Soldier Keep On Marching On

I'm Still Here

They can't break me
As long as I know who I am
They can't see me
But I'm still here

**********

Tears ran down Aiden's face as she gripped her arm and stared at the limp form of Maes Hughes. Blood trickled over her hand as she applied pressure to the wound.

"Hey, Hughes, what was that?" The voice surprised her and Aiden glanced at the dangling phone. She sighed as Roy's voice came through. "Was that a gunshot? Hughes, you okay? Hughes!" Maes choked and coughed, the noise barely picked up by the receiver. "Maes, answer me!"

"S-sorry, Roy," he wheezed. "Looks like... I'm not gonna be able to h-help you... after all. Gracia, Elicia, I love..." Maes went still.

"Maes! Maes Hugh-"

Aiden hung up quickly and stared once more at the body at her feet. Roy had heard the shot and Maes answered, though not with a warning, time was running out. Aiden reached into her black pants and pulled out bandages. First, she bound her arm, the throwing knife set aside in her pocket. Then she did a quick bind for Maes, if only to stop the bleeding so he wouldn't leave a trail. The wound from Lust was bound first which was quickly followed by the one inflicted by her gun. The bullet itself was an ice bullet so it would melt away without a need for extraction. However, the fast acting drugs inside it weren't meant for humans. With any luck Maes would survive the night and wouldn't die due to an overdose.

Getting him to the car and in the back seat was hard work but she did fairly well in time. The next step was dragging a fake body back in place of Maes. That was where her almost human transmutation came in, she'd created a fake body just like Roy would one day. Although she'd gone further by making it not only look like Maes, but function like an actual human. Well, she had fake organs placed, but they all belonged to pigs. Her whole plan relied on a person not inspecting a body further than the wounds shown. When Fake Maes was in place, Aiden shot it where the heart would be, the sound muffled by a silencer. The result was a lot like the real thing.

Aiden shuddered and turned away, making her way back to the car. Her steps quickened as she hurried to keep up with her timeline, she had a very short window to get things done. The drive away from Central wasn't long, but it wasn't short either. Years ago Aiden had found an abandoned cabin in the woods and with some TLC she had it up to living standards. That would be where Maes would stay, if he wanted. She didn't feel like forcing him into anything besides hiding.

When Maes came to, his mind was blank and his sight was fuzzy. He blinked a few times to rid himself of the blur but it didn't work. The roof above him was made of wood and it was highlighted in an orangish glow. Was he in a cabin? Maes craned his neck over the armrest of the couch and stared at the fireplace for a second to confirm it as the source of the glow. The position grew too uncomfortable and the man slouched back onto the couch, panting ever so slightly from the effort.

"Oh my god, you're alive," a familiar voice intoned from the foot of the couch. Aiden rushed forward with a bowl and rag in hand. She placed the items on the coffee table to her left and kneeled next to Maes. "I didn't think it would work but..." she trailed off, "but here you are!"

Her figure was blurred without his glasses but he was able to make out the white tank top, black bottoms, and hat that adorned her. The closer she came the clearer she became.

"Aiden?" Maes asked. What was she doing here? In fact, where was here? "What happened? Where..." He went to sit up but couldn't find the strength in his left arm.

"Don't rush yourself! You've barely had time to heal!"

"Heal? What are you-"

Maes cut himself off as the memories came back. His findings on the archive room, the woman with the spear nails, Maria Ross or whoever that was dying and coming back, and then the woman in the mask. Thoughts rushing by quickly he put all his effort into sitting up which was only accomplished with Aiden's help.