I gasped for air as I woke suddenly. My good hand wrapped around the handle as I looked around the room. It was still dark, and I was alone. The pain was still very much in the foreground as I looked down at my stomach, I hadn't bled out from the wound. The knife was holding it back. I rested my head back against the cold metal pillar closing my eyes. Just fucking turn me already! Get it over with instead of drawing this shit out! I cried out in my mind when I heard gunfire near by. I snapped my head up, straining to hear anything else. Seconds later Sarge ran in and straight past me as if he forgotten I was there. I didn't have time to react because I heard footsteps heading towards the entrance to the Ark room. I panicked imagining a horde of the undead heading to finish me off. I took a deep breath and waited, heart in mouth as the steps came closer. A shadowy figure appeared in the room and made their way further in. As the light hit the figure I hitched my breath.

"John?" I whispered out, not willing to trust my own eyes. John's eyes darted straight to me as he ran over.

"Dani! You're alive!" He said dropping his gun and brushing my hair away from my face. His hands were so warm compared to my ice cold skin.

"Is, is Sam?" I asked worried for my best friend. A warm smile crossed Johns face as he nodded a little.

"She could do with a doctor, but she's alive thanks to you." He said as his hazel eyes met my own. He was relieved I was alive, I could just tell with the way he was watching me.

"You made it." I said with a sad smile as his eyes landed on the knife in my stomach.

"What happened to you?" John asked looking panicked as he met my eyes again. His hazel eyes looked so hurt and lost, scared and broken. I began to answer him when a wave of pain darted through me, I grabbed his hand, gripping onto it as if it would help keep the pain at bay. "Dani? Dani what's happening to you?" John asked putting a hand on my face as the pain dulled again.

"She's infected. It's only a matter of time." Sarge's voice bounced around the Ark room. John grabbed his gun and turned, looking everywhere to find Sarge. He was scanning the whole room when he caught Sarge running from pillar to pillar on the catwalk above us. John took a fleeting glance over his shoulder to me, the question plastered over his face. Before I could answer him we heard Sarge running around again. John shot out a few bullets fallowing Sarge as he ran.

"Stay awake." John whispered to me over his shoulder, before moving in the centre of the room. My heart jumped into my throat as I watched him scout the area out looking for any signs of Sarge. He moved further into the shadows down the side of a pillar when suddenly Sarge appeared the other side swinging something large. Sarge looked around confused and even glanced at me. Sarge must of heard something behind him and turned just in time to see John shoot him. Sarge managed to get the metal thing up in time to dodge the bullet. Sarge was moving fast, faster than I had seen him move before. John came back from the side of the pillar and ran out into the open. He was looking all around for any signs of Sarge.

"Where'd he go?" John whispered out to me as he constantly moved around.

"I lost him... he went into the shadows." I replied taking a deep breath as another pain ripped through me. This time it ran through my body and ended in my wrist. I bit my lip, making it bleed as I held back the scream. The last thing I wanted was to distract John and give Sarge the upper hand. I looked down at my wrist in horror as I saw the bones move under my skin, the break was healing before my eyes! I didn't have time to process it fully because I looked up as Sarge crashed into the back of John sending him flying back into the centre of the room. John pulled his gun and aimed as Sarge walked through the broken glass.

"Semper Fi mother-fucker!" Sarge said glaring at John. "Faithful to the core, John." He added as he stood a few feet from John. Sarge unclipped his belt letting it drop to the floor as John fired his last bullet and dropped his gun. He was taking off his belt too when Sarge jumped and went to hit him.

"JOHN!" I screamed as the pain in my wrist dulled into nothing. The pair were exchanging blows, both getting a few punches or kicks in. They seemed evenly matched as John kicked Sarge in the side. I couldn't tell if it connected because Sarge picked John up and started spinning him around. Sarge sent John flying through the air and he crashed onto some metal just in front of me. John took a second to glance at me before Sarge carried on his onslaught. John just jumped to his feet in time to block a powerful punch from Sarge. He held onto Sarge's arm as he got a few good blows in. Sarge went for another punch and John just blocked again. John went to kick Sarge when Sarge ducked dropping onto his back before pushing himself onto his feet. As Sarge rose he punched John in the stomach and used the momentum to leap frog over him, grabbing his vest and tossing John into the air as if he weighted nothing. My heart lunged into my throat as I watched helplessly as John crashed into the catwalk railings. Sarge took a running leap and raced up the side of the stairs and onto the catwalk. I couldn't see what was happening, all I could do was hear the pair of the fight it out.

