Connor shook the hands of Mr and Mrs Neely, "It's nice to meet you both, although I wished it was under better circumstances."

Elder Neely smiled from the bed, "He's been taking real good care of us."

Connor scoffed internally. What a banged-up job he has done. He was probably the biggest failure of a district leader the Church has ever had.

"I can't thank you enough for helping to keep our Eli safe," Mrs Neely hugged Connor, "He's spoken very highly of you."

Connor just smiled politely, "Did the doctor say when you'll be able to leave?"

Elder Neely gestured to the white bandage on his left shoulder, "Probably in a few days," His eyes went over to Elder Church in the next bed, "Sooner than baldy at least. He can't even move his head without throwing up."

"Shut up," Elder Church grumbled while still staring straight at the ceiling.

The bullet had grazed the side of his head. Connor had said a silent prayer of gratitude when he found out how close his friend had been to dying.

Initially, the doctors only shaved off half of his hair, but Elder Church subsequently forced them to shave all his hair off after he had a look in the mirror.

"I'm gonna have a wicked scar," Elder Church said, "You on the other hand, you'll just have a boring hole in your leg."

Elder Michaels laughed, "You're so gonna look like a gang member."

"A badass gang member, mind you."

"A badass gang member who had to get a sponge bath because he couldn't get up."

"I will puke on you, Neely."

Yeah, they were going to be alright.

—

They started the long journey back to the village right after Kevin was discharged. His mom hired a driver, and Connor was thankful for that. Neither of them was up for spending ten hours in an overcrowded public bus.

Kevin was folded across the tiny backseat, his head resting on Connor's lap. Connor stroked Kevin's hair absentmindedly, while he watched the trees and farms fly pass. Connor watched the heat waves distort the horizon in the distance, at least the car had air conditioning. Kevin shifted and sighed, pulling Connor's attention back into the car.

"Are you okay?"

"We there yet?"

Connor checked his watch. They had six more hours of driving to go.

"Not even close. Go back to sleep."

"Your legs are lumpy."

"Well, I'm sorry I have bones in my legs. Do you want to sit up?"

"Not really. Is it time?"

It was a testament to how awful Kevin must be feeling if he was asking for his pills.

Kevin dozed off again after taking his heavy-duty painkillers, leaving Connor to his own thoughts.

It was a confusing feeling, now that he knew he was leaving Uganda in three days. It was a mixture of sadness and happiness. He was sad that this could be the very last time he would see some of the villagers, and that he had to bid goodbye to the Ugandan lifestyle he had grown to appreciate. The laid back atmosphere, the freedom, and the simplicity of it all.

On the other hand, Connor was happy and excited to start living his dream in a new city, and to be back in proper civilisation.

—

"They really need to patch up those holes on their roads, don't they?" Connor's mother joked when they got out of the car.

Connor's response caught in his throat when he saw the state of the village square. Someone had cleaned it up some, but the remnant splatters of red on the ground made Connor feel slightly queasy. There wasn't anyone else in the vicinity, and the golden hue of the setting sun made the scene even more haunting.

Connor helped his mother with the luggage, "It's okay mom, I got this. We'll have to walk from here. The mission hut's ten minutes away."

"Hey, Connor? Why don't you two go ahead first?" Kevin squinted.

"What?" Connor frowned.

"I just want to check on some of them."

"Kevin," Connor scoffed, unsure if Kevin was being serious.

He wasn't going to let a drugged and concussed Kevin wander off on his own? Not in a million years.

"I'll be fine on my own, just go."

"Don't be silly Kev. I'm not leaving you to walk back to the hut by yourself, not when it's going to be dark in an hour," Connor sighed. He was tired, they were all tired from the long drive, and he was sure that if Kevin removed himself from the tree he was casually leaning on, he'd start swaying where he stood.

"Why don't we go back, get a good night's rest, and then come back tomorrow? And I'm sure everyone is busy with dinner at this timing."

"Fine."

The walk back was taking twice as long.

When they reached the spot where Kevin and Connor got attacked, Kevin slowed down to a stop.

"Is this where-," Kevin stared at the reddish-brown spots on the dirt path.

Connor wondered what happened to the man he had hit. Did he wake up? Had Connor killed him with the blow to his head? Should Connor be feeling guilty? But he felt nothing. Should he be worried for feeling nothing?

"C'mon, it's getting dark," Connor ushered him along.

—

The lights were on at the mission hut.

"Hello?" Connor stepped inside. It was quiet.

He heard footsteps, and Poptarts emerged from their bedroom, "Connor?"

"Poptarts!" Connor was relieved to see his companion.

"Hey Elder Price," Poptarts waved, "I'm so glad you guys are okay."

"I'm not," Kevin sighed and walked passed Poptarts towards his room, "But I'm glad you're okay too."

"Uhh…Poptarts," Connor gestured to his mother, "This is my mom."

"Hello Mrs McKinley. Elder Chris Thomas, Connor's mission companion," Poptarts shook her hand.

"I heard a lot about you from Connor. Thank you for looking out for him," His mother smiled.

Poptarts blushed, "Oh, it's-"

"Hey, Poptarts?" Kevin came back out into the living room, "Where's Arnold?"

"He's staying with Nabulungi," Poptarts shrugged.

