Alrighty all! Another fast, drama filled update. Warning: This IS a cliffhanger. I can't resist…my writing always leaves off with one….so…it's a fair warning. Haha. Enjoy!

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Ok…along with the story. Read at your own risk. Muhahaha!

XXXX

Well, I think I'll go turn myself off,

And go on down

All the way down

Really ain't no use in me hanging around

In your kinda scene

--Jimi Hendrix

XXXX

Before I could turn and run, I was pulled into the jungle by two pairs of strong arms. I fell with a whoomp and then faced my surroundings.

There in the darkness stood Shep, Crock, Sergeant Caplan and another guy I didn't know. "Holy shit!" I sputtered. "I can't believe it. How in the hell did you-" I cut off abruptly as I winced. Apparently, babbling crazy-speak wasn't good for my ribs.

Crock held my elbow gently. "Thank God we found you."

Shepard peered cautiously at me. "Are you alright Curtis?" He sounded relieved.

"I think my ribs are broken."

Caplan brushed a furtive glance over me. "We'll check you out closer to base camp. Right now let's stop the chit chat and get out of here ASAP."

Shepard raised his gun. "Sarge, are you sure you don't want us to light those VC up like it's Christmas?" He looked ready to storm the village.

I put my hand out and touched the gun's barrel, pointing it toward the ground. "Don't Shep. They just did what they know." He pondered this and with a curt nod from Caplan gave up the chase.

"You look a little worse for wear there, Kiddo," Shepard said as they led me away.

Tiredly, I sighed. "What do you expect? Me to come out of this bruise free?"

Shep looked at me solemnly. "Well actually we expected you to come out-"

"Shep, shut up willya?" Crock said glaring at him. "We're just glad we found you."

"Speaking of that," I smiled forcefully, "just how did you find me out here? Did Nancy Drew help you?" I said with false cheer.

Crock beamed, happy that I hadn't lost my sense of humor. "Nope. The Hardy Boys."

Caplan held something up in his hand. They winked in the moonlight: my dog tags. He handed them back to me saying, "We searched for about a week, figuring the VC had got you. After we went back to base camp one of Captain Bane's men, Walter here," he nodded at the other man accompanying us, "brought these back. It just hit me that they were taking you to the closest POW camp around here."

I rolled my eyes in exasperation. Caplan notice and chuckled. "Yeah. Which isn't that close in fact. Don't worry; we're not walking all the way back. We have a camp set up close to here and then we'll call in for a chopper." He asked me lowly, "How many took you."

"Two."

"Good. Just in case they try something. They're at least out numbered."

We walked along; I didn't realize until a few miles later, that Shep and Crock were holding me up on each side. Then I remembered. My brothers. I broke free of Crock and Shep and hurried up to Caplan. "Sergeant, Sir, do they know? Darry and So-"

He shut me up with a look. "Yeah, I called them about a week ago. They're going to be awfully relieved, I reckon."

Reaching our makeshift base camp I was ushered into the tent, collapsing onto one of the cots. Shep and Walter stood guard. I caught sight of myself in a tin coffee mug sitting on a box.

I looked horrible.

I looked young.

I looked like I was 12.

How was I fooling anyone? My pale face stared back at me, purple circles underneath sunken eyes. Heh, I thought wryly, Looks like I just got back from Windrixville.

I rolled over onto my back, hoping my pain would lessen. Crock came and sat beside me. He hesitated for a moment and then smoothed my hair back. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"Same here," I said hoarsely. This reminded me too much of home; tears threatened and I blinked them back hurriedly. Shoot. Dally was right. I hadn't changed; I was still a bawl baby.

Crock's dark eyes bore holes through me. His face was pained, tired. "You should get some rest." He coughed nervously. "You know I-"

Caplan popped his head in the tent. "I just radioed a chopper. They should be here in a flash. I want the medics to take a look at you back at base."

"I'm fine," I said protesting. "Just a couple broken ribs is all."

"What? You come back with an MD degree? Keep quiet Kid." I saluted him cockily and he lingered in the entrance smiling.

"Uh, Sarge? We got a problem out here," we all heard Shepard yell. "Someone sounded the alarms." A few bursts of gunfire echoed in the night and then it was silent.

"Shit!" Caplan flew out of the tent cursing his self for letting his guard down.

"Dammit, won't this ever end?" I frowned, struggling to get up off the cot. Crock pushed my groping hand away from the nearest gun I could claim.

He snorted then said seriously, "No, I don't think it will. Stay here." He was out the tent before I could argue. Just as quickly as he had gone, I followed him. I wasn't about to let my friends go at it alone.

I came out of the tent with my rifle pointed for action. Then, I shrugged and lowered it. There was no one for me to aim at. Everyone had it covered.

It seemed at if The Boss had rounded up a few others from the village. The fight wasn't all that bad; two VC lay dead on the ground. I noticed with some regret that one of the dead was the younger VC.

Sarge, Shepard, Walter and Crock were firing rounds off at the Boss and the other VC.

"I guess you all got it," I yelled above the din as bullets flew. Shepard shot me a thumbs up and yodeled. I grimaced at the sound and tried to step out of the way, behind Crock.

The Boss took aim at Crock, rushing toward him. His round flew out of the barrel just as Crock fired his own rifle. The Boss stopped, felled by the bullet and then crumpled on the ground. The Boss's bullet had barely missed Crock, streaking past him, behind him.

It was over.

"Sound off if you're hit," Caplan commanded scouting the perimeter.

No one responded. Then, all of a sudden I felt a warm, sticky sensation in the pit of my stomach. My hands searched, found a bloody mess and I staggered backward. "I'm hit," I said weakly and collapsed.

Instantly, Crock and Shepard had the wound covered with both their hands. "Looks like I got your bullet Crock," I croaked. And in fact I had. It had gone straight past Crock's stomach to land squarely in my own.

"Stop it. Stop joking." He said angrily, his hands and voice shaking. "It's not funny anymore. Nothing's funny anymore!" he yelled and looked around for something to punch. Except he couldn't. He wouldn't. His hands were keeping in my life.

Shepard peeked cautiously at him, hoping he wouldn't crack up. "Crocker, just-" he faltered.

"Where's that goddamn chopper!" Sarge yelled into the phone. He then appeared over me. "It's coming. There's a medic on it. Just hang on." He smoothed his beard with his hands and paced. "Keep pressure on it," he told Shep and Crock.

Just then did I figure out my dream. Dally's vague warning: "Give it a shot," he whispered. "Watch out for the belly flop."

In my pain and misery, I laughed weakly, startling everyone. "Thanks, Dal." They shot each other wary glances.

Of course I remembered the end of the dream. How could I forget it?

As my blood seeped into the earth, my eyes rolled into the back of my head and I lost consciousness.

XXXX

Do I know cliffhangers or what? C'mon? Haha

Ok-was that WAY cheesy? Did you choke on it? I sure hope not. Let me know…reviews please!