Leave No Trace

Chapter 14

Mira

Mira was tossing and turning on the bed. Mike was sleeping on the floor, and Kate was up on deck, taking her shift as watch. She was close to sleep, but she could thinking about how Ally, her Ally, could be a couple hundred feet away from her.

Or she could be dead.

Just as Mira's eyes closed, she thought what if Ally is dead?

And it was probably why she had a nightmare.

Strangers in masks were beating Ally up, but she was refusing to cry out. This wasn't the Ally that Mira knew. Ally was never afraid to show her emotions, which made her so different from Mira already.

Ally turned to her and Mira could see the tears in her eyes.

"Mira!" she yelled, and the strangers paid no attention to the girl in the room that was staring at the captive, "Mi, you can't let them win!"

The strangers left, and she curled up in a ball on the floor, crying softly. Mira walked over, afraid to approach. After all, this was Ally.

Overemotional, loyal Ally.

"Ally," she leaned down, brushing the hair away from Ally's bloody face. She touched a hand to Ally's face, "Ally, I'm sorry."

And then her eyes fluttered open, "Mi?" she asked weakly.

"Yeah, Ally, it's me. You're okay. I'm here now."

And then, sending flecks of blood everywhere, Ally jumped on her, "MIRA! You're okay! You're here!"

Mira smiled, wrapping her arms tightly around Ally, "Yeah, Probie, yeah I'm here," She touched Ally's hair, marvelling how after several days, Ally smelled the same. A scent tainted by blood but otherwise unmarred. Ally was safe, and here in her arms. Not dying. Not dead.

"Mira, I have to tell you something. It's important."

"Ally, it can wait. We have to get you to safety," Ally pulled away, and looked as though she was going to argue, but didn't.

"MIRA!" Ally yelled, pointing over Mira's shoulder, where Dean loomed, grinning. He had a knife in his hands. Mira felt Ally leave her side, her hand slipping from hers as Ally jumped at him.

"Ally, no!" she cried out, as Dean smiled, pinning Ally to the wall.

"Oh Ally, you really shouldn't have done that," And with that, he thrust the knife into her stomach. She slid to the ground, her eyes closing.

Dean smiled, "Enjoy burying her." He walked out of the room, and the second he was gone, she ran to Ally, who was lying there, blood staining her hands. She hadn't removed the knife, and Mira knew better than to do so herself.

"M-Mira," Ally choked out.

"No, shhh, don't talk."

"Mira," she tried again, her slippery, blood stained hand finding Mira's.

"It's okay, Ally. I'm here."

Ally's eyes slid shut, "Mira...."

She woke up with a start, and found that she was shaking slightly. She rolled over, trying to fall back asleep, but knew it was in vain. Every time she closed her eyes, she could see the look on Ally's face as the knife entered her flesh. They had to find her.

XXXXXXX

"I hate stakeouts." She had her face buried in her hands, a Coke sitting in front of her. She'd refused Danielson's offer of a coffee, and had opted for this instead. But it was too early in the morning. It was seven-thirty. And considering she'd barely slept after her nightmare, she was exhausted.