A new wave of the never-ending pain shot through my body, this time like before it ended where I was hurt. It stopped in my head but the pain was unbearable, I let out a scream, doubling over in pain the best I could as I held my head. As I clamped my eyes shut, bright vivid colours flashed in front of me, but they were too bright for my brain to cope with.

"Dani! Hold on!" John yelled from above me. His voice was stained as he called out to me. The pain was unbearable and I swear I could feel my skin knitting back together. I let out another scream as it felt worse than any pain I had ever felt in my life. In those moments I wanted to colour to disappear and the darkness take over. I wanted to die over having to spend any more time with the pain. I felt my skull click as the pain started to die down. A throbbing in time with my heart beat continued for a few more moments as pain continued to fade. The once vivid colours faded as the pain dulled in my mind. Soon I was left with nothing, no colours, no searing pain, nothing. The pain, the constant throbbing in my head had just stopped like that. I opened my eyes, panting hard as John came crashing to the floor in front of me, he rolled and glanced at me looking worried, before looking up at the catwalk. I looked up at the same point and heard Sarge moving up there. Even in the dim light I could see that Sarge had started to change into a monster. His forehead was more pronounced, his shoulders bigger, his whole body seemed bigger. He wrapped a metal bar round his hand as he snarled down at John. In response John spat some blood out and waited patiently for Sarge to make his next move. Sarge took one last twist of the bar and jumped off the balcony, heading straight for John. He punched John straight in the face and knocked him to the ground stunning him. Sarge pulled John to his feet and punched him again sending him flying backwards into a wall with so much force he cracked the wall. John got to his feet and went to tackle Sarge to the floor but couldn't move him. Sarge tried elbowing John off and when that didn't work, he picked him up again, tossing John to the other side of the room. John got to his feet just in time to block a kick from Sarge, and used the momentum to throw Sarge into a wall for a change. As Sarge dropped to the floor John was all over him, ready to punch him again. However Sarge grabbed John fist and kicked him over his head, sending him crashing across the floor again. The pair got to their feet and started hitting each other again. John ducked one of Sarge's punches and wrapped his arm under Sarge's shoulder, forcing him back into a machine at the side of me. I could see how Sarge was changing, he was becoming more and more like one of those monsters. John grabbed the wrist covered in metal and tried to pull it off only to have Sarge get out of the hold and back John up against the machine. John managed to loose the first wined of the metal before Sarge elbowed him in the face and turned, the wire out like a dagger and went to stab John.

"No!" I screamed out hopelessly desperate to stop Sarge from hurting John. As I cried out John put his hand in front of him. I heard the metal rip through his hand and saw it sticking out the other side. The pair struggled back and forth as Sarge tried to force the metal through further to kill John. As Sarge pushed more his body rippled with the C-24 as he became nearly a complete monster. His eyes changed to a jaded green, his teeth had become more pointed and ragged. He was snarling at John, his skin rippling as the muscles below expanded. Oh god am I going to become one of those?! A panicked thought crossed my mind as I looked at what Sarge was becoming. The machine the other side of the guys beeped, taking John's attention for a second. John wrapped the wire round his hand and head butted Sarge knocking him backwards. John reached out for the controls, his fingers ghosting over the keys as Sarge dragged him back, spinning him round.

