Opposites Attract

How To Survive

Jax passed out a few minutes after they escaped the village. Remarkably, they'd managed to get out without running into anyone, and Molly heaved a sigh of relief as the trees hid the village from her sights and the panic that had been rising since she first saw the rubble slowly ebbed. She heard his breathing steady out before he collapsed, and it gave her a moment to prepare, but she still felt her knees buckle as his did, knocking them both flat.

"Fuck."

He groaned as he slid to the ground, and whimpered as he landed on his back. Molly caught her breath for a moment on hands and knees, before lifting him onto her back. It was lucky she was so strong from her days on her father's boat, or they would have been stuck. Repositioning him so that his arms were around her neck, she started walking, thanking everything that would listen that he was so light.

She found the place they'd camped that morning by pure luck, lowering him gently to the ground and laying him on his stomach. His shirt had been left behind, so she had a clear view of the heavily bleeding wounds. She screwed her eyes shut in frustration, grabbing a blanket from the bags they'd left behind that morning and trying to stop his bleeding. She threw it to the side as he bled through it, sobbing in frustration. He was going paler, and she knew she had to act fast to stop the bleeding. Even as she sniffled an idea began to form. 

She'd never been the best at controlling her magic, but all she needed was to cauterize the wound. It would take a split second of pain for him, and then he would be a hell of a lot more likely to live. She hesitated for a second. She could kill him if she lost control for even a second. And to do this without his consent would be worse. She touched his shoulder lightly, shaking it in a weak attempt to wake him up. Surprisingly, it worked, and his eyes opened a bit,  groggy from pain. 

"Mol?"

"Mm-hm."

"What happened? Where's-" he tried to move, but winced and almost passed out again.

"He's gone, remember? It's all okay now, but you're bleeding. You're bleeding a lot. I can try to sear the wounds closed, but it would be risky. What do you want me to do?"

"Just make it go away," he murmured, "please."

She nodded, taking in a large breath to reassure herself. 

"You wanna hold my hand?"

"Mm."

He blinked at her for a moment before lacing his fingers tightly around hers.

"Count of three. One... Two... Three."

His many gashes lit simultaneously, and he screamed in agony, just a split second and then they were closed and it was over. His hand half-crushed hers in a belated reaction to all the pain, and she squeezed back lightly, reassuringly, as he broke down into silent tears, whimpering softly. 

"He's gone. He's gone. Molly, tell me he's gone."

"He is. I promise. I won't let anyone hurt you anymore. He's gone."

He sobbed weakly, like he was tired out from everything that had happened all day, and she didn't blame him for being exhausted.

"You want to go to sleep?"

"No. Too much shit wrong with my brain. Won't be good."

"Alright. But you need to rest eventually."

"Don't forget yourself. Shoulder's still bleeding. Face too."

She lifted a hand to her cheek and it came back red. 

"Shit."

"Mm. Well worded as always."

"No need to be a Sassy Sue."

He made a sound somewhere between a laugh and a hiccup and tried to smile. 

"I'll be back, 'kay? I'll go wash these in that river over there, yeah?"

She gestured vaguely southward, and he nodded weakly. 

"I'll stay within shouting distance."

She disappeared into the trees, simultaneously giving him the privacy to cry, if he needed to, and making her own hasty escape before she fell apart. She stumbled through branches and bushes until she got to the edge of the river and dropped to her knees, hiding her face in her hands and letting a small sob escape her. A thrill of guilt stabbed her like a knife because she shouldn't be the one crying, but she couldn't stop herself from shattering, letting all the emotions she'd been hiding since her banishment finally come to the surface. She felt hysteria rising, and she smothered the scream that threatened to escape, and smothered all the emotions with it.