Muscles she hadn't even known existed were sore. But it wasn't even her muscles that were the worst. Her soul hurt.

Everything felt empty, as if she simply didn't have anything else left to give. She didn't want to wake up. She'd had enough. It was too much effort to open her eyes, to face the light, to continue to breathe, to move. Couldn't they see that she was done? She was empty. Out. Through. There was nothing left of her to go on. The only part left was a sore, bruised, and exhausted shell.

"Ella."

She grimaced. She didn't want to open her eyes. She knew it was going to be bright, too bright, stinging, burning bright. She already hurt enough with her eyes closed. She tried to gulp, but her mouth was dry and it just turned into a hollow rasp. She sounded like she was dying. She felt like she was dying.

"Ella."

The second time, she was able to place the voice. It was Daniel. He had to be going crazy. She had to at least let him know that she was okay. She could manage that much, at least.

As he began to say "Ella" again, she forced her eyes open, and they met his.

A smile spread across her lips and she reached up a hand to touch his face. Except her hand didn't make it, instead only rising a few inches off the ground and hurting like shattered glass, jagged and raw.

"You're okay." The words burned and had to be forced, shoved out, but once spoken they were only as light as a whisper.

Daniel grabbed her hand, squeezing it, and even though he was cutting off the little feeling she had left in that hand, Ella wouldn'tve had him let go for anything.

"Yes, of course I am." He rasped, as though speaking was just as tortuous for him as her. He was smiling, a beautiful, joyous smile but one just replacing the ravages of emotion, like the sun slowly peaking over the scene of a hurricane hours before.

"What happened?"

"You drained yourself, Ella. You shouldn'tve – you could've killed yourself."

"But how did we get out?"

"Sam got the legacy inhibitors on Six off, and they got us all out. Then we found Teresa and Leo, they were looking for us, and Leo teleported us all out."

"They're all okay?"

Daniel nodded. "Yes."

She smiled. "Good. I will be too."

If it were possible, he would've held her hand tighter. "You terrified me. I didn't know what would happen to you."

A laugh escaped her. "And what, you think you didn't scare me half to death? They could've killed you Daniel. They almost killed you. It was –" She gulped, staring desperately at him. "It was the worst moment of my life."

"Ella, I know how you feel, but,"

"I love you." Her voice was high and weak and pathetic, but she'd never been more glad of saying anything in her entire life.

He simply stared at her for a minute, his mouth dropping slightly open. "What?" he said faintly. "Ella, do you know what you're saying?"

"Yes. I don't care. I'm tired of pretending I don't feel this way. I can't imagine ever being without you."

"Can I kiss you?"

She was smiling so much it hurt but she nodded eagerly. His lips were the sweetest thing she'd felt in a long time.

Six wandered over and crouched next to Daniel, who was laying another blanket over a sleeping Ella.

"Is there anything we can do for her?" She inquired in a low voice.

Daniel shook his head. "I hope it's mostly exhaustion. In which case there's nothing we could do anyway. But we didn't exactly bring many medical supplies with us."

Six bit her lip. "We should have thought of that."

Daniel shrugged. "Lorien don't usually need human medical supplies." He sighed. "Ella always thought she should have had healing powers. Statistically speaking, one of you should have."

"Maybe one of the others did."

Daniel nodded once. "Maybe."

Six looked at Daniel. "Back in there," she said. "You ripped a metal bar off, with your bare hands." Daniel nodded. "You never used your full strength against me when we were sparring." She accused.

Daniel actually laughed, his face breaking apart as the corners of his mouth rose and his eyes crinkled. "You're one to talk. You could set me on fire."

Six grinned too. "Touche."

They were quiet for a second, and her eyes fell down to Ella lying on the ground. She reached out to touch his arm lightly. "She'll be okay."

"She will." Daniel turned around. "That doesn't stop me from feeling responsible."

"That was disastrous." Patrick intoned, scanning over the drawings Sam had made of the compound, to the extent of all of their knowledge.

"We were unsuccessful," Netoya qualified. "That does not make it a disaster."

"We were not just unsuccessful. Half of the group was compromised and nearly killed. Leo and Teresa went back into danger to try to find them."

"Leo is a teleporter. The Mogadorians cannot kill or contain him. Of course I would have preferred not to take the risk, but it was not unreasonable."

"Apparently they have a substance that can neutralize the legacies." Patrick said without looking up.

"They have a substance that was able to neutralize Six's legacies, if it was in fact that substance producing that effect. You know as well as I do that legacies are highly complex and individualized. Especially with the Mogadorian's limited understanding of Lorien, it's incredibly unlikely they created something with a high effectiveness rate."

"Unlikely. But possible."

"Hope I'm not interrupting," Six said, her tone implying the opposite, "But if you two are done chatting, we need to advance. The Mogs must've realized we're gone by now. If we even still have it, we won't have the advantage of surprise for much longer."

"Where's Leo?" Netoya asked.

"With Ella. Like we planned."

Netoya pursed her lips. "And they will teleport in once it's safe, once it's over?"

Six matched her stare. "They'll teleport in when they deem the time is right."

"I don't remember agreeing with that sequence. I don't trust their timing."

"They're the weakest links right now and they know it." Six said calmly and firmly. "But they're also Lorien with powerful legacies. They aren't stupid. They know how to fight. And if we don't trust them I don't know who we can trust."

"I would trust them with my life." Netoya countered. "I just don't know I can trust them with their own."

"Hey man." John said walking up to Sam, Bernie bouncing around his heels.

"Hey. What's up?"

"The usual." John grinned. "Think you're ready to jump back in the fire again?"

Sam laughed. "I guess we must be crazy, right?"

"Probably," John nodded. "Probably." He knelt to the ground, scratched Bernie on the head a couple times, then scooped him up and handed him to Sam. Sam took Bernie, who immediately began licking Sam's face happily, but looked at John in surprise.

"Here." John said. "He's going with you this time."

"Aw, man," Sam said, carefully setting Bernie back down. "But he's your dog."

"I want him to go with you." John said, looking at Bernie instead of at Sam. John knew he was the target. There was nothing he could do personally, but Bernie was the most powerful asset he had.

"Hey," Sam said, reaching out and briefly touching his arm. "We're going to be fine."

"I know." John said, even though he didn't.

"But thanks."

"Don't mention it."