Fighters

Chapter Four

No one can understand the fierceness that is my mother until you see her in action. As we approached, she was brandishing a machete in one hand and a revolver in the other, taking down both people and the dead, hit after hit. The battle was basically done as we approached, everyone living either dead or surrendered. When mom looked up and noticed the jeep, she didn't smile but her eyes lit up. I smiled at her, and it was as I opened the door that I saw the man with the gun get up from the ground behind her. Dad saw it first though, and he was screaming, running to her but he wasn't quick enough, and the shot rang out. I took off too toward her but it felt like everything was in slow motion. Dad reached her first, before her knees could hit the ground, and he brought the gun I loaded up and hit her shooter right between the eyes. He was pressing his hand against her chest, trying to stop the bleeding while she clenched her teeth.

"Mom" I whispered, grabbing her hand. She turned her head slightly to look at me and smirked. "I'm fine kiddo, just a scratch." She coughed then, but dad held her steady. I looked up and saw our medical team running towards us with a bag and a stretcher.

"Move, kid" Mac said, moving between me and mom to start getting her ready to be moved. I felt like lead then, suddenly feeling like a little kid that was too scared to let go of mommy's hand. It wasn't until I felt Eric next to me, both of his hands on my shoulders.

"Let go, Trist." He whispered, "She's going to go get help, she'll be just fine." He continued. I looked at mom tho, and she smirked at me, squeezing my hand once and then nodding. I nodded back and let Eric take my hand and hold it in his instead. Even injured my mom looked at our joined hands and wiggled her eyebrows. I gasped at her and blushed.

"You're going to have to let me put the Captain on the stretcher Clay", Mac was telling dad, "she'll be less jostled that way." Dad looked from mom to Mac then and nodded, then bent down to press his lips to moms for a moment, and then her nose and forehead. She smiled at him and brought a hand up to his cheek. Dad held it there for a moment with his eyes closed and took a deep breath, then helped Mac move her onto the bright orange stretcher. She hissed, and I noticed she was getting more and more pale. Three other doctors came up so that they could hold the stretcher with Clay, and Mac could tend to her while they ran.

I stayed on the ground on my knees, Eric's hand still in mine, staring after them and unable to move. I could hear the dead coming closer but I just couldn't break out of my daze. Eric shook me then, making me look at him. "Lets get back to the jeep and take it inside, and put those fuckers in there in the holding cell so we can go see your mom, okay? Your dad is going to need you." I nodded at him and let him pull me to my feet. I felt like a robot, bringing my machete up and down almost mechanically to take out the dead on the way to the jeep. Once we were inside, Eric squeezed my thigh from the driver's seat. "You be there for you dad and your sister, and I'll be there for you. Okay?" he whispered, and I couldn't help it then. I leaned forward and pressed my lips hotly to his, holding his face in my hands. I needed him, even if it was just for a moment. He pulled away first and leaned his forehead on mine, entwining our fingers as I took deep breaths. "I'm going to drive now, okay Trist?" I nodded, releasing his hands and then taking both of mine to run them through my hair, taking deep breaths.

It was going to be okay.

It was going to be okay.

It was going to be okay.

I didn't even realize we were inside until my door opened and a slim figure threw themselves at me. "OH Tristan!" Aurora yelled, her arms locked around my neck and mine around her waist. "I was so worried! Mom is in surgery and dad is going crazy." She pulled back to look at me and I met her eyes, blue ones that matched mine. She was almost as tall as me, and just as tough. Her dark hair was pulled up in her signature messy bun and she was wearing camo army pants, combat boots, and a scrub top. "Are you okay, bro?" she whispered. I hugged her to me again and told her "I am now". I held her a moment longer and realized she had gone rigid,  and I knew what she was looking at in the jeep, or WHO I should say. I pulled her back to look at me and her eyes were not wide like I thought they'd be, but angry. I quickly jumped out of the jeep, closing the door and grabbing her arm to walk her away to the hallway outside the garage. She paced for a moment before she spoke, "where?" she asked, not looking at me.

"Where did dad find them or where have them been?" I asked, and she met my eyes then and nodded. I sighed. "They've been at The Helm. I'm not sure where dad found them". Her eyes hardened, and then looked at the door as Eric stepped through. She gave him a nod, which he returned, before she looked at me again.

"I don't want to worry about them right now, I want to worry about mom," she said, turning to head towards the med unit.

"I'm taking them to a holding cell and then I'll be right there." I told her, and she smirked at me and saluted. I rolled my eyes as she turned the corner. I kept staring in the direction she'd disappeared when Eric cleared his throat. I sighed, turning and heading back towards him. "Let's get this over with, babe" I said, my tiredness hitting me. He pulled me into a hug, resting his chin on my shoulder. I pulled back to smile at him, touched his cheek, and then turned to head towards the jeep.