"Damn it!" John growled before ducking a blow from Sarge. I looked at the machine and knew exactly what John was going to do. I glanced at the pair as they fought and then let out a small sigh. I knew I could reach the button, but I needed to remove the knife. The knife being the only thing keeping me from bleeding to death. But the serum is working, it's kept me alive this long. I just need to be fast enough to hit the switch, help John. He can put me down when I start turning. I know he can. I looked down at my stomach, and my healed hand. I rotated my wrist and got no pain from it. I looked up at Sarge and John, they were too busy fighting to know what I was planning to do. I looked back down at the knife sticking out of my stomach.

"One quick pull. Nice and easy. Just like taking a plaster off. Quick pull, less pain. It's easy, just a simple tug. I can do that, I've done it to other people, I can do this to myself. It's karma, it's ok." I whispered to myself as I wrapped my hands round the handle. I looked over at John as he kicked Sarge in the stomach making him double over. I caught his eyes as I pulled out the knife in one sharp move.

"DANI!" John screamed but had no time to help me before Sarge was stood blocking his view of me again. I dropped to the floor, taking deep sharp breaths as the pain emanated from my stomach. It was odd, at first I didn't feel anything, but as the seconds ticked past I felt a warmth in my stomach, one that quick turned to a sharp debilitating pain. I let go of the knife and looked at my stomach, I was bleeding out fast. I didn't have time to sit on the floor and cry about the pain. I forced myself to my feet, grabbing hold of the pillar as I wrapped an arm over my stomach. I stumbled over to the Ark control machine, and looked down at it as I swayed. The consoles were battered, covered in peoples blood but surprisingly they still worked.

"John, now!" I yelled as the pain spiked in me. I hit the keys as John tossed Sarge round in a circle as the familiar tingle of the Ark travel began. As John swung Sarge I moved round the front of the machine and slid down the front of the console, leaving a blood smear behind me. I watched as Sarge's feet caught in the Arks silver ball. Sarge struggled as the count down began, all the time connected to the John through the metal bar. Sarge snarled and growled as the count down continued.

"Three... two...one." The robotic voice said as John opened his hand and let the bar cut through the top of his hand. Sarge growled animalistically as he was sucked into the ball and sent back to Mars with all the other monsters. John glanced at his hand before picking up and ST grenade and hitting the top.

"Like the Kid said, go to Hell." John said before tossing the grenade into the ball.

I looked down at my arm and it was already coated in my blood. I looked up as John dropped to his knees in front of me. He looked scared. He looked really scared. I gave him a sad smile as the pain made it hard to stay still.

"That was impressive." I said nodding a little as I rocked back and forth.

"Dani..." He whispered out brushing my hair off my face.

"Hey, you needed help, and what the hell." I joked shrugging my shoulders as John's hand rested on my the side of my face, his thumb rubbing my cheek. He was so warm compared to me as I rested my head in his hands.

"We need to pack the bleeding, I need to pack the bleeding." John said as his eyes landed on the bloody mess that was my stomach. He moved, grabbing his belt and searching for anything he could use. "I need to keep your fluids up and you need to stay awake, ok?" He asked as his voice shook with the fear in his eyes.

"John, don't bother." I said softly meeting his gaze.

"I'm not letting you die now Dani!" John snapped as he looked back into his pockets.

"I'm... I'm infected John." I said getting his attention as his eyes darted to my neck. "The bandage on my head, it was from an infected body. Blood to blood transfer." I explained as he shook his head.

"Doesn't mean your infected. You could just-" John argued.

"Sarge broke my wrist." I said waving the once broken wrist. "And I'm pretty sure my head wound has healed." I added sadly. "I'm infected." I said looking to the ground.

"Fuck!" John growled throwing his belt to the floor, making me jump slightly. "Fuck it Dani! Why did you have to sign up for this shit?!" He snapped as a tear escaped his eyes. "Why couldn't you just leave it?!" He added turning away from me and shaking his head.

"I had demons to slay, just like you." I answered making him look at me again.

"Dani." John begged as he said my name. He was begging me to be wrong, begging for me to just get up so we could go to the lift and get the hell out of there.

"I'm so sorry John." I whispered out as a lump formed in my throat. "You," I said clearing my throat. "You need to just go, leave me here with an ST grenade and I'll take care of the rest." I said nodding a little as a tear rolled down my cheek.

