"Joey, you go around back and take them from behind. Rosenthal, you and Denise take them from the left. Moses, Walker, and Julia take the right."

"What about you and AJ?" Joey asks me, worry clearly etched in his face. War is war, no feelings or fear can change that.

"If it's alright with AJ, we'll take the leader. He should be ahead of everyone else, scouting."

"I am your servant, General. I shall do whatever is thy wish; even till death's door I will follow you." AJ puts a hand over his heart in honor.

"You have proven yourself a worthy soldier, Holmes. Maybe if we survive this, you can take me out to dinner."

"I'd like that"

"Get a room!" Walker yells making his way off with Moses and Julia.

"Come on guys; let's leave these two lovebirds alone." Joey ushers the others away as they make stupid kissy faces at us. This is NOT the time to be messing around.

AJ and I roll our eyes, "Ready, soldier?"

"I'm always ready, General"

AJ and I make our way into the forest. Our guns cocked and loaded.

Everything slows down. I hear a gunshot, the screaming of my soldier, and then another gun shot. AJ lay at my feet and General Darren is lying a few yards away. AJ had jumped in front of the bullet to save me.

I kneel down by my love; his breathing consists of quick occasional intakes of breath. A sharp pain hits my heart as he cringes from the wound, "AJ…. No…"

"Sarah, I'm sorry-"

"Don't be! You saved me; we're going to get you help. We'll abort the mission. We have to get you somewhere safe!" I interrupt him, caressing his face in my hands.

"I'm sorry-I-I can't take you out to dinner"

"Yes you can, AJ, we're going to save you. You're not gonna die!" My words are choking me. I can't breathe. He's dying.

He places a hand on my cheek, I lean into his firm grasp, "Win it for me…" he rasps. His hand falls to the ground. A tear escapes my hold and splatters on his lifeless face, his breath his gone.

"No…" Anger burns inside me like fire, "NO!" I scream into the distance. The only response is the return of my pain echoing through the woods. The pain is not gone; it will never be, "You will be avenged my brother. They will pay for what they have done.

As I look down at his body one last time, I can't help but kiss him. It's cold against my lips, unlike the first time his lips were warm and inviting. I tear away from him and run as fast as I can through the deep woods. My eyes fill with tears but I force them back.

Those people killed my friend, they will pay with their lives