Forever: A Life After Legend Fanfic (Marie Lu)

June

Daniel is carrying me to a jeep. It was the middle of the night when we got this call. Daniel hurried to get himself dressed and then rushed to help me do the same. He was pretty frantic.

"Daniel, what's going on?" I ask as he sets me in the jeep and slides in beside me.

"It was Anden. He is sending you into protection because whoever is behind this rebellion isn't dead, and they have ordered a hit on you, June." He murmurs as the soldier in the jeep starts to drive.

"I'm not going into hiding like a coward!" I protest. I was the First Commander of the Republic, and if I went into hiding, it showed I was a coward who was weak.

"No one is calling you that. You can barely walk! You have a goddy fucked up leg. You need to heal." He snaps at me.

'"Where are we going then?" I ask.

"You and Pressa are going to Antarctica."

"Daniel, I refuse! Where are you going?" I shout, not wanting to be away from him and my work.

"June, Please, I wouldn't want you to go if it wasn't for your own good. Plus, they can heal your leg faster than we can... They have better technology and healing processes. Anden says they granted you a safe haven law. And Pressa is going back to visit old friends and help you."

I sigh, "You're right... but I'm still going to find out who wants me dead." I cross my arms and look down at my leg.

I was drafted by the limits of my own damn body...

I look out the window—the blue ocean beneath us. We were going to be in Antarctica soon. The plane rocks, and the engine roars. Pressa was with me. She sat across from me, reading a book. She looks up at me and then sets her book aside.

"I know you didn't want to come here," She says softly.

"If this is what is best, then I shall do it."

"You know Antarctica has the best doctors around; they helped Daniel, and they helped Edens's eyesight. You'll be better in no time." She smiles at me, trying to lighten the mood.

When we land, I grab my crutches and start to leave the plane. Pressa helps me out. The president and his assistants were waiting for us.

" First Commander Iparis, good to have you back in Ross," President Ikari says.

"It's good to be back. I hope everything is going well. I appreciate your accommodations." I smile and wrap my hand around my crutches tightly, but he reaches out to shake my hand. I lean on the crutch my hand is still holding, and I reach out to shake his hand.

"We have been briefed on your situation. We have some of the best doctors on staff to look at your leg," his assistant says.

"Thank you," I murmur.

They take us to a sky-floor hotel to stay in. Pressa and I unpack our items before being whisked away to the doctor.

They were extremely focused on trying to get my leg better. I guess I am, too. It's been months, and still, nothing has changed. The pain only worsens.

When they cut the cast off my leg, the smell was unbearable. Pressa ran out of the room, and I held my breath. I happened to glance down and gasp. It was worse than I imagined. From my knee down, it was blue and black. It oozed from open sores and wounds. I look away, being ashamed I let it get this bad. That I was this weak.

"Infection has set in. We need to fight the infection and then put pins in the bones. If the infection spreads, then we must replace the bone with a metal bone. It's the newest technology," the doctor says.

"Wait, metal, as in like a prosthetic bone?" I ask, thinking about Daniels's metal knee replacement.

The doctor nods, "It's a light metal that will act as a bone, and then we give you skin grafts to make it look exactly like your leg. It is the newest of advancements in the medical world. It has great success rates. Would you rather have that than pins in your leg?"

"What are the chances of the infection not spreading?"

"Slim... in my opinion, I would get the metal bone and be done," the doctor says.

"Then do it," I murmured, wanting to be out of pain and back on my feet.

I lay in a hospital bed. I wait for them to take me to surgery at 1500 hours. Daniel hasn't called, but it is for the best. The less I know, the less worried I will be. It also means less of a chance that the people after me will find out where I was sent. This rebellion is more than just a few angry bystanders. It seems like it's the military where they have the manpower to persuade and influence. I turn over in the bed and see Pressa walk in.

"Hey, you feeling okay?" she asks and sets down a cup of water on a table.

"Of course. Just a little surgery, and I'll be good in no time. Has Eden or Daniel called yet?" I ask, getting my hopes up, but I already know the answer.

She shakes her head. "No, but the news isn't good," she flips on the TV in the room.

I stare at the screen. The devastation at hand. Monuments being blown to bits, and people fighting in the streets and protesting. I thought people would be happy with the progress of The Republic; I guess not. They are angry with the money usage.

"Turn it off." I rub my temples, feeling guilty again I was lying in bed. "I should be there trying to help."

"Well, you are here, and you just need this surgery, and like you'll be good," Pressa smiles.

I appreciate her enthusiasm, but I couldn't care less.

I nod and look out the window into the white and shining city of Ross.

"Your surgery went well, Mrs.Iparis," the doctor says, holding up a datapad as I wake up. I blink my eyes, the feeling crusty. My lips dry with blood. I rub my eyes, adjust them to the light, and look at the doctor. I realized the pain I'd felt for months was gone.

"It feels better. Less pain for sure." I went to look down, and a huge scar lined my left leg.

"That's good. You'll be discharged tomorrow. You have already fully recovered. The grafts we use are quick healing. The miracles of medicine. " The doctor finishes and leaves the room.

I smirk at his comment about fast healing. This meant I was ready to be back in action, my normal self.