The Lives of Two 19 Year Old S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents

Chapter 10 - Waking Up

It was Chloe's scream that woke me. One long, continuous, ear-splitting sound. When she paused for a breath, I shouted:

"Chloe, stop screaming!" My head was pounding.

"But it hurts so much!"

"I know but you need to calm down a bit. Take a deep breath. I'll call for help, my comms are still working."

"That's what you said before and look where it got us." She sounded defiant but she stayed quiet.

I looked around. The fourth explosion must have been close because it had thrown me to the other side of the room, the pile of rubble seperating me from Chloe had been spread apart and the piece of ceiling on top of her had been thrown off.

That's when the pain hit me. I gasped. Bad idea. My chest and right arm were on fire. I suspected my arm and ribs were broken and sharp piece of debris was stuck in my side. I couldn't help the scream that came from me as I pulled it out.

I heard a sharp intake of breath from Chloe. She hated when I was in pain whether we were together or not. I tried to sit up. Bad idea. The world spun around me and I lay back down again. I tried again, squeezing my eyes shut this time. When I was fully upright I opened them.

My right arm hung limply so I supported it with my left. I was in unimaginable pain but I stayed awake for Chloe. Her first mission has become a disaster. It was a miracle we were both still alive. Using the debris to support me I slowly crawled over to her. I lay down next to her on the ground.

"You took your time," she said, soft, but bitter.

Then she took in the sight of me. My shallow breaths, the blood dripping from my side, the pain written on my face. I could see it on her face that she was worried about me but she tried to hide it.

"Let me help you," I said.

"I don't need your help," she responded. "You need help though."

"You do too. Your comms are down, you have a broken leg and probably a lot more broken bones."

"I said, I don't need your help."

The situation was escalating.

"Chloe can you stop being a bi-" I paused and calmed down a bit. "You and I both know that some pretty colourful language would be coming out of both our mouths if we hadn't made that new year's resolution not to swear this year. Thank you for honoring that. Listen to me, I know you still care about me, I can see it in your eyes. You don't hate me, you can't. You loved me, you still do. Nothing and no one can ever change that."

"You're right you know, as always, I do still love you but I still think we need some time apart and no more secrets."

"Maybe. I'm going to try and call for help now."

I put my fingers to my earpiece and said:

"This is agent Anaiya Elliott, does anybody copy. I need help, we need help."

No one responded.

"This is agent Anaiya Elliott, does anybody copy. We need help!" I repeated.

I heard a crackling on the other end then:

"This is agent Barton, I copy. What's your situation?"

"Clint? What the hell are you doing there? You know what never mind. If you look at active missions on the system you should find the mission we're on now."

"Got it."

"Good, agents Robertson, Mattheson and Carlton are dead. Chloe and I are both badly injured and we're trapped on the top floor. Use my comms to track my position and please send help."

"I'm on it."

"Oh and Clint, hurry we're both bleeding badly."

"Got it. Someone will be there within 6 minutes."

I took my fingers away from the earpiece and looked at Chloe.

"Chloe, I shouldn't have moved from where I was and I shouldn't have pulled that piece of debris out of my side but I did because I had to see if you were OK. I had to help you whether you wanted help or not."

"I know. Hearing you scream when you pulled that thing out of your side made me realize how much I love you. I can't lose you Anaiya."

"I can't lose you either Chloe. I love you."

With my left hand I grabbed hers and we stayed like that until help arrived.