Omg…. I'm making myself cry! Ok guys, this chapter came sooner then expected, but what can I say, I couldn't just leave Baird dying in the helicopter! Anyway R&R and tell me what you think, criticism being most helpful as long as it stays constructive. Thanks to all who have been reading and following, and I promise to update soon. Ttyl!

As gently as possible, Vince slid the pair of tweezers into the wound on Baird's side, digging around for the bullet that had hidden itself deep within.

The abrupt aggravation to his injury caused the mechanic to inhale heavily, gasping for breath as the fresh onslaught of torment not only affected his side, but also sent unbearable waves of pain to the back of his head. Instinct suddenly kicked in, and Baird thrashed on the stretcher he laid on top of, frantically trying to free his hands and legs from whatever was pinning them, attempting to get away from the abrupt excruciation.

"Keep him steady, keep him steady." Vince called out loud, one of his gloved hands laid out flat against his patient's torso while the other moved the pair of tweezers inside the injury, his lips pursing every time the instrument slipped in a little deeper.

Stifled sobs escaped Sam's lips as she stood above Baird, not for the first time wishing there was something she could do to alleviate the torment he was going through. She felt his entire body trembling as she kept her arm planted firmly against his chest, trying to regain some form of composure while getting a better grip on her companion's hands. Another five minutes past, although it felt like hours to Sam as she steadied her friend, attempting to keep him as calm as possible while he continually shifted in and out of consciousness, his body trying to cope with the excessive amounts of trauma it was receiving. As Baird's blue eyes rolled back once more, Sam shifted her weight, turning to see what kind of progress the medic was making.

Everything fell into a haze as she looked on, nothing legible to her sight anymore except the amount of blood that was covering both the doctor and her friend. The crimson liquid was up to Baird's ribcage and down his waist, while Vince's hands were also dark red, the stain slowly making its way up to his elbows. By the looks of it, the field medic was having a difficult time with the bullet, his aggravated facial expressions downplaying his still composed demeanor.

Suddenly, Sam felt the color drain from her face, and her body went numb at the sight of Baird's shaking form tense up before going slack again, pained cries escaping his lips every time the medic slid the tweezers deeper into his body.

Without thinking, she released her grip on Baird's hands as her eyes slowly faded into a mass of gray, and she stumbled back, the helicopter door catching her before she could lose her balance completely. She stayed there for a moment, insensible to her surroundings as a soft buzzing sounded in her ears. Her stomach churned as she tried to steady herself against the interior of the helicopter, although her knees shook in protest every time she attempted to regain her footing. Fighting back the urge to vomit, Sam shook her head, rebellious to her physical wellbeing as she made her was back to Baird.

The commotion surrounding the blonde gear was overwhelming; people talking in raised voices while Vince continually slid the instrument ever deeper into Baird's side, wiping some of the blood away with a cloth so that his hand would stop slipping.

Realizing that someone else had taken up the job of keeping his hands pinned down, Sam stood next to Vince, helping where ever she could to speed up the process. Occasionally, she would steal a glance at Baird, and the stillness of her friend led her to believe that he had finally past out from either blood loss, pain, or both.

A few more harrowing minutes past, then suddenly, the medic's eye's lit up, and the tendons in his hand became visible as his hold tightened around the pair of tweezers. "I think I got it." He said out loud, speaking to no one in particular. Sam held her breath as he turned his wrist, before finally removing the instrument entirely, a bloodied piece of metal clamped tightly at the end.

He sighed, dropping the tweezers next to the rest of his gear while someone handed him a towel to wipe the rest of the blood off his hands.

As Vince dug around his medkit for fresh gauze, Sam, without thinking, wrapped her arms around his neck for a moment, unable to fully express her gratitude with words.

"Thank you." She said softly while pulling away, sheepishly realizing that she had been halting his work.

Blinking away his shocked expression, Vince nodded at her while smiling, already applying pressure to the still bleeding wound on Baird's side.

Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, Sam wiped her eyes with the back of her hand while turning, taking a seat next to Baird before she fell from complete exhaustion. As she did so, her vision began to fade once again, but she was determined to stay awake the rest of the trip, and make sure that they made it to the hospital.

In an attempt to distract her mind from anything but sleep, she wrapped her hands around Baird's, noting just how still he was; the only sign of life coming from her companion was the rise and fall of his chest, and even that was still unsteady and shallow. Keeping her eyes locked on his pale face, Sam found herself thinking back on the words Baird had spoken to her just before they had entered the king raven.

"You are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen….I….tried to tell you so many times, it's just….I was scared, ok?

Sam mulled the words over in her mind several times, smiling to herself slightly before her eyes closed and she fell asleep.