"I'm not leaving you." He said firmly a fire burning in his eyes as he looked at me.

"I'm going to turn into a monster, pretty soon. I'm going to come after you and Sam." I admitted honestly. "You guys are the only ones left." I added looking down at the blood mess.

"No! No you're here, you're alive too." John said taking my and making me look him in the eyes. "We are all getting out of here." He said firmly.

"John-" I shook my head as a tear fell.

"Dani! I need you!" He said shaking his head as two tears rolled down his face. "I can't- I need you to be ok! I don't know how to..."

"John, please just go before I turn into one, one of those things." I begged shaking my head as John put his hand on my cheek again.

"I can't leave you. I won't leave you Dani." John answered shaking his head as his thumb stroked my cheek again. There was a long paused as we just looked into each others eyes. It said more than words ever could. "I love you Dani." He whispered looking straight into my eyes. Tears fell freely down my face as I laid there. Those were the words I had waited a lifetime to hear from John and now here I was dying in his arms.

"I love you too John." I replied as John lent down and kissed me softly on the lips. The kiss was so tender, so full of love that it broke my heart. I felt like I was breaking in two. John pulled away as I felt like my stomach was ripping into pieces. I let out a scream of pain as I held my stomach.

"Dani! Dani! Please, fight this! Don't give in!" John cried out, terrified as he looked at me helplessly.

"You need to leave now!" I snapped as the pain began to build inside me.

"I'm not leaving you to turn into one of those monsters!" John snapped back at me. "For all we know you're going to be fine! I'm not leaving you down here with these monsters!" He added wiping his face.

"I've done things you can't even imagine John. You..." I let out a whimper as more blood gushed out of the hole in my stomach. I felt warm, so warm that I was going to throw up, but I had nothing in my stomach. "Leave now!" I cried out shaking my head as the pain was like a million daggers stabbing in the stomach. I closed my eyes and begged to anyone who would listen that I wouldn't turn just yet.

"I'm not leaving you!" John shouted at me as I snapped my eyes open and looked at him. John had that damn stubborn Grimm look on his face, he'd made his mind up. But it just wasn't safe for him or Sam.

"You need to get Sam out of here." I said through deep breathes. "I kept her alive while you were gone. Now get her out of here John." I said meeting his gaze.

"I can't leave you to die alone." He pleaded so softly, his eyes were shining with guilt as he knelt next to me. "Don't ask me to."

"You told me..." I forced the words out of my mouth as I fought back the pain that was consuming me. "One to the head, one to the heart... I'm not even asking for that."

"You're not a monster Dani, you could never be a monster." John said so sadly as he shook his head.

"John. Go." I said as the pain became too much and I screwed my face up as I screamed. The sensation of daggers in my stomach spread to my whole body. I felt my skin ripple under the muscles that felt like they were tearing in two. The pain went deep down into my bones, it felt like my whole body was flexing and twisting. I gasped out in pain as John held his hand out to me.

"I love you." He said placing the ST grenade in my hand, the tears were falling freely from his face.

"I love you too." I said as another pain shot from the bottom of my feet, up my spine and straight into my skull. As it connected with my skull the world just switched off and I fell into darkness one last time.

People have said that they've seen Hell. Some people say it's your worst nightmare where the soul is tortured for eternity. Some people don't even believe in the concept of Hell. I guess I hadn't really thought about Hell until I stepped back onto Mars that day.
That day I saw just what Hell was.
It was the corruption of morals.
The willingness to take another's life without blinking an eye.
It was letting others die in a horrific way, so that you could get away.
It was bowing to the fear that wanted to consume you.

Hell had many faces, but none no evil as the one in the mirror. We had all been to Hell, we were never going to be the same again. There were a few, The Kid, Reaper, Sam, Mac, Duke and Destroyer, these were good people, but even the good don't make it out of Hell unscathed.

Hell is real, and just because it lost a battle, doesn't mean it won't win the war...

So that's my story folks, I hope you all enjoyed it and thank you to each and every person who read, reviewed or faved this story!