
Wash away her pain
She wants you to eat her pain
She wants you to eat her remains
Kittie- "Paperdoll"
Cammy was trembling, scared by her own words, scared by what they entailed. But she was serious as ever. Vega spoke, his voice sounded careful, as not to screw this up.
"You will have to repeat that for me Camilla."
"You heard me. Let them go, safely, and I'll stay behind, no struggle."
Ryu's voice rose from behind her.
"No she won't! Cammy, you don't know what you're saying."
She spoke to him without turning around to face him. She made sure she kept her eyes on Vega.
"I know exactly what I'm saying for the first time in a long time Ryu. I'll do it."
"Your word Camilla?"
Vega was practically drooling when he spoke those words.
"Yes. On my father's grave."
He stifled a laugh.
"I figured you would add that. Alright…we have a deal."
She stepped forward and shook his outstretched hand. Like making a deal with the Devil himself. Vega made sure to let his hand linger in hers for a long moment. She pulled away from his grip and grabbed Melissa from his other arm. Scooping her into an embrace, Cammy kissed her on the cheek before passing her limp form to Ryu.
"Tell Wagner I'm sorry and that I love him, but I had to do this. He should understand."
"Cammy…"
"Go Ryu! Dammit, just go!"
Vega spoke up.
"Yes, just go before it is out of my control."
Ryu gave her one last look before he turned and headed towards the way out with Melissa. She stood motionless watching him leave. Cammy hoped he couldn't see the tears that were threatening to stream down her face. Vega stepped behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder gently. She blinked, letting her tears fall freely.
--
Wagner sat in the inflated boat, waiting for Cammy and Ryu to hurry on up with Melissa. Ken was helping him patch up the wound on his leg while he spoke gently to Eliza, who was panting.
"Breathe honey. Remember what the books said? You gotta stay calm."
"I'm trying."
"We'll be out of here as soon as Ryu and…there he is!"
Wagner looked through the brush and saw Ryu running towards them, with Melissa in his arms. No Cammy. Ryu got to the boat and laid Melissa's limp body down next to Eliza. He spoke.
"Go! We have to hurry."
Wagner broke in.
"What?! We have to wait for Cammy! Where is she?"
"She's not coming."
"What? What happened? Where is she? Is she hurt?"
Wagner started to try and get up but Ken guided him back to sitting as Ryu pushed the boat out to the water and spoke.
"She isn't hurt. She just made a choice."
Wagner yelled infuriated.
"Don't give me that shit! What the hell happened in there?!"
"She traded herself for us."
Wagner felt his skin go pale as Ryu continued on.
"She told me to tell you she was sorry and that she loved you."
"We can't go…we can't. It isn't right. I should have waited instead of going on ahead. We have to go back! Aren't you listening to me dammit?"
Ryu and Ken both gave Wagner a sullen look. Ken spoke.
"We'll figure out how to get her back. We've done it before. Right now we have to tend to Eliza and Melissa. It's what Cammy obviously wanted."
Wagner scooped Melissa's limp body into his arm and hugged her close. He kissed her cheek and spoke softly to himself as they headed towards the island with the plane on it.
"Oh Cammy, what have you done?"
--
Guile spoke to Jane as he limped out of the hospital with the help of a cane.
"They weren't at our house?"
"No. I called there first, no answer. No answer at Cammy's apartment or Wagner's dorm room either."
"That's weird."
"Maybe they are both just having a hard time dealing with this."
"We all are."
Guile slowly lowered his body into the car, with Jane's help. He never thought he'd see himself using a cane. But hell, it was batter than what could have happened. And besides, he wouldn't need it for long. He actually felt quite good, and full of energy. Chun-Li would be arriving this evening to set up a plan to get Melissa away from Shadowlaw. It would all come together and he'd have his little girl back. Jane shut his door and walked around to the driver's side of the car. If this wasn't a role reversal he didn't know what one was. Jane started getting into the car when her cell phone rang. She fumbled it out of her purse and answered. He caught her end of the conversation.
"Hello...what...slow down Wagner…he's here with me…alright…I love you too."
Jane handed the phone to Guile and spoke.
"Something's wrong I think."
Guile grabbed the phone from Jane quickly and spoke.
"Wagner, what's wrong? Where are you?"
"Guile I'm so sorry I fucked things up."
He sounded scared and frantic. His voice was trembling.
"Wagner…calm down and tell me what's going on."
He could hear a woman's scream in the background.
"We planned an attack on Shadowlaw. Not so much an attack. But we got in and got Melissa and Eliza out."
Guile's heart skipped a beat.
"You did what?! Who's Eliza?"
"I know I know it was stupid. That doesn't matter. That's not the worse of it."
"What is the worst of it?"
"Cammy, she…Guile she stayed behind. Like a sick sort of perverted trade she made with Vega."
"Where are you?"
"We're on an island about 75 miles out from San Francisco Bay. The one you wrote about in your files. Ken's wife is in labor and I'm too injured to trust myself to fly."
"So in other words I need to come there?"
"Yeah, and hurry please. We gotta figure out how to save Cammy."
"I'll be there as soon as I can, son."
--
In all his years of training, Ken couldn't believe the sheer strength of a woman in pain. His fingers felt as if they were going to be crushed under her grip. There was a small hospital on the island and well, beggars can't be choosers, so here they were, having a baby. Eliza screamed again and looked at Ken.
"Baby, it hurts."
"I know, I know."
"YOU CAN'T KNOW!"
Ken almost stepped back, frightened by his own wife.
"I'm sorry. I'm so happy you're here. It's…just…hard…"
The doctor came in then and looked Eliza over and under and well, in between.
"Mrs. Masters, it looks like it's about time to push."
Ken couldn't hold his smile.
"Okay girl come on."
Eliza nodded and counted with Ken.
"1, 2, 3, 4…push…"
Ken gripped Eliza's hand back as she grunted with each push. The doctor yelled.
"I can see the head, not a hair on it."
Ken felt as if his heart would burst. The doctor continued.
"One more push and your son will be here."
Eliza took a deep breath and a baby's crying soon filled the room. She leaned back in relief and the doctor handed a pair of surgical scissors to Ken.
"A healthy baby boy. Here, cut your son's embical cord."
Ken did as the doctor directed and as soon as the nurses wiped him off and wrapped him in a little blanket, they handed his son to him. He had stopped crying. He was so tiny, barely taking up Ken's hands. Ken spoke.
"Eliza, he's so perfect."
She reached her arms out, and Ken handed the small bundle over to her as he spoke.
"What should we name him?"
"Melvin Kenneth Masters."
"Melvin? That's kind of nerdy sweetheart."
"Well we'll call him Mel."
"Like Mel Gibson?"
"Yeah."
"I like it…hey Mel. I'm your Daddy."
Mel snuggled closer to his mother's chest before sighing and falling asleep. Eliza spoke softly.
"What are we going to do about Cammy?"
"We're not doing anything. I'm going to figure something out."
Just then Wagner came into the room.
"I did it. I called Guile; he's on his way right now to help."
"Alright then. We have to do whatever it takes."
Wagner gripped his fists together.
"Damn right. I won't lose Cammy."