"For the night?"

"I would guess so, since tomorrow's the funeral."

"What...funeral?" Connor's heart sank.

He had a feeling that he already knew the answer.

"Oh. You guys don't know? Nobody told you?"

"I haven't heard from anyone since I talked to you on the phone. Alicia said that everyone was fine! They managed to get them to the hospital in Kitgum," Connor gulped.

"They did, well, they tried. But some of them didn't make it. And many more people would have been dead if you hadn't called for help."

"Who was it?" Kevin asked.

"Mutumbo, Bwanbale, Sanyu, and Mafala," Poptarts hung his head sadly, "They died trying to protect the village."

"Oh gosh," Connor's hands flew up to his mouth, "Oh gosh."

No, no, no. This can't be happening. People are dead?! They're gone for good?!

Connor felt his mom put her arms around him as he cried. Connor laid his head on her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Con," She soothed.

This was awful. This was beyond awful. Nabulungi lost her father.

"This is all my fault isn't it?" Kevin's voice was quiet.

Connor's head snapped up.

"What? Elder Price-," Poptarts held up his hands.

"If I hadn't screwed up…," Kevin let out a hollow laugh and shook his head.

"Kevin, what are you talking about?" Connor took a step towards Kevin, "In no way is this your fault."

"No? Everything was fine before Arnold and I came here, weren't they? And then I had to go…," Kevin trailed off, blinking back tears.

"Elder Price, you didn't cause any of this. Butt-effing-naked is a violent raging homicidal warlord of his own violation. It's nobody's fault."

Connor was only a step away when Kevin dropped down onto his knees.

"I'm sorry!" Kevin broke, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

"No, Kev," Connor placed his forehead against Kevin's, "Gosh."

"I'm so sorry. I'm sorry!"

"No, Kevin."

"I'm sorry."

—

Connor was exhausted, mentally and physically. He was tired of being the 'adult'.

It felt nice to have someone taking care of him for a change.

His mother slid the plate of piping hot breakfast omelette in front of Connor, "Why didn't you tell me? About all this?" She waved the spatula around, "About the danger you were all in?"

Connor sighed, "I didn't want you to worry."

"So you think it would be better if I had gotten a call saying you're in a hospital, or worse, shot dead by an African terrorist?"

"I'm totally fine, mom. Look," Connor held his arms out.

"You got lucky. You don't know how lucky you are. You could have died, Con."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry."

"Oh, and before I came here, I called The Prices and told them what happened."

"Mom!" Connor's eyes widened, "You didn't!"

"I thought that they should know."

"Well, Kevin don't want them to know," Connor groused.

She raised an eyebrow, "Just like when you didn't want me to know?"

"So uh…what did they say?"

She just shook her head, but Connor didn't miss the flash of anger in her eyes, "Do you want more milk?"

"Morning, Connor. Morning, Mrs McKinley," Poptarts strode into the kitchen, neatly dressed in his shirt and tie, just like Connor.

"I made breakfast. I hope you like omelettes."

"Thank you, Mrs McKinley," Poptarts smiled and took a seat beside Connor, "So how did you sleep?"

"I didn't," Connor sighed, "What time does it start?"

"In half an hour or so, I think. We can get going once I finish this," Poptarts shoved the eggs into his mouth.

"I'll go wake Kevin up."

"Do you think he should be going? I mean…after yesterday?" Poptarts asked tentatively.

"He'd want to be there," Connor was sure of it.

—

"Good morning," Connor stepped into the room, "Are you ready?"

Kevin was lying on his side, facing the door. His gaze flitted up to meet Connor's.

"Ready for what?"

"The funeral. You have to get dressed," Connor helped to pick out Kevin's clothes and laid them on the bed.

"Connor?"

Connor immediately went around to Kevin's side, "Yeah?"

Kevin worried his lip, seeming as if he wanted to say something, but changed his mind, "Help me?"

"Yeah, sure."

Connor didn't know what to expect, from the funeral, from Kevin. The last time he attended a funeral, it was for a grand-uncle he had never met, and he was only five. Connor has never lost anyone he really cared about, until now. Not to mention how Kevin had revealed that he blamed himself for what the General had done. Connor was beyond sick of this. Every single time when Kevin seemed like he was doing better, something comes along and tear it all down. But there was nothing much Connor could do to fix it today, so he just focused on the task at hand.

"Shirt first?"

Connor had gotten really efficient in getting Kevin dressed over the past few weeks, ever since Kevin broke his collarbone. It took only a minute to get Kevin all ready to go.

He was knotting Kevin's tie around his own neck, while Kevin tried to style his hair with only one hand.

"How do I look?" Kevin turned away from the mirror.

Connor transferred the tie onto Kevin's neck, "Like a missionary who lost a fight."

Kevin gave a tiny smile, but it fell away as quickly as it appeared.

"Thank you, Connor."

"No problem," Connor waved his hand casually.

Kevin grabbed Connor's arm, "No. Thank you. You saved my life. It'll be my funeral you're going to if you hadn't come for me that night."

Connor hadn't thought of it that way. If he hadn't left the party to look for Kevin…

He couldn't even fathom the thought.

"I made a promise, remember?" Connor smiled painfully, "You're not going to die alone for as long as I live."